The end of private charter flights

A highly important and necessary part of the British contribution to the airlift ended on 16 August, the day on which the last remaining charter flights were in operation. The British government had concluded contracts with a total of 25 private charter companies, which flew goods to Berlin as part of the airlift. In the months of March to June 1949, the charter companies flew between 500 and 750 tonnes into the city every week.

However, compared to the number of flights operated by charter companies, they also suffered the highest number of casualties in airlift accidents by far, with 22 fatalities.