Old Timer's Airline Quiz and Discussion.
Aug 16, 2020, 6:29 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
83. Cairo, Egypt is quite the hotbed for Boeing 720 operations. Four airlines – all of the regional – offer a variety of flights into the Egyptian capitol. Let’s make it interesting because y’all’re too smart otherwise. So, give ‘em to me all at once please. Answers such as “Well it could be xxx” will be summarily ignored.
- 720s into CAI — thanks to WHBM for mentioning Olympic in an answer to a different question
I’ll offer Air Malta for another. As to the fourth, I know El Al flew 720s, but certainly didn’t serve CAI; most of the other national carriers in that part of the world had European- and Russian-built jets in their medium-range fleets ... geography notwithstanding per my earlier musing, I’m guessing PK
All excellent submissions, J - and yet rather amazingly ALL of them are wrong. I was especially surprised that no MEA 720s served CAI but I think MEA came into much of its 720 fleet a bit later than 1976...
Anyway, please - guess again!
Per WHBM: Another (and possibly the closest) possibility might be Cyprus Airways, who had a 720B (ex-American) operated for them by Tempair, who were a UK-based wet-leasing company. Cyprus had their Trident/One-Eleven fleet, and their airport at Nicosia, destroyed in the 1974 invasion, they eventually got the basis of what is now Larnaca airport going and leased a few odd aircraft to start with, including this one. Using a 720B on a 350 mile trip at 1976 fuel prices is a bit extravagant, but it was all they had.
Nor was it Cyprus. It utilized a DC-9
- 720s into CAI — thanks to WHBM for mentioning Olympic in an answer to a different question
I’ll offer Air Malta for another. As to the fourth, I know El Al flew 720s, but certainly didn’t serve CAI; most of the other national carriers in that part of the world had European- and Russian-built jets in their medium-range fleets ... geography notwithstanding per my earlier musing, I’m guessing PKAll excellent submissions, J - and yet rather amazingly ALL of them are wrong. I was especially surprised that no MEA 720s served CAI but I think MEA came into much of its 720 fleet a bit later than 1976...
Anyway, please - guess again!
Per WHBM: Another (and possibly the closest) possibility might be Cyprus Airways, who had a 720B (ex-American) operated for them by Tempair, who were a UK-based wet-leasing company. Cyprus had their Trident/One-Eleven fleet, and their airport at Nicosia, destroyed in the 1974 invasion, they eventually got the basis of what is now Larnaca airport going and leased a few odd aircraft to start with, including this one. Using a 720B on a 350 mile trip at 1976 fuel prices is a bit extravagant, but it was all they had.
Nor was it Cyprus. It utilized a DC-9
Aug 16, 2020, 6:31 pm
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
[QUOTE=Seat 2A;32608720]
Notably, the original question could also be fully answered as El Al, a 720B Rome to Tel Aviv connecting to a TLV-Nairobi-Jo'burg 707. Now you may think El Al doesn't run on Saturdays, but the first aircraft, having waited it out at Rome, ran a flight to Tel Aviv arriving there shortly after sunset, and connecting to the onward flight which left at midnight.
Regarding the Greek islands, Olympic did a lot of holiday flights from there to Europe with the 720Bs - Frankfurt, London Gatwick, Manchester etc. They often seemed integrated with scheduled domestic flights to/from Athens. Eventually this market got taken by holiday flight operators at the other end - even at a minor island point like Kos, by 1976 you would already find British Airtours 707s, Monarch 720Bs, Conair 720s, etc.
84. From your home office in Rome, you need to get to Johannesburg, South Africa. Quickly. As in right now. Well, geez – it’s Saturday. Alitalia’s got a single one stop flight and it’s sold out. But hey – look at this! There’s a single online (same airline) connection involving two four engine Boeing jetliners. You’ll fly nonstop to the connection point and then catch a one-stop flight from there on to Johannesburg. Identify the airline, the routing and of course the aircraft types.
There's not a lot of Europe left if you are at Rome already. But Olympic's 720Bs ran wholly within it, such as Rome to Athens, connecting onto their 707-320C Athens-Nairobi-Jo'burg.
WHBM - You Da Man!!! Olympic it is, routing through NBO. It's interesting to note how many Greek airports - notably islands - were served by Olympic's 720s. Anyway, here's the schedule:
There's not a lot of Europe left if you are at Rome already. But Olympic's 720Bs ran wholly within it, such as Rome to Athens, connecting onto their 707-320C Athens-Nairobi-Jo'burg.
WHBM - You Da Man!!! Olympic it is, routing through NBO. It's interesting to note how many Greek airports - notably islands - were served by Olympic's 720s. Anyway, here's the schedule:
Regarding the Greek islands, Olympic did a lot of holiday flights from there to Europe with the 720Bs - Frankfurt, London Gatwick, Manchester etc. They often seemed integrated with scheduled domestic flights to/from Athens. Eventually this market got taken by holiday flight operators at the other end - even at a minor island point like Kos, by 1976 you would already find British Airtours 707s, Monarch 720Bs, Conair 720s, etc.
