60 years flying with BA!
Jul 17, 2019, 4:14 pm
#47
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Rio de Janeiro
Programs: BA Oneworld
Posts: 582
Jul 17, 2019, 4:52 pm
#48
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC | qantas | IHG | Hilton Honors | Priority Pass | Nandos
Posts: 868
I remember flying from MAN (aka Ringway) to GCI to visit family most summers growing up in the early 1960's. The first aircraft I can clearly remember were BEA Viscounts. It's probably why the A319 retro livery is the most evocative for me.
Jul 17, 2019, 5:29 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: EDI
Programs: BA silver, AC *s p, A3, EI, KL, & UA nobody!
Posts: 355
57 years of BA flying - but not quite on 57 varieties! (types)
Like many on this thread my first flight was on a BEA Viscount, (EDI/LHR in summer 1962) In the years following sticking to BA and its predecessors, flights also on Vanguards, Comet 4B ( BEAs version) BAC1-11s, Tridents, Tristar, B707s ( BOACs Rolls-Royce powered version) Super VC-10, HS748s (nick-named 'Budgie') Bae ATPs, Bae146, B737s, B747s, B757s, B767s, B777s, Airbus 319/320s, E190s & Concorde.
Jul 18, 2019, 2:25 am
#50
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
Gosh, you have brought back some memories. Who remembers Cunard Eagle on this GLA and EDI runs. They had this Bristol Britannias. They served a hot meal and drinks and BÉA did it’s d*mndest est to kill them off.
I was thinking about those 1-11s we flew LGW- GLA/EDI. Full hot meal and drinks. God we had to move!
Did anyone here fly to TXL when it was still an enclave within the DDR?
I was thinking about those 1-11s we flew LGW- GLA/EDI. Full hot meal and drinks. God we had to move!
Did anyone here fly to TXL when it was still an enclave within the DDR?
Jul 18, 2019, 2:45 am
#51
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Gosh, you have brought back some memories. Who remembers Cunard Eagle on this GLA and EDI runs. They had this Bristol Britannias. They served a hot meal and drinks and BÉA did it’s d*mndest est to kill them off.
I was thinking about those 1-11s we flew LGW- GLA/EDI. Full hot meal and drinks. God we had to move!
Did anyone here fly to TXL when it was still an enclave within the DDR?
I was thinking about those 1-11s we flew LGW- GLA/EDI. Full hot meal and drinks. God we had to move!
Did anyone here fly to TXL when it was still an enclave within the DDR?
I also flew LGW-BGN which was the old RAF Bruggen in a Bcal BAC1-11 in about 1970.
Jul 18, 2019, 2:59 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bombay
Programs: EC Blue, EB Silver, FB Gold
Posts: 551
My first flight was in early 1978 from FBU* to AMS. I do not know whether it was SAS or KLM, but chances are it was on a DC-9 regardless of the airline. Second flight was onwards to BAH on a Qantas Queen. First BA flight was almost exactly 20 years later from FBU to LHR, followed by my very first longhaul J to JNB. I remember being disappointed that it was nonstop, as BA would also fly via NBO a few times a week.
As as a passenger I didn’t find the 707 or the DC-8 to be particularly noisy. At least nowhere close to the aft cabins of the DC-9s/Mad dogs. I avoided those lavatories if I could...
*FBU: Fornebu, the former Oslo airport.
As as a passenger I didn’t find the 707 or the DC-8 to be particularly noisy. At least nowhere close to the aft cabins of the DC-9s/Mad dogs. I avoided those lavatories if I could...
*FBU: Fornebu, the former Oslo airport.
Jul 18, 2019, 5:12 am
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,622
My first flight was in early 1970 on one of the military planes that made the trip from Brize Norton to Hong Kong stopping at countless places en route. I recall Bahrain and Singapore, but it might have been otherwise. It was a classic VC10 as it was coming back in 1974 and I am sure we stopped at Gan and Cyprus (exactly which airport in Cyprus I am not sure). I think on other flights there were stops somewhere in Oman too.
After that, sometime around 1976, we made a hop from Wick (WIC) to Kirkwall (KOI) on something that was branded British Airways, but I am not totally sure what it was exactly. I, quite young at the time, thought we were off on a trip like to Kong Kong so I had loaded myself up with Tintin and Hardy Boy books (those I can remember better than the flights!).
