Bye Bye BY

[22/04]

I imagine that in the next couple of days, the Britannia call sign will be no more.

As an outsider are there any events to mark this? As a non professional pilot, BY first took me into the air (G-ANBO, 1968) and have been a constant in my life since my interest in aviation began at Luton in 1968.

Only Monarch left now, amongst the operators there then, and probably the only continuity at all (except the Speedbird callsign) in British aviation.

Anyone know what the last BY call sign flight will be?

[bycrewlgw]

NCL - MIR on Sunday 30th Will be the last dept using the BY flight codes and call sign to dept the UK.

BYCREWLGW

[Euravia First]

In view of 22/04's reference to Britannia starting at Luton in 1968, I wonder if anyone would be interested in a touch of nostalgia about their earlier life as Euravia. The airline started in 1962 and I was lucky enough to be on Constellation flight EY 015 from Luton to Marco Polo Venice at 11a.m. on Sat Sept 15th of that year. I was 17 years old and VERY excited at the prospect of my first flight. The Skytours holiday brochure [later featuring Kenneth Horne from " Round the Horn"] described the Connie as " a beauty glistening blue and white ". She was certainly a beauty to my eyes!
Luton was essentially a collection of wooden sheds and I am almost sure I remember being allowed to sit on the grass outside and look at gliders whilst waiting to go. I am quite sure I remember a "Woolworth style" scale to check the baggage allowance and I recall walking through a timber outside covered walkway to get to the immigration desk. Another world it was! After all this was 10 years before Luton upgraded to the cavas marquee used for Court Line [nostalgia again!] departures from which I remember boarding dazzlingly coloured 111's and Tristars.
AAh...happy days indeed.
Sorry to see the Britannia name go the same way as Orion. Oh well, onwards and upwards I suppose.
Regards from Euravia First.

[Groundloop]

Maybe a slight misunderstanding somewhere.

22/04s reference was HIS first flight was with BY in 1968. Euravia became Britannia in 1964.

[oncemorealoft]

The Britannia name was adopted not in 1968 but 1964. (August 16 to be precise). The airline then known as Euravia had just acquired some Britannia 100 series. It was felt that the name 'Euravia' was too European at a time when things European were not popular - I think De Gaulle had not long said 'Non!' to UK entry into the Common Market.

The company's owner couldn't believe their luck that such a strongly British sounding name as Britannia was available for use.

It's a very sad to hear that the name is being dropped. I'm sure though that the spirit of Britannia will live on amongst it's employees - some of the finest airline professionals, across the different trades and skills, to be found in any organisation world-wide.

...and don't get me started on that Tsetse-Fly name!

[Skipness One Echo]

Exactly why are they changing the R / T callsign. OK easy to understand the rational for Thomsonfly as a brand name but as a callsign? Come on.

FlyBe still use Jersey.
BA are still Speedbird.

No need to lose such an identifiable and evocative part of one's identity.
Unless you are a dynamic and forward looking career minded half wit in a suit......:* :* :*

[andyafc]

Any idea wot the new callsign mite be?

[ServisairLBA]

probably thomson or thomsonfly at a guess

When BY was in its colour scheme before the horrid blue colour, IMO, it was the best looking UK airline in the skies, the livery was superb! sadly times change, but it will always be Britannia to me.

A fond farewell and a sight surely missed.

[ManchesterMan]

TUI..........!!!!!!

MM

[upperecam]

Jawohl!!

:sad: :ooh: :confused: :*

[Buster the Bear]

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5227/euravia1963or649ej.jpg

Luton, early 1960's.

[skyman771]

Maybe a slight misunderstanding somewhere.
22/04s reference was HIS first flight was with BY in 1968. Euravia became Britannia in 1964.
Absolutely no problem with Euravia in August 1964 ! . A young lad knee high to a grasshopper was standing waiting in a fenced off area of the apron at NCL for a night flight on a BKS Britannia to Rimini (they operated LHR schedules during day time), it was very dark no apron lights in those days. Then it happened!! an almighty roar of this connie taxiing in, 10 yards away, spitting long plumes of flames out of all four engines. A dragon I thought! never to be forgotten was that arrival of my first connie.
You NEVER foget an experience such as that in a lifetime !

[Jet2]

When BY was in its colour scheme before the horrid blue colour, IMO, it was the best looking UK airline in the skies, the livery was superb! sadly times change, but it will always be Britannia to me.

A fond farewell and a sight surely missed.

Couldn't agree more. Long live the lady in the wheelchair!!

[22/04]

Thanks LGWCREW. Euravia first, London Gliding Club used to send people on their first aerotow launches form Luton (more spce than Dunstable if things went wrong) so you could well have been watching gliders.

Indeed sadly missed as will be the BY***aB BY***B flight number structure, in use since at least the early 1970s. (there were also some J and Ks then IIRC. I think THOM are using 4 figure flight numbers)

[GBALU53]

Went on honey moon with them on the clasic 737 back in the eighties.

