British Airways Shuttle dates
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I used the BA shuttle often in the eighties. Our company travel agent (owned by the company that I worked for) always used to book me, or other member of staff, as stand by. We never had to pay full price and, as far as I can remember, always got on the flight that we wanted.
During the Troubles in Northern Ireland if we operated the final LHR-BFS of the day we would then fly the a/c empty to GLA for nightstop as Aldergrove airport and the Belfast hotels were at high risk of IRA attack. Then another crew would take the a/c empty to BFS the next morning for the first LHR service of the day.
Before R25 opened at EDI a Vanguard would sometimes be substituted for a T3 when a strong crosswind was expected.
Before R25 opened at EDI a Vanguard would sometimes be substituted for a T3 when a strong crosswind was expected.
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Discorde,
You could buy tickets for the GLA-BFS early morning flight (06:00) for a ridiculously low fare (£6). Occasionally the crews took the aircraft up to FL350 for the hop. Why? because they could
You could buy tickets for the GLA-BFS early morning flight (06:00) for a ridiculously low fare (£6). Occasionally the crews took the aircraft up to FL350 for the hop. Why? because they could
Are you sure about FL350, Bigears? For a distance of approx 100 nm, a typical cruise would be 150 or so, even allowing for low weight. Normally you'd need 100 nm just to descend from 350. The link below gives typical cruise levels for short legs, such as diversions.
Diversion data
Diversion data
Thread Starter
I believe the Belfast crews overnighting in Glasgow was a union thing, as the BMA crews certainly overnighted locally. Apart from the Europa in Belfast, centre for politicians and journalists etc, and some others owned by those prominent in the "various factions", hotels were straightforwardly OK in N Ireland and a lot more secure than others at various points around the BA network. The shuttle of course required an aircraft and a backup for each early morning departure, so a couple of aircraft remained at Aldergrove, just one went to Glasgow with several crews, who I believe restarted on Glasgow Shuttles later the next day, the opposite happening with the early morning group that went over to Belfast.
Ah, the Shuttle, when BA actually had a clue about serving the customer's needs and it was actually almost guaranteed that every flight would be a pleasant experience.
I was at a job interview back in 1981 and another applicant who worked for the army in NI said that he had been offered three free tickets if he would wait until the following morning's flight from Belfast as it would save BA a fortune in not having to run a backup. I don't know how much haggling went on in such circumstances.
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Hi Discorde,
As sure as I can be with the passage of time- it was only very occasionally that a crew did this, but I'm fairly certain.
I am definite that Swissair (cargo) DC9's did FL350 from Manchester to Glasgow (every time- I think- they operated that short-lived flight), but that is of course a longer distance.
When once on the flightdeck of Shuttle Trident 2 (LHR-GLA), the Captain said they could make 6000ft RoD easily - photo of said flight passing FL330 at 3000ft RoD (G-AVFE 25th May '82)...
Apologies for poor image quality.
For nostalgia, here's three Tridents and a Dan Air 748 at Glasgow (poss also a BA Budgie beyond the Tridents)...
As sure as I can be with the passage of time- it was only very occasionally that a crew did this, but I'm fairly certain.
I am definite that Swissair (cargo) DC9's did FL350 from Manchester to Glasgow (every time- I think- they operated that short-lived flight), but that is of course a longer distance.
When once on the flightdeck of Shuttle Trident 2 (LHR-GLA), the Captain said they could make 6000ft RoD easily - photo of said flight passing FL330 at 3000ft RoD (G-AVFE 25th May '82)...
Apologies for poor image quality.
For nostalgia, here's three Tridents and a Dan Air 748 at Glasgow (poss also a BA Budgie beyond the Tridents)...
Not strictly a shuttle in the same fashion, but several airlines operate a half hourly service between Rio (Santos Dumont) and Sao Paulo. You just turn up and buy a ticket and get on the first flight with an empty seat irrespective of which airline it is.
A similar type of operation is carried out between Trinidad and Tobago mostly using Dash 8s.
Edit delete Brasilia (who wants to go there anyway?) insert Sao Paulo
A similar type of operation is carried out between Trinidad and Tobago mostly using Dash 8s.
Edit delete Brasilia (who wants to go there anyway?) insert Sao Paulo
Last edited by chevvron; 1st May 2016 at 09:27.
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Ah yes chevvron, the famous "Ponte Aerea" (air bridge) from SDU in downtown Rio, to CGH, Sao Paulo city airport. I spent many hours flying between the two, usually aboard a Lockheed Electra, but quite often on an HS748 and sometimes even a Viscount, YS-11a, FH-227 or HP Herald (all except the Electra being RR Dart-powered!). That shuttle in Brazil actually predates Eastern Air Lines' better known service.
In fact, according to Wiki, the Ponte Aerea now has a departure every 10 minutes!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de...ulo_air_bridge
Because of its location on a plateau above the surrounding city, Congonhas Airport - having a short runway and no overruns - became known as the "aircraft-carrier airport" by some pilots. Of course, at SDU you "only" got wet at each end of the runway!
