What was the first airliner you flew in?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Functional's good enough! 
I have a strong hankering to go back to US airline ops in the 60s/70s, partly because I missed seeing them but largely because the airlines, schemes and kit were so diverse and more - to me - attractive than the ersatz stuff we have now.
I have a strong hankering to go back to US airline ops in the 60s/70s, partly because I missed seeing them but largely because the airlines, schemes and kit were so diverse and more - to me - attractive than the ersatz stuff we have now.
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From: UK and Italy
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From: Shoreham-by-Sea
Not the first that was an Avro York but the one I remember well was an Air Djibouti DC3 from Aden to Djibouti. After progressing through
formalities, arrived in departure room bar to be greeted by a gentleman with four rings on his sleeves enjoying a pint of beer, to be asked, if I was his passenger and to have a beer. A bit taken aback, I thought oh well, Air France serve wine with the meals on the flight deck. On arrival at the aeroplane I was pleased to see a young French FO carrying out the pre-departure check. Once seated an attractive Stewardess (am I allowed to call them that anymore?) asked if I would like a drink. I asked for a whiskey and soda, to be presented with a litre bottle and a large bottle of Perrier. On landing at Djibouti, I offered her nearly a full bottle of whiskey back, no sir it’s with the compliments of Air Djibouti, she replied.
I couldn’t drink a litre of whiskey on a one hour flight, if I had I doubt I would have been functional!
formalities, arrived in departure room bar to be greeted by a gentleman with four rings on his sleeves enjoying a pint of beer, to be asked, if I was his passenger and to have a beer. A bit taken aback, I thought oh well, Air France serve wine with the meals on the flight deck. On arrival at the aeroplane I was pleased to see a young French FO carrying out the pre-departure check. Once seated an attractive Stewardess (am I allowed to call them that anymore?) asked if I would like a drink. I asked for a whiskey and soda, to be presented with a litre bottle and a large bottle of Perrier. On landing at Djibouti, I offered her nearly a full bottle of whiskey back, no sir it’s with the compliments of Air Djibouti, she replied.
I couldn’t drink a litre of whiskey on a one hour flight, if I had I doubt I would have been functional!
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From: by the seaside
Kingdom of Libya airlines sud caravelle and back on a BOAC VC10 - both with cockpit visits. The former’s captain said it flew like a glider. Ten years later I was driving the 10s myself.
Thought police antagonist
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From: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
If you want functional, Dan-Air's 748's would have met your expectations.
OK, they were short flights and, there was nothing wrong with Dan's....great bunch of people, but, the 748's were, ahem, workhorses.
OK, they were short flights and, there was nothing wrong with Dan's....great bunch of people, but, the 748's were, ahem, workhorses.
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From: Asia
Not strictly airliners but Bristol Freighter, HP Hastings (both military) as an air cadet and a crop dusting DC3/C47 flown by my older sisters beau at the time. All back in the 50's.
First real airliner was an L188 Electra in early 60's.
First real airliner was an L188 Electra in early 60's.
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From: UK and Italy
It may be a few days before I post updated totals as I've broken my arm and typing one-handed is literally a pain. Anyone else like to have a go? Just take my last totals and add on new entries since then. Airliners only, freighters don't count.
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From: se england
Thanksgiving day 1971 LHR JFK on G_AWNH BOAC BA501 (?) G-AWNH . Complete with solid royal blue tail with gold Speedbird . I liked the BOAC livery-the BEA Red Square on was a very much of its time. Not a fan of Landor with the silly To fly to serve bit altho the modified version on Concorde was nicer I qit like the current BA but they should have kept the speedbird in their somewhere . Better than LH tho their new livery is extremely dull KLM ad Aer Lingus being among the better Euros these days
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From: Beyond the Blue Horizon
PB
I will put you down as another LH new livery disliker ! Unbelievably I have yet to meet anyone who remotely likes it either working for them or passenger or who actually lives in Germany 🙄🙄
Cheers
Mr Mac
I will put you down as another LH new livery disliker ! Unbelievably I have yet to meet anyone who remotely likes it either working for them or passenger or who actually lives in Germany 🙄🙄
Cheers
Mr Mac
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From: England
First flight ever in Air Chance Caravelle, 1964 - LHR to Paris Le Bourget, by night. Stunned by the sight of orange street-lit cities and towns below... A memorable experience in every way.
As was subsequently having a steer in a De Havilland Chipmunk from White Waltham. Most boring was in an 'unstallable' Ercoupe. Dull as ditchwater - like being in a motorcycle sidecar though the view was better. First flight in a 'proper' flying machine - the Boeing B17 'Sally B' on demo at Bournemouth Hurn. Most nostalgic in a De Havilland Dragon Rapide at Goodwood... Most comfortable in a Singapore Airlines A380 LHR-SIN-MEL. Most enlightening, in a PLUNA 737-200, AEP (Argentina) to MVD, exceptionally elderly, very creaky, noisy old banger, with its plastic moulded cabin trim panels all stained deep tan...by tobacco smoke.
As was subsequently having a steer in a De Havilland Chipmunk from White Waltham. Most boring was in an 'unstallable' Ercoupe. Dull as ditchwater - like being in a motorcycle sidecar though the view was better. First flight in a 'proper' flying machine - the Boeing B17 'Sally B' on demo at Bournemouth Hurn. Most nostalgic in a De Havilland Dragon Rapide at Goodwood... Most comfortable in a Singapore Airlines A380 LHR-SIN-MEL. Most enlightening, in a PLUNA 737-200, AEP (Argentina) to MVD, exceptionally elderly, very creaky, noisy old banger, with its plastic moulded cabin trim panels all stained deep tan...by tobacco smoke.
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From: England
October 1984, a Jetstream of Birmingham Executive Airways, from Birmingham to Zurich. The cockpit door was open throughout the flight; something was missing from the panel, with wires visible in the empty slot, as if the cassette player had been stolen!
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From: uk
I didn't realise that the totals for each airliner were that interesting so I better add mine to what I imagine could be the highest one for what I imagine is the average for the age of people on this thread. I first flew in a BEA Viscount from Heathrow to Dusseldorf.
Last edited by pulse1; 18th November 2024 at 14:45.
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From: UK and Italy
The Viscount is indeed top of the table by a large margin, and yes, we're showing our ages.
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From: wales
Not sure how accurate but my memory tells me Cambrian Airways Viscount from Cardiff around 1967. Landed at Bristol to pick up more passengers, and left 2 of the engines running while they boarded. Then down to Valencia followed by 3 hour bus trip to Benidorm. Don't know how true but somebody said the Viscount was too big for Alicante at the time.