[norbert2008]

Back in 1999. Not celebrities as such but most of the Estonian Government including the President and wife. LHR to Talin all in economy, I was traveling with friends and back then the crew used full bottles of spirits and very little tonic, so it turned into a jolly flight and I got chatting to the Finance Minister who said they had just come in from Dublin and the President was sitting over there. After we landed I said I would like to meet the President so my new ‘friend’ the Finance chap introduced me. I said how much I was looking forward to my first visit, (it was – 10 on the tarmac) and we chatted all the way into the terminal, we shook hands then I noticed my friends in a long line waiting at passport control. I had somehow walked through the Diplomatic channel and no one dared interrupt our deep conversation.

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jsn55, PatJordan, first_class_please

[IanFromHKG]

Earlier this month the Memsahib sat next to Lewis Capaldi, and was blissfully unaware of this until at the end of the flight various passengers came up and asked for his autograph!

[capetonianm]

I heard this ‘celebrity’ story some years ago.
A ‘famous’ German tennis player called Boris Bonker walked into the F cabin of a QF flight, clicked his fingers at the cabin manager, and said :
“My seat is 1A. You will not speak to me unless I speak to you. You will bring me food and drink when I instruct you. I will not sign autographs and you will keep people away from me.”
The story goes that she calmly looked him up and down for a few seconds and said :
“And who might you be then?”

P.S. Lewis Capaldi? Who? I had to google him and it still means nothing to me.

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paulkaz, GivingupBA

[canucklad]

[quote quote=988187]P.S. Lewis Capaldi? Who? I had to google him and it still means nothing to me.[/quote]

A local (Whitburn) lad made good, very good actually , and only beaten to multiple Grammy awards last night by Billy Eilish whom I’m sure you’ve heard of : 0
Anyway, more outstanding than his music, is his ability to hilariously stand up to Noel Gallagher (assume you’ve heard of him capetonianm ? )

[Cedric_Statherby]

This may stretch the definition of celebrity but in 1983, with the Thatcher government going loggerheads with the National Union of Mineworkers, I sat next to Arthur Scargill on a flight. Not the demon the Tory press made him out to be, in fact quite good company.

PS the flight was London to Moscow. Afterwards I joked to a friend that he was probably going to consult the Soviet government for advice and money. Seeing how the year-long miners’ strike subsequently unfolded (and who funded it) that was quite possibly true!

[Guesswho100]

Last year on BA to Antigua in Club – literally bumped into Rodger Daltry (The Who) as I exited the toilet at the front of the Club World Cabin. Years ago, on a flight from JFK to LHR I got talking to John Major in the Concorde room whilst looking through newspapers. Once on-board the same flight, I noticed David Walliams sat in the seat in front of me. Even more years ago, Simon Callow was sat in the seat in front of me – the cabin had the old cradle Club World seats, so that shows how long ago it was.

[TiredOldHack2]

Nobody’s ever asked me for my autograph.

[canucklad]

[quote quote=989671]Nobody’s ever asked me for my autograph.[/quote]

1/2 a lifetime ago they did , but then kids are easily impressed and I wasn’t a total disaster on the playing field
One things for sure, my autograph will not be hiding away in any drawers and most likely lost and pulped into mush hours after I took the time to scrawl it : )

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SimonRowberry

[SimonRowberry]

