Flying high
David Bridgeman-Sutton reminisces about life in the clouds,
when travelling by air was a pleasure, not a pain.
when travelling by air was a pleasure, not a pain.
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Chaos unfolding at Heathrow's Terminal 5 prompted sharply contrasting memories of the gracious, unhurried business that was air travel 50 or so years past.
Well-dressed, elegant passengers enjoyed levels of service and efficiency comparable with those on the shipping lines that many had only recently deserted. If weather or circumstance disorganised a journey, airlines spared no trouble or expense to reduce stress and inconvenience. Courtesy cars and hotel bookings together with a plentiful flow of information ensured that journeys that went wrong were nearly as pleasant as — and some times more so than — those that didn't. "Check-in" then was not a matter of a crowded journey to Heathrow, followed by long queues and a general air of uncertainty about what might happen next. |
Pic 1: British Airways Uniform 1992 - 2005
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BEA (the short-haul arm of what became BA) had its "West End Air Terminal" in Kensington. BOAC (the long-haul arm) its terminal building near Victoria station. Other lines had similar offices in equally convenient places. At these, by cab and chauffeur-driven car, travellers would arrive from hotels and railway stations, knowing that, once through the doors, most responsibility passed from their shoulders. Luggage would be taken in hand and sorted, unruffled staff would deal with every formality and problem and soon all would be on special coaches, heading for Heathrow (long known as plain "London Airport") where similarly-civilised arrangements would be found. A similar pattern of operation was to be found in many other cities.
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Pic 2: Lufthansa stewardesses
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Stewardesses of those days seemed a race apart. All were young (average retiring age was about 30!) and selected for their good looks and natural poise, among many other qualities. These included a flair for languages (Dutch staff always seem to excel here) and an "unflappable" approach to life.
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Very early, airlines appreciated that stewardesses — not then "Flight Attendants" — were the public faces of the businesses. Their pictures frequently appeared in advertisements, on timetable-covers and in other publicity material. Uniforms were often designed by the world's leading couturiers; some styles, it must be said, were more conspicuously successful than others. So, too, have been some adaptations of national dress; perhaps China and Indian Airlines demonstrate greater flair than Tyrolean Airways. As with all aspects of fashion, they form an interesting study and a most useful aid in the dating of photographs. The website, Uniform Freak, developed by Cliff Muskiet of KLM, is a valuable reference.
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If need arose for a nervous passenger to be reassured, a fractious child amused, a business document translated, or a premature baby delivered, the stewardess could cope; indeed, some seemed able to several of these things at once.
The Archangel Gabriel, arriving to announce the end of the world, would probably have been shown to comfortable seat, given a cooling drink and chatted to - in whatever language archangels speak - so that he would have decided to spare everybody just a little longer.
The Archangel Gabriel, arriving to announce the end of the world, would probably have been shown to comfortable seat, given a cooling drink and chatted to - in whatever language archangels speak - so that he would have decided to spare everybody just a little longer.
Disturbing the cool, distant composure of a stewardess was widely assumed to be an impossible feat. One passenger succeeded in this without even trying. In the early '70s, the evening Fokker Friendship from Wellington to Dunedin was — most unusually — nearly empty. The passenger, happily unaware of the solecism he was about to commit, had a sizeable area in which to reflect on the proceedings of a conference. His attendance had been unwilling, but it was felt that someone from his department had to show the flag at an event, advertised as "momentous" with papers characterised as "important". (Needless to say all passed into oblivion within a fortnight).
With a feeling of duty to be done, rather than in any expectation of causing either profit or pleasure, he settled to the task of preparing an abstract of proceedings for colleagues. This activity was hampered by a series of sounds from above, which the harassed passenger found suggestive of souls in torment. Eventually, a keen and deductive mind concluded that the cacophony originated in the public address system. He attracted the attention of the stewardess.
"I say", the unfortunate asked, " would it be possible to turn down that noise down in this part of the cabin?"
The flight was a particularly smooth one. Nevertheless, the stewardess staggered as she might have done in severe turbulence. She clutched a seat back for support and paled visibly under a very pleasant tan. When power of speech returned, her voice was considerably chillier than the upper slopes of Mount Cook.
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That, sir, is not a noise. It is ABBA".
With a feeling of duty to be done, rather than in any expectation of causing either profit or pleasure, he settled to the task of preparing an abstract of proceedings for colleagues. This activity was hampered by a series of sounds from above, which the harassed passenger found suggestive of souls in torment. Eventually, a keen and deductive mind concluded that the cacophony originated in the public address system. He attracted the attention of the stewardess.
"I say", the unfortunate asked, " would it be possible to turn down that noise down in this part of the cabin?"
The flight was a particularly smooth one. Nevertheless, the stewardess staggered as she might have done in severe turbulence. She clutched a seat back for support and paled visibly under a very pleasant tan. When power of speech returned, her voice was considerably chillier than the upper slopes of Mount Cook.
"
That, sir, is not a noise. It is ABBA".
David Bridgeman-Sutton,
June, 2008
June, 2008
Thanks to the following for the use of pictures:-
Pic 1. Uniform c. 1980 -thanks to British Airways
Pic 2. Lufthansa. Thanks to teNeues, publishers of Airline Design,
ISBN 3-8327-9055-1
Pic 3. Training School. Thanks to Elissa Stein, author of Stewardess - Come Fly With Me
ISBN 0-8118-5223-7
Small uniform and insignia images: thanks to Cliff Muskiet, webmaster of uniformfreak.com
Timetable images: thanks to Bjorn Larsson, of Timetable Images
Pic 1. Uniform c. 1980 -thanks to British Airways
Pic 2. Lufthansa. Thanks to teNeues, publishers of Airline Design,
ISBN 3-8327-9055-1
Pic 3. Training School. Thanks to Elissa Stein, author of Stewardess - Come Fly With Me
ISBN 0-8118-5223-7
Small uniform and insignia images: thanks to Cliff Muskiet, webmaster of uniformfreak.com
Timetable images: thanks to Bjorn Larsson, of Timetable Images
