British Eagle International Airlines - Mug

British Eagle International Airlines was a British independent airline that operated from 1948 until it went into liquidation in 1968. Founded by former wartime pilot Harold Bamberg as Eagle Aviation, the airline began with a fleet of converted wartime bombers transporting fruit and cargo. Over time, it expanded into passenger and freight charters, including participation in the Berlin Airlift and government trooping contracts to Singapore. In 1954, British Eagle introduced low-fare holiday packages, allowing it to compete with state airlines. Despite its growth into scheduled services, economic challenges, including a downturn in the holiday market, led to redundancies and the airline's eventual closure in 1968.