FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER

DAVIDSMITH2

I offer this in the full expectation that some of you will be able to trump me without too much trouble, but here goes.

We fly Accra-London in two weeks – BA A350, capacity 331 pax, speed 488 kn.

After a stopover in London and train to Exeter, we then fly on a DH Twin Otter – capacity 17 pax, speed 145 kn, on to the Isles of Scilly.

Obviously an A380 would have been an even more impressive contrast – or we could have taken the train to Penzance and got on the 8-seater Islander aircraft – but it’ll still make for quite a contrast of size, speed, space and service. Fortunately

(for me) I don’t think they weigh you on the Otter. I think they do on the Islander, to keep things balanced.

Anyway – I await your tales of even greater extremes!

ESSELLE

In 1993, I flew BA on a B767 in economy to Bahrain. During the flight I went to the cockpit and sat in the first officer’s seat, smoking a cigarette with the captain.

I then flew from Bahrain to Dubai on

Gulf Air, and subsequently on the 8-seater seaplane that in those days operated from the Creek to Abu Dhabi. We sat waiting for the last passenger to join, who would sit in the empty seat next to me.

After some time, a Land Rover pulled up; a somewhat overweight and sweaty Brit ran down to the plane, boarded, and sat down next to me. We realised we had been at school together some 25 years earlier.

FORMERBA

Many years ago, my wife and I flew to Fiji from London and were due to stay in a resort on Malolo Lailai.

We had flown first class from London and then business class from Sydney to Nadi where we were picked up and taken to a port to connect, we were told, with a ferry.

We were left on the dock with two

Delsey hardshell suitcases with BA first class snob tags flapping in the breeze. We were both decently attired for the Sydney lounge visit, but no boat, no ferry, no other passengers! Just two overdressed tourists!

Ten minutes passed and a small rowing boat with an outboard motor appeared on the horizon and duly arrived at the dock.

We got in, the bags perched on a seat, and we headed towards an island some way off, but my attention was on the blackest most evil-looking storm clouds I had ever seen. We arrived just ahead of the storm at our “resort” which didn’t have a jetty, so we had to wade ashore. I don’t think I have ever looked more ridiculous!

INQUISITIVE

My first international flight experience included quite extreme aircraft type.

The itinerary was Delhi to Lafayette in Louisiana. Delhi to New York via London was in a B747, then New York to New Orleans in a DC 9 and New Orleans to Lafayette in a very small turboprop with only seven seats. It was parked at the last gate and we had to go down to the tarmac. We saw a small plane with one man checking the engine in front. He greeted us and said he was the pilot, and told us to board. He placed our luggage in a hold and closed the door from outside. He then hopped onto the pilot seat and spoke from a cut-out between the pilot cabin and passenger cabin indicating that he would take off soon, and we should fasten our seat belts. It was a 30-minute flight and a bit scary initially, but exciting as well.

NEVERECONOMY

For many years I flew all round the world in style on a range of widebodies, but always had the last leg home to Maryland on a Shorts 360 (the flying Winnebego) or a prop plane (which I can no longer identify), which had no flight attendant, no toilet and the captain had to kneel to get in the cockpit. That was always the best flight of the whole trip as it meant going home.