TemboOne

Just wondering if there are any on here who are old enough to remember KLM's pioneering days when they established one of the first ever polar routes, the "Golden Circle Service" - over the north pole (almost) to Tokyo and beyond.

This was one of "the" great adventures of the early days of the jet age and was an amazing adventure on the world's first airline.

There was even a promo song "Flying The Golden Circle" / "Als en gouden cirkel" (sp?) recorded by Mieke Telkamp and which many passengers received on a 7" 45rpm record as a gift from KLM.

I lost touch with KLM later and often wondered how long the service lasted.

Apologies to the mods for butting-in. However, in spite of today's dominance by other carriers KLM always will be aviation's real history maker!

caliform

While I wasn't born at the time I know from that this route was likely due to the USSR having closed airspace. So it likely ended around 1991, when Russia's overflight rights opened up. I'd love to hear more old tales like these — my jet age is decidedly less glamorous and adventurous.

johan rebel

The pre-jet age was in many ways even more fun. Ilyushin 18s and Lockheed Electras with F at the back of the cabin, that kind of thing.

Johan

trooper

Worlds first airline? Umm... No. Oldest still operating? Yes...but not the same thing..... Not even close.

TemboOne

In fact before I flew the route the late Eddie Startz who ran Radio Nederland's "Happy Station" Programme gave a commentary from the promo flight and he specifically mentioned about flying parallel to but well offshore from the Russian Kuril Islands. In fact I believe he said the flight he was on made a technical stop in ANC.
Flying in those days without sat-nav we take for granted was a lot more demanding on navigators!

TemboOne

Sorry - I was a little careless. I should really have said "one of the world's first airlines and the oldest still in operation".

irishguy28

A lot of KLM flights stopped to refuel in Anchorage in those days. And many other airlines too, including JAL, BA, AF, SAS, Iberia, Lufthansa, Sabena and Korean Air. In those days Chinese airspace was off-limits, too.

This is perhaps the most famous such flight!

TemboOne

The early KLM flights AMS-TYO were actuallywith DC7Cs and always included the ANC stop for refuelling and presumably a break for all and maybe even a crew change.Those flights really gave some meaning to today's "long haul" terminology - and no mach speeds nor +FL 30,000 altitudes! I think the "Golden Circle" promo coincided with the intro of DC8s on the route, still with the ANC stop. Those really were the days.

Andy82

I flew PH-BFC a few years ago and when I told that story to the purser - she didn't know it was the same aircraft ...
And here's a beautiful video when that 747 was decommissioned

KLM house collector

I did make the Amsterdam - Anchorage - Tokyo flight several times.

When I was in Japan sitting at a table drinking a beer a plane flew over. Big deal you say. It happened to be this flight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Airlines_Flight_123