British Regional Airlines

British Regional Airlines was a franchise partner of British Airways based in Manchester. They operated a large network of domestic and European services from many UK regional airports.

British Regional Airlines held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, It was permitted to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.

History
British Regional Airlines can trace its history back to March 1991 when Manx Airlines created Manx Airlines Europe in order to expand and fly routes within the United Kingdom.

In 1995 Manx Airlines Europe became a franchise carrier for British Airways, operating some routes from its Manchester base under the British Airways Express brand. In September 1996, Airlines of Britain Holdings which owned British Midland along with regional carriers Manx Airlines, Manx Airlines Europe, and Loganair, announced it would split the regional airlines into a separate grouping. As a result, the three regional carriers were spun off as the British Regional Airlines Group (BRAL). The UK based British Airways Express franchise operations of Manx Airlines Europe and Loganair now operated as a combined British Regional Airlines, while Manx Airlines continued to operate services from the Isle of Man. At the same time, British Airways closed down its 'Highlands' division and transferred the routes to British Regional Airlines which would operate them as a British Airways Express franchise partner.

In February 1997, BRAL announced an order for five Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft, the first of which was delivered in June that year. The aircraft replaced the BAe Jetstream 41 on services from Manchester and Southampton to Scotland.

In March 1997, Loganair was subject to a management buyout led by Chairman Scott Grier. The independent Loganair continued as a British Airways Express franchise partner and operated services in the Northern Isles with a fleet of six aircraft (one de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and five Britten Norman Islanders). The main cross-border trunk routes remained with British Regional Airlines.

In 1998, the British Regional Airlines Group floated on the London Stock Exchange.

In March 2001 British Airways purchased the British Regional Airlines Group (holding company of British Regional Airlines and Manx Airlines) for £78m. The airline was merged with Brymon Airways to create British Airways CitiExpress on 28 March 2002. Sister company Manx Airlines continued to operate as a stand-alone carrier until it too was merged in September 2002.

Fleet
At the time of the merger with Brymon Airways, British Regional Airlines and Manx Airlines operated a large fleet of regional aircraft including: