Orion Airways
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Horizon Travel |
| Defunct | 1989 |
| Fate | Merged with Britannia Airways |
| Successor | Britannia Airways |
| Headquarters | Castle Donington, North West Leicestershire , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, Europe (charter and scheduled flights) |
| Products | Passenger air transport (charter and scheduled flights) |
| Owner | Horizon Travel (until 1987), Bass (1987–1988), Thomson Travel Group (1988–1989) |
| Parent | Horizon Travel (until 1987), Bass (1987–1988), Thomson Travel Group (1988–1989) |
Orion Airways—commonly referred to simply as 'Orion'—was a British airline with its main office situated at East Midlands Airport in Castle Donington, North West Leicestershire. Founded in 1978 by Horizon Travel to alleviate shortages in charter flight capacity for its holiday packages, Orion operated between 1979 and 1989. Its aircraft lineup included Boeing 737-200s, 737-300s, and Airbus A300 models.
History
Operations began on 28 March 1980 with a fleet of three Boeing 737-200 aircraft. By the summer of 1984, Orion had expanded its fleet to include 11 Boeing 737-200s, before transitioning to the more modern Boeing 737-300 series starting in 1985. From 1984 onward, Orion extended its services beyond Horizon’s own charters, catering also to other tour operators. In 1986, the airline obtained authorization to operate scheduled flights from both East Midlands Airport and Birmingham Airport to popular vacation destinations.
Orion developed a strong reputation for dependable service, timeliness, and a distinctive corporate identity. As Horizon’s holiday offerings grew, so did Orion’s route network and fleet size. In 1987, the entire Horizon group, including Orion Airways, was acquired by Bass, a prominent company in brewing and hospitality sectors.
The following year, Bass divested the group to Thomson Travel Group, which subsequently merged Orion with Britannia Airways by January 1989. This move took many industry observers and customers by surprise. Orion’s scheduled flight licenses were transferred without interruption but were discontinued after the summer season of 1990 as Britannia concentrated on charter flights based out of Luton Airport. Shortly after these changes, the Orion brand ceased to exist.
After the acquisition, former executives from Orion established 'TEA UK' in collaboration with Belgium’s TEA (Trans European Airways). Due to regulatory restrictions preventing operations at East Midlands Airport following the takeover, TEA UK set up its base at nearby Birmingham Airport, where it eventually became a significant operator.
Livery
The airline’s aircraft featured a white body with a grey lower fuselage separated by three parallel cheatlines in gold, orange, and chocolate-brown hues. The tail fin was painted chocolate-brown and prominently displayed a large stylized orange 'O'.
Fleet
At the time of its integration into Britannia Airways, Orion’s fleet consisted of:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Seating Capacity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-200 | 12 | 130 | Included the 737th Boeing 737 produced |
| Boeing 737-300 | 7 | 146 | Five transferred to Britannia Airways; two sold to Southwest Airlines |
| Airbus A300B | 2 | 375 | |
| Total | 21 |
See also
References
External links
- Orion Airways Video [1]
- Fleet and code details
- Orion Airways Flickr Group [2]
- Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom
- Airlines established in 1979
- Airlines disestablished in 1989
- Companies based in Leicestershire
- North West Leicestershire District
- 1979 establishments in England
- 1989 disestablishments in England
- British companies established in 1979
- British companies disestablished in 1989