A Couple of Comets

argh, i hate secrets :p

I also would like to hear the Sabena story 🙂 No harm done, since they went bankrupt years ago.

I have been respectfully requested NOT to publicise the Sabena incident at the moment – there’s at least one person still at EDI who was involved – in a senior position. Sorry chaps, for the time being….

The Stratocruiser that landed at Stretton was on a Heathrow – New York Flight, 19th May 1956, which I presume had a scheduled call at Ringway. In actual fact, for reasons unknown they were supposed to be diverting to Burtonwood but landed at Stretton by mistake, to be greeted by Petty Officer on a bicycle who apparently signalled to them in the strongest possible nautical terms that they should go away very quickly!

Try some of these

http://www.thirdamendment.com/wrongway.html

Sod it, lets hear them all !!! :D:D

Or the BOAC Stratocruiser that landed at Stretton instead of Ringway ……

Or how about the Channel Airways Trident that was over 36 hours late? Sad to say, there was no story, it was just 36 hours late…

I also would like to hear the Sabena story 🙂 No harm done, since they went bankrupt years ago.

Better not ask me then about the Sabena 707 – one of Edinburgh’s best kept secrets….PM if no-one else is interested! J

“only now can the story be told, with only the names changed to protect the innocent”
Waiting with bated breath :p

Roger Smith

Well spill the beans on the Sabena 707 then!

I have a short story of a Sabena 737 landing at Woodford aerodrome instead of its intended destination of Manchester Airport 6 miles away! (Thats my story, sorry forgot the year!)

Will do tomorrow! It’ll take a while to write up! BR J

Well spill the beans on the Sabena 707 then!

I have a short story of a Sabena 737 landing at Woodford aerodrome instead of its intended destination of Manchester Airport 6 miles away! (Thats my story, sorry forgot the year!)

Nice one!!! Wish I had heard that story when I was researching the history of the airport.
Thanks
OG

Better not ask me then about the Sabena 707 – one of Edinburgh’s best kept secrets….PM if no-one else is interested! J

Nice one!!! Wish I had heard that story when I was researching the history of the airport.
Thanks
OG

Some nice shots there. What is the story behind the Edinburgh – Alicante/Rimini debacle???

Rgds
OG

In the good old analogue days of aircraft handling at Edinburgh, we had two Comets in at the same time, one going out to Rimini and the other Alicante, with 119 screaming “hey you Jimmie’s” on each. The check-in girl responsible for making sure the right passengers got on the correct aircraft made a mistake – from the gate, she walked the Rimini passengers up the front steps of the first Comet, was told she had got it wrong, and subsequently led them the whole length of the cabin, and down the back steps. This human crocodile then directly crossed the ramp, where she successfully loaded them on the correct aircraft. The Alicante passengers were thankfully loaded “right first time”. Unfortuately, this young lady didn’t tell the baggage handlers of the change, and ALL the Rimini baggage went to Alicante, and vice versa. It was a fortnight IT – and Dan Air didn’t want to settle insurance claims. Both Alicante and Rimini started sending the incorrect baggage back to Edinburgh (or anywhere nearby), but most of it gravitated to Amsetrdam, the European hub for lost luggage. Dan Air chartered a Skyways DC3 to fly around Europe picking it all up and eventually brought most of it back to Edinburgh, just in time for the 238 irate punters arrival back home…… I was the unfortunate cretin that had to meet them (there were no other volunteers). The nice but dim ground hostie that caused the problem went on to be something big in the banking world…..I just can’t stop thinking about the present situation we’re all in with global meltdown, I suppose it could be, but there again, I’m sure it wasn’t…… her!!

Some nice shots there. What is the story behind the Edinburgh – Alicante/Rimini debacle???

Rgds
OG