Cunard’s near 100-year transatlantic hegemony was challenged by airships, flying boats and later jets. Panicked by the potential problems posed by planes, the ocean-crossing company courted its competitors to keep itself afloat, as Lee Cross reflects
BOAC-Cunard boasted a fleet of four Vickers Super VC10s, including G-ASGD (c/n 854). This jet was the first of the British-built quad-jets to wear titles confirming the tie-up between the carrier and the shipping airline
AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/ ATI COLLECTION
Long before aircraft crisscrossed the North Atlantic, the only way to travel between Europe and North America was via the luxurious ocean liners operated by some of the world’s shipping giants.
