747 no more
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at 10:10 by AFlyingDutchman.
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canuckladParticipantWell another sad day, and another victim of the Covid disaster ..
And more poignantly, it seems that with BA retiring its fleet with immediate effect we’ll be denied an opportunity to experience for one last time “The Queen of the Skies”
In fact if memory serves, my last flight was on a BA 747 heading back to Vancouver, then again it could have been on a CX flight to BGK , or possibly a KLM flight to HKG …
Reminds me , what a privileged and lucky life I’ve had, considering the majority of the planets population hasn’t flown , never mind, flying on the magnificent 747
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17 Jul 2020
at 08:46
Gin&TonicParticipantMy first trip on a 747 I was 17. My Mum made me wear my three piece suit, shirt and tie, in economy! But what an experience and I loved the numerous trips that followed. Yes we need reduce carbon and cost etc, but we will never create such nostalgia again.
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17 Jul 2020
at 08:58
DavidSmith2ParticipantWe had seats 64 J and K booked for flights to and from Accra in May this year to start and end our holiday in the best way possible. Both flights of course were cancelled, as was the holiday. Very sad that we will never have that chance of climbing to the upper deck and feeling as if the rest of the passengers below didn’t exist and you were really on a 20-seater luxury jet.
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17 Jul 2020
at 09:28
esselleParticipantMy first 747 flight was on PanAm in the very late 70’s. As these were “classics” the upstairs bubble was smaller and reached by a spiral staircase.
1A or 1K on BA was a special place; 5E & F when travelling with Mrs Esselle.
Sad to see them go.
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17 Jul 2020
at 09:55
LondonVikingParticipantA business class seat in the bubble was as good as it gets. I’ll sadly miss it.
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17 Jul 2020
at 09:58
nevereconomyParticipantFor quite a lot of years I planned my trips to fly 747 wherever possible. Last one was late 2018 and very sad that I will not have another chance. I thought the best was when BA had J upstairs on the early version (100/200?) when there were just 2 rows of cradle seats, if I remember correctly.
17 Jul 2020
at 10:20
SwissdiverParticipantWhat a sad day! We will be left only with the few 747-8…
My first trip was to New-York on the defunct Swissair over 40 years ago. Over the years I flew almost 250’000 NM aboard the Queen of the sky…
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17 Jul 2020
at 10:28
CocktailMikeParticipantI managed to squeeze in one last trip to New York and back beginning of March. Business class upstairs on a half empty plane – lovely. I knew it would be my last on the 747. I first went on a brand new -400 on BA to Philadelphia in May 1990. I was in economy – but upstairs! My first ever long haul trip.
Since then I have managed to travel on the main variants -100, -200 and -300. Not done the -8 – a trip I feel will never happen.17 Jul 2020
at 11:56
ASK1945Participant[quote quote=1004103]Very sad that we will never have that chance of climbing to the upper deck and feeling as if the rest of the passengers below didn’t exist and you were really on a 20-seater luxury jet.[/quote]
On a trip back from Vancouver in 1994 my wife and I were upgraded at the gate from Economy to Business – but then downgraded to Economy again before boarding. However, they placed us in the Economy “bubble” upstairs. We had this very same feeling and, despite travelling subsequently in Business on 747s over the succeeding years – sometimes in the bubble – we still both remember this flight as if it was last week.
17 Jul 2020
at 12:29
InquisitiveParticipantLike many contributors here, I adore the magnificence of B747 – the contours, the take-off and the cosy upper deck. Although I like the A380 very much for stability and low noise but it is nowhere near for items I noted.
My first B747 flight was in business class, my first international business travel. I was in upper deck that was very small and cozy (later I know it was B747-200) and I kept my eyes wide open throughout the journey and used the stairs to go down 2-3 times for no reason!
We will still see B747 operating by some airlines and cargo. Plus Air Force 1 will continue to be B747 for considerable time.
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17 Jul 2020
at 12:44
alainboy56ParticipantMy first flight was from LHR in 1st Class to Miami in the early seventies on a classic BOAC B747-136 – cannot verify the year as I am still trapped away from home in a wonderful exciting city called Riyadh – I do also remember visiting (residing) in the upstairs bar/lounge accessible via the spiral staircase.
My last flight was just last summer in 2019, a flight from DXB to LHR on a B744 (B747-436). And so many flights in between on -100s, -200s, -300s, and -400s.
Furthermore ‘Alaingirl’ has never, and nor is ever likely to fly on one. She will also have to rush to catch a ride in an A380 too!17 Jul 2020
at 14:49
DerekVHParticipantAccording to the numbers released by BA when the issues around redundancies started they have a fleet of 272 747 Captains and 349 Co-Pilots. Real shame, I will miss this beautiful lady. I was booked to San Jose next month on a 747 but that trip has obviously been cancelled. Virgin are doing the same and their 747 flight crew have already been made redundant.
17 Jul 2020
at 16:06 -
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