TAE Greek National Airlines
Encyclopedia
TAE Greek National Airlines , originally branded in English as TAE National Greek Airlines, was formed by the Greek government in 1951 to be the national airline
of Greece
. The airline operated without competition on domestic routes in Greece and served a small number of Europe
an and Middle East
ern cities. The airline was sold to Aristotle Onassis
in 1957 and he renamed the carrier Olympic Airways.
era, there were four airlines operating in Greece: T.A.E. (Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations
/), G.A.T./ΕΛΛ.Α.Σ. (Greek Air Transport--Hellenic Airlines
/), Α.Μ.Ε./Air Transport of Greece and Daedalus Airlines . Of these, T.A.E., Daedalus and A.M.E. were privately held and G.A.T. was publicly owned. In 1950, Daedalus ceased operations as the number of passengers for all Greek airlines declined precipitously. Due to the financial difficulties of all three carriers and to ensure that Greece maintained a Greek-flagged carrier, in 1951, the Greek government forced the merger of all three companies into TAE Greek National Airlines.
The 18 aircraft from the three merged airlines included 1 Douglas DC-4 Skymaster and the rest were Douglas DC-3 Dakotas. The DC-4 was used primarily on the bi-weekly route from Athens to Rome
-Paris
-London
. Additionally, the airline served the Balkan cities of Belgrade
and Istanbul
, Nicosia
in Cyprus and the Egyptian city of Alexandria
In 1955, the airline was not performing financially and the Greek state sought unsuccessfully to find a buyer. Eventually, Aristotle Onasis agreed to buy the ailing carrier in July, 1956. The company flew under the name T.A.E. until April, 1957, when the airline was renamed Olympic Airways.
TAE Greek National Airlines served a number of domestic destinations in Greece, as well as international destinations.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The airline operated without competition on domestic routes in Greece and served a small number of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern cities. The airline was sold to Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Sokratis Onassis , commonly called Ari or Aristo Onassis, was a prominent Greek shipping magnate.- Early life :Onassis was born in Karatass, a suburb of Smyrna to Socrates and Penelope Onassis...
in 1957 and he renamed the carrier Olympic Airways.
History
In the post-World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era, there were four airlines operating in Greece: T.A.E. (Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations
Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations
Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations was a Greek airline formed in 1935 by Stephanos Zotos. It flew domestic routes until the German invasion of Greece in April, 1941 destroyed the fleet. T.A.E...
/), G.A.T./ΕΛΛ.Α.Σ. (Greek Air Transport--Hellenic Airlines
Hellenic Airlines
Hellenic Airlines , often abbreviated ΕΛΛ.Α.Σ. in Greek and sometimes also known as Hellas in English, was a Greek-flagged airline that operated domestic and international airline service from 1947 to 1951...
/), Α.Μ.Ε./Air Transport of Greece and Daedalus Airlines . Of these, T.A.E., Daedalus and A.M.E. were privately held and G.A.T. was publicly owned. In 1950, Daedalus ceased operations as the number of passengers for all Greek airlines declined precipitously. Due to the financial difficulties of all three carriers and to ensure that Greece maintained a Greek-flagged carrier, in 1951, the Greek government forced the merger of all three companies into TAE Greek National Airlines.
The 18 aircraft from the three merged airlines included 1 Douglas DC-4 Skymaster and the rest were Douglas DC-3 Dakotas. The DC-4 was used primarily on the bi-weekly route from Athens to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
-Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Additionally, the airline served the Balkan cities of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
in Cyprus and the Egyptian city of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
In 1955, the airline was not performing financially and the Greek state sought unsuccessfully to find a buyer. Eventually, Aristotle Onasis agreed to buy the ailing carrier in July, 1956. The company flew under the name T.A.E. until April, 1957, when the airline was renamed Olympic Airways.
Destinations
Domestic Service
 Greece
|
International Service
 Cyprus
 Egypt
 France
 Israel
|
 Italy
 Turkey
United Kingdom
 Yugoslavia
|
Fleet
| Aircraft | Total | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... |
17 | Propeller aircraft | |
| Douglas DC-4 Douglas DC-4 The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role... |
1 | Propeller aircraft | SX-DAG |