• General

  • Last boeing 747 rolls off the production line

Flew a bunch of times on 747s (mainly 400s) in the 80s and 90s, before twin jets started to take over. Then flew A380s and modern twin jets through the 2000s and 2010s. Last flight on a 747 was in 2019 on a 747-8 on Lufthansa. Was stunned at how poor it was compared to the A380. Noisy, bumpy, uncomfortable… Not surprised they only sold a handful of them.

mono-stereo I fucking hate those planes. Flown on them a few times in and out of Antigua, and they’re old, creaky, bumpy, cramped and shit. One of the main reasons I stopped flying BA.

Virgin fly a much newer A330-300 on the same route - and it’s (IMO - I know Grant disagrees) a vastly superior experience.

    Airbus are head and shoulders above Boeing, they have been since Boeing were taken over by McDonnel-Douglas and subsequently only cared about shareholder profits, the absolute horrendacunts

    Mad_Cyril
    Only once and that was a free upgrade on Emirates. If I could afford it I’d do every time.

        Dubman Only once and that was a free upgrade on Emirates. If I could afford it I’d do every time.

        MC is champing at the bit for your lounge review!

            bosstrabs The Emirates lounge at Gatwick is pretty shit. The Emirates lounges at Dubai are fantastic.

                vinnyt77 The one in Dubai is huge, too big imho, there are so many people it almost feels like cattle class, Qatar lounge at Doha is much better.

                Has anyone done First in Dubai? I’ve heard that is pretty special.

                    Hursty The one in Dubai is huge, too big imho

                    There are 3 at DXB. Agreed, one of them is huge. I don’t mind that though - but prefer the smaller ones.

                    Al Mourjan lounge in DOH is awesome - one of the best.

                        vinnyt77 Al Mourjan lounge in DOH is awesome - one of the best.

                        Yeah, pretty amazing experience that.

                          I’ve had a nightmare with flights - been up to see my dad in Scotland - 5 hour delay on the way up Sunday and then cancelled twice on Sunday and had to stay overnight to fly this morning. I’m on the plane, but even that’s in doubt. Freezing temperatures really shouldn’t be a problem these days.

                            Along_the_Wire
                            When we came back from Copenhagen last year they just sprayed the fucker with de-icer and off we flew.

                            Safe trip. Enjoy the cup of tea and biscuits.

                                I don’t think you were in any danger MC.

                                If, for example, the wing engine failed, the plane could still quite easily be glided home using the endless reels of flannel being somehow generated from your mouth.

                                  Mad_Cyril
                                  Happened to me once when I was flying to Nepal a few years ago at Istanbul airport. It was snowing . They just sprayed the wings and we went.

                                    Take off is never an issue in bad conditions, the issue is always landing and the conditions at destination. Go-Arounds and low-vis conditons stack planes in holding patterns and it slows the whole process down. With the amount of planes in the air nowadays we can expect Winter conditions to cause consistent delays in the future. Welcome to hell.