What's your favourite 747 memory?

[VPS]

I have been on a few 747 over the years and both decks. I consider myself to be fortunate in that my first ever 747 was at the age of 10 on TWA in F LHR to LAX, I do not remember much other than the spiral staircase and a lounge upstairs. From the US back to AU we were again in F but this time with QF, I also do not remember much of that flight other than the seats were blue.

I cannot recall which flight it was but for years after my dad used to recall how he travelled with Alistair MacLean (the novelist/ author) as they sat next to each other. Apparently Alistair and my dad got on like a house on fire as my dad was then in the Navy and both had a love for the sea one was a novelist and the other an avid reader. As the story goes (according to dad) Alistair claims to have meet my Grandfather in WW II in the South West Pacific which maybe plausible and I also vaguely recall dad and some other chap being the center of attention on the flight, most likely the other chap. I also seem to recall mum and dad denying all knowledge or ownership of those 3 kids in F.

Fast forward around 30+ years we travelled with MissM HND-SYD and by now there was no official F on the QF 747 but we did not tell her that and she was quite chuffed with being in 1 of the old "F seats" also there were no novelist in sight just iPhones and iPads. The flight was standard old QF 747 F seating in J, the IEF was hardly working, the supper service was terrible but the seat/ bed was comfortable. What I remember most about the flight was that crew did not wake our daughter for landing, we woke her during the taxi to the gate.

What I suspect would have been my last flight on a 747 was scheduled in April this year, BA LHR-JFK and it was also to be in F but sadly the virus put a stop to that.

With the way things are travelling at the moment or lack of it, it may only be a few years rather than 50 when we start to recant stories of travel on the a380.

I used to be avid reader of Alistair McLean - I should go back and reread and see how they've stood up

 

[p--and--t]

My third trip on a 747 in 31Dec98 was as part of a journey ADL-MEL-BKK-SGN....HAN-BKK-MEL-ADL where I had redeemed 2 tickets in Y on Globalrewards points.

On arriving in MEL on ANd on New Years eve we were directed to check-in for our TG flight to BKK.

The check-in area in MEL was awash with people milling around as apparently the flight the evening before had been cancelled and they were trying to fit 2 manifests into 1.

Being a Diamond GoldenWing/StarAlliance member I entered the priority queue and the agent said I'm pleased to advise we have upgraded you to business for tonight's flight, whereupon I said thank you very much but a can't, I am travelling with a friend and would prefer to sit together. She picked up the phone and had a conversation with someone and came back with, well seeing you were so polite about it, fetch your friend, you are both upgraded and I have moved you upstairs.

Well despite two planes into one, J must have been very lightly loaded, as we both got a row of seats each (the old recliner style) as the upstairs cabin was 2/3 empty.

The crew plied us with drinks and meals and snacks until we couldn't consume another thing and then lay down across our own row of seats each and had a great sleep until awoken by the crew for a late night snack and then landed in BKK around 11pm(?), arrived at our nearby hotel just on midnight where we were invited to the free New Years party on an upper floor. A great finish to an awesome flight.

 

[lepetitprince]

My first ever J experience was on the upper deck of a magnificent 747 MEL-SIN SQ flight on 25th December 2008, on my way overseas to see my newborn daughter, is hands down my best 747 memory.

I was the only person on christmas day on the upper deck and I was treated like royalty. Each of the cabin crew took turns to sit by my side and have a chat from time to time, whilst at the same time bringing me some food and plenty of drinks!

Pretty much the only thing not offered in that 7:55 hr long flight was an audience with the Pilot in the coughpit!

I love SQ and have never flown on any others after that (if I can help it).

 

[JK1964]

QF flight 2001 LAX to BNE via AKL. Cheekily asked at check in for an upgrade. No such luck but she did give us exit row seats opposite the FAs on take off. Turbulence at take off lead to FAs being seated for quite a while. One was also an Essendon supporter so we hit it off with them straight away. They looked after us very well all the way to Auckland with extras from J and a bottle of champagne each on disembarking. Probably the best crew we have ever had on QF or any airline. Great way to finish our trip.

