Boeing 747 days are numbered
Discussion
V8LM said:
Thanks. Didn’t know of the SUD.
Whats the reasoning in carrying out such modifications instead of chopping it in against the one you want?Its a sad loss, the 747 is such a gracefull shape, and one that defines the era of maturity of intercontinental air travel. But today I'd book a seat on a 380 every time given the choice.
Ayahuasca said:
My first business class (upper class) flights were on Virgin Atllantic 747s. The stand up bar downstairs, and the upper deck was like being in a cosy marquee, with a tray of sandwiches constantly available at the back.
The whole Virgin Upper service - being picked up from home by a man in a Volvo, papers on the back seat, arrive at Heathrow in a special lane, the lady knows your name and says hello, your bags vanish behind you, your whisked through security glancing across at the great unwashed having to queue, in to the lounge for a hair cut or shoe polish or eggs benedict or chill out in a wicker hanging seat, on to the aircraft, greeted by name, turn left, drinks, take off, down to the bar pull up a stool a few G+Ts and a chat with the "barman", amazing way to make a tedious chore sufferable, land in NY and able to do a days work. Brilliant service, amazing aircraft.
mattdaniels said:
Ayahuasca said:
My first business class (upper class) flights were on Virgin Atllantic 747s. The stand up bar downstairs, and the upper deck was like being in a cosy marquee, with a tray of sandwiches constantly available at the back.
The whole Virgin Upper service - being picked up from home by a man in a Volvo, papers on the back seat, arrive at Heathrow in a special lane, the lady knows your name and says hello, your bags vanish behind you, your whisked through security glancing across at the great unwashed having to queue, in to the lounge for a hair cut or shoe polish or eggs benedict or chill out in a wicker hanging seat, on to the aircraft, greeted by name, turn left, drinks, take off, down to the bar pull up a stool a few G+Ts and a chat with the "barman", amazing way to make a tedious chore sufferable, land in NY and able to do a days work. Brilliant service, amazing aircraft.
My colleagues going to Hong Kong were measured for suits at Heathrow, the tailor-made suits were waiting for them when they arrived in HK..
Have flown in 747s a few times but usually as SLF. On one ocassion though, I boarded a Cathay Pacific flight from Bangok to Hong Kong, having been in Thailand for Xmas with a mate, both of us on leave from the RN in HK and didn't want to go back to UK for Xmas.
We were both reasonably scruffy and I clearly looked confused as I tried to find seat 7A or something at the pointy end. A helpful Stewardess looked at my ticket and told me that I was upstairs; none the wiser I went upstairs to find myself in Marco Polo Class and being served Champagne on tap but any one of half a dozen Miss World contenders.
No idea why we were upgraded but happy days!
We were both reasonably scruffy and I clearly looked confused as I tried to find seat 7A or something at the pointy end. A helpful Stewardess looked at my ticket and told me that I was upstairs; none the wiser I went upstairs to find myself in Marco Polo Class and being served Champagne on tap but any one of half a dozen Miss World contenders.
No idea why we were upgraded but happy days!
GT03ROB said:
A BA 747-400 upper deck the best place to be in my favorite seat 62A. Perfect! It's so quite, spacious & like you are on a private jet.
I’ve never flown on the upper deck of a 747 but I have booked to do so next April and even though I work in aviation I’m happy to admit that I’m quite excited. I’m also flying upstairs on an A380 (again) this week and am not particularly bothered about it. It’s just not as magical an aircraft.I’m not convinced about the private jet part! I don’t think sharing a space with 19 strangers is really equivalent but I’m hoping to be proven wrong in April. The closest I’ve come to that feeling was flying first to Tokyo using a hell of a lot avios and there only being myself and my girlfriend in the first cabin. Even had a loo each. That as we landed the sun was coming up and painting Mt Fuji orange made it even better.
hairyben said:
Whats the reasoning in carrying out such modifications instead of chopping it in against the one you want?
Flawed business case not untypical of flag carriers at the time. The extra seats would never give a payback in the real world. Hence only 14 were done (10 of which were KLM). Of those KLM conversions 7 were combis (freight in the rear half of the main deck) so they were probably more sensitive to seat count but it was still bonkers.djc206 said:
GT03ROB said:
A BA 747-400 upper deck the best place to be in my favorite seat 62A. Perfect! It's so quite, spacious & like you are on a private jet.
