Hillman's Airways

Hillman's Airways was a 1930s British airline which later became part of British Airways.

The company was formed in November 1931 as Hillman's Saloon Coaches and Airways Limited by Edward Henry Hillman, who was a coach operator in Essex. His previous business had been sold to London Transport following a change in government rules on the expansion of bus routes. The airline's first service was a charter flight on 25 December 1931. It started a scheduled service on 1 April 1932 between Romford and Clacton using a de Havilland Puss Moth and a de Havilland Fox Moth, with a fare of £1 return. It was operated every three hours due to the popularity. A de Havilland Dragon was bought to operate an international service between Romford and Paris le Bourget.

From 1 December 1934 the airline was given a contract to fly air mail between London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Belfast, a service formerly operated by the Railway Air Services. Following the award of this contract Hillman changed the legal name from Hillman's Airways Limited to Edward Henry Hillman Limited and the airline extended its services to continental Europe, including Ostend and Brussels. On 1 June 1934 the airline moved its operating base to Stapleford Aerodrome.

Just before Hillman died on 31 December 1934, aged 45, the company became a public company, but within a year it was merged with Spartan Air Lines and United Airways to form British Airways.