Early service woes

Boeing's 747 output pace from the start was phenomenal - with one being produced every three working days. But this created a major headache for its engine partner, which was working flat out on modifications and could not keep up with Everett's production pace, resulting in rows of completed, painted but engineless 747s parked outside.

TARNISHED IMAGE

The knock-on effect of the engine problems on the 747's reliability tarnished its image in the early days. This magazine did not hold back in its criticism. In our "747 Consumer Report" published six months into its operational life, we wrote: "From the advertisements you might think that the 747 is a new dimension in travel: it is, but judging by the criticisms which have been made of the first few months of operation much needs to be done before the entire extent of the 'new dimension' is exploited fully."

© Boeing

Flight's Peter Middleton, who took a transatlantic 747 trip with TWA, suffered delays and cancellations and found the quality of some of the cabin fittings poor. Middleton, who would later become a Boeing press officer, wrote: "More attention might be paid to passenger convenience at the expense of a little of the quite understandable competitive advertising."

The 747 had the most up-to-date in-flight entertainment in the form of plug-in ear-phones, but as now, they suffered teething problems: "The system is very delicate. It either works or doesn't," said Pan Am's Graham. "It is our biggest source of complaint."

One other problem that the 747 pioneered was toilet availability at the end of a flight. Graham explained that because "women like to redo their make-up just before touchdown, each person can block a cubicle for as long as 15min". And he warned that this may require the installation of special make-up cubicles "but it would mean losing seats".

The widebody cabin also brought a new experience for cabin crew used to working in six-abreast narrowbodies. A Pan Am stewardess said that carrying out the emergency drill demonstration in front of so many faces was "like being in front of a theatre audience. You just feel as if you're on stage".

UK long-haul flag carrier BOAC was an early member of the Jumbo club, taking its first aircraft in April 1970, but an industrial dispute over the 747 pilots' pay ("more passengers means more money") kept the aircraft grounded for almost a year. Pilots' union BALPA finally reached a deal with BOAC on a new pay scale, prompting some wits to suggest that the reason why the 747 cockpit was in the hump was so the pilots had room to sit on their fat wallets.