EGGP From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2006, 8 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 8 months 3 hours ago) and read 4353 times:
What would be the fastest travel time between New York and London (now Concorde has ceased flying), if say I was Prime Minister and had to travel back for a national emergency, I'd travel alone, without the entourage and comfort would not be an issue.
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 3751 posts, RR: 14 Reply 2, posted (2 years 8 months 3 hours ago) and read 4298 times:
From what I understand he IS the national emergency!
With flights running like commuter trains on that city pair, taking usually less than 7 hours, he is save to take the next one out. A PM does not necessarly has to go through all that security BS, a helicopter takes hom direct from the city to the BA terminal, if no F seat available, a passenger gets bumped, and the limo waits at LHR. If that's not comfort I don'tknow what comfort is.
Kole Feut un' 'nen steiffen Wind gifft 'nen krusen Buedel un' 'nen luetten Pint
LAXspotter From India, joined Jan 2007, 3650 posts, RR: 7 Reply 6, posted (2 years 8 months ago) and read 4037 times:
It seems that the cessna citation X is capable of doing NY-LHR but only with a limited capacity of passengers. Nevertheless I think with favorable winds, it could be made in 5 hours.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" Samuel Johnson
8herveg From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2006, 961 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (2 years 8 months ago) and read 3936 times:
Quoting PanHAM (Reply 2): if no F seat available, a passenger gets bumped,
When you mean bumped, you mean bumped down surely? If the Prime Minister wanted to fly First Class at the last minute but they were all booked up, surely one of the First Class passengers would have to be put down to Business Class and be given a refund?
Par13del From Bahamas, joined Dec 2005, 2374 posts, RR: 3 Reply 9, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3874 times:
Fastest way between LHR and NYC by commercial aviation is by any carrier who is using a B-747, the old lady is still the fastest commercial a/c around if the ATC dweeds don't hold her down.
ANother From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3816 times:
Quoting 8herveg (Reply 8): When you mean bumped, you mean bumped down surely?
While this is likely what the airline in question would do - this would be more expensive than bumping him. Under the EC's Regulation involuntary down-grade requires a refund of 75% of the fare, while bumping would be a max of eur600.
8herveg From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2006, 961 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3779 times:
Quoting ANother (Reply 10): While this is likely what the airline in question would do - this would be more expensive than bumping him. Under the EC's Regulation involuntary down-grade requires a refund of 75% of the fare, while bumping would be a max of eur600.
But you can't get bumped up any further than First Class!! If First Class is full, and then suddenly the Prime Minister needed to rush back to London from New York in a First Class seat, where would one of the First Class passengers get bumped up to? The cockpit??? Lol.
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 3751 posts, RR: 14 Reply 13, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3769 times:
Quoting 8herveg (Reply 8):
When you mean bumped, you mean bumped down surely? If the Prime Minister wanted to fly First Class at the last minute but they were all booked up, surely one of the First Class passengers would have to be put down to Business Class and be given a refund?
Volunteers might offer their seats, depending what kind of national emergency is going on.
Yes, I did not explain in detail what I meant and I really see no reason why I should have. The question was, how quick the PM could return from NY to London. I am Executive Club Gold and have travelled BA First, I know the staff is very polite and would, in that case, ask for volunteers, giving the reason and all the excuses.
Kole Feut un' 'nen steiffen Wind gifft 'nen krusen Buedel un' 'nen luetten Pint
LHR777 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3730 times:
Quoting 8herveg (Reply 11): But you can't get bumped up any further than First Class!! If First Class is full, and then suddenly the Prime Minister needed to rush back to London from New York in a First Class seat, where would one of the First Class passengers get bumped up to? The cockpit??? Lol.
Bumped off, as in 'involuntary denied-boarding', as opposed to 'bumped-up' (invol upgrade) or 'bumped down' (invol downgrade).
