British Airways
British European Airways and British Overseas Airways Corporation merged to form British
Airways on 1st April 1972, and British Airways took over BEA’s airway letter service. The word “European” was
removed from the BEA cachet so that it read “British Airways”; new, British Airways, stamps were not issued until
1974. The airway letter service ended on 2nd May 1988.
1st April 1974. First Issue.
Perf.: 13 x 13½. Design: British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident tailplane.
55p inc. VAT
Dull-vermillion, ultramarine and black.
1st May 1976. Second Issue.
Perf.: 13 x 13½. Design: British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident tailplane.
£1 plus VAT
Dull-vermillion, royal blue and black.
1st December 1978. Third Issue.
Printed by Bradbury Wilkinson. Sheets of 20. Perf.: 13½. Number printed: 30,000. Design: British
Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident tailplane.
£1-50 plus VAT
Dull-vermillion, violet and black.
14th July 1980. Fourth Issue.
Perf.: 13½ x 13¾. Design: British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident tailplane.
£2-20 plus VAT
Dull-vermillion, violet and black.
1st February 1982. Fifth Issue.
Perf.: 13½ x 13¾. Number printed: 30,000. Design: British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident
tailplane.
£2-80 plus VAT
Dull-vermillion, violet and black.
1st May 1983. Sixth Issue.
Perf.: 13¾. Design: British Airways tailplane.
£3-00 plus VAT
Vermillion and deep ultramarine.
Bibliography
British Airway Letter Stamps, D.C.D. Potter, The Cinderella Philatelist Volume 7, April 1967, p. 31
Light Railway Review: British Airways – Increased Letter Fee, BEA Postmarks, David Potter, Railway Philately Volume 9 Number 1, December 1974, p. 7
British Airways: Isles of Scilly and Penzance Airway Letter Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 1, July 1977 p. 3
Light Railway Review: British Airways Letter Stamps, David Potter, Railway Philately Volume 13 Number 3, June 1979, p. 62
British Airways: Increased Fee, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 7, April 1979 p. 8; Newsletter No. 8, July 1979 p. 14
British Airways: Withdrawal of Airway Letter Stamp Stocks and First Day Cover Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 9, October 1979 p. 19
British Airways: Airway Letter Service Between London and Guernsey Withdrawn, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 12, July 1980 p. 11
British Airways: Increased Fee British, Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 21, July 1982 p. 41
British Airways: Air Courier Service to the Channel Islands, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 25, April 1983 p. 27
British Airways: Increased Fee British, Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 28, April 1984 p. 30
British Airways: Withdrawal of Airway Letter Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 50, July 1990 p. 21
British Airways: End of Airway Letter Service and Replacement Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 56, July 1992 pp. 30-31
British Airway Letter Stamps, D.C.D. Potter, The Cinderella Philatelist Volume 7, April 1967, p. 31
Light Railway Review: British Airways – Increased Letter Fee, BEA Postmarks, David Potter, Railway Philately Volume 9 Number 1, December 1974, p. 7
British Airways: Isles of Scilly and Penzance Airway Letter Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 1, July 1977 p. 3
Light Railway Review: British Airways Letter Stamps, David Potter, Railway Philately Volume 13 Number 3, June 1979, p. 62
British Airways: Increased Fee, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 7, April 1979 p. 8; Newsletter No. 8, July 1979 p. 14
British Airways: Withdrawal of Airway Letter Stamp Stocks and First Day Cover Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 9, October 1979 p. 19
British Airways: Airway Letter Service Between London and Guernsey Withdrawn, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 12, July 1980 p. 11
British Airways: Increased Fee British, Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 21, July 1982 p. 41
British Airways: Air Courier Service to the Channel Islands, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 25, April 1983 p. 27
British Airways: Increased Fee British, Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 28, April 1984 p. 30
British Airways: Withdrawal of Airway Letter Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 50, July 1990 p. 21
British Airways: End of Airway Letter Service and Replacement Service, British Private Post Study Group Newsletter No. 56, July 1992 pp. 30-31