Just stumbled on this super thread.
In the friendly Seventies I was based at EGKK/LGW with a US charter airline. On occasion, to reach the place of work in Europe, you would check the 'Mayfly' sheet the night before to see if anything was 'going your way'. A call to the relevant airline's Ops would often result in hitching a ride without the trek to Heathrow.
Conversely, after working the station, you could often cadge a ride back to LGW if there was an empty seat and the captain agreed.
Dan-Air was kind enough to take me ZRH-LGW in Comet 4B G-APMC on 2 October 1973 and NCE-LGW in Comet 4 G-AZIY on 18 October 1973. Visits to the flightdeck were made on both occasions, but I don't have a note of the crews involved--but belated thanks!