credit: mediacentre.britishairways)  BA-Globe-Trotter limited edition handmade upscale BOAC Speedbird carry-on luggage 

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

BRITISH AIRWAYS  has partnered with  luxury  brand Globe-Trotter to create a  limited-edition range of handmade carry-on suitcases to celebrate the spirit of BA’s retired iconic 747 jumbo jet.  Taking inspiration from the airline’s iconic BOAC livery, which also adorned the final BA’s  aircraft to retire in December 2020, the BOAC Speedbird suitcases have been handmade in England and incorporate the iconic ‘Gold Speedbird’ insignia and a precious fragment from a retired British Airways 747 aircraft.  The range is limited to just 150 suitcases which will be available to order online from today and in Globe-Trotter’s flagship stores.    The BOAC Speedbird suit cases will retail for about £1,935.  two of the suitcases are being auctioned via online auction platform ‘bid in’ to raise funds for Flying Start, British Airways’ global charity partnership with Comic Relief. Bids start from £2,000 per item. Bids will close at midnight on Tuesday, 19 January. 

credit: mediacentre.britishairways)  BA-Globe-Trotter limited edition handmade upscale BOAC Speedbird carry-on luggage 

The suitcases are made from high gloss vulcanised fibreboard with a metallic sheen for a pearlescent white shimmer, which is complemented by Navy leather trim on the corners and handles. The hand-painted ‘Gold Speedbird’ insignia adorns the exterior, while the 747 fragment decorates the interior.

• The BOAC Speedbird Carry-On Suitcase retails at £1,935 and is available to order online at www.globe-trotter.com.

Hamish McVey, British Airways’ Head of Brands & Marketing, said:

“We are thrilled to be working with Globe-Trotter to create this very special product, and through this unique auction raise money for vital Comic Relief projects across the UK and overseas.  While it was the right time to bid farewell to our Queen of the Skies, the launch of these BOAC-inspired carry-on suitcases provides a perfect opportunity for someone to celebrate a bygone era of global air travel and own a piece of our history.”

With bids starting at £2,000 per item, the BOAC Speedbird suitcases are set to become an instant collectors’ item

credit: mediacentre.britishairways)  BA-Globe-Trotter limited edition handmade upscale BOAC Speedbird carry-on luggage 

BA  and Globe-Trotter have a proud history of collaboration spanning decades. During the 1960s, Globe-Trotter was the luggage brand of choice for BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) crew, who treasured them for their strength and durability. Former BOAC cabin crew member Hilary Farish inspired a popular Globe-Trotter luggage collection with a suitcase which was covered in stickers and marks from her extensive travels.

credit: mediacentre.britishairways)  BA-Globe-Trotter limited edition handmade upscale BOAC Speedbird carry-on luggage 

Vicente Castellano, Executive Chairman, Globe-Trotter, said:

“We at Globe-Trotter could not be happier to collaborate with British Airways and support their important Flying Start programme. The commemorative BOAC case that we have created together, is the perfect celebration of travel and style – two values that have inspired the past and indeed the future of Globe-Trotter.”

credit: mediacentre.britishairways)   The pair of BA-Globe-Trotter  BOAC Speedbird carry-on luggage were the only passengers on British Airways’ final 747 flight on 11 December 2020, which saw the airline’s heritage-liveried BOAC jumbo jet fly the short distance from British Airways’ engineering base at Cardiff Airport to its new permanent home in St Athan, South Wales. 

‘007  NO  TIME  TO DIE’   Collection  by  Globe-Trotter

(credit: globe-trotter.com)   James Bond  ‘007  NO  TIME  TO DIE’   Collection by  Globe-Trotter

No Time To Die sees Daniel Craig’s return as James Bond in the 007 franchise. To celebrate the film’s forthcoming release, Globe-Trotter is proud to announce the launch of the No Time To Die Vulcanised Fibreboard luggage collection.

Inspired by the cases that feature in the movie, the range consists of a new 4-wheel case in a classic Ocean Green Vulcanised Fibreboard with a black leather trim in a carry-on as well as a check-in size – a classic black luggage tag embossed with the No Time To Die logo completes the range.

 Synonymous with great British design, Globe-Trotter is a luxury travel lifestyle brand producing handcrafted luggage and leather collections.

Established in 1897 by David Nelken in Saxony Germany, the company moved to the UK in 1932 where it has remained ever since. Today, all Globe-Trotter suitcases and travel accessories are handcrafted in Hertfordshire, England by highly skilled artisans using original manufacturing methods and machinery that date back to the Victorian era. For 120 years the brand philosophy has remained unchanged: an uncompromising integrity of craftsmanship.