Flinhion757 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 229 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 5086 times:
I haven't yet flown transatlantic but would love to hear from you all about your experiences. Info like best airline to fly, best route (From USA) and anything you would like to put.
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 7598 posts, RR: 40 Reply 1, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 5083 times:
I've flown over 50 round trips over the North Atlantic myself. My very first flight back in 1974 was with an AC DC8 from DUS-YYZ.
I fly regularly between Canada and Germany and have flown with various airlines and types of aircraft almost always in econ class, unless I get a free upgrade.
Airlines that I have flown over the pond with include:
AC, BA, KL, LH, CP, TS, LT, DE, 2T, NW.
Aircraft that I have flown over the pond with include:
A330, A340, B757, B767, B747, DC8, DC10, L1011, MD11
My last flight was last Wednesday with a DE B763 from FRA-YVR.
In all these years, the scenery still amazes me, over Greenland and Northern Canada, especially in the summer months. But the best feeling, is when one flies eastbound, the sun rises usually over the east coast of Greenland (depending on the time of year and departure of course), and then the smell of coffee and breakfast being prepared. Then coming over Scotland, over the North Sea and over Mainland Europe.
My most memorable flight was with Canada3000 back in the summer of 1996. The routing was DUS-KEF-YYC-YVR and back. I really enjoyed that trip simply becuase of the fuel stop in KEF (aircraft was a B757), since it was almost the halfway point between DUS and YYC, it was nice to have an hours time to stretch your legs in the terminal.
Another memorable experience was back in the spring of 1989. I was coming back from FRA-YYZ on a LH B742. This was my first B747 flight, but what was really cool was that mid-way over the Atlantic, there was a Wardair A310 just off to our right side and just above us. We flew almost in perfect formation over the rest of the Atlantic. And it turned out that that A310 (coming in from LGW as I later found out), was our aircraft to take us from YYZ-YYC-YVR later that day.
Personally, out of my experiences, I enjoy KL's service the most. This followed by AC, LH and BA. TS and LT are by far my least favourite.
BHXDTW From Eritrea, joined Feb 2005, 1086 posts, RR: 6 Reply 2, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 5073 times:
ACDC8 really sums up transatlantic crossings well..
I havent had the wealth of experience that ACDC8 has but my first crossing was a Worldways Tristar... as I remember I was 6 at the time and my canadian mother was taking my brother and I and my grandmother back to Ontario for 3 weeks.. I was most upset that I wouldnt be seeing my dad for 3 weeks and it was compounded by the fact that I had centre seats and couldnt wave to my dad who was at the observation field..
I remember crying and the nice flight attendant allowed me to sit in a free window row so I could try and see my dad waving...such nice hospitality.
I returned on a nice DC8 with worldways also. the routing was BHXYYZBHX
Since then I have flown with BA/VS/AA/VZ
Most of them being from BHX to JFK on 757'S... That was a nice route also, I was particularly fond of those trips.
Nowadays I mostly fly in and out of DTW which is also nice on the 777's/767's
Sometimes I fly VS into JFK spend a few nights with family then fly up with NK into D town from LGA.
I really hope you enjoy any futute trips you have planned !
And as ACDC8 rightly points out.. waking up to the morning sun and the smell of fresh coffee.. thats one of the best parts of the trip !
BHXDTW From Eritrea, joined Feb 2005, 1086 posts, RR: 6 Reply 4, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 5054 times:
Quoting Dtwclipper (Reply 3): First Trans Atlantic for me was a charter flight from DTW to AGP in 1971.
REALLY ?!?! WOW !!
Hahaha charters from DTW to AGP ... now theres something I never thought Id hear...how was that flight ?
Was spain a big charter destination in the 70's from DTW/midwest america ?
Dtwclipper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5051 times:
Quoting BHXDTW (Reply 4): Hahaha charters from DTW to AGP ... now theres something I never thought Id hear...how was that flight ?
Was spain a big charter destination in the 70's from DTW/midwest america ?
I don't know how big of a destination it was from Detroit, I was only 9 years old at the time.
I remember it being a AFA and leaving near mid-night. This and my non-rev trip on Icelandair were the only two narrow body flights I took accross the pond.
We stayed at the Marbella Hilton (don't know if it is still there) with a huge group of Detroiters, and did a lot of tourist stuff. I'd love to post some pics but they are all old instamatic shots...lol
YULYMX From Canada, joined May 2006, 977 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5044 times:
My first Crossing was from Montréal (YMX) to AMS summer 1979 was 13 than
B747-100 probably the movie was superman was great for a kid
2 years ago i went to Paris on business Did YUL-CDG B777 to and A343 back both were great but there is something special about the T7 i notice the slow climb of the 343 but both flight were perfect... AF service in coach was great the food is good and if ask you could get real champagne... Both plane had PTV, games Etc...
