Two special passengers are allowed to ignore the on-board no smoking signs. The Olympic flame and its three understudies were all alight as they occupied seats 1A and 1B on flight BA2012 en route from Athens to the Royal Naval air station at Culdrose where the Olympic torch will begin its relay round Britain before being carried into the Olympic stadium in London on 27 July.

Lord Coe, head of the 2012 Games, Princess Anne, the London mayor, Boris Johnson, and David Beckham had to take a back seat as the gold-coloured A319 "Firefly" plane transferred the flame to British soil ahead of a welcoming ceremony, where Britain's most famous footballing style icon is due to light a cauldron.

The flame, held in tray fittings that looked far more secure than those that stop normal passengers' drinks tipping over on a bumpy flight, will be flown by helicopter the 25 miles to Land's End on Saturday morning, when three-time Olympic gold medal-winner Ben Ainslie will be its first bearer. He will pass it on to Anastasia Swallow, an 18-year-old junior international swimmer from St Ives, as others take it on a journey through 1,019 cities, towns, villages and landmarks such as Stonehenge and the Giant's Causeway.

Having taken wings from Greece, the flame will also travel by boat, tricycle, train and tram as it wends its way towards London for the opening ceremony.