 

[Waypoint]

This one memory might be a little different! Apart from memorable flights, (all the better once I got the hang of OneWorld J redemptions), I was filming for TV at Tulla, and was invited to walk out on the wing of a BA 747 for shots. Went out as far as can be done, and it was pretty awesome. I forget how we got out there but I think it was via the overwing exit.

 

[BCons]

Where to start..

years ago, upstairs in J coming back from Tokyo, I asked if I cud go to the coughpit. Think it was a 300 EUD as there was an Engineer, ie 3 man crew. Was made very welcome, watched the Ansett 747 flash past past going the other way with tail lit up, and was invited back for Syd landing Next morng. Now that was something, main runway with a W wind, so the nose cranked right on approach,. Me in the jump seat, getting a clear look down the runway over captain’s shoulder. Then he eased back, nose up for touchdown, and all I could think of was: ‘don’t leave us up here, we’ll crash’.. of course the main landing gear was 50m back and 20m down, but what a memory..

used to ask for row 16 in J - upstairs exit row. Benefit was the space in front, so I could prop the recliner footrest up with my samsonite brief case (yes, an original stress box..) and still get around it going to the loo.

Massive drinks was another memory - half a tumbler of brandy was common, but one time in Y in an empty row, after an extended time away, I mentioned how much I was looking fwd to some Aust red. Stewie returned with a bottle of Tyrrells long flat red, tucked it under the seatbelt in adjacent seat and wished me a happy evening.

individual air nozzles, those handy bins outside of window seats (upstairs only ?), the high ceiling but strange space in F, with seats pointing in towards the nose, that squeezy stairwell upstairs to J near the main door. And lastly/certainly with QF, the best Cabin crew going.

 

[Waypoint]

And if I can have a second best, it was 1996 flying to Bali on our first wedding anniversary (we were married there), when QF asked to bump us due to an overload caused by the collapse of Merpati air. They offered to take us to Singapore, then Bali the next day with handsome compensation (those were the days!), gave us a lunch voucher and asked us to come back in an hour. When we got back, they said, it's OK, you are going to Bali on this flight, here are your boarding passes. they were both an upgrade to J in the front cabin, our first ever upgrade, and it has paid them back handsomely since!!

 

[Seat0B]

Loving this thread! So many great reminiscences.

I just remembered another one - CBR-SYD-AKL in December 1998 with Mr Seat 0A, daughter 11yo and son 6 yo. Our connecting flight was late late late, but they held the big bird just for us. We got a personalised announcement over the public address in the international terminal “the Seat family recently arrived from Canberra, please run to your gate as your flight is waiting for you.” So much stress. Hadn’t even looked at the boarding passes. Expecting the usual row 68 or something, I just barrelled down the aisle to be pulled up by Master 6 saying “hey mum, stop you’ve missed our seats - we are in Row 15 and you and dad are in Row 16”...Yes QF had upgraded us all to business! The kids could not believe it - it was early days of seat back entertainment, and the level of service was stellar. A real comedown to get what we paid for on the way home . Gave the kids champagne tastes at an early age but I note that they only fly premium if someone else pays for it - their work or their parents! - or if they jag an upgrade. My daughter independently said that she will know she’s made it when she flies business on her own dime - yes that was Miss 3 from my first ever business trip in 1990 that I mentioned in my earlier post channeling my exact feelings.

 

[NM]

My first 747 flight was in 1974, on a QF 747-200 LHR-AMS-SIN (connecting to B707 for SIN-DRW-BNE).
My first QF international First Class experience was BNE-HNL on QF 747-200 in 1989, connecting to my first international Business Class experience HNL-LAX on another QF 747-200.
My fondest memories are visiting the flight deck on many QF 747 flights while it was permitted, including visiting @jb747 in his office on a AKL-LAX sector many years ago (also met him when he was driving B767 on a PER-MEL sector). Some of those flight deck experiences included take-offs and landings.
Thanks Boeing for building such a wonderful aircraft.
Thanks QF for the opportunity to travel on the 747 in all cabin classes over the years.
Thanks @jb747 and your peers for sharing your office space back when it was allowed.

