^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

United Kingdom: Civil Air Ensign

by Martin Grieve

Description and use of the flag
Dimensions of the flag
Construction Sheet
Initial proposals

See also:

Description and use of the flag

One British ensign less often seen is the Civil Air Ensign. This was intended to be flown at airports and from landed British aircraft as an equivalent of the Red Ensign for merchant ships. Its field is light blue (strictly the shade known in the UK as 'air force blue' as it is used in the ensign of the Royal Air Force) with a dark blue cross, fimbriated white, overall. The Union Flag is in the canton. I believe both Australia and New Zealand have variations with their southern crosses on it (the Australian one had the southern cross at quite an unusual angle). Could any of our Antipodean members comment on whether theirs are still used much?
Roy Stilling, 15 December 1995

The Civil Air Ensign was introduced at the request of Imperial Airways, and was established on 11 August 1931 "to be flown at airports, from an airship in flight and from a stationary aircraft on foreign soil". Prior to 1931 a flying boat of Imperial Airways would have flown the Union Jack
Christopher Southworth, David Prothero,15 March 2005

The Civil Air Ensign Order 1931, was revoked by Civil Air Ensign Order 1937, which allowed wider use of the flag. The 1931 Order restricted use of the flag to airfields, sea-plane bases and aircraft, and the 1937 Order allowed its use at other civil aviation related sites such as offices in London.
David Prothero, 16 March 2005

I can report that the UK Civil Air Ensign is indeed still in use. It can be seen flying everyday outside Manchester Airport's Fire Section. I'll keep my I open for other places I spot it.
Steve Dooley, 22 June 2000

The flag was seen flying outside the headquarters of British Airways at half mast after the Concorde crash in Paris. British Airways flies this flag as well as the Union flag on a mast outside Waterside, the HQ every day.
Jonathan Marriott, 15 July 2001

It is also flown at London's Heathrow Airport at the entrance to the BA engineering base and at the British Airways Headquarters - Waterside - in Harmondsworth (near Heathrow).
Ian D Chick, 13 June 2002

The Civil Air Ensign now flies over Airport House, Purley Way, Croydon. Airport House is the former terminal building of Croydon Airport, London's major Airport from 1920 -1939.
Frank Anderson, 19 May 2003

From a newspaper clipping:
15 Sep 1931: "The first Civil Air ensign to be flown in London was hoisted yesterday by the Hon Mrs Victor Bruce, the well-known airwoman. The new flag, the design of which has been approved by the King, has a pale blue background with a deep blue cross edged with white in the center, a Union Jack figures in the top left corner. She holds the view that women are becoming increasingly interested in aviation."
Nancy Wilson, 14 October 2003<