Varig for me. I was made redundant a few years ago and got a cheque for just over 16000 quid. I rang Varig and asked the price of a first class return ticket to Rio. I nearly fell out of my chair when they told me. In the end I settled for 5 days in Hong Kong with Virgin holidays – great holiday and great flight there and back on Virgin A340. I still want to get to Rio on Varig though.
PS The money soon runs out when yu don’t have a job to go to.

I used to work at Courage (the Brewers) H.O. in Staines and passed the site daily. It is close to the Crooked Billet Roundabout (named after the pub there). The exactly location I am not sure of but someone said that housing had encroached on the field since 1972. Crashes at Heathrow is a seperate thread but in July 1968 a BKS Airspeed Ambassador carrying horses from France crashed on landing at Heathrow and hit two BEA Tridents before coming to rest against the terminal building. One of the Tridents was G-ARPI which was repaired and put back into service before its unfortunate end in the field at Staines.

I know this is going off the Avatar subject a bit but I wanted to say excellent photos Ren Frew. What a beautiful terminal inside as well. Surely they could have done something to save it. I last flew through Abbotsinch in March 1968 in a British United Airways
Viscount Southampton – Glasgow – Edinburgh and return. Those were the days!!!

I think the picture posted by Ren Frew of the old Renfrew terminal looks better than the one they built at Abbotsinch.
Someone once said that the new International Pier belongs to the “Tin Shed” school of architecture.

😀

Thanks for that Preston. Mind yu I more than make up for my dry stretch here once the BA777 leaves the runway. I saw on the news that the BA strike is over so Andy should be able to get his flight. I would be gutted if that had happened to me although there are flights in from Kemble I think.

Regards
Old Git
A.K.A. Keith

P.S. I hope the italians send some properly maintained aircraft this year. I was on the verge of asking for a refund last year!!!

I have had some very good service on a number of trips but one in particular sticks in my mind. I wont say the airline as I would not want to get the stewardess in trouble (although it was many years ago – a hell of a long time actually) but it was at the time of strikes or go slows with UK ATC in the early eighties. We were diverted from Heathrow to Stansted (along with a lot of other flights) and parked on a hard standing for hours without being able to get off. The rear door was opened for fresh air and I was standing there well pissed having done a dry stretch in the middle east. I got chatting to this stewardess and got along very well with her considering the state I was in. Anyway the booze had run out (I was obviously not the only piss head on the flight)
and the thought of another few hours on the ground without a drop did not really appeal. I moaned to the stewardess I had been chatting to by the door about it and she disappeared up to the front of the aircraft (a 707) she came back with two bags full of booze and gave them to me and said “this should keep you going but take it to your seat”. I said I thought there was none left and she said there is’nt in economy this is what was left in first class. Being a bit guilty I said what about them to which she cheerfully replied “They will have to do without – won’t they”. God Bless her!!!