 

[Ekka]

March 1973, Sydney to SFO, in an early QF 747, probably a 100, on a delayed honeymoon.

Of course in those days you had to stop twice on the way, at Nadi and Honolulu, to get to San Francisco. Fiji in the middle of the night, where all you could do was buy souvenirs, while the aircraft refuelled.

Much worse came when you arrived in Honolulu, where you had to queue for literally hours, mid-morning, hot as Hades, in a non-air-conditioned former hangar, as several other 747s disgorged their passengers, in order to enter the US officially.

Eventually we got on board the Qantas 747, and to San Francisco.

Three days later, we flew from SFO to JFK in an American Airlines 747, and the difference could not have been more stark. An actual bar - as in a pub-bar - at which "coach" pax were welcome, and you could cut the smoke with a spatula. We survived, amazingly.

My most recent 747 flights were QF 747s to Santiago and back, a year or so ago. In J, thankfully.

 

[Andz]

On take off from Jobery, I was sitting in row D44, I got soaking wet from a leak from above the luggage compartment. Couldn't do anything for 10 minutes. I'm usually the grumpiest person alive however I laughed that day and got a business class pyjamas as compensation....

 

[GMG]

Probably the first time I got accidentally bumped into First class and had 1D in the nose on an Air NZ flight from Sydney to LA. I was in the upgrade Q for a Eco to Business seat, and was offered a purchasable upgrade to good to refuse, so I paid for the bump into Business. I had forgotten the upgrade request and when I checked in they then upgraded me from Bus to 1st. Now that was a surprise, coupled with one of the best steaks in flight I have ever had it was a memorable trip.

Like a lot of us I have a fond memories of the Queen, luckily enough I was able to fly home in February from Thailand in one so I have a recent memory.

 

[Beano]

LHR-HKG-AKL 1992 family moving to NZ; wife and two girls 5 and under. Arriving at Kai Tak. On leaving advised that we would have been upgraded to business if not for the kids; the cheek of it. The girls were very well behaved. Ill from HKG to AKL but arrived well. Had a few empty seats so could lie down.

First flight 1984 LHR-SIN-LHR. Glad to be on a plane and sit anywhere. Different storey now.

Sin-AKL SQ upstairs-- memorable, but seemed cramped???. Short sight lines and mostly dark.

Soon asking for A380 experiences. Can I start?

 

[pks]

I think my first 747 flight was Air India, SIN-SYD as a backpacker on my way to Australia (still here as well).

One memorable flight with QF was to Singapore to meet my parents from the UK in 1995, when I had an exit row seat opposite the cabin crew. The flight was full of Indian male package holidaymakers who decided to sit wherever they wanted to causing great confusion and work for the cabin crew. Eventually we get under way and then drinks and food is served, more confusion and seat swapping, passengers wanting to smoke etc. Eventually the movie Apollo 13 came on the big screen and everyone settled down to watch. When Apollo 13 came out of the 'dark' towards the end there was a huge round of applause from the Indian passengers as they'd held their breath for 10-15 seconds wondering what was going to happen. As I said to the crew when we came into Singapore they earnt their money that day.

Later I went on to enjoy many J class work trips to the US and even made it to F in 1k for a LHR-SYD flight in 2012. A great plane that's for sure.

 

[OATEK]

My first 747 flight was with BA in October 1987 to attend a brother's wedding in Scotland. Off to UK on BA16 SYD-KUL-LHR (I think), flying close to Moscow on a great circle route back before the Berlin Wall came down - so end of Cold War period. We had 7 across in Y, 3 Grandparents, us two parents, and 2 children 3+7. It was a great adventure, back when the leg room was not as tight as you find today. We were in the non-smoking section, and a peek through the curtain to the back of the plane revealed it was a murky place.

 

[flychrisfly]

I had a few memorable 747 experiences.

