Originally Posted by
Sotonsean
Detroit was one of BOAC's original USA destinations and the company started serving it in the 1950's with Britannia aircraft. Over the years and definitely towards the end DTW operated via several different cities
Before the Brit, even, Detroit was served by BOAC DC-7Cs, through Prestwick and Montreal. At the time it was a real mainstream US manufacturing centre, not only for the automotive industry but many others as well.
Major US company I used to work for, European HQ near Heathrow, had their World headquarters in Detroit, so there was a lot of travel to/fro. When in 1980 standby tickets came out, to combat Laker (not that Laker served Detroit, but BA did all UK origins to all US destinations) the somewhat miserly European CEO, on assignment from Detroit himself, put out a memo that staff travel there should now be standby, "in my experience there are always seats available". This hacked many off, who then had to go over to Heathrow early, get the ticket, and then go back for the afternoon departure, through Washington. One day the manager of the Newcastle branch flew down to Heathrow, was walking out through Terminal 1,,and who should he see queueing at the ticket counter but the CEO's chauffeur. "Oh, hello Mr A, going to the office ? Wait a few minutes and I'll give you a lift back". "OK, thanks, what are you doing here ?". "Oh, Mr X is going to Detroit this afternoon, and I've come over for his standby ticket".
Alright for some ...