HISTORY: EAGLE AIRWAYS formed in 1948 as Eagle Aviation Ltd. During 1953, Eagle Aviation's steadily growing passenger charter operations included for the first time aerial cruises around the Mediterranean. Following Eagle's decision to sell the Yorks to rival UK independent Skyways, the airline expanded from charter work into scheduled services from its new base at Blackbushe Airport, using Vickers Vikings. Eagle, which by that time had set up Eagle Airways as a new company to run the scheduled side of the business (leaving Eagle Aviation in charge of all non-scheduled operations, including trooping flights), inaugurated its first scheduled service on 6 June 1953 from London (Blackbushe) to Belgrade (via Munich), followed by London—Aalborg and London—Gothenburg. Between 1955 and 1960, many of the airline's aircraft carried the Eagle Airways operating name. In March 1960, the Cunard Steamship Company bought a 60% shareholding for £30 million, resulting in a change of name to Cunard Eagle Airways.
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