BRITISH AIRWAYS 1989 - 1992. Highlights. BA’s 747-400; Super Shuttle relaunch; Club Europe & more.
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- Опубліковано 30 бер 2022
- The late 1980s to early 1990s were a key period for British Airways, as it consolidated and developed into the self styled "world's favourite airline".
Following privatisation and acquisition of British Caledonian Airways, this film begins in 1989 where we see the arrival of the first of the new Boeing 747-400s into the fleet; with G-BNLA and BNLC being delivered in July 1989. Poignantly the Chairman of the airline, Lord King remarks "I suppose one day they'll make something better but until then, this is it".
Profits for the airline grew steadily in the late 1980s, evidenced by a generous profit share scheme for staff. New service enhancements were rolled out too, beginning in September 1989 with the relaunch of BA's Domestic "Super shuttle" service - guaranteed seats or a back up aircraft; an all day on board meal service and a regular schedule across an expanded super shuttle network covering Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and London Heathrow.
The film also shows the beginning of a trial in the economy cabin on Houston and Dallas routes, where a new product was developed offering enhanced leg room, an upgraded cabin service and menu and other benefits. Known as "Economy select", this would develop over time to become what we now know as "World Traveller Plus".
The role of Europe - particularly EU legislation features in the early 1990s - the film picks up on the impending EU legislation that will come to impact all of our working lives - from Health and Safety Manual Handling, to Employment legislation.
You'll also see when BA announced its' investment in a new Maintenance and overhaul facility in Cardiff, to be ready for operation in 1993, as well as glimpses of some of the aircraft found in the fleet at the time, including the Boeing 737-300s (G-BOZ series) which were subsequently transferred to the subsidiary "Go" and then in turn acquired by EasyJet on the sale of Go.
Terminal 1 features quite significantly in the film too - those who travelled from it will remember the check in Islands (D-M being the BA check in, and A-C being shared by Aer Lingus and British Midland); as well as glimpses of the Gate 5 Shuttle Lounge in Pier 4; which formed the hub for departing 757 shuttle services. You'll also see one of the early mobile phone "bricks" if you look carefully, as well as other "state of the art" technology like the self-service ticket machines, which now look quite dated!
The film ends with a look to the future redevelopment of Terminal 1 in 1993/4, with the embryonic steel structure of the Flight Connections Centre and the new departures lounge as well as the new baggage system, designed to future proof operations up to the year 2000. I remember all of this so well!
I hope this will bring back fond memories for those of us who travelled with BA during this time - and for the millennium generation, will provide a glimpse into recent history! Enjoy. Best wishes, Steve
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It was a great era to be working for BA, I loved every minute of being a member of staff then ❤️✈️
@Paul Ham. I agree. Definitely!!
BA is my all time favorite airline.
No janitors pretending to be pilot's. Thank you for sharing your videos 🙏
@lizzapaolia959 Thanks very much for watching! 👏👏
What?
At 11:45 that’s my mate David. We trained together at BA 33 years ago. I left last year but he’s still flying. The 90’s were the best days. It’s hard slog and terrible pay these days. The new intake of cabin crew just don’t seem to care or take any pride in their work. Glad to be out of it but got some amazing memories.
@psrpippy wow - was it a surprise to see him on the film or had you seen him on screen before? I also worked for BA in the 90s and agree they were golden times… where have those years gone?😢
@@FarnboroughAviation-nb2or someone had said he was on a BA corporate video along with a load of other mates but I’d never seen it until now. Loved wearing that uniform, was a much happier time. I have several friends who stayed after most of us left during Covid. Most of them wish they’d taken the money.
@psrpippy (Farnborough Aviation is my other new channel - replying on the Heathrow channel now 🤣) Yes I know a couple of people who took the money and left cc a couple of years ago when Covid had grounded everything. They don’t regret leaving and wouldn’t go back ….
The new intake of cabin crew is too underpaid and overused (compared to old fleet CC) to take pride in their jobs and airline…
When Boeing used to make planes and not earning per share.
Thank you for sharing life in our industry.😊
@LMays-cu2hp You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!
@@HeathrowAircraft Thanks.
Thank you for sharing.😊
Flew on a 747-400 LGW-MCO in March 1990. Amazing times.
@Tania Black - awesome. Great memories I’m sure!
Wow! Sad to see how much has changed since covid.
Great watch. Cool to see. Thanks for sharing Steve! Hope you’re keeping well :)
@Matteo Mariano. Thanks v much Matteo. That was “my” era at BA so I was immersed in all of those projects day in day out. Amazing seeing some of the technology like that massive brick mobile phone 🤣. I remember being totally awestruck seeing someone in the terminal heaving one out of a huge suitcase, pulling the aerial up and making a call on it! 😂 But the aircraft were a class act - especially the 757s. I used to time the takeoffs from start of roll. The fastest I recorded was 15 seconds from brakes off, on a half empty 757 back from Glasgow. Amazing rate of climb- literally took your breath away sometimes. Happy days!!
Lord King Mr British Airways.
@Raj Nirvan- hi Raj - yes he was such a key person- with Sir Colin Marshall they really transformed BA post privatisation.
@@HeathrowAircraft loved the Landor livery too. I'm going to Dunsford to see the preserved Landor B747 this weekend
BA have never been the same since the Lord King days, they were the World's Favourite airline, today they are making a name for themselves for unreliable IT issues and passenger dissatisfaction.
