Sir Ross Stainton

With the passing last week of Sir Ross Stainton (97) goes the last significant link with Imperial Airways, an airline he joined in 1933.  With its successors he was to stay for 48 years.  He retired as Chairman of British Airways in 1981 having introduced Concorde.

In later years he always took an interest in airline matters and was recently the guest of a less elderly group of BEA, BOAC and BA veterans.

Tall and urbane, educated at Malvern College, he knew the practical side of airline operations inside out having started as a Station Officer at various flying boat points worldwide.  He also helped launch the 747, which was to change the whole world of aviation and, with his “Imperial” experience, can be credited with the long time dominance of British Airways as one of the great global carriers.  Affable and unruffled he would maintain staff morale whenever a crisis evolved, and was as happy with the shop floor as with other airline executives. www.ba.com

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