The problem of establishing air connections between Romania and Great Britain after World War II
The problem of establishing air connections between Romania and Great Britain after World War II

Summary/Abstract: The issue of the development of air connections interrupted by the outbreak of World War II was important for the individual countries concerned. Unfortunately, as in the case of other aspects of politics, the broadly understood aviation policy was also subject to the conditions of the so-called "Great Politics" and also reflected the state of political relations between East and West. London, as the capital of the British Empire, was a desirable and prestigious destination for air transport. Romania did not maintain direct connections in the interwar period, although it was interested in potentially opening connections to the British Mandate in Palestine. After World War II, due to the control of Romanian air transport by the Soviets – it was not possible to open connections – in the absence of appropriate agreements between London and Moscow. Such possibilities appeared only at the time of formal independence of the Romanian aviation market from the tutelage of the USSR. Also important in this respect was the détente in mutual relations, which actually opened up the possibility of tourist exchange between the countries concerned. The example of Romania was interesting because, unlike other countries of the socialist camp, the opening of regular communication was preceded by quite intensive cooperation in the field of charter flights. Performed by British private carriers. Finally, regular cooperation was established in an asymmetrical manner and launched for political, not economic reasons – as a kind of security of Romanians regarding the purchase of British BAC 1-11 aircraft.

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