The Anonymous Widower

When Airlines Knew What Service Meant

I was just talking to a friend, whose son  had got mixed up in all the delays at Stansted. He had got no sense from an Irish so-called airline and had had to come home.

It got me thinking about how airlines used to know what service meant.

Many years ago all five of us went to St. Lucia on an all-inclusive holiday with British Airways.

I think we were due to come home on the Thursday, but due to an engine failure on the incoming flight, it became obvious that we would have an extra night on the island. We were moved that night to another hotel and were told that although we would get home on Friday or Saturday, they couldn’t be sure how long we’d be stuck.

We eventually heard that it would be the Saturday, as although there would be an incoming flight on the Friday, it would be coming in late as it was carrying the spare engine and the crew to change it, and because of the extra load, it would be refuelling in Bermuda. We did get a view as it flew in to land of one of the strangest sights in aviation; a Boeing 747 carrying an extra fifth engine under the wing root. There’s a video of one here.

So we ad two extra nights on St. Lucia and very late on Saturday, we boarded the 747 to go home. I can’t remember if it was Thursday’s, Friday’s or Saturday’s plane, but it was one of the then new Rolls-Royce powered 747-200s.

The pilot did announce though, that it would be a direct flight to Heathrow, instead of via Barbados, so he apologised if the take-off was a bit noisy, as he’d be using full everything.

I remember he was followed down the runway by a tug and they backed the plane as far towards and over the fence as they dare. It was a noisy but safe take-off and we arrived much earlier than expected non-stop into Heathrow.

The one thing that spoilt the flight, was rather a heavy landing, for which the pilot apologised and blamed the new auto-land system, which as he said needed a bit more tweaking.

February 5, 2012 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , | 1 Comment

Confusion Over Whether Captain Was Last To Leave

There seems to be some confusion as to whether the captain of the Costa Concordia was the last to leave his stricken ship. This Australian web site says he wasn’t, but others like Sky say he was.

It does seem to me though, that there was a lot of panic and that the charts may not have been up to the standard that the Admiralty would certify.

But to return to the Captain.  It wasn’t obvious he was last to leave as Captain Knut Carlsen on the SS Flying Enterprise and Captain Chesley Sullenberger on US Airways Flight 1549 were.

It may seem strange that I can remember the Flying Enterprise incident so well, but it was an amazing piece of heroism and probably one of the first to be covered by the television news after we bought a set.  But it is sixties years ago now.  I know that we definitely had a television for the Coronation and that happened only a few months later.  But it was also one of a long list of disasters that have happened over Christmas.

January 15, 2012 Posted by | News, Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

It’s All in the Figures

In The Times today, there is an article, saying that Boeing’s new airliner, the 737 Max, has acquired its first customer. It has been launched the airliner perhaps earlier than it wanted, as a response to the sales success of the new Airbus A320neo, which offers a 15 percent fuel saving over the A320.

The article states that Boeing are looking for 30% fuel savings by the mid-2020s.

If car and truck makers could achieve figures like this, it might help with global warming.

December 14, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | 2 Comments

The Joy of Flying

This report makes me glad, that I probably won’t fly long-haul for some time.

October 16, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Way To London City Airport

London City Airport, in theory should be very easy to use, now that the Docklands Light Railway provides a direct link between Stratford station and the airport.

So today, because I escorted a friend with a heavy case from her offices behind Heals to the airport.

To get to the airport, you need to get on the Docklands Light Railway at some point and from that area on Tottenham Court Road, there are several ways.

  1. Take the Northern line from Goodge Street to Waterloo and then the Jubilee line to Canning Town for the DLR
  2. Walk to Centrepoint and take a 25 bus to Bank for the DLR.
  3. Walk to Tottenham Court Road station and get the Central line to Bank for the DLR.
  4. Walk to Warren Street station and get the Victoria line to Highbury and Islington, where you get the Overground to Stratford for the DLR.
  5. Get a 29 bus to Camden Road for the Overground to Stratfpord and the DLR.

The trouble with these routes are that they sre not particularly-friendly to someone who is mobility challenged. We weren’t that, bus we were wheeling a heavy case.

We thought the 29 route might be a good idea, but we just missed one.  So we took a 73 bus, aiming to use the Underground from disabled-friendly Kings Cross or get another bus to Highbury and Islington station for the Overground to Stratford.

