British European Airways (BEA) was an airline that existed between 1946 and 1974, when the airline merged with the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) to form the modern 
British Airways that serves as the United Kingdom’s flag carrier today. While initially established as a BOAC subdivision on January 1st, 1946, the carrier would be given complete autonomy as a crown corporation on August 1st, 1946. British European Airways served destinations across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and also operated several domestic routes within the United Kingdom.