Last 747 Flight
#61
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Homeless
Programs: CX MPC
Posts: 110
#63
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Homeless
Programs: CX MPC
Posts: 110
About 6 flights in Sep? Last week i do a TPE 747 roundtrip. Both flight had only me in F. Last night fly PEK-HKG, full cabin. But the ISM is the same lady that last week flew with to Tpe .
#70
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX Diamond (OW Emerald), former SQ Krisflyer Gold
Posts: 2,526
Sorry I'm not much of a photographer so other than some personal pics I didn't take anything worth sharing. There were plenty of other FlyerTalkers on the flight who spend a lot of time taking photos and I'm sure eventually those will make their way here.
Flight was good, upper deck J pax who were near the cockpit could also go inside in and take photos with the crew while the preflight checks were going on. Tours of crew quarters available during the flight. There was a special menu printed for today's flight (at least in J, don't know about F/W/Y) specifying that it was for today's flight only. Numbered certificates were given out while boarding.
Flight was basically a party atmosphere, on upper J, most of the time the seats were empty as people were milling around. Galleys and aisles full of people.
Some people in F/J actually booked this flight without realising it was a "last 747 flight" and were really annoyed with all the extra fanfare and "annoyances", just wanted to get from point A to B with minimal fuss. At one point they had to close off the F cabin as there was too much foot traffic of "tourists".
45 DM and 20 OWE on the flight.
#71
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: HKG, TXL
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 566
Nothing at HKIA. Just loud greeting from 8-10 staff standing in a line at the gate saying "Welcome to Hong Kong!!!".
Some people in F/J actually booked this flight without realising it was a "last 747 flight" and were really annoyed with all the extra fanfare and "annoyances", just wanted to get from point A to B with minimal fuss. At one point they had to close off the F cabin as there was too much foot traffic of "tourists".
45 DM and 20 OWE on the flight.
Some people in F/J actually booked this flight without realising it was a "last 747 flight" and were really annoyed with all the extra fanfare and "annoyances", just wanted to get from point A to B with minimal fuss. At one point they had to close off the F cabin as there was too much foot traffic of "tourists".
45 DM and 20 OWE on the flight.
I would also be annoyed if I had booked F and people were going in the cabin. If people really wanted to take a look at the F cabin they could have done so after landing, right?
Impressive amount of OWE! I wonder how many GO/OWS were on board.
I also wonder if the flight was overbooked? Do you think anyone got bumped off the flight with so many DM's probably taking advantage of last minute guaranteed bookings???
#72
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX Diamond (OW Emerald), former SQ Krisflyer Gold
Posts: 2,526
Yeah, I thought they might do that but nothing on arrival. At first we were a bit confused and thought there was a salute but couldn't find the fire engines. Then we realised it was just really heavy rain.
Pilot commented that even the skies were crying.
Pilot commented that even the skies were crying.
#73
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Beijing, Paris, Edinburgh
Programs: Marco Polo Diamond, Flying Blue Platinum for Life, GHA Black, IHG Platinum
Posts: 442
Sounds like the last flight could have been better managed, rather than being a bit of a mix between a normal flight and a special celebration. When Air France retired their last passenger 747 there were some special flights put on just for people who wanted to take photos, wander around etc.
I still think it's inexcusable that there was no water canon salute or a special welcome at the gate in HKIA though.
I feel really sad reading the last few posts, I loved the CX 747s so much, it's like part of my life has disappeared.
I still think it's inexcusable that there was no water canon salute or a special welcome at the gate in HKIA though.
I feel really sad reading the last few posts, I loved the CX 747s so much, it's like part of my life has disappeared.
#74
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: The sky is my home
Programs: Concorde Mach 2 -UAMM- First to Fly A380/B787/B747-8i/FlyingHonu
Posts: 3,026
Sounds like the last flight could have been better managed, rather than being a bit of a mix between a normal flight and a special celebration. When Air France retired their last passenger 747 there were some special flights put on just for people who wanted to take photos, wander around etc.
I still think it's inexcusable that there was no water canon salute or a special welcome at the gate in HKIA though.
I feel really sad reading the last few posts, I loved the CX 747s so much, it's like part of my life has disappeared.
I still think it's inexcusable that there was no water canon salute or a special welcome at the gate in HKIA though.
I feel really sad reading the last few posts, I loved the CX 747s so much, it's like part of my life has disappeared.
The way Air France organized their final two B747 flights was total FAIL.
There was only one phone line available, the old fashioned "call this number and wait for them to answer".
So many of us tried calling spending our whole day from line opening time to closing time two days in a row, never getting any answer, just a constant busy signal. It was so terribly frustrating.
And then they had so many guests on board that only halff the seats went to those who paid for their tickets. They offered a party in the hangar and a full tour of France at low flying altitude.
They should have had 10 of these flights they would have filled the planes. Also they could have had a website the same KLM did for their first B787 flights first come first served, online not one stupid phone number with an operator taking the calls.
Air France MEGA FAIL it was. A realistic image of what Air France has become after they ended Concorde service.
#75
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,704
The whole experience still sounds nice...but a bit mismanaged. That pretty much sums up CX these days.