[AMcWhirter]

LHR-NCL-LHR flights will be busy on August 25.

The ECML will be badly disrupted by engineering work over the Bank Holiday weekend.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-48510971

[speedbird1969]

@cwoodward the 747s are not “clapped out” as you suggest. I have spent 30 years maintaining these aircraft and I would fly in one tomorrow with no fears. I would have more confidence in flying in a 30 year old 747 than I would in a 5 year old 787, of which I’m sure many of the latter fleet won’t see that age. The only thing clapped out is the cabin, particularity Club which has been well overdue for a proper refresh for many years. The 747 is one of the best aircraft ever made and it’s only due to Boeing’s miscalculation to not keep developing it to reduce its weight, increase its fuel efficiency and expand its upper deck that has led to it’s unfortunate demise.

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canucklad, esselle, DerekVH, Swissdiver, capetonianm, alanred13, openfly

[openfly]

@Speedbird1969….one of the best posts on here in months. Well said!

2 users thanked author for this post.

canucklad, capetonianm

[AMcWhirter]

Update.

I cannot vouch for this accuracy of today’s report from Aviation24.be …

But any of you who have booked tickets for the 747 flights on August 25 ought to check with BA.

It seems these 747 flights might not be happening after all.

British Airways cancels Boeing 747 domestic upgrades, originally scheduled on 25 August

Just a few days ago it was covered both by The Scotsman and Independent.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-airways-jumbo-jets-domestic-flights-anniversary-boeing-747-heathrow-manchester-newcastle-a8943031.html

https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/ba-to-fly-jumbo-jet-to-glasgow-to-mark-airline-s-centenary-1-4941141

[SimonS1]

Well I don’t know what is more sad here.

BA scoring another PR own goal by putting the aircraft on and then pulling them off again with full refunds when the media and climate change people got going.

Or the duty apologists on FT trying to polish this morsel – first the website breaking it was a “poor blogger” trying to increase traffic then trying to pretend these were never special flights and it was just a technical matter that 3 x 747s were scheduled domestically on the same day and links to 100th anniversary entirely coincidental.

Perhaps the truth is just that BA’s nickel and dime budget would not even have covered the heave ho in the lounges with extra large quantities of warm champagne and gloop required thus straining the finances.

All we need now is a YouTube video starring ‘Alex in a flak jacket’ and we can shout bingo.

2 users thanked author for this post.

capetonianm, Ekond222

[capetonianm]

Earlier this week I persuaded a friend that an ex EU to CPT on BA at £475 was better value than a domestic jaunt for £200, which is what it would have cost him.

He’s off on 25AUG and I’ll probably join him for part of his stay there.

[SGJNI1961]

All these flights have been cancelled! Not exactly clear why. There were environmental objections of course but it seems even BA themselves thought it had all been hyped too much and they wouldn’t be able to deliver the anticipated celebrations?

[openfly]

If the environmentalists are moaning about the three rtn flights, then, in the same argument of destroying the planet, the Flying Scotsman belching out fumes and smoke should be banned. And as for the splendid sight of 30 Dakotas polluting the planet on the D-Day anniversary maybe they would object to that. Millions of Africans cook and heat on wood fires…they want to stop that.

It’s time to get real.

6 users thanked author for this post.

GivingupBA, rferguson, SimonS1, AMcWhirter, capetonianm, alanred13

[AMcWhirter]

As I noted before most people forget that in the days of the BEA/BA Shuttle/Super Shuttle they used to deploy wide-body airport like 747s on the four main domestic routes ex-LHR at busy times to cope with demand.

By “busy times” I mean it would be over some public holidays or for major sporting events.

And on special occasions BA (not BEA) would operate Concorde on Super Shuttle routes.

When Super Shuttle was launched in 1983 there’s a famous picture showing *three* BA Concordes at Glasgow airport.

[Stowage222]

Yes, Alex, I had the privilege of being on board the first scheduled Concorde to depart from GLA to LHR to inaugurate Super Shuttle. It was a special event as you can imagine with Sir Colin Marshall in attendance. The hot breakfast was exceptional and I still have the commemorative menu and leather branded luggage tag. The photo shows us all onboard pre take off (I’m the one waving – well an earlier version!).

5 users thanked author for this post.

GivingupBA, alanred13, AMcWhirter, tomwjsimpson, openfly

[cwoodward]

Speedbird 1969 wrote ‘the 747s are not “clapped out” as you suggest’.

I well understand the point that you make. Recently I watched an interesting BBC documentary about the excellent heavy maintenance of the BA 747 fleet and was very impressed.
As this is a forum for Business Travellers my reference to’clapped out’ was of course in reference to the terrible condition of the cabin which is often complained about on this forum.
I had no wish to offend speedbird 1969

1 user thanked author for this post.

speedbird1969

[AMcWhirter]

Some consolation perhaps for some readers.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/news/red-arrows-to-fly-with-british-airways-jet-at-air-tattoo/

[AMcWhirter]

We have now posted the news.

British Airways to perform flypast of BOAC livery at Royal International Air Tattoo

[canucklad]

[quote quote=939521]The photo shows us all onboard pre take off (I’m the one waving – well an earlier version!).[/quote]

Fantastic photo Stowage222

One has to assume that the gate agent doubled as a bouncer , rigorously enforcing the tie required dress code. : )

[AMcWhirter]

Had the 747s been in domestic service today the weather would have been perfect (both for passengers and the BA publicity team).

[Author]

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