[SealinkBF]

Having a full hot breakfast served on a Loganair (British Airways Express) Shorts 360 – I think – from Wick to Glasgow (touched down in Inverness!)

[UrbaneGent]

My dad traveled a great deal for work and my mom and I would go to the gate to see him off…or I would wait with anticipation for him to arrive anxiously waiting for the plane to arrive at the jet bridge. That played a huge influence in my love not only for travel but global commerce as well. It’s a shame so many young kids miss out on the excitement of what goes on at the gate seeing relatives off – even though now I can’t imagine how much more packed the gates would be.

@esselle non-existent anticipation until you find yourself in coach on that super-long haul (and all the things that go with flying it, like Y check-in, no FastTrack, lounges, etc.)…F on-board may not be what it used to be in the good ol’days, BUT besides traveling private (and most of the times that’s not fun either), the front of the plane is the best way to fly.

[AussieJohn]

Among my memories:

As someone said, the “bus stop routes”. My first flight was Sydney to London in 1967 on a BOAC 707. Sydney/Perth/Singapore/Kuala Lumpur/Delhi/Tehran/Zurich/London. No aerobridges then, steps down to the tarmac and buses. Then being held in the “transit” lounge.

Returning home 10 months later, an engine failure out of Singapore, so we had to circle, dump the fuel and return to Singapore. Very scary up in the air, and when we landed, being surrounded by fire engines and ambulances. Thankfully all went ok.

Flying into Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong. That was scary!

A wholly unexpected and very acceptable upgrade to Concorde on a trip from New York to London. I still have my Concorde kit they used to hand out with pens, stationery, menus, etc. along with my boarding pass, and plastic baggage tags.

Sitting in the cockpit of a 747 for the landing into LHR. I think that and the Concorde are my special memories.

[AviationGeek]

I fondly remember the many flights as an UM (unaccompanied minor) between FRA and VIE my two sisters and I used to take to visit our grandparents. The cabin crew would bring round a drawer, stuffed to the brim with colouring books, puzzles, toy planes etc.
Upon arrival on a remote stand we’d be taken to the terminal in the crew bus!

[Charles-P]

Flying from boarding school in England back home to Rhodesia. BOAC to Jan Smuts (South Africa) and then the ‘hop’ to Salisbury on a Boeing 720.
After the cold damp English climate the warmth and smells of Africa always cheered me up combined with knowing I had eight weeks of time in the bush.

[IanFromHKG]

Not my memory, but my parents’ – flying to France for a motoring holiday with their Morris Minor in the cargo hold!

[Gridley]

I remember flying from Sydney to New York via Fiji-Canton Island-Honolulu-S.Francisco in 1949 with BCPA. We went to bed on he plane in pyjamas and slept between sheets!
– from Sydney to Cairo in 1953 which included a scheduled over-night stop in Singapore at Raffles!
– from Cairo to London on BOAC “school special” flights with extra hostesses organising games for the children!
Those were the really pleasurable days of flying!

[StewartK]

…flying was fun. Now its a chore, even in 1A.

[Cedric_Statherby]

Ian-from-HKG

Ah memories. My very first flight was in a car transporter, hopping across the Channel.

I also remember when a reward FF flight really was free (my very first was Buenos Aires to London, F class, cost £0.00).

And joining a flight without ID or security (the last time I did that, incidentally, was 2 years ago. And yes it was a full scheduled commercial flight from a formal airport).

And flying PanAm.

And Kai Tak, which was my home airport for 4 years and always a thrill to land at.

[FRANCESCABARNES]

I remember as flight crew on BEA Airtours Comet how in awe pax used to be of flying in a jet off to far flung Majorca/Ibiza etc., and how they put up with cold wet ham salad and ratty lettuce and coleslaw with the occasional maggot all kept cool in dry ice boxes…….

[TerryMcManus24]

First flight ever was as an Air cadet in early 60s..back seat of a Chipmunk from RAF Turnhouse.Parachute and mae west as standard after being given instructions on how to jump in case of emergency..(fortunately not on that occasion) Few months later took off from Abbotinch in a Sedgberg Glider….so quiet and no air traffic.Renfrew was still Glasgows gateway to adventure….all good fun…Got my wings a few years later…tally ho…

[openfly]

@Francescabarnes….

Nothing changed there then, except they have removed the coleslaw…in Club!

[lloydah]

BEA Airtours Comet – Ah yes. Squashed against my girlfriend now my wife and having something like shepherds pie and gravy thrust at us on the way to Valetta. Must have been all of 4 inches of leg room. I remember it well, especially her very suspicious father dropping us off at Gatwick, with his stern “Don’t forget you’re not married” look. Yeah yeah,
The early 70’s had a lot going for them.

[bryanp01]

Oh the days’. I can remember when you could actually cross the ‘pond’ to NY by Concorde. Now that was glamorous……in all respects.
Nowadays I have to put up with ‘cattle-trucks’ – even CW and F are nothing compared. I know its cheaper today but it was one hell of a buzz checking in at the Concord Desk in T4 knowing what you were in for..which I did quite a few times.
I’ve had the fortune of having travelled in almost every type of ‘modern’ plane from the Comet upwards ( I’m 52 but but first flight was at 5 on a BEA comet ). Just looking forward to getting on an a380 and 787.
The experience of flying has certainly died – remember the days people actually ‘dressed’ to fly, and flying F was fabulous, even in economy you wouldn’t have been surprised to be served poached salmon on a 2 hour flight.
Nowadays I fly less as I refuse to travel ‘at the back’, unless you turn ‘left’ entering the plane, forget it. I’d rather fly twice a year in CW or F than multiple times in E.

[Chiantikid]

Remember driving home from LHR in 83 and stopping the car to watch the space shuttle land on the back of a 747. Equally mad was in 79 being stuck at a fogbound Jersey airport and after over 2 days it eventually cleared. So BA sent in a Tristar to clear the passengers as it was August time. Watched it take off thinking there’s no way that baby is going to make it on such a short runway. It did but they never did it again!

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