That was before CGH gained an even more "challenging" reputation upon introduction of jets, being the B737 & 727 and later Fokker100. The 727s and early 737s only operated from CGH to GIG (Rio International) and as such, were not shuttle flights per se.
Apart from the obviously major time savings, during the 1960s the high risk of a road accident delay, or even highway robbery (buses and cars being commandeered by armed bandits!), meant the Ponte Aerea won, hands down, every time - but only for those who could afford the inexpensive flights!
.
In fact, according to Wiki, the Ponte Aerea now has a departure every 10 minutes!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de...ulo_air_bridge
Because of its location on a plateau above the surrounding city, Congonhas Airport - having a short runway and no overruns - became known as the "aircraft-carrier airport" by some pilots. Of course, at SDU you "only" got wet at each end of the runway!
That was before CGH gained an even more "challenging" reputation upon introduction of jets, being the B737 & 727 and later Fokker100. The 727s and early 737s only operated from CGH to GIG (Rio International) and as such, were not shuttle flights per se.
Apart from the obviously major time savings, during the 1960s the high risk of a road accident delay, or even highway robbery (buses and cars being commandeered by armed bandits!), meant the Ponte Aerea won, hands down, every time - but only for those who could afford the inexpensive flights!
.
Last edited by seafire6b; 1st May 2016 at 09:24. Reason: Dart powered
Strangely, Santos Dumont had the same tarmac composition as we did at Farnborough, so when Airbus were trying to sell A321s in Brazil, the wet runway trials were done there. The A321 with extra ballast, bald tyres and using no reverse thrust was stopping in about 600 - 800m and didn't burst any tyres.
Enjoying this nostalgic thread and used these flights quite a lot early in my working career (early to mid '80's).
Most of mine where LHR-MAN, on Tridents and 75's as they entered service.
I remember once getting the "redeye" up to MAN, going to an Interview at our Office in Cheadle, and being back in LHR in time for lunch!
Another time, flying south in the evening, ended-up on the back-up, which was a T2, which I was pleased to fly in as they were in the twilight of their service, this would have been about '84.
I used to go to BFS quite a bit aswell (a few years later), but always took BD for the "Diamond Service" cooked brekky....bacon smells wafting from the galley during climbout - happy days :-)
Most of mine where LHR-MAN, on Tridents and 75's as they entered service.
I remember once getting the "redeye" up to MAN, going to an Interview at our Office in Cheadle, and being back in LHR in time for lunch!
Another time, flying south in the evening, ended-up on the back-up, which was a T2, which I was pleased to fly in as they were in the twilight of their service, this would have been about '84.
I used to go to BFS quite a bit aswell (a few years later), but always took BD for the "Diamond Service" cooked brekky....bacon smells wafting from the galley during climbout - happy days :-)
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chevvron, only just now seen your "Edit: delete Brasilia", whilst intending to remove my subscription to this thread.
Although I tend to agree with your sentiment "who wants to go there anyway?" (certainly a day was plenty enough to view its architecture), you were correct, Brasilia - and along with Belo Horizonte - was also served by shuttle flights from Rio's SDU airport.
As would be expected, the frequency to BSB & BHZ wasn't comparable with that between SDU & CGH, being perhaps just every couple of hours, but nonetheless, the "guaranteed seat / back-up flight" was still applied.
Tickets were immediately obtainable at all Ponte Aerea airport desks upon production of the fare and ID Card/passport.
Upon once asking why onboard ticket purchase wasn't available on the actual shuttle flights, I was told, "we are afraid that too many passengers might 'forget' their wallets!"
Although I tend to agree with your sentiment "who wants to go there anyway?" (certainly a day was plenty enough to view its architecture), you were correct, Brasilia - and along with Belo Horizonte - was also served by shuttle flights from Rio's SDU airport.
As would be expected, the frequency to BSB & BHZ wasn't comparable with that between SDU & CGH, being perhaps just every couple of hours, but nonetheless, the "guaranteed seat / back-up flight" was still applied.
Tickets were immediately obtainable at all Ponte Aerea airport desks upon production of the fare and ID Card/passport.
Upon once asking why onboard ticket purchase wasn't available on the actual shuttle flights, I was told, "we are afraid that too many passengers might 'forget' their wallets!"
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If I remember rightly We used to have a standard fuel load for all shuttle aircraft and on the night shift after the shuttle a/c were declared serviceable were all filled to that figure including backups, all were P.D.Id ready for the first and second flights of the day to be flown by what was known as "The Parker Knoll Squadron" named after the chairs they sat in in their crew room . Happy days.
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No not tankering. Trip fuel was 4 tonnes plus I recall. Problem with MAN-LHR-MAN is there is no cruise. Up to TOC, quick PA and start down again. Just the 10-20 mins holding at BOV to get in the way!
How much did the Trident burn per hour during cruise?
The wing crack problem was addressed by fixing strengthening plates to the wing lower surfaces. To bring lift loads inboard the flaps were also rigged slightly down and the ailerons slight up. The extra drag worsened the already horrendous fuel consumption.
I recall an FSI (flying staff instruction) being issued asking captains to restrict cruise mach to 0.80 to save fuel but many captains disregarded it.