Delta Air Transport

Delta Air Transport ( 1988-1996 trading as DAT Belgian Regional Airlines ) was a Belgian airline and in 1996 a wholly owned subsidiary of the airline Sabena. Following the bankruptcy of Sabena, the company was renamed in spring 2002 SN Brussels Airlines, which in turn was merged with Brussels Airlines in 2007.

History

Delta Air Transport ( DAT) was founded in June 1966 in Antwerp as a charter airline. Initially, the company continued ever a Cessna 206, Cessna 210 and Cessna 337 as air taxis in. With two machines Beechcraft 65 was provided as of the September 19, 1967 scheduled flights on behalf of the Dutch airline KLM between Antwerp and Amsterdam. Following the KLM held a 33% stake in the company. From December 1967, the Company aircraft of type a Douglas DC-3 for occasional services (Ad - hoc charter) as well as in regular service for KLM. From 1968 is scheduled flights for the Belgian Sabena between Brussels and Eindhoven. Acquired second-hand machines of the Convair CV 440 and Douglas DC-6 solved the Douglas DC- 3 from in 1972. The shipping company Compagnie Maritime Belge Group, who was also principal owner of the Belgian charter airline BIAS International, took over in February 1973 a majority stake in the Delta Air Transport. Following the BIAS two machines of the type Douglas DC-8 came from the DAT. These planes came to the end of May 1973, the company name on Delta International tourist charter flights to the Mediterranean for use. In 1974 charter flights for package tourists were again offered with a Boeing 720. The DAT was planning a total of five of these aircraft to operate, but took as a result of the first oil crisis and the fall in demand in the tourism sector only a Boeing 720 from. This was sold a year later. On 18 March 1977, the Company received the first of its five Fairchild Hiller FH -227 and then put all the older aircraft out of service.

From the early 1980s put the Delta Air Transport their five aircraft increasingly on behalf of the Dutch NLM Cityhopper and the Belgian Sabena in regional traffic line one. The close co-operation with Sabena in April 1986 led to the fact that they acquired a 49% stake in the company. The company then flew mainly feeder services for Sabena and changed its name from the year 1988 under the name DAT Belgian Regional Airlines. In parallel, the fleet was with machines of the Fokker F- 28 (from November 1987), Embraer EMB 120 (from June 1988) and BAe 146 (from November 1989) modernized and expanded.

In 1996 Sabena acquired the remaining shares of the KLM and took over the Delta Air Transport completely. Following the corporate headquarters of Antwerp was transferred to Brussels. The Delta Air Transport remained as an independent subsidiary, but continued its aircraft exclusively in the corporate colors of Sabena and under the flight numbers. In subsequent years, the Sabena entered numerous European short from the subsidiary whose fleet was at the same time increased with machines of the Avro RJ 85 and RJ Avro 100 continuously. In 2000, the company transported 3.3 million passengers. On 7 November 2001, the airline Sabena went bankrupt. The profitable subsidiary DAT could be dissolved out of the bankruptcy estate and will continue flight operations on 10 November. Early 2002 was found with the SN Airholding a new investor for the airline, which was renamed the company in February 2002 SN Brussels Airlines. In 2007 SN Brussels Airlines acquired the Belgian airline Virgin Express and merged with this for Brussels Airlines.

Incidents

  • On 9 May 1970, a Douglas DC-3 (OO - AUX) collided at Schiphol Airport with a generator. Due to the amount of damage the aircraft was written off as a total loss.
  • On 4 October 1974, a set with 105 persons Douglas DC-6B (OO - VGB ) crashed at the airport in Southend -on-Sea. The co-pilot had the landing gear retracted while the machine was still on the runway. The aircraft was written off as a total loss.
  • On June 2, 1990, Embraer 120RT collided (OO - DTH) to the airport of Antwerp with a Piper 601 On board was of small aircraft, a camera crew, should make the aerial photographs of the transport machine. The four occupants of the Piper died in the crash. The Embraer was able to make an emergency landing in Antwerp.

Used aircraft

  • Avro RJ 85 and RJ 100
  • BAe 146-200
  • Beechcraft 65
  • Boeing 720
  • Cessna 206
  • Cessna 210
  • Cessna 337
  • Convair CV 440
  • Douglas DC-3
  • Douglas DC-4
  • Douglas DC-6B
  • Douglas DC- 8-32 (1973 operated by the subsidiary Delta International)
  • Embraer 120RT
  • Fairchild Hiller FH -227
  • Fokker F-28 -3000 and F 28-4000
  • North 262
IATA-Code International Civil Aviation Organization airport code Insolvency Beechcraft Queen Air Piper Aerostar Stuttgart Airport Abelag Aviation Jetairfly Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium VLM Airlines Air Belgium Belgian International Air Services Birdy Airlines City Bird European Air Transport Sobelair Trans European Airways
219927
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