I have a feeling those flights to/from Brize Norton were coded RR but I am not sure.
After that, sometime around 1976, we made a hop from Wick (WIC) to Kirkwall (KOI) on something that was branded British Airways, but I am not totally sure what it was exactly. I, quite young at the time, thought we were off on a trip like to Kong Kong so I had loaded myself up with Tintin and Hardy Boy books (those I can remember better than the flights!).
I have a feeling those flights to/from Brize Norton were coded RR but I am not sure.
Jul 18, 2019, 7:03 am
#54
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Cambridge UK
Programs: BA silver,
Posts: 254
In 1958 aged 10, I had my first commercial flight, alone, on a BEA Viscount from Manchester Ringway to Glasgow Renfrew. The stewardess had placed me in a window seat adjacent to the propellers. It was more than a little frightening when flames came shooting out when they started up. I was told that the flaming was normal - it certainly did not put me off a lifetime of flying!
Sep 5, 2019, 6:24 am
#55
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Platinum
Posts: 2,375
Sep 5, 2019, 6:33 am
#56
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Henley-On-Thames
Programs: BAEC Silver (but only temporarily) AVIS Presidents Club, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 486
Next month will be 60 years since I took my first BEA flight from Heathrow to Belfast (aged 5, if you were wondering) on, I would imagine, a Viscount. How the years have passed on all sorts of aircraft around the world in all sorts of classes and all sorts of seats. Certainly amongst the lifetime of memories have been some fantastic crew to make it all worthwhile.
Always tried to follow the Alan Whicker (met him once on a flight to JER, of course) advice: drink as much as you are able and eat everything they put in front of you. Bit testing these days, I suppose.
I probably need to keep flying another 60 years, though, to get Gold for Life
Always tried to follow the Alan Whicker (met him once on a flight to JER, of course) advice: drink as much as you are able and eat everything they put in front of you. Bit testing these days, I suppose.
I probably need to keep flying another 60 years, though, to get Gold for Life
Sep 5, 2019, 6:46 am
#57
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Henley-On-Thames
Programs: BAEC Silver (but only temporarily) AVIS Presidents Club, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 486
Sep 5, 2019, 8:38 am
#58
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Tenerife
Programs: BA Gold, BA AMEX PP, Amex Platinum
Posts: 434
First ever flight was 40+ years ago from London to Munich with BA. Dad worked for them, so managed a visit to the cockpit during the flight to boot. Can't remember the what plane it was though, and it was another 20 years before I flew again, but certainly making up for it now.
Sep 5, 2019, 8:46 am
#59
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Mucci recipient
Posts: 1,786
My first flight on BA was in August 1978 on a Trident from Vienna to Heathrow. That was after a flight on SAA from Salisbury (now Harare) to Johannesburg and then on a very long flight on a B747SP from Johannesburg to Rome on the SAA "bulge of Africa service" with a fuel stop in Sal Cape Verde and another stop in Lisbon. The plane flew on from Rome to Athens. I was just glad to get off in Rome.
My first celebrity sighting was on another SAA flight from JNB to LHR 5 years later when I saw Peter Cook in the departure lounge as we were waiting to board.
My first flight I paid for myself on BA was in April 1990 when I again flew to Rome but from LHR. It wasn't a particularly auspicious start as my luggage went to Vienna. I remember getting a very frosty reception from the check-in staff when I jokingly asked if my luggage could be routed via Budapest on the return journey.
I joined the BAEC in June 2000 and according to my flightpath I have since managed to fly just over 251,000 miles on BA. The actual mileage is somewhat higher as I've flown on a few IB ticketed but BA operated flights which I've just noticed do not appear.
My first celebrity sighting was on another SAA flight from JNB to LHR 5 years later when I saw Peter Cook in the departure lounge as we were waiting to board.
My first flight I paid for myself on BA was in April 1990 when I again flew to Rome but from LHR. It wasn't a particularly auspicious start as my luggage went to Vienna. I remember getting a very frosty reception from the check-in staff when I jokingly asked if my luggage could be routed via Budapest on the return journey.
I joined the BAEC in June 2000 and according to my flightpath I have since managed to fly just over 251,000 miles on BA. The actual mileage is somewhat higher as I've flown on a few IB ticketed but BA operated flights which I've just noticed do not appear.
Last edited by AJA_; Sep 5, 2019 at 9:44 am Reason: Wrong aircraft.