Things we used to have...
Paxing All Over The World
Anil
There are modern reproductions of these available on a well known auction/purchase site. Use the search term 'retro' with airline bags and there are many, including from now defunct airlines. Many of the adverts use the word vintage to gain more hits but they are reproductions and nothing wrong with that.
I agree with goudie about vibration to which I would add 'altitude'. I well remember a sector in a Viscount going round the edge of an African thunderstorm as we could not get above or, it turned out, far enough away!
ps My 'log book' is sketchy in the early days but my first flights in a Viscount were around 1970 (which included the above that year in Air Rhodesia, SAY [as was] to JNB) and the last flight was Dec 86 on LHR~IOM before the introduction of the 146 the following summer.
I really wish we still had those little sling bags with airline logos...those made of some plastic vinyl material with metal zips.
I agree with goudie about vibration to which I would add 'altitude'. I well remember a sector in a Viscount going round the edge of an African thunderstorm as we could not get above or, it turned out, far enough away!
ps My 'log book' is sketchy in the early days but my first flights in a Viscount were around 1970 (which included the above that year in Air Rhodesia, SAY [as was] to JNB) and the last flight was Dec 86 on LHR~IOM before the introduction of the 146 the following summer.
Last edited by PAXboy; 27th Sep 2016 at 13:10. Reason: added the PS
Ahh, Vickers!
My first ever airline flight was in a Vickers Vibrator from Gatwick to Gibraltar with BEA. Mid-week Tourist night flight being the cheapest option; we were going to Gib. as it was inside the Sterling area and got round some stupid government currency restriction....
Delayed at Gatwick due to an air conditioning snag. BEA said we could have a ham or a cheese sandwich, plus coffee or a coke. But not a ham sandwich and a coke unless we paid the extra (about 10d).....
My mother opened one of her duty-free cigarette packs during the wait - and some Himmler-clone from The Revenue pounced and demanded that duty was paid on the opened packet and that the 200 carton should be sealed. About half a crown, I think....
Finally out to the aeroplane, to find no seat allocation - so it took a bit of negotiation for parents to sit with their children. We set off to Gib at a sedate pace; of course a flight deck visit was allowed and I stayed there until top of drop for Gib.
Overnight in Gib, then the ferry to La Linea and a bus to Malaga through quaint little villages such as Marbella, Fuengirola and Torremolinos. Then another bus to the villa we'd booked for our holiday at Almunecar.
Trip back was more fun; my mother had firmly decided that she wasn't going on any more Spanish buses, so the 4 of us went all the way to La Linea in a Seat 600 my father had gone to collect from Granada.
Gib to Gatwick was another late night flight after the trip across the bay from La Linea where we'd dropped the Seiscientos. Of course the inbound passengers knew full well that no seats were pre-allocated, so there was a mad dash across the tarmac to grab the best seats.... We arrived at Gatwick at some early hour in rain and turbulence - then a long drive home to Somerset in the family Zephyr 6 (looong before the days of the M3, of course...and most of the A303 was single carriageway!).
In those days you almost needed a holiday to recover from the holiday. But the Vanguard was immaculate in its BEA markings and the crew were very friendly and welcoming.
Sadly flight deck visits are things of the past too....
My first ever airline flight was in a Vickers Vibrator from Gatwick to Gibraltar with BEA. Mid-week Tourist night flight being the cheapest option; we were going to Gib. as it was inside the Sterling area and got round some stupid government currency restriction....
Delayed at Gatwick due to an air conditioning snag. BEA said we could have a ham or a cheese sandwich, plus coffee or a coke. But not a ham sandwich and a coke unless we paid the extra (about 10d).....
My mother opened one of her duty-free cigarette packs during the wait - and some Himmler-clone from The Revenue pounced and demanded that duty was paid on the opened packet and that the 200 carton should be sealed. About half a crown, I think....
Finally out to the aeroplane, to find no seat allocation - so it took a bit of negotiation for parents to sit with their children. We set off to Gib at a sedate pace; of course a flight deck visit was allowed and I stayed there until top of drop for Gib.
Overnight in Gib, then the ferry to La Linea and a bus to Malaga through quaint little villages such as Marbella, Fuengirola and Torremolinos. Then another bus to the villa we'd booked for our holiday at Almunecar.
Trip back was more fun; my mother had firmly decided that she wasn't going on any more Spanish buses, so the 4 of us went all the way to La Linea in a Seat 600 my father had gone to collect from Granada.
Gib to Gatwick was another late night flight after the trip across the bay from La Linea where we'd dropped the Seiscientos. Of course the inbound passengers knew full well that no seats were pre-allocated, so there was a mad dash across the tarmac to grab the best seats.... We arrived at Gatwick at some early hour in rain and turbulence - then a long drive home to Somerset in the family Zephyr 6 (looong before the days of the M3, of course...and most of the A303 was single carriageway!).
In those days you almost needed a holiday to recover from the holiday. But the Vanguard was immaculate in its BEA markings and the crew were very friendly and welcoming.
Sadly flight deck visits are things of the past too....
Last edited by BEagle; 27th Sep 2016 at 14:45.
