BRITISH World Airlines has gone into receivership
after a three week search by the carrier’s management failed to find a backer.
The Southend Airport-based airline, which specialised
in providing back-up planes for other carriers, said poor trading conditions in
the aviation sector – exacerbated by September 11 – accelerated the failure.
Kent-based Tangney Tours owner John Tangney paid
tribute to BWA. “It is a sad day for us that our long-standing relationship
with BWA has come to an end. It is an even sadder day for all those good people
who worked so hard for an excellent airline.”
A spokesman for BWA, founded as Silver City Airways in
1946, added: “The board of British World Airlines would like to pay particular
tribute to the staff who have been extremely supportive of the company during
very difficult and testing times.
“This is a personal tragedy for all involved,
particularly in the build-up to what should be the festive season.”
320 staff will lose their
jobs.