Aug 16, 2020, 6:36 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Thanks to jlemon and WHBM for the interesting repartee about the Comet 4C at O'Hare. It very nicely exemplifies the pleasures and benefits of D in OTAQ&D 
Aug 16, 2020, 6:45 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Notably, the original question could also be fully answered as el al, a 720b rome to tel aviv connecting to a tlv-nairobi-jo'burg 707. Now you may think el al doesn't run on saturdays, but the first aircraft, having waited it out at rome, ran a flight to tel aviv arriving there shortly after sunset, and connecting to the onward flight which left at midnight.
Certainly probable as EL AL did indeed run a 720 between Rome and Tel Aviv, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Its nonstop 707 flights between Tel Aviv and Johannesburg only operated on Monday and Wednesdays. Here are the schedules:
EL AL LY 386 Rome (FCO) 235p-635p Tel Aviv (TLV) Boeing 720 tu th only
EL AL LY 513/517 Tel Aviv (TLV) 1030p-650a Johannesburg (JNB) Boeing 707 mo we only
Certainly probable as EL AL did indeed run a 720 between Rome and Tel Aviv, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Its nonstop 707 flights between Tel Aviv and Johannesburg only operated on Monday and Wednesdays. Here are the schedules:
EL AL LY 386 Rome (FCO) 235p-635p Tel Aviv (TLV) Boeing 720 tu th only
EL AL LY 513/517 Tel Aviv (TLV) 1030p-650a Johannesburg (JNB) Boeing 707 mo we only
Aug 17, 2020, 1:10 am
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
Aug 17, 2020, 1:48 am
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
Nor was it Cyprus. It utilized a DC-9
.The Cyprus Airways Tridents, which had previously been the regulars on flights to Cairo, were all caught on the ground at Nicosia in the fighting, one was destroyed, another damaged, and the other two sat there for several years until in a remarkable recovery attempt by British Airways, they bought them, got them going again, and flew them out of the abandoned airport stuck in no-mans-land between the two sides. The one in BEA colours nowadays at Duxford museum, familiar to some here, is one of them. Meanwhile, the damaged one is still there at Nicosia ! Getting on for 50 years now it's been there, abandoned, faded in the sun, untouched, just like the rest of the buildings etc in that strip of Cyprus. When on holiday there a few years ago I tried, unsuccessfully, to spot it from the A9 highway that passes to the south of it, just inside the Greek Cyprus border. But I did see it, to my surprise, just last year from the window seat of a BA 747, routing London to Dubai, which passed high overhead. Here she is.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ni...9!4d33.3822764
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1616...7i12000!8i6000
Cyprus Airways didn't serve Cairo for much longer, following this extraordinary unexpected incident at Larnaca airport in 1978 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypti...tional_Airport
Last edited by WHBM; Aug 17, 2020 at 6:45 am
Aug 17, 2020, 8:21 am
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 314
82. Rather surprisingly, there are only three American cities that are served by Air France 747s. Identify the three cities. Let’s make it interesting because y’all’re too smart otherwise. So, give ‘em to me all at once please. Answers such as “Well it could be xxx” will be summarily ignored.
Aug 17, 2020, 8:58 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,808
77. What an exciting trip coming up! From your home outside of Buenos Aires, you’ll be traveling to Tahiti to join friends sailing their yacht to the Marquesas Islands. Ah… lifestyles of the rich and famous! You’ve found a very nice itinerary involving a single connection. The first flight will make one enroute stop. The connecting flight will be nonstop. Both flights will be operated with the same aircraft type. Please identify each airline involved, the routing including all enroute stops and of course, the aircraft type.
If the connection point wasn't LAX, then perhaps it was the closer one also ending with X, MEX.
Nope - not MEX. If it did, it would require a connection to Qantas flying the old Fiesta Route through Acapulco to Papeete. Alas, that would appear to have been discontinued by 1976.
If the connection point wasn't LAX, then perhaps it was the closer one also ending with X, MEX.
Nope - not MEX. If it did, it would require a connection to Qantas flying the old Fiesta Route through Acapulco to Papeete. Alas, that would appear to have been discontinued by 1976.
Aug 17, 2020, 9:07 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,808
88. It’s a dreary Sunday afternoon in Amsterdam when you receive a cable from your old seafaring pal jlemon. He’s found a great deal hitching a ride aboard a yacht between Honolulu and Bora Bora and as luck would have it there’s room for one more. Can you get to Honolulu by tonight? Whaaaat? Hmm…well it certainly sounds good. It's a little after noon here in Amsterdam which would make it about 1:00am in Honolulu. Let’s see… Well how ‘bout that! Yes! There’s a routing involving a single connection utilizing two nonstop flights. You’ll depart Amsterdam late this afternoon, have a one hour and fifty minute layover at the connecting point and then fly nonstop to Honolulu arriving a little after 1030p tonight, Honolulu time. Two different airlines utilizing American built equipment will be used. Identify the airlines involved, the aircraft flown and the connection point.
