HOONS90 From Canada, joined Aug 2001, 2668 posts, RR: 54 Posted (4 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 1606 times:
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Just bought my tickets on AA's first ever flight to Korea, DFW-ICN on May 9th. Has anyone ever been on an inaugural flight for a route, aircraft type or airline? Did you get to enjoy the hors d'oeuvres at the gate?
The biggest mistake made by most human beings: Listening to only half, understanding just a quarter and telling double.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21482 posts, RR: 24 Reply 6, posted (4 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 1527 times:
QF operated a few of their 744 delivery flights as revenue extra sections YVR-SYD nonstop at special low fares.
CP worked fairly closely with QF then and I managed to arrange a nonrev ticket on the first of those flights in August 1990, luckily in F class which was empty except for myself, another CP colleague, and 2 or 3 QF staff who had been involved in the delivery formalities. The rest of the flight was well under half full (they didn't sell the entire capacity).
So it was both the first revenue flight of that 744 as well as the first-ever nonstop flight from Canada to Australia. Passengers were given a certificate signed by the captain and purser commemorating the latter event. It was a daytime flight, departed YVR around 10 AM.
dstc47 From Ireland, joined Sep 1999, 1351 posts, RR: 3 Reply 7, posted (4 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1468 times:
Been on two inaugural flights.
Absolutely nothing on the first, in terms of gifts or service, except a check in delay as new handling agents tried to cope with an unfamiliar carriers procedures. On the second, just a water fountain welcome from the airport fire service.
I did get a free slice of cake from CO, almost 30 years ago, as an inaugural flight left from the nearby gate, as I waited to board another service.
reifel From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 1135 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (4 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1452 times:
I was on the inaugural flight with Niki from Vienna to Frankfurt.
That was a big thing since they were basically first entering OS/LH territory (although I believe JP did it at smaller extend already).
Most passengers on board didn't even know it was an inaugural. At the gate in Vienna there was nothing special. Niki Lauda flown the jet and on board there was sparkling wine for free and a present. In Frankfurt for the flight the other way round there was a gate ceremony with Media and cake.
L1011 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1583 posts, RR: 10 Reply 10, posted (4 months 1 week 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1428 times:
I was on the last PanAm Shuttle flight from DCA to LGA, and the next morning I flew on the first Delta Shuttle flight from LGA-DCA. Cake was served in the gate area for the first Delta Shuttle flight. The PanAm flight was on 8/31/91, Boeing 727-200 N877UM, and the Delta flight was on 9/1/91, Boeing 727-200 N555PE.
airportugal310 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3065 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (4 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1366 times:
I havent ever been on an inaugural flight, however, I've gone to the respective gates of 2 of our recent route launches (CTS and BNE). Quite a sight to see!
Hula dancers, live band playing traditional Hawaiian music, food, leis, the whole nine yards.
I'm told our AKL inaugural is going to be a doozie so I plan on attending
VC10er From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 2426 posts, RR: 9 Reply 17, posted (4 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1267 times:
On October 28 2007 I was on the inaugural flight on United from Washington Dulles to Rio de Janeiro. UA 873. I have a cool certificate signed by Glenn Tilton and the Pilot. It has a big illustration of a Tucan in a rain forest. (from the days of illustration advertising)
The world is missing love, let's use our flights to spread it!
RJLover From Canada, joined Dec 2006, 567 posts, RR: 1 Reply 18, posted (4 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 1243 times:
I was on the AC/QK inaugural flight to/from YFB, a couple of years ago. It was a thru flight, operating YUL-YOW-YFB and there was no mention in YUL of it being the inaugural flight. I think there was in YOW, but I wasn't in the terminal to hear it (stayed on board for the turn).
Last Flight(s): YHZ-EWR-FLL // MIA-YYZ-YOW-YHZ.....Next Flight(s):
aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8357 posts, RR: 47 Reply 19, posted (4 months 1 week 23 hours ago) and read 1239 times:
I don't know if this counts, but I was on LOT's first 787 flight to HAJ, 23 December 2012. We got a fifty-minute delay (during which I feared they were going to put us on e.g. a 737), a certificate and special announcements were made by a very cheerful crew. On top of that, just about everyone with any sort of status in Miles & More got an upgrade - I ended up in business class... nice to see an airline actually giving a damn about FFs.
There were no special celebrations at the departure and arrival gates and no water cannon either, but that would have been pointless - HAJ was wet enough as it was. Annoingly, some complete miscast from HAJ ground staff started trying to usher everyone out of the aircraft as soon as she had got on it. What a dork.
Walk together, talk together all ye peoples of the earth. Then, and only then, shall ye have peace.
mdavies06 From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2009, 329 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (4 months 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1116 times:
inaugural for an airport terminal for me. A very modern one and one of the largest terminal in the world - LHR T5 in 2008. i was onboard the first departure flight BA 302 to CDG on the opening day.
seansasLCY From Hong Kong, joined Mar 2007, 717 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (4 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 1106 times:
I went on the first A380 from London to Singapore. SQ had food in the gate area, some speeches and then onboard we had a laptop bag filled with items including pens, model aircraft and travel items.
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11124 posts, RR: 63 Reply 23, posted (4 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1039 times:
I did a few inaugural routes with Air Southwest; PLH-LCY, ORK-PLH, PLH-NQY-DUB, have some nice certificates and memories from those. Conversely I was the last passenger to disembark one of their flights at Plymouth and was the last one to leave the plane on their final service into Newquay.
In 2008 I did the first flight (KBP-SIP) of WizzAir Ukraine, which was also the inaugural commercial flight of the carrier's first A320. Ended up on Ukrainian National TV and enjoyed the complementary service.
In 2010 I was on the launch flight of Varsity Express from OXF to EDI... also making it the 11th last flight that carrier made!
I've done quite a few first flights of a summer/winter season, best one being a MAH-CWL flight on a 733 where I was the only passenger.
UK_Dispatcher From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2001, 2550 posts, RR: 33 Reply 24, posted (3 months 4 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 909 times:
I've been on numerous 'second flights' because of the job I was doing a few years ago, but the only times I flew on the actual inaugurals were the following:
Etihad Airways, B767-341/ER, A6-EYZ
EY706, 18 June 2006, DOH-AUH
Etihad Airways, B777-3FX/ER, A6-ETA
EY731, 03 December 2006, AUH-IKA
EY732, 03 December 2006, IKA-AUH
[Edited 2013-01-24 21:43:59]
25 MadameConcorde: All depends on what you call inaugural flights. For me the only inaugurals are the very first commercial flights of a totally new / revolutionary airc
26 Viscount724: How many Concorde flights did you make in total, and who did you think offered the best service, AF or BA?
27 mhkansan: I did the inaugural DCA-LAX flight on AA, which was a wonderful experience. They brought musicians and celebrities to the gate and had a water-cannon
28 copter808: I've done about 7,often both ways. Get to the gate a few hours early if possible because, depending on the carrier, they may have some interesting ent
29 aloges: That's a nice one! Did they have time to throw bags of peanuts at the pax?
30 avianca: yes aprox 2 years ago when AF restarted the Lim operation. AF-483 LIM-CCS on B772 in J
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Annoingly, some complete miscast from HAJ ground staff started trying to usher everyone out of the aircraft as soon as she had got on it. What a dork.
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