Passengers on this aircraft (TF-ABQ, flight CC691 to Keflavik 5/5/2001) should have been given a certificate as it would have been the heaviest aircraft (490-odd passengers and 80 tonnes of fuel) ever to have lumbered into the air from Luton's runway.
When BA took the England football team to the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, they stopped off en route - think it was Dubai. The aircraft was Boeing 777-236 G-YMMJ. This aircraft loaded up with 90,000kgs of fuel, albeit with only around 125 passengers. Someone in authority, either airport ops or BA themselves, decided the aircraft was too long to safely turn in the turning circle, and would have to enter the runway at A1 to be then attached to a tug and pushed back into the turning circle from there. The skipper thought this sounded like a lot of "faffing about" and asked us to confirm the runway length from A1 (1771m). After consulting performance tables, he announced he would depart from there (this in spite of a wet runway-see pic). The aircraft was airborne by the fire station. Says a lot for the power of the RR Trent engine (93400lbs thrust each) over the P&W JT9D-7 engine on the Atlanta 747-200 (47,900lbs thrust each).
13/5/2002