9th December 1933
Jersey Airways is founded
Jersey Airways flew its first commercial flight between Jersey and Portsmouth on 18 December 1933, just nine days after it was founded by Walter Thurgood. However, air transport was still in its infancy and the de Havilland Dragon aircraft that it operated had to land on and take off from the beach at St Aubin. Jersey Airport wouldn’t open for another four years, but was requisitioned for military use during the occupation, bringing commercial air travel to a pause.
The airline’s name disappeared in 1947 when the British government nationalised all airlines within its domain, and Jersey Airways was subsumed into British European Airways.
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Other events that occured in December
Christmas Eve plane crash at Jersey Airport
- A plane crashed at Jersey Airport on Christmas Eve when one of its wing tips touched the runway as it came down to land.
- Read more…
Jersey and Guernsey papers agree to merge
- The saga of the Guernsey Press and Jersey Evening Post had been running for over nine years by the time the two agreed to merge in 1998.
- Read more…
An earthquake shakes the Channel Islands
- Jersey and its neighbouring Channel Islands were struck by an earthquake in December 1843, followed by several aftershocks.
- Read more…
Seneca sinks off the Jersey coast
- A cargo ship called Seneca was wrecked as she approached Jersey in December 1836, leading to the loss of one crew member's life.
- Read more…