If Tony Blair needs a seat in BA First and the flight is full, then I guess the F passenger gets bumped down to Club World. Club gets bumped to World Traveller Plus, WTP gets bumped to World Traveller, WT gets denied boarding.
8herveg From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2006, 961 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3712 times:
Quoting LHR777 (Reply 14): Bumped off, as in 'involuntary denied-boarding', as opposed to 'bumped-up' (invol upgrade) or 'bumped down' (invol downgrade).
Oh ok I understand. Sorry PanHAM just said 'bumped', so I assumed bumped up. Thanks for explanation.
ANother From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 3612 times:
Quoting LHR777 (Reply 14): then I guess the F passenger gets bumped down to Club World. Club gets bumped to World Traveller Plus, WTP gets bumped to World Traveller, WT gets denied boarding.
In accordance with the regulation that would cost BA 75% of the F fare (GBP6000?), 75% of the J fare (GBP3500?), 75% of W (GBP1800) plus eur600 for bumping the Y pax. Cheaper to offload the F pax at eur600, but less customer friendly. Hopefully they would find a volunteer to avoid all the hassle.
ADent From United States, joined Dec 2006, 476 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 3428 times:
Fastest would be a F22 with SuperCruise (it can cruise at supersonic speeds w/o afterburner). An F-15 could do it supersonically too, but with more air-to-air refuelings.
Then next fastest would be VIP 747 with maximum throttle push and waving of 250kt speed limits.
Citation X could be faster, but AF1 or AF2 could be ready to go in the time it took to get to it - time wasted while looking for a Citation X. Other VIP A/C (What can a GV do?) would be close.
Otherwise just go to JFK and get on the next commercial flight.
EZYAirbus From United Kingdom (England), joined Sep 2003, 2314 posts, RR: 61 Reply 19, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 3382 times:
SansVGs From United States, joined Mar 2007, 190 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 3233 times:
With any load at all the Citation X would have to make a stop in someplace like Gander. But sometimes a quick stop and .92 is still faster than pulling the sticks back to .77 for a non-stop like in the GIV.
Winglets on a Falcon are "over-painting" a great work of art.
474218 From United States, joined Oct 2005, 3708 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3035 times:
Quoting N328KF (Reply 5): Or one twin-seat SR-71. One hop, and boy, is it fast.
The SR-71 holds the speed record between New York and London, 1 hour 54 minutes 56 seconds. It also holds the record for London to Los Angeles, 3 hours 47 minutes 39 seconds. It will be many years before either of those records are broken. Additionally, all SR-71's have two seats.
Nrcnyc From United States, joined Apr 2005, 110 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2825 times:
hmm, if a government forces an airline to bump a pax, shouldn't that government pay for it? why put BA or any other airline in this position? A refunded ticket to pax is still less expensive than a chartered jet.
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 3751 posts, RR: 14 Reply 25, posted (2 years 7 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 2246 times:
Quoting Nrcnyc (Reply 23): hmm, if a government forces an airline to bump a pax, shouldn't that government pay for it? why put BA or any other airline in this position? A refunded ticket to pax is still less expensive than a chartered jet
The question was - "what if in the case of a national emergency" and how quick the PM could get back home.
In that case, we are discussing less important things like passenger compensation. Any kind of thinkable national emergency has a far greater impact on people and may create a lot more problems than the refund of a first class ticket.
The logical and workable solution would be to get him on the next BA plane, whatever that takes, skip security, get the best and fastest possible routing, no holding pattern at LHR and whisk him off the airport straight after arrival. The destination may not even be LHR but some air force base or wherever the UK has its special location for such cases, in which case possibly no other passengers than the PM and his aides would be on board.
.
Kole Feut un' 'nen steiffen Wind gifft 'nen krusen Buedel un' 'nen luetten Pint
26 B707Stu: Considering I was on a TW L1011 in 1980 that did it with 200 mph tail winds at 5 hours I'm sure, with favorable winds under 5 is possible today.
27 Norcal773: Anybody got a picture of an SR-71? Can't find it in the database.
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