On my honeymoon in F on Continental AUK-HNL in 1991, Leo Sayer, his partner and manager were in the cabin. A lovely bloke. Total gentleman.
We (my wife and I) then spent a few days on the West Coast and got on another CO flight DEN-LGW (those were the days) a week later and there was Leo again, in F again with us. And once more, a total gentleman and very chatty.
Also sat next to the late Alvin Lee of Ten Years After on a flight from LHR-BUC around 1993 – another lovely bloke, who had a DAT player when they were the height of technology and let me hear his latest solo album on it. I then buggered things up by spilling a glass of red wine and just missing it…..
I once shared a Eurostar compartment (this was a long while ago) with Sir Leon Britton (not so much fun as Leo or Alvin) and once got outrageously ratted with the wonderful Cyril Regis on BHX-CPH-HEL – we had 1D and 1F in the old SAS/Blue1 Business Class on both legs and had several in the Lounge at Kastrup between the flights. One of the few flights that I never wanted to end – Cyril was unbelievably good company and we both lived in the same town at the same time and found out we had mutual friends, which just made the coincidence even more weird. 5 hours (including transfer) of absolute stomach-creasing hilarity. He was such a good bloke.
I’ve seen a lot of celebrities (minor or real) whilst travelling and perhaps I’ve been lucky, but I’ve never seen any of them acting like dicks.
Oh yes – I don’t know if this counts, but we were having a late drink in the Westin in Winnipeg many, many years ago and we turned round and Billy Joel was on the next bar stool. He was polite and pleasant but I can’t say the same about his entourage (he’d just played a gig).
And another couple of recollections – Judas Priest in the bar of the Radisson Astorija in Vilnius (they were hilarious for other reasons), and having a fag outside the same hotel a few months later with the absolutely delightful Chris Rea (no Martyn Sinclair, I still haven’t given up!).
And finally, my son and I seeing a famous Bundeliga Team having several ‘libations’ in the bar of the Dusseldorf Hilton late on the night before a major match (this was also a while back) – and they won the next day!
Safe travels,
Simon

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PatJordan

[TominScotland]

Not a celebrity but a nobody who thought he was important. Queuing to board a flight in the priority line – to SIN, I think. This person (male) manoeuvres himself to the front of the queue and boards first. Lots of tut, tuts as is our British want. Once on board and settled, a pulled a pad from my briefcase and walked up to where he was seated and asked for his autograph. He looked confused and asked why I would want his autograph. I replied, probably a bit louder than I should have, ” Oh, from the way you pushed to the front of the queue, I assumed that you were someone famous”….. He had the decency to look shamefaced!!

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jsn55, capetonianm, Tom Otley

[Cedric_Statherby]

If I can extend the thread to train travel …

About 45 years ago I was a moderately keen follower of a (then) very successful London football club. Travelling to Norwich for a Saturday game, I took the “supporters’ special” train from Liverpool Street, and wandering through the train during the journey came across … the players’ coach. Just an ordinary coach on the train, no guards on the door, nothing to stop one going in.

I went in, talked to the players, wished them luck and left. Some were playing cards, some were drinking, at least two were smoking, all were friendly and not at all fazed by a supporter wandering up to them mid journey. I repeat, this was a very successful club (right at the top of the old First Division) and most of the players were internationals and superstars. Modern footballers would never travel to a game by public transport!

[Johnnyg]

Cedric_Statherby Modern footballers would never travel to a game by public transport!

Many teams travel by rail, booking an entire carriage. The most notable one is Manchester Utd who when they play a London club always travel from Macclesfield to London where the team coach awaits them. Young United fans know it is a great time to get a few selfies and autographs.

[ParselTongue]

Despite all the travelling I have done I can’t say I have ever seen a celebrity in the air, but there again I probably wouldn’t recognise them either. We have been in a safari camp with a South African international cricketer (and his wife). He was going to play county cricket the next season at Glamorgan and we shared jeeps for the four days and they were a delightful down-to-earth couple.

My favourite story relates to a friend and his wife who were flying F out of LHR and were in the Concorde room. He got chatting to the gentleman sitting next to him and during the conversation asked the gentlemen what he did. “I’m President of my country” was the reply, in a strong South African accent. It was F W de Klerk and he and his wife were absolutely charming. Our friend has never lived this non-recognition of FWdK down, especially as he is himself a politician!

[capetonianm]

It was F W de Klerk and he and his wife were absolutely charming

He is a true gentleman. His first wife, Marietjie, from whom he was divorced, was murdered in her flat in Bloubergstrand and there were some unsavoury stories about her – I believe untrue.
He then married a wealthy Greek lady.

[Author]

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