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Welcome to London Air Travel’s Monday Briefing for the week beginning 30 May 2022.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee will be marked in the UK this week with an extended four day weekend of celebrations.
Although The Queen has stopped travelling overseas, during her 70 year reign the monarch has carried out a large number of state visits and international tours, and seen many airlines and aircraft in the process.
On 8 October 1951, then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke Of Edinburgh were the first members of the Royal Family to cross the Atlantic ocean by air. They flew on a BOAC Stratocruiser aircraft “Canopus” G-AKGK from London airport to Montreal. This was also the first royal tour to start at the airport.
A little over three months later, on 31 January 1952, Princess Elizabeth bid farewell to King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret at London airport.
With Prince Philip, Princess Elizabeth boarded a BOAC Argonaut “Atalanta” G-ALHK aircraft for a world tour of Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The aircraft routed via RAF El Adem (Libya) for refuelling and a change of crew. The trip was cut short following the death of King George VI.
Princess Elizabeth returned a week later at 16:30 on 7 February 1952 from Entebbe via El Adem on the same BOAC aircraft as Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh departed London airport, again on a BOAC Stratocruiser aircraft “Canopus”, on 23 November 1953 for the first leg of their Commonwealth Tour. The Queen is pictured below arriving the next day in Bermuda.
The Queen is pictured above arriving at Gatwick airport for its official opening in June 1958.
The Queen also officially opened Heathrow’s Central Terminal Area in 1955, Terminal 1 in 1969, Terminal 5 in 2008 and Terminal 2 in 2014.
The Queen flew with British European Airways many times, pictured above arriving in Malta in 1967 and below returning from Turkey in 1972.
The Queen flew on Concorde for the first time from Barbados to Heathrow following the Silver Jubilee tour on 2 November 1977, as pictured below. The flight time was 3 hours and 42 minutes.
The Queen also used Concorde for many legs of a tour of the Middle East in February 1979.
Concorde also completed a flypast with Red Arrows over Central London to mark The Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002.
As well as aircraft of UK airlines and governments around the world, the Queen has also flown with many commercial airlines including Air Canada, Air New Zealand and Qantas.
Those who fly with The Queen are of course bound by strict confidentiality protocols. Though it is know that aircraft are specifically reconfigured for The Queen’s use.
On the subject of Australia, The Queen has visited the country 16 times. The last visit was in October 2011 flying to Canberra, and back from Perth to London with BA, on a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. This was one of The Queen’s last extended international trips.
Also of interest this week:
The Let’s Talk Loyalty podcast speaks with Stephen Scott, Chief Product Officer of IAG Loyalty. (Let’s Talk Loyalty)
How corporates are nudging employees to reduce travel by air, including internal carbon charges and online prompts when booking out and back in a day business trips. (Financial Times)
News from London Air Travel you may have missed:
Aeroflot’s Heathrow slots have been seized. (London Air Travel)
Norse Atlantic Airways launches London Gatwick – New York JFK. (London Air Travel)
Late post publication updates:
[Reserved for updates throughout the day]
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