• Air Kruise

The airline was formed in mid-1946 by Wing Commander Hugh Kennard for pleasure and charter flying from Lympne airfield in Kent using Miles and Percival equipment. An Airspeed Consul was added early in 1947, permitting many charter flights to the near continent. With the arrival of a DH Dragon Rapide, a popular thrice-daily service between Lympne and Le Touquet was begun on 15 July 1950. After taking over the operation of Ramsgate airport with two Rapides operating under the title Trans Channel Airways, flights were operated through Lympne to both Le Touquet and Ostend. Air Kruise also set up the Ramsgate Flying Club and, through its subsidiary Skyfotos, offered aerial photography facilities. In 1953, the company was taken over by British Aviation Services, parent body of Silver City Airways, which also operated from Lympne.

Kennard remained with his airline and joined the Board of British Aviation Services. Two Douglas Dakotas were transferred from Silver City and by the following year, the scheduled network had been expanded to take in Birmingham, Basle and Zurich, carrying in excess of 25,000 passengers in the process. Further Dakotas were added over the next couple of years, aiding growth in the inclusive tour market, including a number of flights from Manchester and Birmingham on behalf of several leading tour operators. The range of destinations on offer was increased to take in points in Austria, Italy, Scandinavia and Spain in addition to ad hoc passenger and freight charters, amongst which was the uplift of refugees from Hungary in the aftermath of the Hungarian Uprising. By 1955 all services previously operated from Lympne had been relocated to Lydd airport. In 1956 several Bristol Wayfarers were transferred from Silver City to cope with increased inclusive tour work, much of which was generated by a major contract with Blue Cars with some of these flights originating at Blackbushe airport. The airline’s activities continued successfully into 1958, at which time it was decided to integrate operations with Silver City. The fleet was gradually transferred over and by the end of 1958 the Air Kruise name had disappeared.