Have we seen it all before? - 10 August 2010

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to go to the Farnborough Airshow and see spectacular new planes. I was drawn to the new Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" which focuses on hugely more efficient engines rather than packing in more passengers. In keeping passenger numbers down, Boeing have been able to provide a little more comfort and luxury. This got me thinking about the history of flight.

In a period when the great ocean liners travelled from Southampton mail and passengers reached the great cities of the world through Southampton. Heathrow and Gatwick did not exist. The evolution of sea planes was forced by the First World War. Sea planes were developed which were big enough to carry mail quickly between Southampton and New York or Calcutta and this changed everything. In between the Great Wars, Pan Am and Imperial Airways quickly realised there was scope for the development of a passenger service too.

The twenties and early thirties were a period when wealthy passengers who could afford £10,000 in today's money, could travel in great style from Southampton to Calcutta. Ten or twelve passengers would be treated to a silver service as they flew from Southamptron stopping at Malta; Alexandria on the Nile; Muscat or Aden in the Middle East; and on to Calcutta. The trip would take 2 days or so depending on weather.

Boeing offer much much more in their new Dreamliner but the promise of big windows to look out and air pressure which does not exhaust you at the end of each flight harks back to a past era when a bit more comfort was commonplace. Modern airlines operating the new Dreamliner will offer some of these grand old comforts but, we are told, at much more reasonable prices.