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6242 posts, RR: 51 Reply 10, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 5041 times:
Dimoko From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 307 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 5033 times:
my first was last september on Northwest Airlines. DTW to AMS. It was on an airbus A330, and the AVOD saved me. I forgot my ipod on my desk and was completely bummed out!! but there was a GREAT selection of music on there, and it kept me busy.
i was stuck back in coach, but the flight wasnt too bad. the food was ok on the way over, on the way back i got stuck with the vegitarian meal.
nothing beat the KLM ham sandwich on the flight from AMS to HAJ tho!
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -- Douglas Adams
Andz From South Africa, joined Feb 2004, 8298 posts, RR: 11 Reply 14, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 5025 times:
My first transatlantic flight was on Delta way back in 1991, I flew FRA-DFW on an L-1011 daylight flight in business class. Nice big leather seats, good wine, attentive service... those were the days!
After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF...
LawrenceMck From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2005, 311 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5004 times:
My first Transatlantic was when I was a few months old on an Air 2000 757, but I dont remember much of that flight obviously .
My first Transatlantic flight that I remember was on a DL 763 MAN-ATL. Very nice flight, there's something inspiring about flying across the Atlantic. Also the return leg, ATL-MAN was a night flight for most of the way, but it really was worth it as the sunrises are stunning!
My most recent Transatlantic was on a UA 772 JFK-LHR, again, a great sunrise and a really pleasant atmosphere in the cabin. Can't wait for my next Transatlantic now!
TK787 From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 4108 posts, RR: 13 Reply 17, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 5000 times:
I don't know if this counts, but mine was AF 747 CDG-ANC in 1986.
Stormbringer From Canada, joined Apr 2005, 145 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 4981 times:
YVR - LGW via Air Transat on a dodgy L-1011 with a grumpy bunch of FAs. Ran out of coffee, the food was barely edible, and we refuelled twice with long waits each time. The total trip time was more like a transpacific flight. Arrived sore, tired, starving. The trip home was made better only by bringing alot of food onboard with us.
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 7598 posts, RR: 40 Reply 20, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 4980 times:
Quoting Stormbringer (Reply 19): YVR - LGW via Air Transat on a dodgy L-1011 with a grumpy bunch of FAs. Ran out of coffee, the food was barely edible, and we refuelled twice with long waits each time. The total trip time was more like a transpacific flight. Arrived sore, tired, starving. The trip home was made better only by bringing alot of food onboard with us.
LOL! Flew with them back in 1998 from YVR-AMS with the L1011. The seats were harder and smaller then in a Dash 8. By far the most rudest, arrogant F/A's I've ever had to listen to. Dinner was OK, but the "snack" we got before we ended up in AMS was a joke.
Thats what I said back then, but I ended up on one of their A332's this past May to FRA. Service improved somewhat, but the seats and legroom is disgusting. I gave them another shot, but this time I hope I never have to endure another Trans-Atlantic crossing on board one of their A/C.
ACDC8 From Canada, joined Mar 2005, 7598 posts, RR: 40 Reply 22, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 4971 times:
Quoting Stormbringer (Reply 21): Any chance of me flying them again ended when they accidently pumped all their fuel out into the ocean and ran out of gas.
That was actually the aircraft (C-GITS) I took from YVR-YYC-FRA back in May.
Tobi3334 From Germany, joined Sep 2004, 146 posts, RR: 3 Reply 24, posted (6 years 10 months 1 week 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 4954 times:
Around 10 years ago ...... CDG-Santo Domingo with an AF 747-300.
