Originally Posted by
condor17
..Mind you 'wot happened in the underfloor galley stayed in U/F galley ... They were 25+ years old when I got to fly them
I never observed the underfloor galley, apparently accessed by the catering cart elevator. What provision was there for a breakdown of it ?
I'm guessing you were on the Caledonian Tristar fleet by the end. I recall their very last flight, although I wasn't on board. It was Sunday 31 October 1999, end of the schools half term week, and end of the summer holiday schedule. We were returning from Faro to Gatwick late afternoon, on a Sabre 737. At Faro there was a Caledonian Tristar, also for Gatwick, stuck AOG which had apparently been there since late morning. This was the very last day of the Tristar fleet, they were to be withdrawn then. I wonder if the handling agent had disposed of their common spares a little early. Anyway, we boarded our own flight on time. When we got to Gatwick the Tristar was still on the arrivals board as awaiting information, possibly they were waiting for something to be flown out.
Next morning, back to the office. About lunchtime in comes the chairman, looking uncharacteristically jaded. "Rotten end to our week away. Plane broke down at Faro on the way home, it was 12 hours late, didn't get in to Gatwick until well into the early hours. Just stuck in Faro airport departures. Kids completely restless".
Thank God we didn't run into them ! I've sometimes wondered if the aircraft paperwork had also been set to expire on 31 October as planned, and a ramp check on arrival might have shown a little discrepancy ...