Old Timer's Airline Quiz and Discussion.
May 22, 2020, 4:40 pm
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And, you are correct, of course! Here's the sched......
BA 461: Barcelona (BCN) 1:45p - 2:50p London Heathrow (LHR)
Freq: Sundays only
Equip: L-1011
BTW, British Airways was actually operating daily service from Barcelona to Heathrow at this time with the service the other six days of the week departing BCN a bit earlier with a narrow body aircraft being flown. Here's that sched.....
BA 459: Barcelona (BCN) 1:20p - 2:25p London Heathrow (LHR)
Freq: Daily except Sundays
Equip: Trident
Meantime, Iberia was operating two flights a day from BCN to LHR at this time including a DC9-30 operated daily except Sundays and a B727-200 operated daily.
Last edited by jlemon; May 22, 2020 at 5:00 pm Reason: spelling
May 22, 2020, 4:48 pm
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17. Precisely sir! And our man on Vancouver Island up in BC (at least that's where I think he is) beat you to the punch here 15 minutes before your response. Please see my comments above!
May 22, 2020, 4:56 pm
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BA had three distinctly-configured L-1011 Tristar fleets. Most established were the "European" configuration, a small Club (possibly even F initially) cabin at the front, and a large Y main cabin. Then there was the Intercontinental configuration, 3-class once Club came along, mainstream galleys etc, different seating and legroom, and notably less seats. Finally there was the Airtours holiday flight single class fleet at Gatwick.
Although delivered in these layouts, there were reconfigurations and transfers from time to time between the fleets, the European fleet was reduced somewhat and the surplus, reconfigured, moved to the Middle East/Gulf operations that were still within their range. The longer-range -200s were initially for Intercontinental, but one or more got rigged up as Airtours holiday fleet in years when they needed ones with the range. There were substitutions between them; Tel Aviv for example was rather floating between the two Heathrow fleets, while the Gatwick Airtours fleet in winter often came over to Heathrow and got put on schedules.
Within Europe there were quite a lot of odd Tristar runs, as here to Barcelona, mixed in with normal Tridents. Most surprising was a couple of weekday trips on Heathrow to Belfast, which replaced four morning Trident round trips, and caused a lot of complaints from the Northern Ireland business community about the reduction in flight time spread and the congestion in Belfast terminal when one turned up. Still, BA had pretty much the monopoly then, so it was that or nothing. It was also quite often the reverse, a Tristar sent elsewhere on the day and replaced by two Tridents running 10 minutes apart, all these causing considerable dislocation to the ground staff.
The classic route for the Tristars was London to Paris, where they held down pretty much a two-hourly operation from when they came until replaced by 767-300s, which had exactly the same fleet configuration split between European and Intercontinental. Who said separate BEA and BOAC were dead ?
Although delivered in these layouts, there were reconfigurations and transfers from time to time between the fleets, the European fleet was reduced somewhat and the surplus, reconfigured, moved to the Middle East/Gulf operations that were still within their range. The longer-range -200s were initially for Intercontinental, but one or more got rigged up as Airtours holiday fleet in years when they needed ones with the range. There were substitutions between them; Tel Aviv for example was rather floating between the two Heathrow fleets, while the Gatwick Airtours fleet in winter often came over to Heathrow and got put on schedules.
Within Europe there were quite a lot of odd Tristar runs, as here to Barcelona, mixed in with normal Tridents. Most surprising was a couple of weekday trips on Heathrow to Belfast, which replaced four morning Trident round trips, and caused a lot of complaints from the Northern Ireland business community about the reduction in flight time spread and the congestion in Belfast terminal when one turned up. Still, BA had pretty much the monopoly then, so it was that or nothing. It was also quite often the reverse, a Tristar sent elsewhere on the day and replaced by two Tridents running 10 minutes apart, all these causing considerable dislocation to the ground staff.
The classic route for the Tristars was London to Paris, where they held down pretty much a two-hourly operation from when they came until replaced by 767-300s, which had exactly the same fleet configuration split between European and Intercontinental. Who said separate BEA and BOAC were dead ?
Last edited by WHBM; May 22, 2020 at 5:06 pm
May 22, 2020, 5:14 pm
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13. It's still 1979 and you are in Honolulu. You need to travel to the London area and would prefer to arrive into Heathrow as your meeting will take place in Windsor. One airline can get you there with a connection....but the connection only works three days a week. Fortunately, the schedule works for you with your first flight departing HNL in the evening nonstop to your connecting city where you will have two and one-half hours to connect with time for a shower and breakfast before boarding your second flight which will make one intermediate stop en route to LHR. Each flight operates with a different aircraft type. So with all this in mind, identify the air carrier, the connecting city, the stop made by the second flight and the equipment operated on each flight. It wasn't Air Canada, the connection was not made via YVR, the first flight wasn't operated with an L-1011 and the second flight was not operated with a B747
May 23, 2020, 7:53 am
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10. In 1973, this airline ran a print ad introducing its new DC-10 aircraft which it called the "Big Ten". Name the air carrier. And here's a hint: the airline in question was not based in the U.S.
Air New Zealand
24. In 1995, three airlines were operating nonstop service from Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands to Miami. Two of these air carriers operated different types of jet equipment while the third operated a turboprop aircraft. Identify all three airlines and the respective aircraft types they operated from PLS to MIA.
American Airlines with a 727-200, Turks & Caicos Airways with a 737-200, and Gray Line Airways with a Convair 580
Air New Zealand
24. In 1995, three airlines were operating nonstop service from Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands to Miami. Two of these air carriers operated different types of jet equipment while the third operated a turboprop aircraft. Identify all three airlines and the respective aircraft types they operated from PLS to MIA.
American Airlines with a 727-200, Turks & Caicos Airways with a 737-200, and Gray Line Airways with a Convair 580
Last edited by teddybear99; May 23, 2020 at 8:14 am Reason: Adding a second answer without adding a new post
May 23, 2020, 9:26 am
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13.It's still 1979 and you are in Honolulu. You need to travel to the London area and would prefer to arrive into Heathrow as your meeting will take place in Windsor. One airline can get you there with a connection....but the connection only works three days a week. Fortunately, the schedule works for you with your first flight departing HNL in the evening nonstop to your connecting city where you will have two and one-half hours to connect with time for a shower and breakfast before boarding your second flight which will make one intermediate stop en route to LHR. Each flight operates with a different aircraft type. So with all this in mind, identify the air carrier, the connecting city, the stop made by the second flight and the equipment operated on each flight. It wasn't Air Canada, the connection was not made via YVR, the first flight wasn't operated with an L-1011 and the second flight was not operated with a B747
May 23, 2020, 10:36 am
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Given it wasn't a 747 into LHR, I think that rules out a connection in North America or Australia. Thinking this was a trans-Pacific/Asia routing despite a possible middle-of-the-night arrival time at the connection. How about Japan Airlines running a 747-200 HNL-NRT and then a DC-10 NRT-ANC-LHR?
Last edited by jlemon; May 23, 2020 at 11:10 am
May 23, 2020, 10:57 am
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10. In 1973, this airline ran a print ad introducing its new DC-10 aircraft which it called the "Big Ten". Name the air carrier. And here's a hint: the airline in question was not based in the U.S.
Air New Zealand
24. In 1995, three airlines were operating nonstop service from Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands to Miami. Two of these air carriers operated different types of jet equipment while the third operated a turboprop aircraft. Identify all three airlines and the respective aircraft types they operated from PLS to MIA.
American Airlines with a 727-200, Turks & Caicos Airways with a 737-200, and Gray Line Airways with a Convair 580
Air New Zealand
24. In 1995, three airlines were operating nonstop service from Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos Islands to Miami. Two of these air carriers operated different types of jet equipment while the third operated a turboprop aircraft. Identify all three airlines and the respective aircraft types they operated from PLS to MIA.
