Lynyrd

Its nothing special, it didn't fly for BOAC, the 747-400 didn't even fly for BOAC. Its just a 1998/1999 aircraft with a fictional livery on it for the last few years.

There are loads of 744s still in service all around the world.

13901

I guess we'll never agree on this one, but in my opinion you're overthinking this one. BA - again, under orders from Cruz, who probably got it phoned down from Willie much like everything else he's ever done - alienated the whole fleet in a matter of months. They even got rid of some of the rigging which you use to hoist down the engines and then move said engines around. The whole engine repair workshop on the ground floor of TBC was emptied and sold for pennies on the dollar, if not less.

They sold 20+ frames with BA's livery, company name, the Speedmarque logo, the whole lot, to salvage companies which then partied the planes out and sold said parts for a fee. I have bits of the skin of G-BYGD at home, for instance. Everything was sold. I'd argue that the reputational damage of seeing a BA-liveried aircraft being broken up for parts is way higher than the one arising from seeing one wearing a BOAC livery, a company that stopped existing 49 years ago.

KARFA

I understand all that. The hardware was got rid of quickly. No one is disagreeing with you on that. We have already discussed before that you think it was a mistake, whereas my view it was inevitable at the time. This however is not the issue here.

The IP, namely the trade marks and design rights clearly have a value well beyond the 747 fleet - and yes that does include marks like “BOAC” which are still registered and owned by BA and clearly have value to them - BA aren’t paying annual renewal fees for fun. No one can use those without permission from the rights owner, and these heritage groups can’t simply use those marks without a licence from the rights owner - and licences as standard will include provisions on how they can and can’t be used. To simply allow use without such agreements would be reckless and actually devalue those rights, and I don’t believe for one moment BA is that reckless.

So can I humbly suggest you take onboard from me that BA still had some interest in these frames whilst they remained in BA colours, whether current or heritage. It is possible that I do actually know what I am talking about sometimes.

Whether any of the above is true that they have called for a halt to scrapping, or what basis that would be on is another question which none of us know the answer to.

BJ787

G-BYGC was broken up in the last few days, no doubt soon to be featured on planereclaimers.aero.

alex67500

By far my favourite of the retro liveries, I'm a bit sad... (But my flat is too small for any of the memorabilia!)

DeadManFlying

I know it's too late to bring an old thread back but this popped up on my youtube feed this morning, been watching a lot of aircraft and flying video's recently.

Aound 36 minutes in you will need to brace yourselves, I shed a tear

DeadManFlying

mikeyfly

Had a coffee on these this morning

Trent900

Apparently the gold logos from BYGC have been returned to BA. I wonder what they have planned for them?