I have many flying stories to recount. I have a love/hate relationship with flying which I cannot fully explain. I have flown a lot, especially in my business life, but I still always feel a bit of fear when I board a plane. Or is it excitement?.
I recently wrote of how I became a First Vice President of UBS and how that rank meant I had to fly First Class. You won’t believe this but I did actually try and down-grade my privilege to be in line with my colleagues at UBS Phillips and Drew later to becomeUBS securities.But no I was employed in New York and as such I must ‘abide by the rules !!!’
It was all good fun to be honest as I was upgraded in my hotels too. I would often come over to London to meet clients and give talks on what was happening in the USA Investment scene. I would double this with some business meeting and planning and maybe a night out with an old client.-Never mind maybe, always.
It was 6:45 on a Thursday evening when I walked up to the BA first Class check in at Heathrow airport. Security very different then. The Check in was in fact close to the gate. I had my Lark carry -on luggage over my shoulder and a broad smile on my face. I was looking forward to a relaxed flight and I had taken the following day off work so I planned to ‘enjoy myself’ courtesy of the best BA First Class could offer at the time-it was very good.
I handed over my ticket and smiled at the woman behind the desk. Tap tap tap on the keys and the following remarkable question. “I can offer you a quicker trip across the Atlantic Mr Elliott tonight, would you like to fly on Concord?” Err yes please was my instant reply. I took my ticked and followed the signs to the nearby Concord lounge. A new level of luxury. I did not have time to take advantage of the facilities as the flight was boarding. I recognised one or two faces of business leaders and probably a film star but I am not very good at recognising those sort of people. The first thing I noticed was that nearly every male traveller had a similar variation of my Lark carry-on bag. Also the dozen or so women on the flight all wore magnificent mink coats. Yes back in the day the fact was that American business women’s coat of choice was always a fur. As a Vegan now I shudder but to be honest the average woman looks amazing in a fur coat for reasons I cannot explain.
Two cabins on Concord. I was in the front one and soon I was on board. The Bags and coats, all hung up in the small wardrobe either side of the front door-how on earth would I know which was mine? The cabin itself smaller than I had expected and the seats whilst comfortable were also small and made of grey leather. You could see right through to where the two pilots and flight engineer sat. Indeed the two loos were immediately to the rear of this arrangement such that a visit enabled a close up of the crew at work.
I took my seat and the plane pushed back on the dot of 7pm. The Captain began his briefing. He forecast a ‘sporty takeoff’ a rapid climb before, after 22 seconds, I see to remember, the ‘afterburners’ would be turned off causing a sudden deceleration. After 2 minutes 50 seconds (not sure really but sounds right) The ‘after burners’ would be re-engaged and the plane would climb rapidly to its cruising altitude of 55 thousand feet passing though the sound barrier ( we would feely slight vibration) on its way.
The first thing I noticed was our plane went way faster than a Jumbo around the Heathrows apron. As the flagship of BA it had priority over other aircraft, so no waiting in line. We sped past a whole line of waiting aircraft. You could see passengers on board of these planes looking down at us.
There is a BP petrol station next to Heathrow on one of the perimeter roads and for some reason, back in the day, this petrol station attracted a whole crowd of onlookers. The roar of the Concord’s engines grabbed their attention and cameras and binoculars were pointed in our direction. I had a window seat and I must admit as I sat there floods of tears came down my cheeks. I thought of my Mum and all she had done for me and tried to do for me. I thought of the little boy who had been so unhappy on occasion and so scared when he had started work in the City of London. I thought of how my life had evolved and how lucky I was and I mouthed a word of thanks to anyone who might be listening.
Ladies and Gentlemen prepare for take off was the order in a crisp RAF sort of way. The engine noise was amazing. The brakes held then suddenly let go, the beautiful bird was on its way. Swirls of condensation flowed over the delta wings and then suddenly we were airborne and more than that we had climbed rapidly. The after burners cut out and then I became aware of the large electronic sign at the front of the cabin. The speed and altitude of the plane in a sort of blue green light. I did not know exactly what the speed of sound was but when we went through it we were told and the plane continued to climb and accelerate. The window became hot to touch as the friction of the thin air passed by and soon we were looking down on the earth from on high. The clouds looked different somehow. There was no turbulence as in a conventional airliner but occasionally we experienced a sort of vibration.
Most travellers looked bored. The drink trolley quickly arrived and the two attendants dispensed top of the line aperitifs, champagne and the rest to those who wanted them. Most, probably regular business travellers, chose water and opened briefcases and started to work. Not me. The menu card was a work of art in its own right and soon the excellent drinks service was supplemented by food. Really complicated ‘fine dining stuff’. Again most either had nothing or maybe some cheese and biscuits. I thanked the aircrew effusively, which would appear to be unusual, and they all treated me like Royalty. The moment my wine dipped a sip it would be replenished. Oh what fun.
I did have a pee too. At twice the speed of sound I seem to remember. Silly not to. Finally we descended into New Your City. A quicker than usual passage through immigration and out side a complimentary BA limo was waiting. (at the time Virgin had started the fashion of offering the perk of free limo service to and from the airport, BA were forced to follow.) The driver asked me where had I come from. I spared him the details but as I sped uptake I-95 towards my home in Riverside Connecticut I felt hugely blessed. At 6 40 pm I walked into our lovely kitchen. My two lovely children were still about and I got one of those special welcomes. Liz was surprised to see me and she said ‘I thought you would be home much later’. Then she saw it, hanging from my car on bag was the white and red label of a special club. Concord. I gave her the silver gift I had been given and poured out my story. (on each Concord flight a silver gift was given out, this time I think it was a propelling pencil).
The truly remarkable thing was this I was back home in Connecticut before I had left London-work that one out!!
Now Courtesy of a few things, the Concord service being very expensive BA was struggling to fill the planes. As a result First Class passengers, especially frequent fliers like me, would often be upgraded and I was. Also at one time a special deal was offered whereby for the sum of $250 dollars you could upgrade your self if you did so in advance. As a result I flew Concord on a number of occasions. When Liz and I returned to the UK we had a few problems selling our house so we had to go over to sort out some paper work with a lawyer. We left the children back in the UK and went over for two days. The sale went through and in order to celebrate all things America I booked two tickets on Concord. I did not tell Liz but watched as she tried to work out why we were going to the airport at the time we were and what time did that mean we would get back to London. She was reasonably confused. The Limo drew up outside JFK at the red carpet that marked the beginning The Concord experience. “you are kidding me” she said. I wasn’t. That flight took 3 hours 13 minutes to cross the Atlantic and at the time was one of the fastest ever as the pilot gained permission to over fly some British Defence land so as to allow the late running plane to get into Heathrow within its curfew limit. (Noise and all that). Amazingly in the many times I flew the Atlantic this trip was the only time I had ever been searched at customs. We were both searched. Maybe that label on two ‘fairly relaxed’ people encouraged a little bit of jelousy in the custom officers. I could hardly blame them.
Concord of course was to be taken out of service due to safety issues and its inability to generate adequate returns. It was a huge pity as nothing said more about Great Briton that that magnificent symbol of engineering. Watching it flying over London many times the noise of the engines would cause hundreds of thousands of people to look heavenward. Each time I watched it my heart would leap as I had been on it. Sometimes I would tell people who were with me and most would look at me disdainfully and say something like “As If”!!
Tales of a Life Well Lived 