American Airlines with a 727-200, Turks & Caicos Airways with a 737-200, and Gray Line Airways with a Convair 580
NZfirstdc1073
24. Correct concerning all three air carriers......and here are the scheds for the nonstop flights from Providenciales (PLS) to Miami (MIA).....
QW 011: PLS 8:00a - 10:00a MIA
Freq: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays only
Service class: Y
Meal service: Breakfast
Equip: B737-200
WS 420: PLS 8:30a - 10:50a MIA
Freq: Daily except Wednesdays
Service class: Y
Meal service: Breakfast
Equip CV-580
AA 552: PLS 1:55p - 3:34p MIA
Freq: Saturdays only
Service classes: F/Y
Meal service: None
Equip: B727-200
WS 511: PLS 2:00p - 4:25p MIA
Freq: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays only
Service class: Y
Meal service: Snack
Equip: CV-580
AA 286: PLS 3:30p - 5:12p MIA
Freq: Daily except Saturdays
Service classes: F/Y
Meal service: None
Equip: B727-200
AA 286: PLS 3:55p - 5:37p MIA
Freq: Saturdays only
Service classes: F/Y
Meal service: None
Equip: B727-200
May 23, 2020, 11:08 am
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BN 502: Honolulu (HNL) 7:15p - 6:00a Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Freq: Daily
Service classes: F/Y
Equip: 747
Connecting to......
BN/BA 188: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) 8:30a - 12:00n Washington Dulles (IAD) 12:50p - 10:00p London Heathrow (LHR)
Freq: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays only
Service class: R (Supersonic)
Equip: CONCORDE
May 23, 2020, 11:39 am
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4. It's 1967. A successful business presentation in the Hong Kong office of a marine transportation company operating a fleet of oil supertankers has now led to a request for a follow-up meeting at the company's corporate headquarters in Athens. So off you go in first class on a Friday morning on board a flight from Hong Kong to Athens which will make three stops en route. Name the air carrier, all three stops in order and the aircraft type. ANSWERED
9. Now it's 1968 and you are back in Aruba. You need to travel to the New York City area once again on business....but this time it would be much more convenient to arrive into Newark Airport as your meeting will take place in Perth Amboy. One airline can get you there via a quick 30 minute connection....however, both flights, which are operated with the same type of aircraft, only offer all-coach single class service. Your first flight from Aruba operates nonstop to your connecting city and the second flight to Newark makes one intermediate stop en route. Identify the air carrier, the connecting city, the stop made by the second flight and the equipment. ANSWERED
14. If you wanted to arrive into Miami on board a Lockheed L-188 Electra nonstop from an international location in 1980, what airline would you call and where would you depart from? It was Transportes Aereos Nacionales (TAN). Still looking for the city in Honduras this flight departed from nonstop to Miami.
22. In 1993, this air carrier operating nonstop service between Miami and two destinations in South America ran a print ad including these statements:
Offering First Class Service at Economy Fares! (Airline) daily schedule is served by a (equipment) specially configured as a one-class aircraft carrying 98 passengers in business class seats, two on each side. A host of trained cabin attendants serve the finest selection of complimentary champagne, wine and liqueurs accompanied by gourmet cuisine served on china and linen with a silverware setting. Other amenities include an open bar, in-flight movies and music, complimentary flight kit and gifts for the children.....
