Do the British Royal Family still use BA?
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,140
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,075
Yes they do, I've been one the aircraft with 8 members of the current royal family, and 2 deceased members (on separate flights I should add!), all as paying customers. The Duchess of Cambridge used to have a BA staff travel privileges thanks to her parents. BA in no small way facilitated the events of yesterday, if the Duchess of Sussex isn't a Gold by now she hasn't been crediting her flights correctly!
You certainly encounter some dramatic experiences when flying, don't you?
But then again, also fly considerably more than most of us
#34
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,732
I wouldn't say dramatic. I remember how Saudia used to be totally disrupted when members of their royal family went travelling at short notice. Whereas it seems that BA have a well practised and discreet routine to handle royal family travel - slip them on, slip them off essentially. Iberia is quite similar too, I remember travelling with the then Prince of Asturias, now the King - and he is so tall he is totally unmissable. The captain came out to greet him since both of them were former Spanish Air Force captains, but that was about it.
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
Queen Sofia of Spain (great-great-grandaughter of Queen Victoria, and so covered by the thread title ) flew Ryanair from Santander to Stansted.
A Malaysian queen (royalty) was seated next to me between Jakarta and KL on MH. I was asked to swap seats with her companion: I did, and now patiently wait for my Panglima Setia Diraja. But with nine states ruled by sovereigns, royalty are not exactly hens' teeth in Malaysia. The low-cost terminal at KUL has a royal waiting room.
A Malaysian queen (royalty) was seated next to me between Jakarta and KL on MH. I was asked to swap seats with her companion: I did, and now patiently wait for my Panglima Setia Diraja. But with nine states ruled by sovereigns, royalty are not exactly hens' teeth in Malaysia. The low-cost terminal at KUL has a royal waiting room.
#36
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
To have two deceased royal family members flying on my plane would be dramatic enough for me.....
Four years ago, I was on the same plane as Prince Andrew for part of my flight. No, he did not jump out with a parachute. The plane going LHR-ORD had to return to LHR mid-flight. He refused to take the substitute plane. I did not see him. I was on the upper deck of the 747 and I guess he must have been in First.
Four years ago, I was on the same plane as Prince Andrew for part of my flight. No, he did not jump out with a parachute. The plane going LHR-ORD had to return to LHR mid-flight. He refused to take the substitute plane. I did not see him. I was on the upper deck of the 747 and I guess he must have been in First.
#37
#38
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
#41
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
#42
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
Not to mention the closeness to the people in a country larger than the British Isles and a fraction of the population. No, I’m not about the Dutch. I’ve seen my king cry.
#43
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,105
The Danish royal family are also more approachable than the UK Royal family and the Danish population density is 1/2 that of the UK and 1/4 that of the Netherlands or of England so I think it's more cultural than geographic. How many people there may be that are determined to try to injure particular Royals probably has a strong effect on approachability, unfortunately.