Originally Posted by
Sotonsean
London Gatwick-Dubai-Hong Kong was originally flown by a DC10-30 when it inaugurated on the 01 August 1980. The route was upgraded to a Boeing 747-200 in April 1982. LGW-DBX-HKG was BCAL's first route to be operated by their recently purchased Boeing 747-230B G-BJXN.
I'm reminded that a customer of mine at the time provided 2 tons of freight each day for B Cal Gatwick to Dubai, and it must have been around 1981 they started.
They were a dairy in Sussex, and they sent out 2 tons of fresh milk, in pint cartons. It was synchronised in with the morning milking at farms, taken to their base, processed and packed, trucked over to Gatwick, and off to the Middle East, where a local distributor took it pre-ordered to the various oil and construction companies. All refrigerated up to loading into the aircraft and after collection, but I don't think the hold had reefer capability. It cost a bomb over there, of course.