Midwife at Britain’s Rebirth?: The British Overseas Airways Corporation and the Projection of British Power

Nationalised industries had to defend their use of public money, after all, the public owned them, but what did Britain’s nationalised airline, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) do to justify its activities? Given that most people could not afford the luxury of flight, between 1945 and 1965 BOAC became an instrument in marketing a resilient, powerful and moralistic nation. Amongst the uncertainties and dislocations caused in Britain’s economic, political and social status as a result of the Second World War, aviation was seen as the pathway to economic, political and social prosperity. BOAC’s brand was carefully crafted around the issues of the ‘national interest’ as it sought to orient and align a version of ‘Britishness’ that was believed to be necessary in the prevailing international political climate. It sought to portray a version of nationalist internationalism, projecting Britain as a powerful yet altruistic nation. In the words of an ex-BOAC Chairman, it was a ‘Midwife’ that was ‘similar to the altruistic, though often rewarding, aid given by a mother to her young or a mother country to its colonies’. BOAC championed Britain’s Cold War mixed economy message, believing that it offered an economy that represented fair capitalism. This was primarily a representation targeted domestically at travellers in Britain, helping primarily British citizens to conceptualise not just the world, but Britain’s place within it. This thesis uses business records, newspapers and other media to explore the political economy of BOAC’s post-war operations between 1945 and 1965, arguing that it helped to market Britain’s (somewhat sensationalised) competitive position. Whilst this objective ultimately failed, BOAC, and the subsequent British Airways (BA) continued to see itself as a guardian of stability in the values associated with the British nation, particularly through times of crises.