Aquila Airways, English tourism by flying boat
Aquila Airways was one of the last British airlines to still believe in large passenger flying boats after the war. From Southampton, it carried tourists and freight toward Lisbon, Madeira, the Canary Islands and other leisure destinations.
The plan tells a turning point: the flying boat remains romantic, but modern landplanes are already winning.
The end of the British commercial flying boat age.
Connect Southampton to sunny destinations.
Tourist flying boat, slow but spectacular.
Coasts, ports, long branches and water landings.
Understanding the flight
Aquila Airways extends the flying boat dream while the world moves toward hard runways. The charm lies precisely in that mismatch.
Flying this page means accepting slower, more ceremonial air tourism, where arrival on water matters as much as the destination.
Before departure
- Choose a heavy flying boat and prepare water landings carefully.
- Use tourist-travel weather: possible clouds, but readable horizon.
- Treat Southampton as a maritime base, not just an airport.
- Leave time at stops: this is a holiday page, not a quick shuttle.
Suggested route
Southampton and Mediterranean
Southampton, Marseille and Genoa give a first European reading of air tourism.
EGHI → LFML → LIMJ
Lisbon and Madeira
Lisbon then Madeira show the airline's true Atlantic color.
LIMJ → LPPT → LPMA
Canary Islands
Gran Canaria extends the line toward sunshine and British holidays.
LPMA → GCLP
Experience tips
Success lies in atmosphere: light, sea, gentle approach and majestic arrival.
A modern or too-fast seaplane would remove the charm of this ending era.
Copyright Michel Lagneau 2013