First memory of BA?
Jun 13, 2018, 10:37 pm
#91
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 967
My parents worked in Bahrain and the company paid for me to go out there three times a year. So it was a British Airways Trident from NCL to LHR. Fog closed LHR so we did a very low overpass of the Manchester runway then decided to head to Luton. A coach took us to LHR and my first ever night in a hotel (in London for free!!!) - I think it was a THF hotel that has since become a Sheraton on the Bath Road. Next day I took my first ever long haul flight to BAH via Amman on one of BA's brand new TriStars. The pilot said this was its first ever revenue flight. For a 16 year old in 1976 this was all very exciting. I kept the menu and IFE guide (piped music and a giant screen flipped from one of the bulkheads). I subsequently taught myself about travel agent and airline ticketing rules so used the full Y fares the company paid to make some great flights to BAH zig-sagging around Europe and the Middle East.
Jun 14, 2018, 2:02 am
#92
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: BA Gold, *A Silver, Skywards Silver
Posts: 39
First ‘BA’ flight was August 1972 on British Caledonian to and from Corfu (assuming that British Caledonian counts).
We were not on the plane that crashed into the sea https://assets.publishing.service.go...974_G-AWYS.pdf (although the cabin crew were put up in our hotel after the accident).
But it had a knock on effect. When we got to the airport, you could see the tail of G-AWYS, as the plane was sitting there in the sea a few metres from the shore and the edge of the runway.
We took off late and the Captain informed us that we were carrying very little fuel, in order to get into the air before the hazard of a large BAC 111 which was directly in our way, but that we would fly for 15 minutes or so, and land in Italy to refuel.
I don’t know what went wrong after that, but essentially we landed at Bari airport, which was then an Italian air force base, and the entire plane full of returning holidaymaking families were arrested for spying, as apparently a military manoeuvre was taking place. There were no facilities for food or drink (and only a couple of toilets), and we were not allowed in the building so stood for several hours in the sun on the apron. I recall that someone had to drive from the British Embassy in Rome to Bari to get permission for us to be allowed to fly home.
We were not on the plane that crashed into the sea https://assets.publishing.service.go...974_G-AWYS.pdf (although the cabin crew were put up in our hotel after the accident).
But it had a knock on effect. When we got to the airport, you could see the tail of G-AWYS, as the plane was sitting there in the sea a few metres from the shore and the edge of the runway.
We took off late and the Captain informed us that we were carrying very little fuel, in order to get into the air before the hazard of a large BAC 111 which was directly in our way, but that we would fly for 15 minutes or so, and land in Italy to refuel.
I don’t know what went wrong after that, but essentially we landed at Bari airport, which was then an Italian air force base, and the entire plane full of returning holidaymaking families were arrested for spying, as apparently a military manoeuvre was taking place. There were no facilities for food or drink (and only a couple of toilets), and we were not allowed in the building so stood for several hours in the sun on the apron. I recall that someone had to drive from the British Embassy in Rome to Bari to get permission for us to be allowed to fly home.
Jun 14, 2018, 2:52 am
#93
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Thames Valley
Programs: BAEC, LHM&M, and even a dusty KLFB!
Posts: 894
For me it was the pocket rocket BAC Super 1-11 between MAN and AMS in the mid 70s, when we were living in the Netherlands and coming back to see the grandparents. Before then, we'd used Aer Lingus on the same route instead (who I seem to recall had better sweets, but that might just have been the fever imaginings of a 5 year old)...
No particular dramas (except for avoiding the smoking rows, and not sitting in the seats at the back where you had no view because the engines were outside your window!!!).
No particular dramas (except for avoiding the smoking rows, and not sitting in the seats at the back where you had no view because the engines were outside your window!!!).
Jun 14, 2018, 3:04 am
#94
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 304
First BA flight was also first flight. I got it for free in 1995 with the first mobile phone I bought (with a retractable antenna!). My then girlfriend (now wife)'s best friend had just moved to Paris to be an au pair so bought her ticket to go with my free one and we flew from BHX to visit her. Spent the days leading up s****ing myself with fear (not much better now, but find drinking in the lounge beforehand really helps) We even got our names mentioned for a final call over the PA (I was probably in the toilet) which at that time I didn't really understand the timing; "There's still 10 minutes before the scheduled time, what's the rush". So, sorry for being 'those passengers' at that time; we're better disciplined now.
Jun 14, 2018, 3:21 am
#95
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Sixt Gold
Posts: 418
My first BA flight has also been my first flight overall. I was around 14, travelling from LIN to LHR with my family as my mum was chaperoning a group of students to the UK for their language course.
We ended up overbooked, so two students, my dad and I were rebooked on the next day morning flight. To compensate for the issue BA booked us in Business Class, thus my first flight has been a BA one and in business! I'll never forget that!
We ended up overbooked, so two students, my dad and I were rebooked on the next day morning flight. To compensate for the issue BA booked us in Business Class, thus my first flight has been a BA one and in business! I'll never forget that!
Jun 14, 2018, 7:02 am
#96
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,166
My first ever flight was on BA - Brussels to Manchester, sometime in the mid-80s; it was (I'd guess...) on a 737? I must have been about 6 years old. Flying was still a big deal and a relatively rare thing (for me at least) in those days - I didn't fly again until I was 14. I don't recall that much specifically "BA" about it'; only being absolutely wonderstruck by take-off and actually flying and seeing the whole world laid out so small - it just seemed incredible.
