Sabena airliners which were augmented and later replaced by Douglas DC-6Bs. The DC-4s also restarted the airline's traditional route to the Belgian Congo. Sabena was the first airline to introduce transatlantic schedules from the north of England, when one of its DC-6Bs inaugurated the Brussels-Manchester-New York route on 28 October 1953. The Convair 240 was introduced in 1949 to partially replace the DC-3s that until then had flown most European services. As of 1956, improved Convair 440 "Metropolitan" twins began replacing the Convair 240 twins and were used successfully well into the 1960s between European regional destinations. In 1957, the long-range
Nordic European Airlines work was expanded. Business comprised sub-charter duties for other carriers like the German LTU. The airline changed its name to Nordic European Airlines - NEA at the end of 1996, but by the next year the airline was in financial difficulties and operations were suspended March 1998, with the international business of the airline in receivership. Nordic European Airlines Nordic European Airlines was a charter airline based Stockholm, Sweden. Nordic European Airlines began its life in 1991 as Nordic East Airways operating one Douglas DC-9-21 aircraft on charters to the Mediterranean region. In 1992 the airline received two MD-80s. Because