Tag Archives: Historic Photo

British Airways to retire the last Boeing 757 (G-CPET) on October 30

British Airways Boeing 757-236 G-BIKB (msn 22173) GLA (Vernon Murphy) (historic photo – first day of service – Feb. 8, 1983), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

British Airways (London) is planning to retire its last Boeing 757-200 from revenue service on October 30, visiting Shuttle cities on the last day. An Ian Allan special enthusiast charter flight from London to Manchester is also being planned for November 6. BA will paint the last 757 in this delivery livery to celebrate over 17 years of faithful service. The last three 757s currently in service are G-CPER, G-CPES and G-CPET (besides those operated by OpenSkies).

Update: Boeing 757-236 G-CPET (msn 29115) entered the paint shop on September 26 and is expected to be rolled out at London (Heathrow) on October 3 in the retrojet color scheme.

Copyright Photo: Vernon Murphy. The first Boeing 757 on the first day of revenue service at Glasgow. The pictured 757-236 G-BIKB (msn 22173) was the first to arrive on January 15, 1983 and entered revenue service on February 8, 1983. G-BIKB also displays the original 1973 livery.

Continental Airlines and United Airlines announce a merger of equal airlines

Image: United Airlines/Continental Airlines.

Continental Airlines-United Air Lines Douglas DC-6B N90961 (msn 44689) (CO-UA Interchange dual titles) DEN (Ted J. Gibson-Bruce Drum Collection) (Continental and United announce a merger of equals), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Continental Airlines (Houston) and United Airlines (Chicago) today (May 3) as expected, announced a definitive merger agreement, creating the world’s largest airline (larger than Delta) with service to 370 destinations around the world. The all-stock merger of equals brings together two of the world’s largest airlines.

Glenn Tilton, chairman, president and chief executive officer of UAL Corp., will serve as non-executive chairman of the combined company’s Board of Directors through December 31, 2012 or the second anniversary of closing, whichever is later. Jeff Smisek, Continental’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, will be chief executive officer and a member of the Board of Directors. He will also become executive chairman of the Board upon Tilton’s ceasing to be non-executive chairman. Translation: Smisek (CO) is running the show.

The holding company for the new entity will be named United Continental Holdings, Inc. and the name of the airline will be United Airlines. The marketing brand will be a combination of the brands of both companies. Aircraft will have the Continental livery, logo and colors with the United name, and the announcement campaign slogan will be “Let’s Fly Together.” This means the UA brand will be retired, but the name will survive. This also means the CO brand will survived, but the name will be retired (an unique combination). The new company’s corporate and operational headquarters will be in Chicago and it will maintain a significant presence in Houston, which will be the combined company’s largest hub. Additionally, the CEO will maintain offices in both Chicago and Houston.

On a pro forma basis, the combined company would have annual revenues of approximately $29 billion based on 2009 financial results, and an unrestricted cash balance of approximately $7.4 billion as of the end of first quarter 2010, including United’s recently closed financing transaction.

In the merger, Continental shareholders will receive 1.05 shares of United common stock for each Continental common share they own. United shareholders would own approximately 55% of the equity of the combined company and Continental shareholders would own approximately 45%, including in-the-money convertible securities on an as-converted basis.

The merger is expected to deliver $1.0 billion to $1.2 billion in net annual synergies by 2013, including between $800 million and $900 million of incremental annual revenues, in large part from expanded customer options resulting from the greater scope and scale of the network, and additional international service enabled by the broader network of the combined carrier. Expected synergies are in addition to the significant benefits derived from the companies’ existing alliance and expected from their future joint venture relationships. The combined company is also expected to realize between $200 million and $300 million of net cost synergies on a run-rate basis by 2013. One-time costs related to the transaction are expected to total approximately $1.2 billion spread over a three-year period.

The combined airline will have the most modern, fuel-efficient fleet (adjusted for cabin mix) and the best new aircraft order book among major U.S. network carriers. It will have the financial strength to enhance customers’ travel experience by enabling it to invest in globally competitive products, upgrade technology, refurbish and replace older aircraft, and implement the best-in-class practices of both airlines.

The merger will create the industry’s leading frequent flyer program, offering vast opportunities for customers to earn and redeem miles, including on Star Alliance partners.

United and Continental are members of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline network. Star Alliance customers will continue to benefit from service to over 1,000 destinations, more connecting opportunities, additional scheduling flexibility and access to leading reciprocal frequent flyer and airport lounge benefits with Star Alliance’s 24 other member airlines around the world.

The merger, which has been approved unanimously by the Boards of Directors of both companies, is conditioned on approval by the shareholders of both companies, receipt of regulatory clearance, and customary closing conditions. The companies expect to complete the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2010. During the period between signing and closing of the merger, the CEOs of both companies will lead a transition team, which will develop a specific integration plan.

A slide presentation and the live audio webcast will be available and archived on a new dedicated merger website at http://www.unitedcontinentalmerger.com.

Copyright Photo: Ted J. Gibson/Bruce Drum Collection. This is not the first time CO and UA have come together and flown together. In the past the two companies operated an interchange route. CO’s Douglas DC-6B N90961 (msn 44689) poses for the camera at DEN (where ironically both companies once had competing hubs) with dual titles. Please click on the photo for additional details.

