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announcement . As I arrived at Glasgow bright and early for the 10:00 flight , the weather was typical Scottish cloud and rain , but more serious weather was coming in : Storm Isha . Flights were already being canceled in Ireland , and high winds and heavy rain were being forecast . Thankfully , the gales had not yet reached Scotland and everything went ahead as planned .
At the gate at Glasgow Airport , Loganair ensured everyone knew that its beloved Saab 340 was being retired . Various banners and posters left no one in doubt about it .
I waited for the aircraft that would operate the flights ( G-LGNA ). G-LGNJ was the other Saab 340 to remain in Loganair ’ s fleet until the end . It had first flown in November
1989 as part of Crossair ’ s fleet , had gone to Crossair Europe in May 1998 , and had joined Loganair in May 2005 .
The check agents appeared and the crew — three Pilots and the Saab ’ s 340 single Flight Attendant — also showed up to the gate . Loganair had configured its planes for either 33 or 34 passengers ; the 34-seater aircraft had a seat at the aft end the aisle , while the 33 seaters remained in a 1-2 configuration throughout .
Soon after the crew had appeared , and after all the enthusiasts had gone snaphappy with their cameras , it was time to board .
The scanning of the tickets and the transfer to the aircraft went seamlessly . Outside , the rain was off and one of the check-in agents took photos of all passengers at the front of the plane , taking their phones one by one . A goodie bag awaited at each seat , mine being 9A . Once everyone was onboard , the doors were shut , and it was time to fly far , far away , to the City of Glasgow .
As there were three Pilots onboard , one was able to provide live commentary of everything that was happening throughout the entire flight : the usual details and the small ones one would not normally be aware of : how the aircraft works , how the Pilots configure the aircraft , what each step involves . Everything was mentioned , and with a touch of humor . It was sentimental , informative , and celebrational .
Takeoff was at full power , both turbo props spinning to their max and the throttles all the
24 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2024 www . airwaysmag . com