Aden Airways was a subsidiary ofBritish Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) based inAden. It was in operation from 1949 to 1967.

Aden Airways

Aden Airways Logo
Founded	7 March 1949
Commenced operations	1 October 1949
Ceased operations	30 June 1967
Operating bases	Aden Airport
Parent company	BOAC
Headquarters	Khormaksar,Aden

In 1947, a proposal to form an airline in Aden using a pair ofBristol Wayfarers did not materialize. An engineering base was established by BOAC inAsmara,Eritrea, in January 1948 as part of BOACs No.5 Line, which was centered on Aden and servedCairo,Nairobi and theRed Sea area. On 7 March 1949, Aden Airways Ltd was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of BOAC. A fleet of six BOACDouglas DC-3 aircraft were based at Aden and these were taken over by Aden Airways. Operations commenced on 1 October 1949 with the aircraft operating under theirUnited Kingdom (G-) registrations. On 1 February 1950, the aircraft were placed on the Aden (VR-A) register.^[1]

On 31 March 1950, share capital ofRs. 800,580 (£60,043) was issued. BOAC owned all the shares. The ownership of the shares passed to Associated British Airlines (Middle East) Ltd in 1955 and B.O.A.C. Associated Companies in 1957.^[1]

Aden Airways experienced a seasonal increase in passenger numbers due to thepilgrimage to Mecca. Extra aircraft were leased to cover these flights, notablyAvro Yorks fromSkyways in 1954 and 1955. On 28 February 1960, Aden Airways took delivery of their firstCanadair C-4 Argonaut. A May 1960 order forAvro 748s was later cancelled. From 1 January 1962, Aden Airways entered into an agreement withEast African Airways Corporation to pool services on the Aden –Nairobi route. In September 1963, the first turbopropVickers Viscounts entered service. In 1967, thepolitical situation in Aden was deteriorating and Aden Airways therefore ceased operations on 30 June 1967.^[1]

• Twelve differentDouglas DC-3s (all were former military Dakotas or C-47s) were operated by the airline from 1950 until it closed in 1967.^[2][3][4]

Three Argonauts were acquired from BOAC in 1960 and one fromEast African Airways.^[2][3] Another Argonaut was leased fromDerby Airways.^[2][3]

The three former BOAC aircraft were scrapped after serving with Aden Airways and the former East African Airways went to the United Kingdom in May 1964.^[2][3][5]

• Two aircraft delivered to Aden Airways in September 1963. One aircraft was placed in storage in April 1967 and the other was destroyed by fire on 21 July 1967 after a bomb exploded while the aircraft was in quarantine. The bomb had been placed byNational Liberation Front guerillas.^[6] One aircraft was also leased fromCentral African Airways.^[2]

• A number ofAvro Yorks were leased from Skyways in 1954 and 1955.^[1]

• TwoAvro 748s were ordered in May 1960. The order was cancelled in May 1962.^[1]

• In October 1952, Douglas DC-3VR-AAE was severely damaged in an accident when it landed on a road nearAssouan,Egypt and hit a tree stump. The damaged aircraft was dismantled and transported toHeliopolis by barge and thence toCairo, where it was repaired despite being declared awrite-off and Aden Airways receiving £30,000 in insurance money.^[7]
• On 12 April 1964, Douglas DC-3VR-AAM was written off atHargeisa,Somalia with the loss of 15 lives.^[8]
• On 26 March 1965, Douglas DC-3VR-AAA was damaged beyond economic repair after it was groundlooped following a downwind landing atHadibo Airport,Socotra,South Yemen.^[9]
• On 22 November 1966, Douglas DC-3VR-AAN crashed at Wadi Rabtah after a bomb on board exploded. The aircraft was on a flight fromMayfa'ah Airport toAden International Airport. Thirty people were killed,^[10] amongst themAmir Mohammed bin Said, the Prime Minister ofWahidi. The bomb had been planted by his son, Ali.^[11]
• On 30 June 1967,Vickers ViscountVR-AAV was damaged beyond economic repair atAden International Airport when a bomb on board exploded. The aircraft was in quarantine at the time after an engine change.^[12]

• List of defunct airlines of Yemen

• Watson, Dacre (2008).Red Sea Caravan: The Aden Airways Story. Air Britain.ISBN 978-0-85130-409-0.

• Aden Airways timetables