Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Do the British Royal Family still use BA?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 25, 2019, 9:16 am
  #106  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,203
Originally Posted by cruisr
Well apparently Harry’s wife prefers AC over BA. Just read over at View from the Wing that she flew on AC from LHR back to YYZ.
A member of the Canadian Royal family would generaly be expected to fly on a Canadian Airline.

I think on their last visit to Australia (either Charles or William) flew QANTAS as members of the Australian Royal Family would generally be expected to do.
UKtravelbear is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 9:21 am
  #107  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
William, Kate and the children used FlyBe last week - NWI-ABZ

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ent...6&guccounter=2

Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
A member of the Canadian Royal family would generaly be expected to fly on a Canadian Airline.

I think on their last visit to Australia (either Charles or William) flew QANTAS as members of the Australian Royal Family would generally be expected to do.
I think the last time William was in Australia he used Singapore Airlines - I was on the same plane LHR-SIN-SYD. I don't know where he went in SIN as he wasn't in TPR, presumably some very VVIP suite.
lhrpete is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 10:43 am
  #108  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
Originally Posted by icegirl
It does make you wonder if the royal family is deliberately avoiding to fly BA.
They were going to fly BA, but got an email that their flight was cancelled...
Jagboi is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 11:07 am
  #109  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Regarded as total and utter snob amongst the BAEC community.
Posts: 971
Originally Posted by lhrpete
William, Kate and the children used FlyBe last week - NWI-ABZ

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ent...6&guccounter=2

I think the last time William was in Australia he used Singapore Airlines - I was on the same plane LHR-SIN-SYD. I don't know where he went in SIN as he wasn't in TPR, presumably some very VVIP suite.
"Airline bosses 'flew an EMPTY aircraft 123 miles to Norfolk to pick up unwitting Prince William and Kate because they wanted Flybe branding on royal journey - not a smaller partner airline'"

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...liam-Kate.html
Originally Posted by lcylocal

Ok this is a bit of conjecture, but generally speaking I get the impression that both the senior royals and senior politicians are using scheduled public transport slightly less.

I’m guessing a few things have aligned to make that happen. The availability of the RAF Voyager fleet compared to the old VC10s must definitely be a factor, as is the unavailability of Concorde. Generally speaking security threats have increased at the same time as airports and commercial flights have got busier; in turn both of these things mean more disruption for other passengers. Finally in the age of social media in alerting the whole world to the presence of someone on public transport presumably makes keeping them safe trickier too.
Oh come on, how you can seriously bring Concorde into this when it has been shelved for at least 15 years. It is quite clear there are far better options to flying BA and they are making use of these opportunities at taxpayer expense.
icegirl is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 11:55 am
  #110  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,640


Should really have said at the outset, using the airline less than 20 years ago. Was thinking back to Blair chartering Concorde post-9/11. The RAF have also had the Voyager for quite a while now too. One thing that has changed I believe is that there is a Voyager dedicated and fitted out for VIP transport since 2016, which may have changed the dynamics a bit.

Certainly for the senior politicians they will have pretty much no personal say in travel arrangements, they will be made by officials largely on schedule and security grounds followed someway behind by cost.


lcylocal is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 12:09 pm
  #111  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Glasgow and Asia
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 510
OT but amusing story.

Norwegian princess was shocked to see someone I know holding a camera for Norwegian TV2. What are you doing here? It is your day off........
Is something going on? etc etc etc

Ahh says cameraman. My identical twin is your personal protection. She didn't know he was a twin. :-)
GlasgowCyclops is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 12:16 pm
  #112  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: UK
Programs: Deliveroo Plus
Posts: 179
deleted

Last edited by yb90; Apr 20, 2022 at 5:09 pm
yb90 is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 12:28 pm
  #113  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
The OH was Adjutant of No. 216 Sqn RAF when they operated the long-haul VIP fleet of Comet IV aircraft. In those days, nobody would ever think of putting Royals on common Public Transport. The Queen’s Flight handled the short-haul stuff with an assortment of fixed wing and rotary assets.

If 216 was doing a Royal trip, as opposed to some common Minister, the designated aircraft would have a day or two in the hanger being re-configured.

Ah, it was so different 50 years ago!
T8191 is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 2:04 pm
  #114  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Olde Dominion
Programs: DL Silver - uh huh!
Posts: 948
I’m distantly related to the British Royal Family.

Can I parlay that into anything useful on BA?
Kamalaasaa is offline  
Old Aug 25, 2019, 2:13 pm
  #115  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Originally Posted by Kamalaasaa
I’m distantly related to the British Royal Family.

Can I parlay that into anything useful on BA?
I was going to suggest oneworld ruby but I see you already have it.
EDIwanderer likes this.
Calchas is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2020, 9:06 am
  #116  
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 9
Recently got thinking about which aircraft The Queen has flown on and if there are any still around in the BA fleet that she’s actually stepped on - know she did a trip on G-EUPN to Rome a few years back.

Does anyone know what other aircraft have been used in the BA fleet for royal visits? Think there have been a few A320s hired before.
ltl2020 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2020, 10:43 am
  #117  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,737
Originally Posted by ltl2020
Recently got thinking about which aircraft The Queen has flown on and if there are any still around in the BA fleet that she’s actually stepped on - know she did a trip on G-EUPN to Rome a few years back.

Does anyone know what other aircraft have been used in the BA fleet for royal visits? Think there have been a few A320s hired before.
HM’s last trip to Australia was on a BA 777 I think. Recall that the return was Perth - LHR non stop.
krispy84 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2020, 12:38 pm
  #118  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
If the royals are just buying seats which is the norm these days now that the Queen doesn't do long haul they are in the market with others. The last trip of William and Kate to Australia was on SQ - as was I on the same flight.

For a charter that has to be tendered too which may be why Charles and Camilla used NZ for their trip last year.

The last time the pope was in the UK, he arrived on AZ as usual but also unusually returned to Rome on AZ because when asked to undertake the return journey BA did not reply to the request.

Everyone makes commercial decisions these days.
lhrpete is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2020, 1:27 pm
  #119  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, Diamond Status & on the Supreme Council des Conseillers, BA Ag, Bonvoy GFL/Plat, xVS Au
Posts: 833
I gather the King and Princess of Lichtenstein use a small charter firm based near Bristol.
Calchas, S_W_S and BertieBadger like this.
gliderpilot is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2020, 1:30 pm
  #120  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,356
Originally Posted by krispy84
HM’s last trip to Australia was on a BA 777 I think. Recall that the return was Perth - LHR non stop.
Indeed, on G-YMMP in 2011, which was one of the first aircraft to be equipped with New First. Unfortunately, Her Majesty had to suffer Rockwell Collins IFE.
krispy84 and HFHFFlyer like this.
Genius1 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.