AlaskaAV
GONE WEST
Mission, TX
When living in the bush, flight crews were often asked to do a favor here or there by employees and they were always glad to help. Last comment before the door closed on a flight was usually "need anything?". It always seemed like a one way deal but in return, many flight crew employees that had friends (maybe crews from other airlines) that wanted to sightsee in the area would ask for help. Homes were opened up for their friends to stay for a while and always a tour guide. Same thing went on for all ground employees too. If not on company business around our headquarters, there would always be a bed at someone's home to crash on. (gee, probably not a good choice of a word to use in aviation I guess)
Since I lived in some of the best jade country in the world, I got many requests for jade bookends, some were free and some at very little cost. All came from a claim operated by a very good friend not far from we lived at Dahl Creek. He had mined jade and gold there for maybe 30 years when we moved there. The claim was later bought by Stewart on Anchorage. The jade rock in front of the Log Cabin in Anchorage came from Dahl Creek and that is a very small one.
One member of the flight crew, usually a flight attendant, would make sure the local station manager got a current newspaper on the first flight each day. That was the only way we could keep up with what was going on in the world. No radios, TV, local newspapers and in most areas, not even the fastest communication in the whole world,
tele-a-woman.
Sorry Dana and Anne, the devil made me say that.
I remember one time when I was assigned as station manager at Barrow and my parents were visiting, I asked a flight attendant to do me a favor. Right at the last minute (the day before) my Dad remembered he forgot to get Mom flowers for their anniversary. Needless to say, none were available in Barrow in the winter time.
Lo and behold, on the first flight the next day, there was a dozen red roses on board for him to give to Mom and boy was she surprised and happy. Dad's comment? How in the world did you do that? I took him on board the 737 to get them and to meet the flight attendant that had picked them up. Since my parents were Nebraska farmers, they never get used to how airline employees world wide were such a big family and immediate friends. Much like the offers from supercub.org members that offer someplace to stay when in their town. Even those that travel in motor homes are sometimes offered a pad to park on and plug ins when needed and if available. A web site is available with contact numbers.
I suspect that airline friendship as I knew it has disappeared lately.
Since I lived in some of the best jade country in the world, I got many requests for jade bookends, some were free and some at very little cost. All came from a claim operated by a very good friend not far from we lived at Dahl Creek. He had mined jade and gold there for maybe 30 years when we moved there. The claim was later bought by Stewart on Anchorage. The jade rock in front of the Log Cabin in Anchorage came from Dahl Creek and that is a very small one.
One member of the flight crew, usually a flight attendant, would make sure the local station manager got a current newspaper on the first flight each day. That was the only way we could keep up with what was going on in the world. No radios, TV, local newspapers and in most areas, not even the fastest communication in the whole world,
tele-a-woman.
Sorry Dana and Anne, the devil made me say that.
I remember one time when I was assigned as station manager at Barrow and my parents were visiting, I asked a flight attendant to do me a favor. Right at the last minute (the day before) my Dad remembered he forgot to get Mom flowers for their anniversary. Needless to say, none were available in Barrow in the winter time.
Lo and behold, on the first flight the next day, there was a dozen red roses on board for him to give to Mom and boy was she surprised and happy. Dad's comment? How in the world did you do that? I took him on board the 737 to get them and to meet the flight attendant that had picked them up. Since my parents were Nebraska farmers, they never get used to how airline employees world wide were such a big family and immediate friends. Much like the offers from supercub.org members that offer someplace to stay when in their town. Even those that travel in motor homes are sometimes offered a pad to park on and plug ins when needed and if available. A web site is available with contact numbers.
I suspect that airline friendship as I knew it has disappeared lately.
