Copyright Photo: BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) Boeing 707-436 G-APFB (msn 17703) (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 956454.
Category Archives: BOAC
First Look: Rolled out today at Dublin – a BOAC Boeing 747-400
Copyright Photo: BOAC (British Airways) Boeing 747-436 G-BYGC (msn 25823) (British Airways 100 1919-2019) DUB (Greenwing). Image: 945722.
As previously reported, as part of its 100-year birthday, British Airways previously announced it will be painting a Boeing 747-400 in the much-admired design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
The livery from the 1964 – 1974 BOAC era now adorns this Boeing 747-400, registration G-BYGC.
The aircraft will leave the paint shop in Dublin and arrive in to Heathrow on February 18, before entering service the following day. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first Boeing 747 flight only a few days earlier.
The BOAC 747 will be the first aircraft to receive a popular design from British Airways’ past with more details of further designs to be revealed in due course. Aircraft which receive the retro liveries will fly British Airways’ routes, proudly showcasing some of the popular designs as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations.
All new aircraft entering the fleet, including the Airbus A350, will continue to receive today’s popular Chatham Dockyard design.
Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.
“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery.”
The 747 has been deliberately chosen for the BOAC livery as it is a later variant of the same aircraft type that adorned the design when it was initially in operation.
The BOAC livery will remain on the Boeing 747-400 until it retires in 2023. By this time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers.
A potted history of BA:
- On August 25, 1919, British Airways’ forerunner company, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T), launched the world’s first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris.
- In 1924, Britain’s four main fledgling airlines, which had by then evolved into Instone, Handley Page, Daimler Airways (a successor to AT&T), and British Air Marine Navigation Company Limited, merged to form Imperial Airways Limited.
- By 1925, Imperial Airways was providing services to Paris, Brussels, Basle, Cologne and Zurich. Meanwhile, a number of smaller UK air transport companies had started flights and in 1935, they merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited, which became Imperial Airways’ principal UK competitor on European routes.
- Following a Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Continental European and domestic flights were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA) from 1946. BOAC introduced services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. BEA developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
- From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services – and they preserved Britain’s pioneering role in the industry. The 1950s saw the world enter the passenger jet era – led by BOAC, with the Comet flying to Johannesburg in 1952, halving the previous flight time.
- Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967, the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second force airline, resulting in British Caledonian being born in 1970.
- Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974.
- In July 1979, the Government announced its intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised.
British Airways to paint a Boeing 747-400 in the BOAC livery, the first of legacy liveries
British Airways has made this announcement:
As part of its 100-year birthday, British Airways has announced it will be painting a Boeing 747-400 in the much-admired design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
The livery from the 1964 – 1974 BOAC era will adorn a Boeing 747-400, registration G-BYGC (below).
Above Copyright Photo: British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-BYGC (msn 25823) LHR (SPA). Image: 945336.
The aircraft will leave the paint shop in Dublin and arrive in to Heathrow on February 18, before entering service the following day. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first Boeing 747 flight only a few days earlier.
A Boeing 747 long-range wide-body four engined commercial jet airliner for the BOAC – British Overseas Airways Corporation flying above the United Kingdom on 7 April 1971. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).
The BOAC 747 will be the first aircraft to receive a popular design from British Airways’ past with more details of further designs to be revealed in due course. Aircraft which receive the retro liveries will fly British Airways’ routes, proudly showcasing some of the popular designs as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations.
All new aircraft entering the fleet, including the Airbus A350, will continue to receive today’s popular Chatham Dockyard design.
Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.
“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery.”
The 747 has been deliberately chosen for the BOAC livery as it is a later variant of the same aircraft type that adorned the design when it was initially in operation.
The BOAC livery will remain on the Boeing 747-400 until it retires in 2023. By this time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers.
A potted history of BA:
- On August 25, 1919, British Airways’ forerunner company, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T), launched the world’s first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris.
- In 1924, Britain’s four main fledgling airlines, which had by then evolved into Instone, Handley Page, Daimler Airways (a successor to AT&T), and British Air Marine Navigation Company Limited, merged to form Imperial Airways Limited.
- By 1925, Imperial Airways was providing services to Paris, Brussels, Basle, Cologne and Zurich. Meanwhile, a number of smaller UK air transport companies had started flights and in 1935, they merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited, which became Imperial Airways’ principal UK competitor on European routes.
- Following a Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Continental European and domestic flights were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA) from 1946. BOAC introduced services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. BEA developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
- From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services – and they preserved Britain’s pioneering role in the industry. The 1950s saw the world enter the passenger jet era – led by BOAC, with the Comet flying to Johannesburg in 1952, halving the previous flight time.
- Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967, the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second force airline, resulting in British Caledonian being born in 1970.
- Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974.
- In July 1979, the Government announced its intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised.
Top Copyright Photo: BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) Boeing 747-136 G-AWNC (msn 19763) JFK (Bruce Drum). Image: 102915.
BOAC aircraft slide show:
British Airways celebrates 60 years since BOAC operated the first jet engine flight across the Atlantic
British Airways made this announcement:
Top Photo: Peggy Thorne at the British Airways Global Learning Academy, with Sophie Picton (L) and Nadine Wood (R)
- BOAC, British Airways’ predecessor, operated the first transatlantic jet engine flight on October 4, 1958
- BOAC beat arch-rival Pan Am to become the first to do so
- Reduced 18-hour journey between London and New York to 7-hours
- Airline hosted special anniversary event at its headquarters to celebrate
Sixty years ago, British Airways, then called BOAC – British Overseas Airways Corporation – became the first airline to fly a turbo jet engine aircraft between Europe and New York, reducing the journey time from 18 hours to around seven.
First jet engine flight across the Atlantic
On October 4, 1958 the airline flew two de Havilland Comet 4 aircraft, one from New York to London and the other from London to New York. One of the original cabin crew members, Peggy Thorne, 91, had joined BOAC in 1950 and was hand-picked to serve customers on the first flight.
Today, British Airways hosted Peggy, and Captain Hugh Dibley FRAeS, a former Comet 4 navigator, at an event to celebrate the historic achievement.
“It was marvellous” Peggy remembers. “We were used to travelling to New York on Boeing Stratocruisers which took up to 20 hours. We couldn’t believe the flight was possible in such a short time.”
US airline Pan Am had been promising that it would be the first airline to do this but was beaten by Britain’s BOAC with its new jet engine aircraft by several weeks. It was front page news.
How things have changed
Back in 1958, Comet 4 could fly just 48 customers every day from London. Today British Airways operates up to 12 flights a day from the capital, offering around 3,500 seats. On the Comet there were two cabins, Deluxe and First Class. Today, British Airways flights feature four cabins, to suit all budgets – World Traveller, World Traveller Plus, Club World and First. In 1958 a ticket to travel on the Comet staggeringly cost the equivalent of £8,000. Today, a return flight costs far less – from £292.
Celebrating 60 years of transatlantic jet engine flying
Despite 60 years having passed, Peggy fully recalls the inaugural: “It was so exciting to be the first – it was wonderful. There were all sorts of dignitaries on board, press and the chairman of BOAC. It was a thrilling experience. We served customers Madeira biscuits and coffee when they came on board, followed by cocktails and canapes, and then a five-course lunch with wines. Petit Fours followed and then there was Afternoon Tea! Our customers loved it – they ate and drank from when they got on board until the time they got off.”
Hugh said: “The Comet 4 was delivered to BOAC on the 30th September and flew across the Atlantic on the 4th October, which was quite a surprise to some people, not least because it was so fast!”
“The Comet 4 was a firm favourite with pilots, as it was nice to fly and the design meant it was quite easy to make smooth landings. It also had great passenger appeal due to it’s beautiful appearance and take-off performance.”
Peggy was also invited to see how the airline now trains its cabin crew members: “It’s overwhelming. The technology and the number of aircraft training cabins – we had nothing like this in our day.”
British Airways celebrates its Centenary next year
With just a few months left before British Airways begins its Centenary celebrations, Alex Cruz, British Airways Chief Executive and Chairman, paid tribute to the crew of the first flights: “British Airways and its predecessors have always pioneered innovation and hospitality and this is a great early example. Next year we celebrate 100 years of taking Britain to the world and bringing the world to Britain, and the quality of service we provide to customers is better than ever.”
All above photos by British Airways.
BOAC aircraft slide show:
Bottom Copyright Photo: BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) de Havilland DH.106 Comet 4 G-APDJ (msn 6429) LHR (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 933527.
Classic Video: I was a Jet Set Stewardess from the Smithsonian Channel
Smithsonian Channel has issued this great video that serves as a time machine back to the late 1950s and early 1960s during the initial “Jet Set” era.
Warning: this look back at the past may be a cultural shock for some.
Watch the full show from the Smithsonian Channel: CLICK HERE
The description by the Smithsonian: In the 1960s, jetliners changed air travel forever. Return to this golden age of commercial flight, when pilots looked like movie stars, passengers ate 7-course meals in economy, and charming stewardesses became the glamorous faces of the industry.
This video above includes insightful interviews with former stewardesses (mainly from BOAC and Pan Am) and also great color footage from the early jetliner era.
Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 707-436 G-APFH (msn 17709) of BOAC taxies at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on September 1, 1970.
BOAC aircraft slide show: 
Pan Am aircraft slide show:
