My career started with this aircraft. The first of many aircraft I was trained on. Here is
LUXAVIA's Boeing 707,
registration LX-LGT taxiing at the then called Jan Smuts Airport at Johannesburg.Flying History Of Trek Airways, Luxavia/Luxair
For most of my career as an airhostess I was with LUXAIR/LUXAVIA/TREK AIRWAYS for 10 years. Yes, all one and the same Company!!! It was somewhat confusing and lots of us suffered from an identity crisis. Here a bit of history with the help of a book written by Captain Tom Meredith the founder of my airline. If you would like to read more, his book is called SKY TREK, ISBN 0-620-19356-5.
TREK AIRWAYS was founded in 1953 as low- fare, leisure air travel between South Africa and Europe. In the 70's, because of the deterioration of the political situation in Africa, it was decided to change the registration from South Africa to Luxembourg. The name TREK AIRWAYS was changed to LUXAVIA and became known as the tour operator of LUXAIR. The livery was changed to full LUXAIR colours.
This way, the company and tour operator LUXAVIA was allowed to fly as LUXAIR over or into countries hostile to South Africa. (SAA-South African Airways still had to fly around the bulge of Africa, which took a few hours longer to Europe).
LUXAVIA, apart from other charters, operated mostly three times weekly from South Africa to Luxembourg.
When I started in 1984 we had two Boeing 707's, LX-LGT and LX-LGS.
Christmas 1984 we changed to the much bigger and double isled Airbus A-300 B4, LX-LGP.
In 1988 we got the even bigger Boeing 747-SP, LX-LGX.
In 1991, politics changed again and the South African Government deregulated its aviation policy. TREK AIRWAYS applied for and was granted a license for a South African domestic service, in direct competition to SAA. FLITESTAR was born operating Airbus A-320's.
With the introduction of FLITESTAR our Jumbo's livery was changed to the original TREK AIRWAYS, and the planes name became LUXAVIA Star . Once again the registration was changed. This time from Luxembourg to South Africa. Our Jumbo's registration became ZS-SPB.
On the 11th of April 1994 FLITESTAR and LUXAVIA/TREK AIRWAYS ceased their operation that very day. If it was once again the political situation or why and how it happened we will probably never know. It is a shame and a great pity, not just from a personal point of view but also for aviation history that this great airline had to end, especially after just having celebrated its 40th birthday, the previous year!
A Complete List of all Trek/Luxavia Aircraft Registration Numbers, types and years.
And here they are! My favourite pictures of my beloved aircraft.
Click on the images below for a full view!
My career started with this aircraft. The first of many aircraft I was trained on. Here is
LUXAVIA's Boeing 707,
registration LX-LGT taxiing at the then called Jan Smuts Airport at Johannesburg.
I had the pleasure to be on this inaugural flight of our Airbus A-300 B4, LX-LGP. Landing
at Jan Smuts Airport, the front landing gear just of the ground. I also forwarded this
picture to the photo gallery of AIRBUS INDUSTRIE.
Here we are in Swaziland, just completed a charter flight for European Community
Delegates. The Airport is very small and not really equipped for such a big aircraft. A
set of small stairs had to be put on top of the existing airport stairs to get to the
door!
Our Airbus A-300 casting a shadow onto the runway, seconds after take-off.
Our Boeing 747-SP, LX-LGX parked at Findel Airport in Luxembourg.
Here is our poor Jumbo getting cold in Luxembourg.
The way our Jumbo looked until the end. As TREK AIRWAYS,
LUXAVIA Star.
AVIA AIRLINES. Parked at Jan Smuts Airport - Johannesburg.
A familiar sight. Also a Boeing 747-SP, ZS-SPC and sister of our LUXAVIA Jumbo. Her name was GAUTENG, a province of South Africa.
After my short time with SAA, at the end of 1994, I became the co-founder and In-flight and Cabin Services Manageress for AVIA AIRLINES. We flew three times weekly from South Africa to Gatwick-London.
Here I was with an aeroplane I knew inside out. The sister of my old one, the similar company name, familiar time table, and great cabin and cockpit crew members, a lot of them from LUXAVIA, like part of a big family being reunited once more. Almost a trip down memory lane with only a few minor changes. History repeating itself ! My dream career would continue, but this time not only as a cabin crewmember but also by being in charge of most of AVIA AIRLINES, apart from the ground staff side and flight operations.
It was not to be! The last attempt of trying to create another LUXAVIA failed. Once again the political situation was to blame and only too soon, in the second half of 1995 AVIA AIRLINES went into permanent liquidation.
History did repeat itself, unfortunately including the
end part! I suppose red was not my colour! 
The cockpit of AVIA's 747-SP,
ZS-SPC