Almuneca is still a nice place to go - we were there in June/July, before and after eldest son's wedding (first time, at 44!). Wedding held at Palacete du Cazulas up the road through Otivar. Hotel Casablanca, family run and almost on the sea front by the castle. great food.
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Overhead racks or overhead bins with net-type "doors" (in a DC-9).
Movies on reels in projectors pulled down from the ceiling.
A complimentary 4-pack of Marlboro in business class.
Onboard magazines showing "special" meal choices.
Plastic trays with fitting cups and plates which as kids we used to take home and re-fill for cold dinner occasionally.
Greenery or even trees between terminal and apron (still visible at smaller eastern and southern airports but mostly gone elsewhere).
Movies on reels in projectors pulled down from the ceiling.
A complimentary 4-pack of Marlboro in business class.
Onboard magazines showing "special" meal choices.
Plastic trays with fitting cups and plates which as kids we used to take home and re-fill for cold dinner occasionally.
Greenery or even trees between terminal and apron (still visible at smaller eastern and southern airports but mostly gone elsewhere).
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I'm still trying to figure out what on earth an orthoganal beauty case is.
Is it a case of orthoganal beauty - a Picasso-esque depiction perhaps, all straight lines and right angles or maybe a make-up case in the shape of a square (Masonic connection?)
Flummoxed.
Is it a case of orthoganal beauty - a Picasso-esque depiction perhaps, all straight lines and right angles or maybe a make-up case in the shape of a square (Masonic connection?)
Flummoxed.
Last edited by noflynomore; 19th Oct 2016 at 10:31.
...or maybe a make-up case in the shape of a square (Masonic connection?)
An ex-colleague who'd been on Argonauts after leaving the RAF told me how it used to be...
The crew would breakfast together at a time of the Captain's choosing - they would satnd up and greet him with a "Good morning, Sir" when he came down from his luxury room. They would leave for the airport when HE decided.
On arrival at the airport, the briefing would be formal and comprehensive. Only when the Captain decided, would they proceed to the aeroplane. There would then be a lengthy session with the ground engineer who would brief the Captain of any quirks of the aeroplane and engines through the flight engineer. Once the crew was happy, the Captain would advise the ground handling agent that they were ready for the passengers.
Years later he got into trouble with ba management for telling the cleaners to get off his VC10 after the passengers had disembarked - he would tell them when they could get on and it wouldn't be until after he'd signed off the technical log! "You're one of the last of the Barons", he was told - "Yes, and proud of it - this airline once had standards!" came his reply.
The crew would breakfast together at a time of the Captain's choosing - they would satnd up and greet him with a "Good morning, Sir" when he came down from his luxury room. They would leave for the airport when HE decided.
On arrival at the airport, the briefing would be formal and comprehensive. Only when the Captain decided, would they proceed to the aeroplane. There would then be a lengthy session with the ground engineer who would brief the Captain of any quirks of the aeroplane and engines through the flight engineer. Once the crew was happy, the Captain would advise the ground handling agent that they were ready for the passengers.
Years later he got into trouble with ba management for telling the cleaners to get off his VC10 after the passengers had disembarked - he would tell them when they could get on and it wouldn't be until after he'd signed off the technical log! "You're one of the last of the Barons", he was told - "Yes, and proud of it - this airline once had standards!" came his reply.
Paxing All Over The World
My Great Aunt told me of travelling by air from the UK to South Africa. She said marvelous it was when the flying boats started and how much faster it was than the ship - a mere five days for the trip!
It was something like Train from London to Southampton. Then daylight flying only via France, Italian Lakes, The Nile, Lake Victoria, The Vaal River and Table Bay. Each evening they were in hotels and, as described above, the Captain ruled supreme and sat at the head of the table.
I forgot to ask her about the turbulence of being at low altitude. Apart that, it sounded great!
It was something like Train from London to Southampton. Then daylight flying only via France, Italian Lakes, The Nile, Lake Victoria, The Vaal River and Table Bay. Each evening they were in hotels and, as described above, the Captain ruled supreme and sat at the head of the table.
I forgot to ask her about the turbulence of being at low altitude. Apart that, it sounded great!
Not really on board but what about those big cardboard cut outs with stickers on for the seats--point out what you want from whats elft and the check in folk then stuck it on your boarding pass.
.Also on some flights they still gave out boiled sweets to suck and help with the pressure changes, would have suited EZ as they were usually orange coloured barley sugar - that would be the catering nowadays.
You couldn't go bowling in the terminal but there was the Airport Bowl on the Bath Road on the north side of the airport-was it next to the Arial Hotel (the round one)
.Also on some flights they still gave out boiled sweets to suck and help with the pressure changes, would have suited EZ as they were usually orange coloured barley sugar - that would be the catering nowadays.
You couldn't go bowling in the terminal but there was the Airport Bowl on the Bath Road on the north side of the airport-was it next to the Arial Hotel (the round one)
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It seems to be still there About - Airport Bowl
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Rickets, scarlet fever, bread and dripping.
what about those big cardboard cut outs with stickers on for the seats--point out what you want from whats left and the check in folk then stuck it on your boarding pass.