@@r12004rewy tell me about it after all what's happening
@@rajnirvan3336 Hi Raj - brilliant! I know you will love it! ✈️✈️👏👏
The food was amazing, especially on the MAN to LHR and LGW flight in the mid 90s. Full breakfast and wonderful trays of sandwiches and cakes and evening meals. It was even better than what you receive on a Long haul flight today. My god what happened
I remember! The Super Shuttle breakfasts were superb. My favourite! I never knew how they managed to serve a full meal on the LHR-MAN route - they would start the descent more or less as soon as they reached top of climb. Happy days!
I flew on my first 747-400 flight from PHL-LHR in August of 1989
@jetjack74 Snap. Mine was shortly after that; again in the -400. Crew were singing its praises saying how much better it was than the -200s.
I have spent many hours in BA 747-400 between the USA and Europe!
@tgvettes awesome! Great memories I’m sure! 😍
Interesting video! Just subbed to your channel.
@matthiashaenni hi thanks a lot! I remember those days like it was yesterday!
I wish BA would bring back their Landor livery.
@elfulano5884 yes I agree!! ☝️
Hi Steve, it’s a great video as it teaches me a bit of the history of British Airways. By the way, did you know that British Airways have a preserved 747-200 at Dunsfold?
@Ross Mason Hi Ross thanks very much - glad it gives some history on BA! Yes G-BDXJ is at Dunsfold. You catch a glimpse of it in my film of the go around and landing of CIVW.
ua-cam.com/video/byOjcx1s6zQ/v-deo.html
Have you had a go reading the Airport timetable in my new upload? ✈️
Hope that g-bdxj get her original engines&livery back
Yes they don’t look right do they as they are at the moment!
Funny how in a way BA's 2023 new uniform is going back to looking like the 1990s uniform.
@flynorthernva Hi yes - there is something of that Landor style uniform in there isn’t there
Aaaaahhhhhh Landor and the 90s BA was majestic man!🔥🔥🔥🔥
@therealTanzanian ✈️ it was a great time to be working for the airline for sure! 👍
Interesting how T5 was planned to open in 2002 groundwork didn't start till that year alongside opening years later in 2008.
@philsam1232 Hi yes - good point!
This country could have built something like this from the onset, if it hadn't destroyed all of its industry.
@Dover One Foxtrot - yes - a real tragedy…..
I haven’t yet Steve. Also, that 747-200 is going to remain at Dunsfold isn’t it? Lastly, why didn’t BA preserve their first ever 747-400?
@Ross Mason. Hi Ross there is some uncertainty about the future of the Dunsfold site as there have been plans to turn the whole site into a housing estate 😞. If and when I hear anything I will let you know! And yes it would have been great if G-BNLA was preserved - I guess the issue is finding somewhere to store it and maintain it etc. For example the Negus 747 G-CIVB has cost £500k over the 20 months since she was withdrawn - albeit that some of those costs were to instal air con; remove seats in economy and kit the area out into a flexible space for parties etc! But even halving that cost still means whoever took a 747 on would have a massive annual maintenance bill to stop it gradually declining into dereliction!!
Perfect Steve. I just don’t want them 747s disappearing. Also, if they did turn the area into a housing estate what would happen to them 747s?
@@rossmason8812 well there was at one point a year or two ago a planning application for housing that also included the erection of a building intended to display and store at least G-CIVW inside - but since then of course Landor has come along, not forgetting BDXJ already there plus the VC10? So I’ve not heard how all these aircraft could feasibly be preserved?? I’ll keep looking on the forums! 🙆
G-BNLY is preserved at Kemble Cotswold Airport at the moment, you can visit I think. I flew on her to Denver in 2018.
@JimNaylor Hi Jim - yes BNLY is for now, safe at Dunsfold and “Negus” (G-CIVB) at Kemble Cotswold. I’ve visited; filmed and been on board both. Negus is part converted to a “party plane” with a lot of the WT cabin seating removed. BNLY remains as it did when in service. Glad you got to fly on it before it was withdrawn!
Where can you buy a piece of the BOAC 747?
@rossmason8812 Hi Ross if you check the Aerotiques website - they were selling pieces. www.aerotiques.co.uk/
Or try planereclaimers.aero cheers Steve
30 years later: we need to retire the 747-400 due to its poor fuel economy, pollution, high maintenance costs, tired cabin, out-dated technology and excessive noise.
I imagine we'll be saying the same thing about the A380, A350, 787 and 777x in 30 years too.
@dwilliams6346 yes I’m sure you’re absolutely right!
flights looked much more roomier in those days. the economy seats had only 2 by the window and 4 in the middle. now its 3 by the window 4 in the middle. They actually took pride in their catering. Now days is just a meal service for the sake of it if you are lucky. Only thing that has improved over the years is inflight entertainment.
@parmdeepjagdev8395 Hi - sadly I think you may be right….
13:33 "1991 was the worst year in history of the industry"
2020: hold my beer
🤣 well said! 😎
terminal 1. what a shame.
@martinmichaels234. I know. My old stomping ground…..
Shame BA has declined into a 3rd rate airline. Now BA would never be my 1st choice!
@geoffashden2 yes there’s still a way to go to catch up with the days of “the worlds favourite airline” …
March
who would have thought it would go bankrupt in june 2023
Back before Boeing suuuuucked.
@bobbastian760 yes! ✈️