25 TPAnx: KLM DC-6 in'63..from Idlewild (now JFK) to AMS. Remember staring out the window at the red-hot manifold and the blue flame of the exhaust. A good flig
26 Swissgabe: ZRH-BOS on a Swissair 743 back in 1993
27 RoseFlyer: My first was United SEA-ORD-LHR on July 4th 1997. SEA-ORD on a DC10 in First Class and then ORD-LHR in Business Class on a brand new 777. The 777s wer
28 Stormbringer: I see comments like this alot. Personally I think that if you want eye-candy the best thing is to buy a copy of FHM at the airport newstand. If somet
29 DENplanenut: My first was in 1996 EWR - ZHR on Swiss Air and flew on a B747-357. Originally scheduled PHL-ZRH-BSL, but a spring snowstorm forced us to fly out of E
30 FlyMatt2Bermud: I started flying to Bermuda in Lears in 1984. That probably wasn't what you were looking for. My first North Atlantic crossings began in 1993 between
31 EGTESkyGod: My first transatlantic flight? July 1998, British Airways Concorde G-BOAG, LHR to JFK. Microsoft Flight Simulator 98. I've not done any transatlantic
32 FlyMatt2Bermud: I suppose my first transatlantic flight was Nice to New York on Delta. Here is a recap of my transatlantic experiences. AIR FRANCE 777, 767 The seatin
33 LY777: my first transatlantic flight was Paris-Atlanta on DL L1011 in 1987!!!I was 3!!! my latest transatlantic flight was CDG-MIA on AF 744 in 2001
34 Usair320: Mine was on UA: IAD-MXP 763 MXP-IAD 763 way back in 2000 Othe aircraft I have crossed the pond with: 763,A330-300,A340-300,762,744,772,752.
35 YYZYHZ: My first was when I was 3 on British Airways from YYZ-LHR on a 747 Of course I really don't remember much from the flight, although for some strange r
36 A340600: Hey, Mine was in 1997. We were on standby and the Caledonian DC-10 we'd got onto LGW-SFB went tech. 9 hours later a Tower Air 747-100 arrived to take
37 Touchdown777: My first transatlantic experience was my first real life flying experience ... and it was awesome: June 18, 1996, NW (KLM), DTW-AMS View Large View Me
38 Jumbopilot: I have got the first opportunity to fly via the pond after the political turn in Germany. In 1991 we had our first holiday trip outside Europe. We tra
39 Lxlgu: April 1975 Boeing 707 ILHA DO SAL (Cape Verde ) to KENNEDY South African Airways ZS SAF Was cabin crew then Remember we had only 32 pax The return we
40 BMIFlyer: LGW to EWR on VS, back in 2000 Premium Economy too Lee
41 JGPH1A: 02Oct90 SA206 B747SP ZS-SPE GIG CPT JNB I'd been on a round the world trip, my first international ID00 ticket - JNB-MRU-TPE-SFO-DFW-MCO-EYW-MIA-GIG-C
42 Thepilot: British Airways Flight 49 (a 747-400), from SEA-LHR on 4/2/2004. I sat in the middle seat between two 260 pound guys. However, the amenities kit, the
43 FlyMatt2Bermud: Been there, done that 'thepilot'! I'm just glad the experience didn't ruin your golf game!
44 AirCop: What Qantas trans-atlantic, didn't know they did that. First trans-atlantic was LAX-LGW on a Laker DC-10.
45 Burnsie28: I have flown accross the pond twice. 1988 COS-STL-LGW on TWA (762), too little to remember much. 2002 COS-ATL-FRA on Delta (763)
47 ANCFlyer: First Trans-Atlantic was on a World Airways DC-10 in 1979 from Charleston AFB to Rhein Main, AFB. Subsequent trips have been on LH (747s), TWA (L-1011
48 Leskova: My first transatlantic crossing was in 1981, I think it was in March - my father had just been temporarily assigned to a job in Houston for a year, an
49 Jkw777: Hi all! June 1995 with Virgin Atlantic. Me and my family flew LGW-MCO for a 3 week break in Orlando. We went back again in May 1996 for 4 weeks. Since
50 1stfl94: 1999 LHR-JFK on a VERY old BA 747 (think it was retired only a few months later), rude cabin crew, awful turbulence and a projection screen for entert
51 ABfemme: Pan Am 747 from MAN to Oregon back in the early 80's - Had several trips across the pond visiting a friend in Portland, always with Pan Am. Actually w
52 Acjflyer: First flight was MIA-MAD on AA of which was a good and bad experience. The bad being the fact that I was sitting in the last row with no room to recli
53 BA286: Well I've flown on two carriers across the Atlantic, BA and KLM. All together 7 round trips, 3 on KLM/Nothwest and 4 on BA, Once in Club World. When i
54 CV990: Hi! Just for your record here goes my first transatlantic flight details: Date: 1982/06/19 Airline: BA Airplane: Boeing 747-200 ( with RRoyce engines
55 Evan767: My first transatlantic flight: Delta Air Lines JFK-MUC Business Elite January of 2000 Saw the northern lights, one of the best flights of my life
56 TPAnx: So..55 replies..and I'm the only person to have taken a prop across? TPAnx
57 LO231: -My first was Martinair 767-300 AMS - POP back in 1998. Regards, LO231
58 L410Turbolet: FRA-CVG with Delta's L-1011 in August 1993.
60 Alfa75: ...will be on Sept. 23, 2006. JFK to KEF. Icelandair. Seeing as Iceland is considered a European country, I think it counts.
