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Delta Air Transport (DAT) was established in 1966 by Frans Van den Bergh as an air taxi and charter operator, initially using a fleet of Cessna aircraft. In 1967, it launched its first scheduled service between Antwerp and Amsterdam on behalf of KLM, which held a 33.3% stake in the airline. DAT later expanded into charter operations with larger aircraft, including the Douglas DC-3 and Convair CV-440.
In 1986, Sabena acquired a 49% stake in DAT, increasing its role as a regional feeder airline. By 1996, Sabena purchased the remaining KLM shares, making DAT a wholly owned subsidiary. The airline, rebranded as DAT Belgian Regional Airline, relocated to Brussels and adopted the Sabena livery on its fleet, which included British Aerospace 146 jets.
After Sabena’s collapse in 2001, DAT briefly operated independently to maintain European routes under the DAT Plus brand. In 2002, it became part of SN Airholding, was reorganized, and merged into SN Brussels Airlines, later forming the basis of Brussels Airlines.
