At any time of day or night, Europe's leisure airlines - be they charter or scheduled - are carrying thousands of holidaymakers to and from a multitude of destinations of their choice, be that somewhere in Europe or in more exotic places. More than half of the passengers in Europe use special flights arranged for leisure travel, testimony to a remarkable development which covers a period of over fifty years since the end of the Second World War.

This title is the first to be published on the history of the 468 airlines involved in the expansion of the charter traffic of Europe, illustrating the variations in livery and aircraft types of both Western and Soviet influenced airlines of this period. In fascinating detail it brings together information collated by the author over a period of ten years. This is also complimented by many rare photographs.