some history HERE

wizard

Danair flew from Gatwick and Luton mainly Comets and were used by the original cheap holiday supplier Clarkson's. I remember my wife and I taking the kids to Ibiza for a week at less than £40 for us all.
Danair were perhaps not so reliable but with Clarkson's gave the 60's generation the oportunity to travel. Clarkson's went bankrupt as I believe Danair did. A great shame at the time.

DanAir was bought by BA in the late 80's for £ 1.00, there are plenty of websites around with info on Dan Air, have a look at google

I flew with Dan air or Dan Dare as they were often called to Tenerife 20 years ago, I thought they were great !

Chrisitine W

The best flight I ever had was with good old `Dan Dare`many years ago on an old 1-11 to Mahon.They treated their customers well,but sadly didnt take the plunge and continued to operate with old equipment for too long and got overtaken by the opposition and bought by BA for their landing slots.Great shame

and I used to work for them!!!

What a great thread! Loved their colour scheme. Were they not knick named - Dangerous & Nearly Always Incredibly Rough?

I remember their comets sitting at Glasgow before they were retired and the service being replaced by B727's. Some I understand of the latter still fly as freighters in South America!

Nivsy

Look what I just happen to have sitting on my desk

I flew with Dan air in 1973 to the Costa Brava, I and 3 friends flew from what was then called Teesside airport, ( now Durham Tees Valley) , the tour operator was Clarksons and it cost £68 full board I think. We stayed in the Annabelle Hotel In Lloret De Mar, and the food was terrible, I remember everything was silver service and everything was swimming in oil. Thank goodness for buffet meals .

Some interesting recollections are being posted to my thread. Thanks for all your imput.

When I last flew with Dan Air it was to Rimini in Italy, and I seem to recall boarding the aircraft through a door right on the back of the aircraft. Not on the side, but right on the back under the tailfin. Do you know what I mean? It was similar to the doors on the back of the larger transport planes that cars can drive up and in, but this obvioulsy was on a much smaller scale, but I have never been on an aircraft since where passengers boarded from the back of the aeroplane.

Can anyone let me know what type of aircraft that was that I flew on? It would have been in the 1980's. and I flew out of Gatwick. Is this type of aircraft still operating?

Hi Benidorm

It was what was called a BAC 1-11 which was one of only 2 aircraft types that had a built in passenger staircase at the rear literally between the 2 rear mounted engines..you used to get a good lung full of aviation fumes getting on and off.First flew early 1960`s.All long since gone out of passenger operation.Dan Air did operate them on short haul routes out of gatwick.In the end it was the engine noise that did for them....horrendous complaints from sleeping residents all over europe!!!(surpassed only by the RAF`s VC10`s) for anyone living in oxfordshire

Hope that helps

you used to get a good lung full of aviation fumes getting on and off.

Yes , now you mention that, I do recall the smell of aviation fuel as we walked up that rear staircase. Yes, your reply has indeed helped, many thanks Paully : Thanks. I can now look up sites, assuming there are some, depicting pics of those BAC 1-11's. I'm not an 'Aircraft Spotter', but I do like recalling past experiences every now and again.

But, yes I do now vividly recall walking up inbetween those engines and getting a whiif of aviation fuel, which was as you say very strong you could feel it in your lungs well after take off. I'm not surprised this aircraft type was withdrawn from active service. But, on the other hand, it did suit the 'image' that Dan Dare...... Dan Air had.

Actually, thats something else that has had me pondering, just why or how did Dan Air aquire this 'nickname' Dan Dare? Was it because of the aircraft type the airline used? Or the In Flight service perhaps?

I only ever flew with them once

they put the fear of god into me landing in very bad cross winds at Newcastle.

I flew on the last Dan air flight out of Newcastle.It was only half full and very comfortable,loads of leg room.We flew to Izmir in Turkey and flew back with a Turkish airline which was dreadful!.

Well, what can I say?, How nice to see Dan air in discussion after 12 years of their demise, at the hands of the 'company doctor' (David James, Llyods bank).
Had 10 happy years working for them as an engineer, and can say that they were the best company I've ever worked for.

Well, what can I say?, How nice to see Dan air in discussion after 12 years of their demise, at the hands of the 'company doctor' (David James, Llyods bank).
Had 10 happy years working for them as an engineer, and can say that they were the best company I've ever worked for.

So do you have any further information as to why they eventually went out of operation? The only memory I have is that they were one minute and the next.

I always understood that Dan Air were the first victim of the notorious 'dirty tricks' campaign conducted by British Airways against its rivals, followed closely by Air Europe...but maybe I got it wrong!

I think you may be right....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan-Air

cant remeber all the ins and outs of their demise but they were bought by BA for £1 ,supposedly also taking on their debts ,just about the time they took over British Caledonian but Dan Air had valuble slots at Gatwick and BA got these just as they were starting up there.Previously they were exclusively at Heathrow.Maybe old Freddie Laker was right