sojourner231

Not sure if this belongs in here or not.

But do airlines do anything special for inaugural flights to new destinations with new planes? Passenger gifts, like little A380 planes.

This May 2016 - British Airway begins the inaugural flight on the A380 from LHR to YVR.

Will it be a regular flight? I love the A380 and am booked for the first flight from YVR to LHR on May 1st.

How does anyone request such Passenger gifts, like little A380 planes to give to their "kids"

stu1985

I don't think they will give out mini A380s. I'm sure you can buy a model somewhere though.

Welcome to FT by the way and enjoy the first flight from YVR on the A380! I think this is probably more suited to stay in the BA forum though!

sojourner231

sorrry i tried to look at all the available forums before posting.

sojourner231

But do airlines do anything special for inaugural flights to new destinations with new planes? Passenger gifts, like little A380 planes.

This May 2016 - British Airway begins the inaugural flight on the A380 from LHR to YVR. I'll be geeking out on the plane.

Will it be a regular flight? When i heard of the inaugural flight i quickly booked a flight.
I love the A380 and am booked for the first flight from YVR to LHR on May 1st. Yes I admit I paid $1,200 CDN for a roundtrip ride on an A380

How does anyone request such Passenger gifts, like little A380 planes to give to their "kids"

A P Yu

I doubt there will be gifts. This is BA after all. And the novely of it went a few years ago.

I bet YVR airport will make a fuss though. I'd expect some cake, balloons and a water cannon when I first arrives there.

orbitmic

In all likelihood it will be a normal flight. Maybe a bit of decor at the boarding gate and an announcement by the captain but airlines have stopped making a big deal of a380 inaugurals (let alone route inaugurals) long ago.

There is no point requesting presents, that won't get you anything. When airlines have done inaugural packs they have just automatically distributed them to everyone just like they'd do earphones or menus. If they don't hand anything out it just means that no gift is planned and that there won't any and asking for one will just embarrass the crew and more importantly the child.

PrimaVista

There is enough of a fleet now to make the placement of the A380 on another route just that, I feel.

If you're expecting Cucumber sandwiches, Castelnau champagne at the gate, Dame Kiri & Katherine Jenkins singing the Flower duet and Chelsea Rose petals scattered as you board, prepare to be mildly disappointed.

Without a doubt, there will be more of an occasion at YVR, where she might get a free clean, courtesy of a water canon salute.

Ultimately, it's the A380, the best long hauler in the fleet IMO (subject to trying the 789 next month)., so have a great trip. ^

eefor jfp

I was on the inaugural Miami 380 flight (quite accidentally) and there was nothing special that I can recall, not at the gate in London and not on the plane. At Miami there were lots of people taking pictures and they provided a lot of carts to get people to immigration (which saved me a 20 minute walk). The only other thing that was unique to that flight were the baby rhinos (cargo) that stank up the plane. So I don't think BA will do much for the Vancouver flight; but I think you can buy a model plane if you wish from duty free.

UKtravelbear

Reading the OP there aren't any 'kids' involved - that's what the actually wrote in in quotation marks - certainly not flying with them on the day. They are just after something extra for themselves - that's is if anything was given that is.

Why do people tell lies like that. The crew hear them everyday and can see through them.


As you say inaugurals are more for new routes or the first flight of the plane type and this is neither.

They also have a downside - I think it was MAN airport which was supposed to do the water cascade thing for a new plane/route for VSbut only for the wrong button to be pressed and foam released - result a damaged engine!

corporate-wage-slave

I've been on a few inaugurals in the last few years, notably with the 787 service to and from Toronto. At the London end there was a bit of a media photo shoot and some of the ambassador corps of cabin crew (it does exist!) were out handing out slices of cake. At the Toronto end, which I reported on below (some of the photo links aren't working) there was a much bigger - if rather "homemade" - party, it was a big deal for them.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...s-reports.html

They gave out model 787s to passengers, my one graces my desk at home.

For the Austin service they got the next Mrs Rupert Murdoch involved - not on the day however - for a photo shoot. She told me (natch!) that she wasn't entirely sure she had ever been to Austin. On the day they got a cowboy and "good time girl" performers out, again for the photo shoot.

For the IOM service, the airport manager came out and took photos of us on his iPhone (as did many of the ground staff).

So my guess is that there may be something at the gate at the London end (and I guess this is probably T3 so expectations need to be lowered, it's a very long way from T5). At the Vancouver end it well be a lot more interesting.

matthandy

Moving this over to the BA forum...

matthandy
Moderator: Trip Reports

PrimaVista

Oh c-w-s, they're going to raise eyebrows over your use of their instead of there...

corporate-wage-slave

Oh yes, thanks, I hate seeing them too, so duly fixed.

cuspidor

I doubt very much there will be anything for individual customers, maybe a arrival salute from the fire brigade! And some balloons at the gate.

Maybe and it's a big maybe, there maybe cake or a little souvenir for those travelling in First paying a few thousand $$$$$ , but that will not trickle down to the cheap seats!

frank_poulankh

I was on the inaugural 787 from Montreal to Heathrow in March last year. My experience was very similar to c-w-s's Toronto experience: a kind of 'party' in the gate lounge. It was a Sunday night flight - 2200, I believe - and the airport pretty much shut down at 2130. Unfortunately, the aircraft was delayed on the way over so the party didn't start until around midnight. Sadly, it was a very empty flight to LHR, and the hour was so late, that it turned out to be an extremely muted and vaguely surreal affair - a group of strangers, chatting awkwardly, standing in a tiny oasis of light within the largely deserted airport. It definitely had a Ballardian feel to it. They - BA? the airport? - had ordered in so much wine that there was enough for around 2 bottles per passenger, yet everyone was so tired that, try as they might, the airport staff couldn't even force more than a single refill on most passengers.

As we boarded the plane, the crew handed out BA pens and 787 lolly pops. Sadly, there were no model 787s on offer although, that said, I was flying Y, so higher cabin classes may have received the model.

I think the staff at Montreal were hoping for so much more from the event. It seemed to be a big deal for them - there were balloons and banners all over the gate lounge, and several photographers in attendance - I'm just sorry it wasn't a busier flight, earlier in the day. It sticks in my mind as quite a bizarre experience, especially as it was capped off by the most uncomfortable seat I've ever sat in on a plane.

PS - This is my first post and I want to thank you all for the invaluable information you share on this forum. I appreciate it a great deal.