BA retro nostalgia
Jun 25, 2022, 4:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,565
BA retro nostalgia
I was chatting with a fellow enthusiast recently and our conversation turned to "retro things we used to remember about BA". One item that was brought up was how, in the (extremely) old F class of early 2000s, when BA had no AVOD in F and one had to go to a crew member to request a cassette (is that what you'd call it?) which was dished out from a briefcase (or box, can't remember) to be inserted into a player at the seat before one can watch a movie. That made us chuckle how technology has moved on since then.
Would be interested to know if there's anything retro that this community can think of that makes you reflect back, and smile...
Would be interested to know if there's anything retro that this community can think of that makes you reflect back, and smile...
Jun 25, 2022, 5:04 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
I remember that cassette player - it was in the days of the cradle seat in CW, but F had a flat bed. You picked your film from a selection, and if someone else had chosen the same film you'd go to your second choice. Another thing I do remember though - really excellent service in F done by the book.
Jun 25, 2022, 5:20 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,110
Tbf that whole cassette IFE thing has been lurking around until quite recently on Emirates until the late 2000s/early 2010s in F cabins if I remember rightly when they still hadn’t fully rolled out their “ICE” entertainment system across the board. Of course
Jun 25, 2022, 5:23 pm
#4
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,128
Jun 26, 2022, 1:31 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,418
When you boarded there was a little slip for your cassette choice. If the machine in your seat broke and there were no free seats, you’d be a given a portable machine. Roughly the size of a laptop with a screen the size of Nokia phone.
This was the era of the fabulous Anya Hindmarch amenity kits. And overlapped with the time when BA actually served Krug In F.
The flipside to this was a frequently overcrowded T4 and the horror of Victor zone.
This was the era of the fabulous Anya Hindmarch amenity kits. And overlapped with the time when BA actually served Krug In F.
The flipside to this was a frequently overcrowded T4 and the horror of Victor zone.
Jun 26, 2022, 2:10 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,626
When you boarded there was a little slip for your cassette choice. If the machine in your seat broke and there were no free seats, you’d be a given a portable machine. Roughly the size of a laptop with a screen the size of Nokia phone.
This was the era of the fabulous Anya Hindmarch amenity kits. And overlapped with the time when BA actually served Krug In F.
The flipside to this was a frequently overcrowded T4 and the horror of Victor zone.
This was the era of the fabulous Anya Hindmarch amenity kits. And overlapped with the time when BA actually served Krug In F.
The flipside to this was a frequently overcrowded T4 and the horror of Victor zone.
Jun 26, 2022, 2:54 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,527
The video cassette was used in the opening scene and closing scenes of Mission impossible. It was first introduced when 2x2 seating in F was still a thing, and smoking was permitted! The crew carved the beef at you seat with full silver service and knew about wine; they were intelligent, engaging and thoroughly professional. Don’t recall Krug but Châteaux Talbot was available
Jun 26, 2022, 5:33 am
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,624
My Dad had a book of voucher tickets for GLA-LHR in 1980’s and anyone could use them, noone bothered about what name was on it. Me and my sister often just took one under his name. and some scribbling at check in.
In those days everyone had to ‘check in’ BA at GLA had about 8 desks, a help desk and a separate Reservations centre.
Think there was a BAC-111 on standby for the Shuttle guarantee.
In those days everyone had to ‘check in’ BA at GLA had about 8 desks, a help desk and a separate Reservations centre.
Think there was a BAC-111 on standby for the Shuttle guarantee.
Jun 26, 2022, 6:35 am
#14
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,600
I'd love to know if that actually happened. I turned up once at MAN, only to find the flight was fully booked. When I mentioned the "guarantee", they said it would take too long to fly another plane up from LHR, and the next flight wasn't full - so tough luck!