Jun 22, 2018, 4:57 am
#97
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Angus Scotland
Programs: BAEC Bronze, LH M&M
Posts: 177
Oh the trauma that this thread has resurrected.............
My first flight with BA was from MAN to LHR to JNB when we were emigrating to South Africa on 1st September 1982. Lots of family and friends had come to see us off, after many hugs, good wishes and fond farewells the sight of seeing my dad cry for the first time ever in my 22 years of life was too much for me. I trudged through to the gate with a very heavy heart, a pocket full of soaking tissues and wondering "what the heck have I done"? We walked out to the plane across the tarmac, me with my little Union Flag waving in the direction of the terminal, tears streaming down my face. Hubby giving my hand a squeeze of support and ending up with soggy tissue stuck to his fingers. I sobbed all the way to Heathrow, goodness knows what the other passengers thought.
Having got myself together for the flight to JNB, I settled into my seat ready for the long flight to our new life and all the adventures that it might bring. Getting the headphones out and finding the music channel I sat back, hoping to hear something uplifting but to my dispair the first song which came on was "Hurry Home" by Wave Length. Cue more sobbing and snivelling. To this day if I hear that song all I can see is my poor old Dads tears as he said goodbye to me at Manchester.
About 6 weeks later we received a letter from my mum and dad along with photographs of us walking out to the plane, every single sobbing flag waving step! And the plane taking off...........wheres the tissues?
My first flight with BA was from MAN to LHR to JNB when we were emigrating to South Africa on 1st September 1982. Lots of family and friends had come to see us off, after many hugs, good wishes and fond farewells the sight of seeing my dad cry for the first time ever in my 22 years of life was too much for me. I trudged through to the gate with a very heavy heart, a pocket full of soaking tissues and wondering "what the heck have I done"? We walked out to the plane across the tarmac, me with my little Union Flag waving in the direction of the terminal, tears streaming down my face. Hubby giving my hand a squeeze of support and ending up with soggy tissue stuck to his fingers. I sobbed all the way to Heathrow, goodness knows what the other passengers thought.
Having got myself together for the flight to JNB, I settled into my seat ready for the long flight to our new life and all the adventures that it might bring. Getting the headphones out and finding the music channel I sat back, hoping to hear something uplifting but to my dispair the first song which came on was "Hurry Home" by Wave Length. Cue more sobbing and snivelling. To this day if I hear that song all I can see is my poor old Dads tears as he said goodbye to me at Manchester.
About 6 weeks later we received a letter from my mum and dad along with photographs of us walking out to the plane, every single sobbing flag waving step! And the plane taking off...........wheres the tissues?
The long walk....
Jun 22, 2018, 6:05 am
#98
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK & Switzerland
Programs: BA; LH; AF
Posts: 145
Some wonderful stories here, and a great idea for a thread. Thanks OP!
My first memory of BA is from when I was 7. Second solo flight, from London back to Spain. Check-in was fine, and I was handed over to a chap called Mike (I can still remember this several decades later), who was to escort me through security to the plane. As we were heading to passport control he was paged so we diverted to a phone where he listened, but said little, hung up the phone, said he was sorry, but he had to go. And he left me there, within sight of passport control. I had flown quite a few times before this (with family), so I just carried on through passport control and waited by the gate for boarding to be called. No one approached me or said anything, despite wearing a large plastic bag shaped like a plane and one of those document bags round my neck (I was tall for my age)... Boarding was called and chaos ensued when they realised I was UAM and on my own... Flight crew looked after me very well, stopping by every so often to say hi, I got to visit the cockpit for a bit, and I seem to remember packing away some of the dessert back for my Mum as I thought she might like it. On landing in Madrid I was first off the plane and taken by car to the terminal by some chap in a suit who had a very long conversation with my parents (who were allowed into the baggage hall to help me). I know Dad flew on BA a lot after that, and years later I found out Mike headed off as his wife was about to give birth to their first child. The chap in the suit who collected me from the plane was someone from BA at the airport, explained why Mike had left me standing there, and offered to make sure Dad was well looked after whenever he flew BA from Madrid after that.
My first memory of BA is from when I was 7. Second solo flight, from London back to Spain. Check-in was fine, and I was handed over to a chap called Mike (I can still remember this several decades later), who was to escort me through security to the plane. As we were heading to passport control he was paged so we diverted to a phone where he listened, but said little, hung up the phone, said he was sorry, but he had to go. And he left me there, within sight of passport control. I had flown quite a few times before this (with family), so I just carried on through passport control and waited by the gate for boarding to be called. No one approached me or said anything, despite wearing a large plastic bag shaped like a plane and one of those document bags round my neck (I was tall for my age)... Boarding was called and chaos ensued when they realised I was UAM and on my own... Flight crew looked after me very well, stopping by every so often to say hi, I got to visit the cockpit for a bit, and I seem to remember packing away some of the dessert back for my Mum as I thought she might like it. On landing in Madrid I was first off the plane and taken by car to the terminal by some chap in a suit who had a very long conversation with my parents (who were allowed into the baggage hall to help me). I know Dad flew on BA a lot after that, and years later I found out Mike headed off as his wife was about to give birth to their first child. The chap in the suit who collected me from the plane was someone from BA at the airport, explained why Mike had left me standing there, and offered to make sure Dad was well looked after whenever he flew BA from Madrid after that.