note

Private charter and later scheduled regional passenger operator owned by City Hotels group of Belgium and Luxembourg holding company NEI. Company was founded by entrepreneur Victor Hasson to fill the void in Belgium - Mediterranean IT charter market after demise of TEA. Operations commenced in 1992 with six leased Boeing 737-300s and company was able to turn hefty profit in its first year of operation. In 1994 EBA introduced ticketless low-cost scheduled operations to compliment its charter business. Victor Hasson was inspired by Morris Air which he got to know on his visits to USA when expanding City Hotels operations. Airline was acquired by Richard Branson (Virgin Atlantic Airways) on 23th of April 1996 purchasing 90% stake in EBA. This gave Virgin ability to establish Virgin European Airlines later branded Virgin Express which became continental Europe's first low-cost operator.

founded - demised (age)

November 1991 - April 23 1996  (5)

headquarters

, Brussels

web

base airports

EBBR National Brussels

home base

related operators

Virgin Express	rebranded
TEA Trans European Airways	predecessor