British Civil Aviation in 1988

18 March
Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the new North Terminal at Gatwick Airport.

31 March
British Airways receives the first of its Airbus A320 regional airliners.

1 April
Caledonian Airways becomes wholly owned by British Airways and will operate charter flights for British Airtours and British Caledonian.

14 April
The Monopolies and Mergers Commission approves the British Airways take-over of British Caledonian and all business is transferred to British Airways.

3 July
The Saudi Arabian government places another huge order with the British aerospace industry for an undisclosed number of Panavia Tornados, sixty British Aerospace (BAe) Hawk 200s and perhaps eighty Westland WS70 Black Hawk helicopters.

24 July
A Loganair British Aerospace (BAe) 146-200 becomes the first jet aircraft to land at London City Airport. Previously, only propeller-driven Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft could operate from the airport.

19 September
The first British Aerospace (BAe) Sea Harrier FRS2 makes its maiden test flight at the company’s Dunsfold aerodrome.

26 October
A British Airways Boeing 747 touches-down on arrival from Tokyo with just a single passenger on board. Technical problems caused a flight delay, leading the other 352 passengers to make alternative arrangements.

27 October
Air United Kingdom becomes the first airline based outside the United States to operate the Boeing 737-400 airliner.

31 October
Air Miles are introduced by Keith Mills of British Airways.