61 NorthstarBoy: My first Transatlatic flight: June 1985 Minneapolis-London on a NW 747-100 as part of a high school "educational" tour of europe. the plane was an hou
62 TriStar500: My first transatlantic flight was in March 1992 on a brand-new (at that point) Delta Airlines B767-300(ER) on FRA-JFK.
63 Tonforty: My first transatlantic flight was BRU-ORD in 1998 with Sabena on a 743(I think). Then ORD-LUK-LGA with delta and back across the pond JFK-BRU with del
64 Lucky42: April 1979 JFK-KEF-LUX Icelandair DC-10. Was a High School trip to Germany was a blast being able to purchase beer at the tender age of 15...
65 COERJ: My first transatlantic flight was on a CO 777 from EWR-CDG. It was an outstanding experience that was a great way to start out transatlantic flying. I
66 BananaBoY: My first transatlantic flight: Monarch Airlines 757 LGW-MAN-BGR-MCO Too bloody ages. We had exit seats thankfully. It was in 1995 I think. And I remem
67 ZKNBX: The Atlantic is not my home patch, but I've been lucky enough to fly the following AA - B767-300ER LHR-JFK (not far behind the worst) AC - B767-300ER
69 KSYR: Summer 1998 I hopped across the pond for the first time aboard a Delta MD-11, routed ATL-FRA. Great flight, very memorable and even better to be aboar
71 AirScoot: First experience was BOS-PIK on NW in (87?) in coach with my dad. All I remember of the flight was the overhead light didn't work. The next year it wa
73 Flinhion757: I love them... Please keep 'em comin'!!!!!
74 BlueShamu330s: My first ever transatlantic crossing was Gatwick to JFK in April 1979. It was a school music exchange trip. Outbound was World Airways DC8-63 N806WA.
75 AussieItaliano: My first was on March 18, 1992. It was from LAX to MXP on an Alitalia MD11 (both directions). My grandfather took me to Italy for a week. I was planni
76 EHHO: I'm so sorry. I have an ill granddad myself. My condolences.
78 AJO: July / August 1993: AF CDG-SFO LAX-CDG July 1995: MP AMS-DEN DEN-YMX-AMS November 2000: Sabena BRU-JFK EWR-BRU June 2002: NW AMS-JFK EWR-DTW-AMS Febru
79 Flinhion757: Oh and if you can please include pictures
80 MSPGUY: April 2005 NW DC10 MSP-LGW Sept 2005 NW A333 MSP-AMS (business class) Both flights were great, but the Amsterdamn flight in business class was the bes
81 AY104: First flight over the Atlantic was early 60's on Canadian Pacific Bristol Britannia "Empress of Buenos Aires". The routing was YVR-YYC-YEG-Sondrestrom
82 Levent: I don't actively remember my first transatlantic flight, but I know it was a KLM 747-200 from Amsterdam via Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires. That was i
83 Afay1: My first was January 2001 on a Sabena A330-200, JFK-BRU. It was already near the end for them and ground service on both ends was laughably bad, and d
84 SW733: My first transatlantic flight was from London to Chicago when I was just a few months old (March 1984 to be specific - I was four months old); I was t
85 Mortyman: London New York - New York - London in 1988 with Pan AM ( 747 ) I took the exact same trip in 1990. Pan Am 747. I guess it was just before Pan Am trew
86 ThePRGuy: London to Washington on a VS B741 Good times Thanks PR
87 VinnieWinnie: My first transatlantic flight was MAD-HAV on the 8th of may 2000. Even found the boarding pass back it was flight IB6625 and was seated in seat 33E. I
88 Mfricke: My first Transatlantic flight was in July, 1988. I was traveling with my high school German teacher who took my class to Germany and Austria for the s
89 DeltaRules: July 1999- NW 68 DTW-AMS, 747-400. My only 747 flight to date. Since then: 8/99- NW 47 LGW-DTW, DC-10 7/00- NW 66 DTW-FCO, DC-10 7/00- NW 65 FCO-DTW,
90 BHMNONREV: My first was Feb 1978 JFK-LHR. TWA 747-131, non-revved unaccompanied on my first trip trans-atlantic. Got the last seat in First Class, in the pair ri
91 N200WN: September 1983 - Global Airways 707 from McGuire AFB (NJ) to RAF Mildenhall (UK) with a tech stop in Gander.
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