Ride a “romantic champagne flight” over Chicago for $10 (in 1968)

Reliving Airline History

In 1968 Continental Airlines (Houston) had a small problem. Its relatively new Boeing 720Bs were sitting idle each Saturday night at O’Hare International Airport (ORD), normally a slow period for air travel. The company had an idea. Eager to introduce its new “Proud Bird with the Golden Tail” brand (actually introduced in March 1967 with the first Boeing 727 for Air Micronesia) to encourage more flyers, the company had the idea of offering 45-minute “romantic champagne flights over Chicago” charter flights on the idle Boeing 720Bs. The best part was the price – only $10 for the first passenger and $5 for each additional member of the party. It was a hit with the public.

Marshall Massengale seized the opportunity and invited a classroom date for the “romantic” flight.

Marshall recalls…

“This would have been spring of 1968 and followed closely on the heels of Continental changing their logo and livery to the so-called “meatball” color scheme. The actual aircraft I flew on was in the old “Golden Jet” (1962) livery, though I had hoped to see the new one.

The flight was a scene from the 1970 blockbuster movie hit “Airport” starring Burt Lancaster, Jacqueline Bisset and Dean Martin. My date and I boarded the Boeing 720B through the aft jetway, the aircraft having been parked parallel to the terminal rather than nosed in. This was the fashion in those days with United, Continental, Eastern and other heavily unionized carriers for whom it may have been more cost-effective to have their jets exit the ramp under their own power rather than to have to maintain union mechanics to “push out” from a nosed in gate position. By contrast, Delta and American nosed in their jets at ORD to single point, non-pivotal short jetways. Of course, Delta had to use the traditional exposed, lower level ramp boarding areas at ORD for its Douglas DC-6s, DC-7s and Convair 440 aircraft. United, at least, was able to use extendable, pivotal jetways to reach prop planes such as their DC-6s and DC-6Bs and even their Viscounts, although most of the time, lower level boarding was the rule more so than the exception.

My date and I were issued regular single flight tickets which were placed in the standard Continental boarding pass ticket jacket marked on the outside in the ubiquitous Litho black grease pencil with gate and boarding time in the manner demonstrated in “Airport”.

I was, of course, intimately familiar with the standard boarding procedures, but my date was not. It was all new to her but she took it all in stride and exuded an enthusiasm that reminded me of my first passenger flight experience. In short, I delighted in all of this, knowing I had given my friend her first commercial airline flight experience. I was very much conscious of the fact she would never forget this experience and was aware that were she ever to be asked about her first flight on a plane, this would be the time she would recall for the rest of her life.

We managed to draw a window and center seat together on the port side in the coach section of the aircraft aft of the wings which afforded a wonderful view of the city. I remembered how she gripped my arm as the aircraft accelerated on take off but relaxed once airborne. Thereafter, she delighted in the wonder of the illuminated nighttime panorama that unfolded beneath us. The flight took us through a number of turns over the sprawling metropolis of Chicago, the sparkling flood of bright city lights ending abruptly against the curving, midnight black silhouette of Lake Michigan.

All too soon, it seemed, the flight was over. It was the only time I dated this particular classmate of mine, but I never forgot the experience and never regretted the time we spent together on that magical evening. Knowing I had been able to give someone something special that she would find worth remembering for a lifetime provided its own reward and it has warmed me through the years.”

Thank you Marshall for your fond recollections of this special flight.

Do you have a personal recollection of a special airline flight? This new special Reliving Airline History feature will occasionally highlight airline service from the past, an era now long gone in this airline news blog. Please contact us at airlinersgallery@gmail.com.

Here is the ad in the local Chicago newspaper announcing the special Continental Airlines champagne flights (courtesy of Marshall Massengale):

20 Years Ago: Piedmont is merged into USAir

Please click on photo for full view, information and other historic photos.

Continental to unveil 737-900ER “Blue Skyway”

Please click on photo for full view, information and other hot photos.

Please click on photo for full view, information and other historic photos.

Continental Airlines (Houston) in celebration of its 75th Anniversary is painting its new Boeing 737-924 ER N75436 (msn 33531) in a retro 1947 “Blue Skyway” livery. The new special color scheme adorned aircraft will fly to Houston on June 25 and will be unveiled to the employees at gate E5 at 3 p.m. (1500). The following day the airliner will fly to Newark for an anniversary celebration at 10 a.m. (1000) at gate 120. The 737 will then fly to Cleveland for another celebration at 1:30 p.m. on the same day at 1:30 p.m. (1330). The Douglas DC-3 and Convair 240-era “Blue Sky” 1947 livery was selected by the employees in a contest. Further information (registration?) and any photos are always welcome.

MALEV returns to St. Petersburg

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MALEV Hungarian Airlines (Budapest) returned to St. Petersburg (Pulkovo) yesterday with twice-weekly flights. The company launched its first service between the two cities in 1970 and had operated on the route for 30 years until service was suspended.

Continental wins OK to join the Star Alliance

Continental and United have been close in the past. Please click on photo for full view and the story of the CO-UA interchange.

Continental Airlines (Houston) has received tentative antitrust immunity from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for its membership in the Star Alliance. Subject to a final determination, this clears the way for Continental to join with United, Air Canada and Lufthansa to proceed with the “Atlantic Plus-Plus” plan to organize trans-Atlantic capacity, marketing, sales and revenue sharing.

Delta to phase out the Northwest brand in 2010

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Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) is quickly repainting the Northwest Airlines-NWA fleet, changing signage and issuing Delta uniforms to NW flight crews. The Northwest brand will be gone by the end of 2010.

Watch for a special salute to the history of Northwest Airlines this summer in the Airliners Gallery digital photo library. Click on the photo for a sample and then search on “Northwest” (many more photos coming).