The son of Arthur and Ellen Tunnicliffe, he was educated at
Henry Cavendish School in
Derby and
University College, London, where he graduated with a
Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1965. He was further educated at the
College of Air Training in
Hamble and worked then for
British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and later
British Airways from 1966 to 1986. Until 1972, he was a co-pilot. Since 1968, he has been married to Susan Dale. They had two sons, one now deceased. One of his sons,
Richard Tunnicliffe, was a
candidate in a Caerphilly by-election for the Senedd, following the suicide of sitting Senedd Member,
Hefin David. He came in third place. From 1986 to 1988, Tunnicliffe was chief executive of the Aviation Division of
International Leisure Group. For
London Underground, he was managing director between 1988 and 1998 and chairman between 1998 and 2000. Tunnicliffe was chief executive of
London Regional Transport from 1998 to 2000 and chairman of the
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority from 2002 to 2004. Since 2003, he has been chairman of the
Rail Safety and Standards Board. For the
British Airline Pilots' Association, he was a member between 1966 and 1972, and local council member from 1969 to 1972. Tunnicliffe is a trustee of
Homerton College, Cambridge, and a council member of
Royal Holloway, University of London. In the
1993 Birthday Honours, he was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). == In parliament ==