Old Timer's Airline Quiz and Discussion.
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You are of course correct; I just recalled the odd purchase of the F70s and Ford's longstanding link from Stansted to Cologne, nearest points to Ford's two main plants in Europe. They certainly departed early morning almost every weekday from Stansted to Cologne (sometimes both aircraft), thereafter it was more fluid whether they went on to Liverpool, Valencia in Spain, or whatever, before doing the trip back from Cologne to Stansted in the evening. They were the only car maker in Europe that had anything like this. The three One-Elevens lasted for a long time, from the mid-1970s, The two MD-87s came I think from Midway in the US in the mid-1990s when the One-Elevens were retired, then around 2000 there was an economy drive and the whole operation was closed up. They then chartered as required, still pretty much every day, from British World at Stansted, and surprisingly were back to One-Elevens.
I knew someone at Ford who used it a few times, typically of them it was a pretty spartan operation, minimum pitch seating, no catering whatsoever, and sometimes no checked baggage (because the whole hold space had been given over to a car parts shipment) so those going for the week had to have all their suitcases in the cabin.
I knew someone at Ford who used it a few times, typically of them it was a pretty spartan operation, minimum pitch seating, no catering whatsoever, and sometimes no checked baggage (because the whole hold space had been given over to a car parts shipment) so those going for the week had to have all their suitcases in the cabin.
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That was an interesting airport they had in Quito with regard to commercial traffic before the new airfield opened.
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KT.08 [Aug 1996]
Which airline flew non-stop LHR to Prague using a European built twin-jet at this time?
Which airline flew non-stop LHR to Prague using a European built twin-jet at this time?
Their Low-Cost subsidiary BMI Baby, which they subsequently started, and which boomed along for a while, did extensive service to Prague from a range of UK departure points. But that was 737s, and that was later.
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Didn't BMI (I never got away from calling them British Midland) have a shot at this, at a time when they were trying a whole range of points from Heathrow ? Fokker 100 was the smallest aircraft they had there.
Their Low-Cost subsidiary BMI Baby, which they subsequently started, and which boomed along for a while, did extensive service to Prague from a range of UK departure points. But that was 737s, and that was later.
Their Low-Cost subsidiary BMI Baby, which they subsequently started, and which boomed along for a while, did extensive service to Prague from a range of UK departure points. But that was 737s, and that was later.
Return flight was on a 737-500.
Was still British Midland then.
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/395570
Last edited by KT550; Feb 1, 2021 at 5:15 am Reason: photo link added
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I am fairly sure UIA - Ukraine International had virtual monopoly on Western routes. The other airline (Air Ukraine, if memory serves) was serving primarily CIS destinations (plus IEV-WAW on AN-24, perhaps also PRG/BUD plus YYZ on ex-LOT IL-62M).
So let me try PS on B737-200.
KT.12
I recall Air Berlin had a significant presence at STN. They even employed their own ticketing/check-in agents (or if they were handling agents, they wore AB uniforms) and had the whole check-in row for themselves. They flew to all sorts of of secondary German airports from STN, so I guess CGN could have been one of them.
So let me try with Air Berlin.
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KT.05
I am fairly sure UIA - Ukraine International had virtual monopoly on Western routes. The other airline (Air Ukraine, if memory serves) was serving primarily CIS destinations (plus IEV-WAW on AN-24, perhaps also PRG/BUD plus YYZ on ex-LOT IL-62M).
So let me try PS on B737-200.
No, it wasn't PS or a B732 but your other thoughts might help.......
KT.12
I recall Air Berlin had a significant presence at STN. They even employed their own ticketing/check-in agents (or if they were handling agents, they wore AB uniforms) and had the whole check-in row for themselves. They flew to all sorts of of secondary German airports from STN, so I guess CGN could have been one of them.
So let me try with Air Berlin.
No, not AB
I am fairly sure UIA - Ukraine International had virtual monopoly on Western routes. The other airline (Air Ukraine, if memory serves) was serving primarily CIS destinations (plus IEV-WAW on AN-24, perhaps also PRG/BUD plus YYZ on ex-LOT IL-62M).
So let me try PS on B737-200.
No, it wasn't PS or a B732 but your other thoughts might help.......
KT.12
I recall Air Berlin had a significant presence at STN. They even employed their own ticketing/check-in agents (or if they were handling agents, they wore AB uniforms) and had the whole check-in row for themselves. They flew to all sorts of of secondary German airports from STN, so I guess CGN could have been one of them.
So let me try with Air Berlin.
No, not AB
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This seems to me that it would be the Continental Connection (Gulfstream International operating) with a Beechcraft 1900D on EYW-MIA-FLL.
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Nor was the stop in MIA.
I'm pretty sure the airline in question wouldn't have started the route if they had stiff competiton from CO.
P.S. Not a Beech 1900 either
Last edited by KT550; Feb 1, 2021 at 7:55 am Reason: P.S. added
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A strange addition to their route structure. I don't think BMA were known at either end of the route. However, notably it's just after Ford gave up their own company flights, and then British World, who they contracted for their replacements, went out of business after about a year. My hunch would be that BMA started this oddball route heavily bankrolled by a Ford revenue guarantee. I wonder how many non-Ford passengers they got. Didn't last too long I don't think.