TAT European Airlines
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Predecessor | Touraine Air Transport (TAT) |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | M. Marchais |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Fate | Integrated into Air Liberté; ceased operations in 2003 under successor entities |
| Successor | Air Liberté |
| Headquarters | Tours , France |
Area served | France and nearby European countries |
| Products | Passenger air transport, express parcel delivery service |
| Owner | British Airways (full ownership from 1996) |
| Parent | British Airways (from 1996) |
Transport Aérien Transrégional was a French regional airline based at Tours Val de Loire Airport in Tours. Initially established in 1968 as Touraine Air Transport (TAT) by M. Marchais, the airline saw Air France take a minority shareholding in 1989. From 1993 to 1996, control gradually shifted to British Airways, which eventually integrated TAT into Air Liberté.
In 2001, the combined company was sold to the SAir Group, which merged Air Liberté with AOM to create "," thereby maintaining TAT’s heritage until the airline ceased operations in 2003.
History
Scheduled flights commenced under Touraine Air Transport in 1968.[1] The airline introduced its first twin-engine Beech 99 turboprop aircraft for domestic French routes in June 1971, operating these until 1975.[2]
During the 1970s, TAT expanded its regional footprint through acquisition by Société Auxiliare de Services et Materiel Aéronautiques (SASMAT), which also owned competitor Rousseau Aviation, and through mergers with Taxi Avia France and Air Paris. This growth resulted in a network covering 30 provincial destinations across France and nearby European countries, operating from hubs such as Paris Orly, Lyon Satolas, Lille, and St. Brieuc.[1]
TAT maintained strong partnerships with domestic market leader Air Inter on internal French routes and collaborated with national carrier Air France on international services. Notable international connections included Lille–London Heathrow, Strasbourg–Milan Linate, and seasonal flights from Béziers to London Gatwick. These joint ventures featured shared flight numbers and coordinated liveries.[1]
Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, TAT operated a scheduled domestic German route from Saarbrücken to Berlin Tegel via its subsidiary TAT Export.[3]
In 1976, TAT established an express parcel delivery service that continues to operate today.[4]
The early 1980s witnessed TAT acquiring regional competitors including Air Alpes, Air Alsace, and Union Aéronautique Regionale, solidifying its position as France’s largest regional carrier and primary regional partner of Air France. Its route network expanded to over 50 destinations within France and Europe. Corresponding with this expansion, the company adopted the name Transport Aérien Transrégional in 1984.[1]
By July 1989, Air France had secured a 35% ownership stake; at this point, TAT ranked as the fourth-largest airline in France after Air France, Air Inter, and UTA.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Following deregulation of the European market in the early 1990s, TAT inaugurated thrice-daily services between Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Gatwick—the first instance of operating a major European trunk route—and rebranded itself as TAT European Airlines.[5]
British Airways acquired a 49.9% interest in January 1993,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name after which TAT began flying international routes under BA branding and flight codes while joining BA’s Executive Club loyalty program. Summer 1993 saw new routes launched linking Lyon and Marseille with London Gatwick. Additionally, TAT operated thrice-daily flights between Paris Orly and London Heathrow, complementing BA’s Heathrow-Orly service and circumventing slot restrictions at Paris airports. These changes ended prior commercial cooperation between Air France and TAT.[6]
In August 1996 British Airways purchased all remaining shares to gain full ownership.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name By 1997 BA placed TAT under joint management with Air Liberté—also under BA control since late 1996—and subsequently merged both airlines to reduce expenses and enhance operational efficiency. In May 2001 British Airways sold the combined entity due to ongoing financial losses and labor issues.[6]
Fleet
TAT's fleet comprised a wide array of piston-powered commuter planes, regional turboprops, and jet aircraft, featuring models such as:
- Aérospatiale Corvette
- Aérospatiale / Nord N 262
- Beechcraft Super King Air
- Beech 99/99A Airliner
- Boeing 737-200
- Fokker F27, Fairchild F-27A, Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B
- Fokker F28 (1000/2000/4000 series)
- Fokker 100
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9 (10/20 series; three units leased short-term)
- VFW 614
Gallery
Collection of images illustrating the range of liveries worn by TAT Fokker F28 aircraft throughout various periods
Incidents and accidents
Between 1975 and 1991, TAT encountered two deadly crashes alongside four incidents without fatalities.
Fatal accidents
The initial fatal crash took place on 2 July 1975 when a Beech 99 commuter aircraft (registration F-BTQE) suffered a no. 2 engine failure on departure from Nantes Airport, leading to an onboard fire. The plane collided with a nearby railway track, resulting in the deaths of all eight onboard, including both flight crew and six passengers.
The second fatal event occurred on 4 March 1988 involving a Fairchild-Hiller FH227B (registration F-GCPS) operating TAT Flight 230 from Nancy to Paris Orly. An electrical fault during the descent caused sudden loss of control and rapid altitude drop, culminating in a crash near Fontainebleau. All 23 individuals aboard—two pilots, one flight attendant, and twenty passengers—perished, marking the airline’s most severe accident.
Non-fatal incidents
On 5 July 1979, a Fairchild F-27A (registration F-GBRS) was irreparably damaged while parked at Paris Orly; none of the eighteen occupants were harmed.
On 4 September 1983, a Beech 99 (registration F-BUYG) crashed at Tours and was written off, with no injuries reported.
Code data
- Former IATA designators:
- VD (TAT)
- IJ (Touraine Air Transport)
- IO (TAT Export and Air Paris)
- LX (Air Languedoc)
- RU (Rousseau Aviation)
- Former ICAO code: TAT
- Former callsign:
- Photograph of timetable [1]
- Image of a TAT F28-1000 in Air France colors at Edinburgh Turnhouse during the late 1970s [2]
Bibliography
- Eastwood, Tony, and Roach, John. Turbo Prop Airliner Production List. 1998. The Aviation Hobby Shop. .
External links
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Berlin Airport Company Timetables, 1977-1984
- ↑ TAT Express
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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