So which U.K. airlines flew the Tristar, who was the last and when did the last Tristar leave the U.K. register?
Possibly not the last G- reg, but the final Caledonian operation was 31 October 1999, when the fleet was withdrawn.
It was a Sunday. It was also the end of the autumn half term holiday, and wrapping up day for the holiday operators. No little Miss WHBM, or even Mrs WHBM
at the time, but the lady of the era was a schoolteacher, so we needed those holidays as well. So you can imagine the scene at Faro airport departures on that Sunday afternoon.
We were on a brand new (at the time) Sabre 737-800 to Gatwick. But out on the ramp was a Caledonian L1011, stuck AOG. The handling agent had probably disposed of their Lockheed spares with them going out of service, and so they were waiting and waiting - for the relevant parts to come out from Gatwick on a subsequent flight. By the time we got to Gatwick, on time, the Tristar was still up on the board as "delayed". No expected arrival yet.
Monday morning, back in the office. Around lunchtime in comes the Chairman, often one of the first in. With a tale of woe. He had been away for the half term break. To Portugal. With his kids. They had been returning the day before at lunchtime. But the plane "broke down". And so they were stuck in this Portuguese airport for 12 hours. With kids.
If their airworthiness certificates expired at midnight that 31 Oct, there might have been a slight exceedance.
Did I tell where we had departed on time that previous evening ? Absolutely kept quiet.