I’ve never flown on the upper deck of a 747 but I have booked to do so next April and even though I work in aviation I’m happy to admit that I’m quite excited. I’m also flying upstairs on an A380 (again) this week and am not particularly bothered about it. It’s just not as magical an aircraft.I’m not convinced about the private jet part! I don’t think sharing a space with 19 strangers is really equivalent but I’m hoping to be proven wrong in April. The closest I’ve come to that feeling was flying first to Tokyo using a hell of a lot avios and there only being myself and my girlfriend in the first cabin. Even had a loo each. That as we landed the sun was coming up and painting Mt Fuji orange made it even better.
assenger ration in CW upstairs than downstairs. Upstairs in the A380 is no different than downstairs on a 747.Enjoy your trip!
Luckily enough I've been on a few , EVA 747 combi's (not sure if they were 747-400's), Thai airways "Phimara", A South African airways piece of s
t in which the economy seats were so close together my knees were touching the seat in front (and i'm a short arse) - and I've mentioned it before, Royal Flight Oman (Sultan Qaboos' personal Jet) 747SP. My dad also flew on the previous Royal Flight aircraft which I understand was a VC10.
By the way, does anyone know what the lump on top of the aircraft is?
t in which the economy seats were so close together my knees were touching the seat in front (and i'm a short arse) - and I've mentioned it before, Royal Flight Oman (Sultan Qaboos' personal Jet) 747SP. My dad also flew on the previous Royal Flight aircraft which I understand was a VC10.By the way, does anyone know what the lump on top of the aircraft is?
texaxile said:
Luckily enough I've been on a few , EVA 747 combi's (not sure if they were 747-400's), Thai airways "Phimara", A South African airways piece of st in which the economy seats were so close together my knees were touching the seat in front (and i'm a short arse) - and I've mentioned it before, Royal Flight Oman (Sultan Qaboos' personal Jet) 747SP. My dad also flew on the previous Royal Flight aircraft which I understand was a VC10.
By the way, does anyone know what the lump on top of the aircraft is?
The VC10 you mention is on display at Brooklands near Weybridge.t in which the economy seats were so close together my knees were touching the seat in front (and i'm a short arse) - and I've mentioned it before, Royal Flight Oman (Sultan Qaboos' personal Jet) 747SP. My dad also flew on the previous Royal Flight aircraft which I understand was a VC10.By the way, does anyone know what the lump on top of the aircraft is?
Sadly having visited it earlier this year it’s in pretty poor condition and according to the guys looking after it, it’s only a matter of time before the undercarriage collapses.
The museum offers no financial reward to the caretakers of that aircraft, no help with maintenance, limit what can be done on the airframe and its rotting.
texaxile said:
Luckily enough I've been on a few , EVA 747 combi's (not sure if they were 747-400's), [/url]
Did London/Taipei a few times on those - brilliant flights, one of the flight attendants once helped me put a Ppt presentation together over a large quantity of beer, for a client, and it subsequently went very well.. Good times - I seem to remember Business was very reasonable for the distance/journey.Although I did once exit a connecting flight at Taichung via an inflatable slide, when the crew thought the gear would collapse on landing. It didn't, but we still did - an experience, as they say.
Taiwan is a great place.
had ham said:
Did London/Taipei a few times on those - brilliant flights, one of the flight attendants once helped me put a Ppt presentation together over a large quantity of beer, for a client, and it subsequently went very well.. Good times - I seem to remember Business was very reasonable for the distance/journey.
Although I did once exit a connecting flight at Taichung via an inflatable slide, when the crew thought the gear would collapse on landing. It didn't, but we still did - an experience, as they say.
Taiwan is a great place.
I managed to get a business seat once on the upper deck if I recall with nice, large wide seats. First class was in the area in front of that with only 8 seats I think. Did you also recall the CC getting a round of applause at the end of each flight?. Good old BR068, hopefully flying it again in May with the family - although EVA have changed their configuration to 3-4-3 in econ. I think some of the 747's are still on the Cargo routes having been converted from combi's to full cargo but are due to be retired this year.Although I did once exit a connecting flight at Taichung via an inflatable slide, when the crew thought the gear would collapse on landing. It didn't, but we still did - an experience, as they say.
Taiwan is a great place.
kurt535 said:
sad to hear. came back from LV in one last week.
any drivers here able to tell me what's the speed over the hedge? i'm guessing something like 140kts??
Interestingly I also returned from Las Vegas in one last week and I would say a whole hearted good riddance to them and to the experience of flying with BA long haul.any drivers here able to tell me what's the speed over the hedge? i'm guessing something like 140kts??
Both were once a fine thing, now they’re just not up to the standard of the competition.
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