Your first flight, where did it take you?

[buckytom]

My first flight was to Colorado with the Boy Scouts when I was a kid, on our way to the Philmont Scout Ranch.

 

[rascal]

My first flight was from Christchurch New Zealand to Sydney Australia. My boss said to me when I started with him that he would shout me and my wife the trip if I worked for him for 10 years. My background is engineering and manufacturing. Opened up a whole new world for me. I've been all around the world. I can't fly for more than 12 hrs so if going to the uk I stop over in Bangkok for a few days to break the trip. I've done business in South Korea and loved it there.

Russ

 

[CraigC]

Sorry - didn't mean it as a criticism.

I hate flying BTW which is probably why I haven't flown very often. I've made 3 return journeys in total I think. On the last flight I was on, a man in the seat behind me died of a heart attack. At least - he certainly looked as if he had died when they removed him. Ghastly experience.

I had a similar experience on the last leg to New Zealand, but it was while standing in line at immigration. A women from my flight just collapsed behind me, the EMTs were still working on her when I got through 30 minutes later.

 

[Morning Glory]

I had a similar experience on the last leg to New Zealand, but it was while standing in line at immigration. A women from my flight just collapsed behind me, the EMTs were still working on her when I got through 30 minutes later.

In my case they did actually ask over the speakers 'is there a doctor on board?'. I thought that only happened in movies! But if you think about it they obviously don't have doctors on standby on flights. That is what worries me - I have a heart problem and get atrial fibrillation every so often. It wouldn't be caused by flying - but what if I had an attack in the middle of a long flight? I know the staff are probably trained in basic first aid and maybe they even have a de-fibrilator if someone has a heart attack. But in my case I would need intravenous drugs quickly...

 

[Frizz1974]

I've only ever flown domestically so far.

My first flights however, we joy flights at air shows as a kid. In little planes. All over Sydney.

My first proper flight was from Sydney to Adelaide. All my flights have been holiday related so I find it exciting & fun. Planning my first o/s trip next year.

 

[Morning Glory]

Planning my first o/s trip next year.

Exciting! Where to?

 

[Frizz1974]

Scotland.

That’s where my Dads family are from originally so it seems fitting as he never got to go.

I’m walking Hadrian’s Wall with a friend.

 

[Lullabelle]

I flew once as a kid. I think I was 8 or 9 years old. My mom flew us from Michigan to California to visit her sister (kids tickets were almost free). My second flight was when I was 18. I flew from Michigan to Texas for basic training.

My longest flight was to South Korea in 1990. We had six stops. Then our plane had to make an emergency landing in Japan. We were stuck in the terminal for 8 hours. Total time was a 36 hour flight.

 

[Shadow]

#1. 1970. I was a mere child (pre-teenage) and do not remember it. My parents wanted to visit friends in the land of my birth - the Great White North. I do not recall the return flight either!

and now off topic:
#2. 1979. One way ticket to NYC, NY. (Cost £99, Freddie Laker Airways). Again, not a memorable flight. But arriving downtown NYC at 23.30 was! I decided I was not as brave as I might have imagined and got the first Greyhound bus outta there!

#3. 1982. To Greece. Not a memorable flight. To spend 10/12 days sleeping on Kos beaches with an amour from 1978/9.

There then followed a period where I flew fairly regularly all over north america. Cannot recall anything memorable.

Except: i) a short hop from Las Vegas, NV to Flagstaff, AZ. This was in a 4 seater over the Grand Canyon.
ii) catching the last flight from Montreal, QC to Toronto, ON, on a weeknight after a meal out, getting to the check-in about 60 seconds before take-off. Did not need to run as this plane always took off 5 minutes late and always arrived on time!

Fast forward to 2005. At the gate LGW, UK to Calgary, AB. On honeymoon, asked to step aside by staff. Wondered what the problem might be. Staff said we were to be upgraded to business class. A wonderful way to start a 2 week+ holiday!

2008. In a 2 seater Cessna flying from our local airport for a very short flight to see the local area. Strange to see our house from a few hundred feet. Nearly didn't because pilot said we could not get too close because of the local gliding club!

Last flight was 8 years ago. I really, really hate the faff of check-in/security/baggage/hanging about in airports before and after flying. (This can now be avoided for about £500 per flight in certain locations - not that I will ever experience this!)

 

[Yorky]

I'm trying to think of any flight that was memorable (other than for being extremely boring).

My first flight Liverpool to Amsterdam in the company plane (King Air) with my boss and the MD around '82. The pilot asked me if I would sit in the co-pilot's seat during take offs and landings. When I asked why, he told me that it was a regulation to have two pilots onboard when flying over water!

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

My first ever flight was in a helicopter as a child, It lasted no more than 10 minutes. My first commercial flight was from Nottingham to Glasgow, returning the same day

 

[Yorky]

My first ever flight was in a helicopter as a child, It lasted no more than 10 minutes. My first commercial flight was from Nottingham to Glasgow, returning the same day

My first memorable flight in a chopper was '85. With the client's representative I flew out to the Alwyn Platform from Dyce, Aberdeen. We returned around 17:30 and it was suggested that we call for a beer before returning to the office. It was probably an hour or so later when we did arrive to be confronted by the staff's questions about what had happened. The Total system had had us allocated to another chopper which had had to be escorted to shore as it was close to ditching.

Another was flying to the North Field P1 platform in '90 from Doha, Qatar. A single (ex-Bristows) pilot took off and then hovered to one side whilst three British Phantoms landed. He explained that they had priority. (The RAF was stationed in Doha prior to the first Gulf War).

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My first flight was as a teenager during a school trip (compulsory). It was the French exchange program and because French was mandatory for the entire 7 years I was at that secondary school, so was the exchange program. I think I would have been 15 yrs old because my little sister was, well, little. We flew to Limoges, France and we literally thought we were landing in a farmers field until the very last minute. It was little more than a tin hut back then in 1986/7.

From then I established I don't like flying. Nothing to do with anything other than the fact I have very sensitive hearing and find the whole thing very noisy and it physically hurts. I'm also not used to loud noises for any length of time, so avoid flying when I can.

Otherwise I've flown to Portugal, Gibraltar, Aberdeen (6 or 7 times on business), to an oil platform in the North Sea (business trip), back from Turkey after my aborted round the world cycle attempt, and to Australia (obviously). That's the sum total of all my flying. I've also established the merits of travelling business class and of needing an assistant with me being in a wheelchair and hubby doing bags etc... (bypassing queues because they don't want staff paid to stand in a line with travellers).

The rest of my travels which are extensive have all been by ferry and car or ferry and bicycle.

 

[Yorky]

It used to terrify me flying into Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport.

 

[Lullabelle]

Flying out of Cairns was an eye-opener