Problems comming back due to Spanish ATC.

Although we were on a package we were looked after.

Good luck to the rebrand but as all ways people will remember Britannia being related to rule Britannian Britannia rules the waves, or in this case should read the skies, so the identity of being British is lost to some extant.

[HJupiter]

Any idea wot the new callsign mite be?

I heard it may be something like Tfly as in 'tee-fly'. Only a rumour though.

HJupiter

[Taff Lad]

Call sign will be "Tomson"

[sky9]

Surprised they don't call it "Tommy" after the red tomato above the grin on the tail. :\

[BALIX]

I believe they were briefly known as Scabair in the early eighties when they found various dodgy ways of flying during an ATC strike. This was just before I joined ATC. I don't think there are many ATCOs left who bear a grudge, though. ;)

Whatever, Britannia is a great callsign. A curse on those who decided to drop it. :{

[Avman]

Met a BY girl on a B737 back in 1972 and married the gal! In the meantime (34 years on) BY have renewed their fleet (several times), while I'm still stuck with the "old" model :}

[thomsonfly.com]

Having had family dispersed across Europe when I was growing up, there are numerous photos of me standing in front of either Britannia or British Airways as a youngster, and this constant travelling on both airlines was definitely the reason that I became hooked on the airline industry & latterly wanted to work in it.

The company has always been respected for being at the top of the charter airline game, with a stunning livery, smart uniforms & generally fantastic service for a charter.

It is incredibly sad to see a brand which is so well-respected in the industry being replaced by this new "dot-com-era" name, however it would be wrong to think it's completely a bad idea. Britannia is essentially known as a charter airline, which puts off a lot of the new consumers who are arranging their own holidays, who would rather book with a "whizz-bang-dot-com" company. There are in reality few people who will choose a holiday because it's operated by "Britannia" and these people who do insist on flying with the company will be told by their travel agents that the airline has changed its name, like "Lunn Poly" has become "Thomson travel shop." This alignement of brands is the future, and hopefully the BY boys & girls will uphold the strong tradition of the Britannia brand under our new name, which whilst the "fly.com" is a bit yuck, we still have the proud name "Thomson" which is respected in the travel industry.

[ServisairLBA]

Speaking of uniform, i still have the britannia cabin crew scarf i bought before the TUI uniform, pretty glad i bought it now! at least i can hold on to a few memories, posters from Britannia they sent me and bits and bobs from the airline

[muttley02]

Very sad day for aviation in general..

I spent 10 happy years in engineering at LTN from 1980.. From boy to man you could say. My wife is also an ex BAL girl and still happily married with 3 kids living in OZ..
If it was not for Bernard Pinchin (ex Bristol Britannia Flight Eng) and the other training guys I would not be where I am today.. All the staff from the cleaners and up to the mgmt levels of all depts were many of the best in their field.. I have many many fond memories of my time there.
Some really great people went into making BAL the best charter airline in the world...
:mad: Thomson Holidays for allowing the demise of this once great icon and :mad: TUI for not recognising the value and heritage of the brand.....

RIP the old lady..... Gone but never forgotten

Shaun Grady.....

[BALIX]

It is incredibly sad to see a brand which is so well-respected in the industry being replaced by this new "dot-com-era" name, however it would be wrong to think it's completely a bad idea. blah, blah, blah...

Yeah, fine change the brand etc but why can't they keep the Britannia callsign? That won't confuse the public as hardly any of the public listen in to the RTF and those that do are unlikely to be confused. As has already been mentioned, Flybe have stuck with 'Jersey'. First Choice have stuck with 'Jetset' as well. Call the airline thomsonfly. Keep the callsign Britannia...

[Euravia First]

Thanks to Buster the Bear for the splendid picture of the Euravia Constellations [and the wooden sheds!].
Thanks also to 22/04 for the information about the gliders. [It seems that what appeared to be a somewhat unlikely recollection may in fact be right!].

[captain_flynn]

probably thomson or thomsonfly at a guess

When BY was in its colour scheme before the horrid blue colour, IMO, it was the best looking UK airline in the skies, the livery was superb! sadly times change, but it will always be Britannia to me.

A fond farewell and a sight surely missed.

Yeah, the new TUI scheme is rubbish and it's sad to see the Britannia name go. :uhoh:

[RobT100]

Much as I'm no major fan of TUI/Thomson, I happen to find the new colour scheme very appealing. It is modern, clean cut and exactly what appeals to todays corporate customer.

Yes - sad to see BY go all the same.

[captain_flynn]

Really? People actually like the TUI scheme? :confused::ooh:

[sky9]

No but they saved an aweful lot of money in paint. Now if they would put 2 "grinners" on the tail and move the dots that would be popular