jlemon

Indeed, the only B747-400 Combi operator I know of these days is KLM Royal Dutch....and one wonders for how much longer as I'm sure KL will retire the 744 at some point in the not so distant future.

It also appears there are not that many Boeing 737 Combi operators left at present, either.....of course, Alaska Air with B737-400 aircraft converted from full passenger configuration comes to mind here in the U.S.

And there are at least three remaining Canadian operators of B737 Combi aircraft, being Air North (with a B737-200), Canadian North (also with a B737-200) and First Air (with B737-200 and B737-400 aircraft). Plus, Whitehorse-based Air North is still apparently operating Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Combi turboprops while Canadian North flies DHC-8 Dash 8 series 100 Combis and First Air operates ATR 42-300 Combi aircraft.

Indelaware

18. Can you name an airline named after its founder that also operated 747s?

One more: MK Airlines (7G of Ghana and then the UK). Named for its founder, Michael Kruger

WHBM

Just to add to this, Britannia were for long the largest of the UK holiday airlines, only recently subsumed into the TUI brand, after an interim period as Thomson. Euravia started up with a couple of ex-El Al L-049 Constellations, being owned by the UK's longstanding largest Mediterranean holiday operator, Universal Skytours, long owned by Thomson, who had got fed up with the rickety finances of the early 1960s independent airlines. Then they merged with part of the failing Skyways airline, once the UK's largest charter company of all, and got more Constellations that way, but after a couple of years saw an opportunity when BOAC retired their still fairly new Bristol Britannias and bought a fleet of those, renaming the airline in the process. It was a snap changeover, at the end of the 1964 summer season it was all Euravia Constellations, start of 1965 it was all Britannia (aircraft and name).

Main base was London Luton, but they also had aircraft at Manchester (generally a couple), Birmingham and Newcastle. After a few years they became pioneer holiday flight Boeing 737 users, and must have bought upwards of 100 Boeings over time, all until recently continuing that UK-built airliner name on the side. They also set the style for other holiday operations that, from all their starting points, they ran to the same Mediterranean destination on the same day of the week, when several aircraft would turn up pretty much together - Mahon in the Balearics was traditionally Mondays, and Fuerteventura in the Canaries on Wednesdays. Lesser UK points were served by a "W" arrangement, say out early morning Monday from Birmingham to Mahon, then return to say Bristol, out to Mahon again, and back to Birmingham at the end of the day.

The Skyways takeover brought various charter contracts and indeed some schedules, which Euravia dropped almost straight away, but one very longstanding charter contract Britannia maintained from then was for the UK military, particularly to bases in Germany, where a generation and more of soldiers and airmen knew Britannia as the way to and from home leave. As a result the 737s turned up on various RAF bases like Wildenrath, as well as Berlin. Onetime fellow student, of languages, from my University days, became a translator for the UK Ministry of Defence, and made many trips to Germany in the 1970s-90s. If he was travelling with The Minister and a German official they went in F on British Airways, but if just joining a meeting there the government procurement department would spring into cheapskate mode and he was on a military charter from Luton, whereupon his heart would sink, and he gave me several flamboyant descriptions of the low life on board, packed into 28" pitch charter seating, many of the squaddies (enlisted men) were with their families, and babies were hung in bassinets lengthwise from the overheads who would squawl and bawl through turbulence. And unlike Britannia's holiday flights, being a military charter, anaesthetising drink was NOT served on board.

jrl767

I can only shake my head in amazement/amusement trying to picture this

that said, we have a longtime friend who used to work for NW, first as a res agent in SEA and later as the assistant station manager at DAY ... she still tells the story of a non-rev trip to the Far East when she and her husband observed a couple whose first language was obviously not English dutifully placing their "carry-on item" in the overhead bin -- said item was actually a bassinet with a baby in it

kochleffel

I remember a People Express landing announcement that included, "Please check the overhead compartments for any personal belongings or small children that you may have placed there."