It worked out quite well, as at Kings Cross, a 30 bus, got stuck behind the 73 and we were able to do a quick transfer. We were then able to get to Hghbury and Islington without having to dive into the Underground. We did have a slight problem with the pavements of Islington, but the Stannah got us safely to the Overground. It seems funny to use one of their products on public transport.

The Overground got us quickly to Stratford, where we took the lift into the subway.  My friend rushed into Easfield to the Marks by the station to get some sandwiches and a drink, whilst I sat on a seat in the subway with the dreaded case.

Unfortunately, we’d chosen the wrong lifts from the platform and had ended up in the wrong subway to get the DLR to the airport. But there were  lots of lifts.  Although, I did feel guilty using one small one, that was reserved for buggies and wheelchairs.

The new line is advertised as directly linking Stratford and London City Airport, but at various times of the day, you have to change at Canning Town.

We were of course travelling at one of those times of day without a direct train.

It was a few minutes wait, but the train got us quickly to Canning Town.

However, there is no information at the station on how to transfer and the signage actually points you back to the platform you have just arrived on.

At the minimum Canning Town station needs.

  1. A consolidated train departure board on each platform, telling you when the next few trains are leaving.  Dalston Junction and Highbury and Islington stations have them, so why not Canning Town?
  2. They do have an information booth, but it was unmanned.
  3. The signs to the platform you need could be much better.

It would be nice, if there could be more staff about, as there were lots of people wandering around aimlessly, looking for their trains.

The perfect solution would be for all four destinations of the DLR at the station to have separate platforms.

  1. Stratford and Stratford International.  This is the case.
  2. Bank and the City.  This is the case.
  3. Beckton. Trains can be upstairs or downstairs.
  4. City airport and Woolwich Arsenal.  Again upstairs and downstairs.

I wonder if the politicians, civil servants, accountants and engineers who designed the system, have ever used the DLR and completely misjudged where people would like to go. After all Stratford is a superb rail interchsnge now and gets passengers all over north east London and East Anglia very quickly and easily.

Also, could we please have a departure board for the airport at Canning Town, that tells the truth and is up-to-date.

Before you ask, m y friend got to the airport on time.

September 28, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Prince of Pace

I have been meaning for some time to photograph the statue of Prince Alexander Obelensky in Ipswich and finally got to do it last Monday, when I was in the town.

It is rather unusual and celebrates both his rugby and his short and tragic flying career in the RAF.

I also think it is the only public statue in Ipswich of anybody with a royal title.

I like it.

September 23, 2011 Posted by | Sport, World | , , , | Leave a comment

The Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis

NASA has released this video of the aurora. 

I have seen the aurora once and that was from a British Airways flight going to the United States. It was in the 1980s and the pilot banked the plane, so that everybody got a good view.

The nearest I got to seeing it in the UK, was on my trip north from Edinburgh to Inverness on the InterCity 125.

It is the highest railway in the UK and the driver said they see it regularly, when conditions are good. Sadly, we didn’t see it that night!

September 21, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Tulsa In Air Rage Incident

This was the headline, I saw on a so-called newspaper in Waitrose.  I thought for a momemt something connected with 9/11 had happened.

But on closer reading, it would appear it was about some loser or Z-list celebrity, who I’s never heard of, called Tulisa.

Who is she?

I think I’ve found it here on the Mirror website. 

Airlines should ban these people from flying, once a case is proven in court.  They should also share the lists, so that these people would have to moderate their behavour.

Or alternatively you could start an airline called Air Dross!

They would fly anybody to anywhere. To make sure the plane was safe, I’m fairly certain that there are a number of ex-Marines or soldiers, who’d love the job as stewards. The thing is that many of the public would love to pay a premium fare to see stars behaving badly on a plane.

September 11, 2011 Posted by | News, Transport/Travel | , | Leave a comment

The DLR Reaches Stratford International

Today the DLR was opened to Stratford International station. So I went for a ride and took a few pictures.

It is an impressive line.

One thing that it does is to create a step-free route from stations on the North London line to the London City Airport, with a single change at Stratford.

I also joked with one of the staff about tourists coming to Abbey Road station to see the crossing. Nothing surprises her!

August 31, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel, World | , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How To Load An Aircraft

I like this story from the BBC about how you get the Self Loading Cargo on to a plane in the quickest manner.

In my view they should make people put more of the rubbish they insist on taking into the hold.

August 31, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | | Leave a comment

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