Originally Posted by
Flightrider
Quite a lot of the early days Orion W patterns into LBA were crewed from LGW. There would be a Hallmark VW Caravelle people mover sitting outside the airport to meet the aircraft.
In the early 1980s I recall Orion crews used to stay at the Britannia Hotel in central Manchester, so even if they had a crew base there they seemed to have itinerant ones as well. My office window over the street overlooked the entrance, from where I would very regularly see them leaving in uniform for the airport - in a black cab. Two pilots on the tip-up seats, three FAs on the back seat. Pretty economical way to travel (don't know about the hotac expense).
A 1980s VW minibus doesn't sound the best way to travel from LBA to Gatwick at the end of a duty. Or were they being taken to Leeds station ?