Identify the airline, the equipment and the two cities in South America served nonstop from Miami by this air carrier. Hint: the airline in question was based in South America and the aircraft was a Boeing 727-200ADV
Last edited by jlemon; May 26, 2020 at 10:34 am Reason: answer updates & hint for # 22
May 23, 2020, 12:29 pm
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4. It's1967. A successful business presentation in the Hong Kong office of a marine transportation company operating a fleet of oil supertankers has now led to a request for a follow-up meeting at the company's corporate headquarters in Athens. So off you go in first class on a Friday morning on board a flight from Hong Kong to Athens which will make three stops en route. Name the air carrier, all three stops in order and the aircraft type.
there were lots of 707s (and a handful of DC-8s; I’m thinking of JAL. SAS, Alitalia) on these long-haul runs, so I think the best approach is to look for a less-common aircraft ... let’s start with a BOAC VC-10 stopping at Bangkok/BKK, Delhi/DEL, and Beirut/BEY
May 23, 2020, 2:15 pm
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4- wow, this could be any of maybe a dozen airlines from maybe a dozen countries including the U.S., Europe, Australia, and others in the Far East and south Asia (and maybe even the Middle East)
there were lots of 707s (and a handful of DC-8s; I’m thinking of JAL. SAS, Alitalia) on these long-haul runs, so I think the best approach is to look for a less-common aircraft ... let’s start with a BOAC VC-10 stopping at Bangkok/BKK, Delhi/DEL, and Beirut/BEY
there were lots of 707s (and a handful of DC-8s; I’m thinking of JAL. SAS, Alitalia) on these long-haul runs, so I think the best approach is to look for a less-common aircraft ... let’s start with a BOAC VC-10 stopping at Bangkok/BKK, Delhi/DEL, and Beirut/BEY
May 23, 2020, 3:30 pm
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4- [1967, HKG-ATH, 3-stop] wow, this could be any of maybe a dozen airlines from maybe a dozen countries including the U.S., Europe, Australia, and others in the Far East and south Asia (and maybe even the Middle East)
there were lots of 707s (and a handful of DC-8s; I’m thinking of JAL. SAS, Alitalia) on these long-haul runs, so I think the best approach is to look for a less-common aircraft ... let’s start with a BOAC VC-10 stopping at Bangkok/BKK, Delhi/DEL, and Beirut/BEY
there were lots of 707s (and a handful of DC-8s; I’m thinking of JAL. SAS, Alitalia) on these long-haul runs, so I think the best approach is to look for a less-common aircraft ... let’s start with a BOAC VC-10 stopping at Bangkok/BKK, Delhi/DEL, and Beirut/BEY
May 23, 2020, 6:40 pm
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Absolutely, this is going to need to be an attrition one. No carrier from Hong Kong or Greece had long-haul aircraft at the time. One it would not have been is BOAC, as they never served Athens. The intermediate stops likewise could be any combination. So keeping to oddball aircraft, lets go for ... a Swissair Convair 990, stopping at Bangkok, Bombay and Karachi
SR 307: Hong Kong (HKG) 15:50 - 17:20 Bangkok (BKK) 18:10 - 20:45 Bombay (BOM) 21:35 - 22:40 Karachi (KHI) 23:40 - 02:40+1 Athens (ATH) 03:25 - 05:00 Geneva (GVA) 05:25 (est.) - 06:15 Zurich (ZRH)
Freq: Fridays only
Service classes: F/Y
Equip: Convair 990 "Coronado"
Last edited by jlemon; May 23, 2020 at 6:47 pm
May 24, 2020, 2:26 am
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Goodness ! Nobody more surprised than me ! I did wonder if the Convair was somehow "attractive" for a question.
Swissair had an accident on this route at Athens, possibly this flight, a few years later, by which time it was operated by a DC8-62, which overran the runway, and somehow came to mind as a Far East operator through Athens. I also recalled them doing the Bombay to Karachi sector in one of the periodic times when the two countries banned flights between themselves for one reason or another, but Swissair were exempted.
Swissair had an accident on this route at Athens, possibly this flight, a few years later, by which time it was operated by a DC8-62, which overran the runway, and somehow came to mind as a Far East operator through Athens. I also recalled them doing the Bombay to Karachi sector in one of the periodic times when the two countries banned flights between themselves for one reason or another, but Swissair were exempted.