[Travel] Can you remember your 1st flight?

[Guinness Boy]

Gatwick to Dusseldorf, from the photos late 70s.

The terminal was full of Freddie Laker ads and a "Big Orange" flight to the States taxied next to us. I thought it was all incredibly exotic and the odd Inter City 125 to the midlands to see family was never quite as exciting again.

 

[Justice]

Yes London to Orlando in the early 90’s for Disney plus holiday aged about 9/10. We had many other vacations as kids but never flew. Mostly road trips to Western Europe.

That brings back memories, the rich kid in the class went to Disney world whilst the rest of us had to suffer a wet two weeks in Wales.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Southampton to Jersey in 1977. We were married in 1977 and then the in-laws promptly moved to Jersey for work.

That was in the days when Southampton Airport Terminal was a lovely if dilapidated Art Deco building with original furniture etc.

 

[jakarta]

Gatwick to Palma 1976 on a Dan Air Comet 4. One good thing about this airline was the opportunity to fly on one of these as not many airlines had them or would do in the future. Nice, smooth planes tarnished by metal fatigue problems and crashes in earlier models.

Ringway to Ibiza also on Charter Flight Comet 4 in August 1971. Lovely aircraft!

Wasn't used to the Spanish sun and had VERY bad sunburn after a couple of days (as in massive blisters on my arms which had to be lanced by local doctor) so a memorable holiday but not for the right reasons.

Have been careful to cover myself up in similar countries ever since.

 

[boik]

Raf Britannia from brize Norton to Prestwick and then circuit and bumps before flying back. No seats, we all just sat on the bare metal floor. Don't tell H&S!

 

[Seecider]

Lydd to Ostend in 1982, followed by coach down to Austria and Venice.

 

[Justice]

Think it was a Dan air tiny twin prop plane from Gatwick to Bern. Possibly 1978.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Yep, a Bristol Freighter?

View attachment 145011

That's the chappie!

 

[Tillo]

Bangladesh Biman. Calcutta to Dhaka 1983 every flight since has been an improvement !

 

[ManOfSussex]

Dan Air, Gatwick to Tenerife, 1991 when I was still 12. My Mum had a word with a flight attendant and I actually went in the cockpit when the pilots were having their dinner as the plane was flying over Lisbon. They asked me where I was from and if I was interested in football and then pointed out the Estadio Da Luz as the floodlights were on as Benfica were playing at home. Could also see the 25 de Abril Bridge too.

 

[zefarelly]

Funny really, couldn’t afford holidays abroad when I was a kid, last 25 years of my working life involved a flight almost every ****ing week

Likewise, never flew as a kid, nor did much holidaying. did my fair share via work, when I holiday ( can't remember the last one) it's usually on wheels.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

Remember where from and to, but not really the flight. The take off and landings have all been pretty similar, and fortunately I have the same number of take off's as landings.

 

[Official Old Man]

1971 Gatwick to a family holiday in Tunisia. My Sweet Lord & Knock Three Times in the charts. Les Oranges Hotel. Pretty sure it was a Trident plane, with the engine on the tail. Return flight I was very bad. Ears and nose bleeding. Swore I'd never fly again. Since then met Freddie Laker, Dickie Branson and been flown by Captain Kirk, but not that one.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

1988. Gatwick(I think) to Naples.

Might have been allowed in the cockpit, but can't really remember. I also have a vague memory thaat everyone clapped when the plane landed. Was that a thing back then? And if it was, when did it stop?

 

[half time scores]

1974 Devils Dyke on a Hanglider.

1st commercial flight, Gatwick to Edmonton Alcerta 1976

 

[marlowe]

December 1979 Gatwick to Palermo, Sicily

Threw up in someone's duty free bag on return journey. Brought on by a really sickly cake (local delicacy) that was forced on me by my Italian host prior to my departure. The owner of the duty free had it coming. He and his mate kept invading my personal space, sitting on the arm of my seat to talk to the person next to me who was part of their group.

 

[The Camel]

Portsmouth to Jersey in a little light aircraft taking off from a grass runway in about 1972 when I was 4.

Put me off flying for about 25 years.

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

Heathrow - Shanghai 2016 (at 31 years of age). Nice 11+ hour flight to ease me in.

 

[Morvangull]

Around 1954 I guess with my parents on a flight from Lydd to France somewhere (?Le Touquet?). Back in the days when you (or rather, my Dad) drove the car onto the bloody plane!!!!

My memory might be playing silly buggers but I think I'm right.

I did that flight with my Mum And Dad in the late 1950's, and your right it was Lydd to Le Touquet. We were having a camping holiday in France. I can still remember how the whole aircraft shook as it built up the revs for take off. i can't remember what the planes were but believe they took a maximum of 4 cars.

 

[Diablo]

First flight was to france on prop plane circa 1969/70.
Used to frequent "Horns Lodge" south chailey where "Freddie Laker" was regularly and had his name engraved on the bar. Took Skytrain to America several times.