WHBM

An old British United hand described how for military charters they designed small additional attachment points to the underside of the overhead racks to hang these "Skycots" from. I'm sure there must be a picture somewhere on the web although I can't find one. Someone on another forum about RAF VC-10s writes :

"My one bad memory was sitting under a skycot for the 8 hour overnight leg Cyprus-Gan hoping the canvas was waterproof."

jlemon

Well, I've been thinking about this one for awhile now.....and it occurs to me this may have not have been a Canadian based air carrier as the departure city (or cities) is (or are) not specified.

So what airline was offering excellent on board service back then in both first and coach?

Ah....Western! And now that I think of it, I believe the northbound nonstop flights to YVR from LAX and SFO offered "Royal Canadian" service while the southbound nonstop flights between these city pairs offered "Western Canadian" service. In any case, the upgraded cabin service was probably the same, only the names were different.

Equipment operated on these flights to and from Vancouver, B.C. in 1968? Most likely our old friend the Boeing 720B.

Western Airlines.....The Only Way To Fly!

jrl767

I only flew PE once, but I certainly remember those kind of cutesy announcements on PS (and to some degree they still persist on WN)

jrl767

paging Wally Bird ...

jlemon

We have not heard from Mr. Bird in quite some time now and I certainly hope he is OK.

Wally, you are most definitely missed here on the OTAQ&D.

WHBM

BEA, who used the Jet Vickers Viscount on some London to Paris flights in the early 1950s.

They had done the same with the Vickers Viking earlier, but that, despite being a smaller aircraft, actually had a 4-crew flight deck.

jlemon

Last call for this bonus quiz item as my lady and I are departing tomorrow morning on yet another adventure, this time for a visit with an old sailing buddy who currently flies Boeing 777-200 aircraft as a Captain with American. We are off to his home in Santa Rosa (STS) in northern California where we will also attend the 2015 Wine & Food Affair in Sonoma County with over 100 wineries scheduled to participate:

https://www.wineroad.com/events/wine-food-affair/

And yes, we have a designated driver!

Our flight details: AA Eagle ERJ-145 LFT-DFW, AA A321 (in F) DFW-LAX and then an Alaska Air Dash 8 Q400 (operated by Horizon Air, of course) LAX-STS. We have a fairly lengthy layover at LAX and are planning to camp out for a bit at the UA Club in term 7 in case anyone wants to have a cocktail with us tomorrow afternoon.

Back to the quiz.....referencing post #7750, we are looking for the last three cities in the U.S. served by Mexicana in 1990. I'll provide them tonight if there are no takers.

Seat 2A

Seat 2A

Seat 2A

As JL and Lady K have jetted off to a fabulous weekend in the Golden State. I've just arrived in Chicago for tomorrow's airline collectibles convention at the Holiday Inn. I didn't even know I was going on this trip until 31 hours ago! It was spurred on by the airline collectibles convention and a chance to visit friends and fellow Denali drivers in northern Indiana. On the return I'm looking forward to trying out Iowa Pacific's new Hoosier State service between Lafayette and Chicago featuring an ex-1950s era Santa Fe Super Dome. As an added bonus, the Denver Broncos are in town to play the Indianapolis Colts. Hopefully the Broncs will leave town with their undefeated record intact.

As to the remaining questions, I'll check back Monday to address any that remain unanswered. Have a great weekend!

7. This airline claims to have established the world’s first commercial around the world route. Can you identify the airline and the route? (This could be a discussion item as it would seem more than one airline has made similar type claims.)

12. What was the world’s first airline to operate a passenger jet with a flight deck designed for just two crew? What kind of jet was it? A N S W E R E D

Bonus Question 12B: What was the world’s first airline to operate a non-propeller equipped passenger jet with a flight deck designed for just two crew? What kind of jet was it?

14. This airline launched the first ever scheduled jet flight to take place entirely within the Arctic Circle. Identify the airline, aircraft and route.

18. Can you name an airline named after its founder that also operated 747s? IN PLAY Braniff, Wardair, Ansett, Martinair, Kallat El-Saker Air , Khalifa and cargo operators Kalitta and MK Airlines have been identified so far. Any more out there?