Aug 17, 2020, 11:01 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LFT
Programs: AA Plat, lots of AA, AS, DL, UA miles, former top level CO Elite (sigh...)
Posts: 10,795
77. What an exciting trip coming up! From your home outside of Buenos Aires, you’ll be traveling to Tahiti to join friends sailing their yacht to the Marquesas Islands. Ah… lifestyles of the rich and famous! You’ve found a very nice itinerary involving a single connection. The first flight will make one enroute stop. The connecting flight will be nonstop. Both flights will be operated with the same aircraft type. Please identify each airline involved, the routing including all enroute stops and of course, the aircraft type.
Aug 17, 2020, 11:15 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,375
- Central African Airways
- East African Airways
- Ghana Airways
- Gulf Air
- Nigeria Airways
86. It’s not often you’re faced with such an exotic itinerary, but after consulting on a major dam construction project in Peru, you now need to fly across the globe to Peking, China. Rather surprisingly, you’ve found a routing departing Wednesday out of Lima using just one airline that makes two connections enroute. It’s a fairly straight line routing as well – no crazy zig zagging – so it’s well within the Maximum Permitted Mileage parameters. The aircraft type remains the same throughout. The first two flights are nonstop. The final flight – from the second connecting point – makes one enroute stop. Identify the airline, the aircraft type and the two connecting points.
as far as Western European carriers serving PEK, Air France is the only one that comes immediately to mind ... the third flight would have been Paris/CDG-Karachi/KHI-PEK, so the issue is whether LIM-XXX-CDG was via northern or southern South America ... for now I'll guess Rio de Janeiro/GIG, and a 707-328B/C on each segment
Aug 17, 2020, 11:44 am
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
86. It’s not often you’re faced with such an exotic itinerary, but after consulting on a major dam construction project in Peru, you now need to fly across the globe to Peking, China. Rather surprisingly, you’ve found a routing departing Wednesday out of Lima using just one airline that makes two connections enroute. It’s a fairly straight line routing as well – no crazy zig zagging – so it’s well within the Maximum Permitted Mileage parameters. The aircraft type remains the same throughout. The first two flights are nonstop. The final flight – from the second connecting point – makes one enroute stop. Identify the airline, the aircraft type and the two connecting points.
Air France 707 Tahiti-Tokyo
Air France 707 Tokyo-Fukuoka-Beijing
Aug 17, 2020, 12:01 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,808
Aug 17, 2020, 4:14 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Per Seat 2A: Certainly probable as EL AL did indeed run a 720 between Rome and Tel Aviv, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Its nonstop 707 flights between Tel Aviv and Johannesburg only operated on Monday and Wednesdays.
Per WHBM: Notable change from just a few months earlier in mid-1975
I seem to recall El Al's Johannesburg flight schedules being discussed a couple thousand questions back with regard to what was then the longest Boeing 720 flight. It had been surmised that it might be Avianca's 3973 mile leg between Madrid and San Juan until El Al's 4491 mile run between Tehran and Johannesburg emerged as the correct answer.
Tehran is an interesting stopping point for the national airline of Israel. WHBM, would you happen to know the story behind that?
Per WHBM: Notable change from just a few months earlier in mid-1975
I seem to recall El Al's Johannesburg flight schedules being discussed a couple thousand questions back with regard to what was then the longest Boeing 720 flight. It had been surmised that it might be Avianca's 3973 mile leg between Madrid and San Juan until El Al's 4491 mile run between Tehran and Johannesburg emerged as the correct answer.
Tehran is an interesting stopping point for the national airline of Israel. WHBM, would you happen to know the story behind that?
Aug 17, 2020, 4:19 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
82. Rather surprisingly, there are only three American cities that are served by Air France 747s. Identify the three cities. Let’s make it interesting because y’all’re too smart otherwise. So, give ‘em to me all at once please. Answers such as “Well it could be xxx” will be summarily ignored.
You asked for cities, so I'll start the guessing with New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC.
All excellent submissions, dfw - and of course New York is a no brainer. I would've thought Washington as well but by then I believe IAD was benefiting from Concorde service. Boston was not one of the three. So, you've hit one out of three. Please, continue on!
You asked for cities, so I'll start the guessing with New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC.
All excellent submissions, dfw - and of course New York is a no brainer. I would've thought Washington as well but by then I believe IAD was benefiting from Concorde service. Boston was not one of the three. So, you've hit one out of three. Please, continue on!