• My first Business class flight was on a QF747 (-400 I think) SYD-LAX for work in about 1999. Sat down, put on the seat belt then wanted to check what movies were available. Couldn't reach the seat pocket of the dream-time recliner seat in front and got the giggles.
• Used point to upgrade or redeem a flight in F on QF from SYD-LAX. Older style seats with an actual tape player in the seat area - smaller than VHS - and you were supposed to rewind the tapes after use and then swap them for another.
• Returning from a business trip on QF22 NRT-SYD (747-200 I think). Long day at work, rapid packing and long trip from Tokyo to the airport on the last bus which still arrived at the airport way too early. So by the time I boarded and sat in my window Y seat I was over it. 2 large Norwegian guys sat next to me and i was feeling claustrophobic and uncomfortable. A flight attendant breezes by and asks a few of us if we wanted to move upstairs. So a handful of us ascend the spiral staircase and we were given 3 Y seats each so we could lie down with our feet on the lockers under the windows - brilliant! The FA also managed to make his life easier by "filling" his cabin with just ~10 pax

 

[Dalmunzie]

So many fond memories of 747's.....
First time ever was in March '73, BA LHR - SYD, in Y,via goodness knows where (probably SIngapore, although I used have a habit of choosing flights based on the number of stops on the way - the more the merrier !) I do remember commenting to my Dad when I got home that the aircraft was "a bit long in the tusk" even in those days.
Had many more 747 flights since then with favourites being returning to SYD from Perth business trips on QF originating in Jo'burg. Much more interesting and generally far better service etc in J than on the domestic version.
By far my favourite experience was on BA SYD-LHR, via SIN. At this stage of my life I'd worked out how to accrue as many FF points as I could and, more importantly, how to use them. So this trip was in F - excellent. It must have been pre Sept 11 as I asked the FA if it was possible to visit the flight deck. She returned shortly with a "yes" and duly escorted me there.
I was totally amazed - there was just on crew member on the flight deck - the First Officer - it seemed like a lot of metal for just one person to be handling, but I was naïve back then. He invited me to occupy the Captains seat (and not touch anything !) which I happily did. Eye opening view from "their office" - the lights of Singapore ahead of us and thunderstorms to the left - just awesome. Incidentally, I think the FO was happy to have some company as he looked rather bored initially.
747's were a great aircraft in which to fly, but there are now much better alternatives. I could go on about 707's and VC10's (remember them - "Hush Power").

 

[Jamie69_kelly]

Having been lucky to have flown with Qantas crew on a staff travel ticket this took place before 9/11 Having an experience that can’t be had today of sitting in the jump seat behind the Captain as we landed from LAX-MEL....oh what an amazing view

 

[ayebee]

Posted earlier, but recalled another memorable 747 flight.

May 1996, and we were off on our first family o/s trip to Canada and the US.
After a domestic flight MEL-SYD, we boarded our Qantas 743 heading for LAX.
In economy we had ABC in one row and BC in the row behind. Boarding was nearly complete and we wondered if the A window seat would remain empty when at the last minute an attractive blonde woman zipped in and settled into the window seat. We noted a certain frisson around us but we had no idea who it was.
My son (aged 11) was in the B middle seat, and next morning said young lady signed his souvenir Qantas flight book "hope you enjoyed sleeping on my shoulder, best wishes Kimberley Davies".

Guess we should have been watching Neighbours.
We assume she was off to LA for Pacific Palisades.

 

[jastel]

My memories are a bit different to start with...

When I was a kid my dad's friend was an International Qantas steward and would sometimes visit us on stopovers, he would always have Qantas postcards, stickers, colouring books, amenities packs etc for us kids...even baggage tags and stickers were fought over as to who got the best one. I always wanted the "Jumbo" souvenirs and as I am the oldest usually got my way by beating up my siblings.

He actually was on a flight with us once but that was a 767.

I always wanted to sit in the 747 hump part one day...

I had some 747 flights in economy...no exciting memories...then started the points game and had flight upgrades to business, but usually on A380's.

Finally got a flight back from the USA once and was upgraded to 1A on a 747...but still no hump.

Then last year going from SYD to SCL (I knew I had a Business upgrade at least) I asked at my DOM check in about 8 hours before the flight if there was space upstairs and got in...only bummer was it was cloudy all the way so I didn't see any icebergs.