Do You Remember

[N903AW]

I know this has been geared as a USAir/US Airways/Piedmont/PSA/Trump Shuttle thread....but I thought I would throw in old school America West

-Free cocktails in all cabins
-Free newspapers in all cabins (NYT, WSJ, etc.)
-Employee cross-utilization
-On-board ticketing
-24-hour childcare service for all employees (including in-home care service)
-Fast Check
-T-4 valet parking

* "More Care" 757 service to JFK/ORD/BWI on 757s with free headsets, meals, hot towels and Dove Bars in Coach!

* Las Vegas "Nite Flight" service to the entire system!

* Mainline 737 wraparound flights to Grand Junction and Pueblo among others!

* Res Offices in PHX, RNO, COS, MCI and BWI

* Snack Sacks

* Working SJC, OAK, LAX, ELP turns on 737-100 AC 708 in an all First Class Config with 52 seats and 3 FAs!

* The America West 747 doing a flyover at the Fiesta Bowl Football Game

* The British Airways Contracts in Phoenix and Denver ( I worked this one! )

* Hourly service between Phoenix and Los Angeles with dedicated check in counters and $29 walk up fares!

* The beautiful copper and ivory "Kachina" glassware and china in First Class on the 747s

* Calling in-range for 6 orders of green chili soup in Albuquerque

* A complimentary issue of "Arizona Highways" in every seatpocket

* Fifty crews or more at the Best Western in Columbus, OH on Dublin/Granville Rd. when we had a hub there!

* The "More Care" shuttle at T3 between the main concourse to the west concourse.

* The Scottsdale and Mesa "More Careliners" parked next to the company owned Dash 8s at T-3 for passenger loading

* The "Thumbs Up" :down: rally with Ed Beauvais

* The R-E-S-P-E-C-T television commercials with Andy belting out the tunes at the T4 ticket counter

* Nonstops from Orange County, CA to Seattle, Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, New York JFK, Phoenix and Las Vegas. We dominated that airport for awhile!

 

[AlleghenyVista]

-Dash 8 and Dash 7 service between BWI and DCA
-Genie Tray hot meals in coach and then a snack box 90 minutes prior to arrival on flights to SEA,SFO,LAX,SNA and SAN
-ice cream sundaes in first class
-long YOW layovers...MISS THEM!!
-the interm DCA terminal in the old hanger.
-clean 767s
-LAX to SFO shuttle flights..the Midnight Flyer
-the map placed in the front and back galleys of the 767s on transatlantic flights showing passengers the route of flight and other info regarding the trasatlantic crossing
-service from BOS-FRA
-working full LGA-PBI flights during the holidays. UGH!

 

[Whatnow?]

-working full LGA-PBI flights during the holidays. UGH!
[/quote]


OMG, that last one just brought back a nightmare I'm suprised I had forgotten about. Working an MD-80 LGA-PBI right after they took the staffing down to 3 F/A's or being understaffed for the Holiday can't remember which. Easter Sunday, oversold in coach, hot meal in both cabins, 87 special meals, 18 wheelchairs, and about 20-25 checked strollers and car seats. 😱 Nearly ran out of plastic cups during boarding because EVERYBODY had to have "just a little bit of water to take a pill". Too bad back then most of us didn't belong to the "Valley of the Dolls" crowd because we needed pills too. Left the gate late because of being overweight, took fuel off, some bags off, all while the "SHADY PINES" crowd watched and announced to the entire cabin that every bag being pulled off was their personal bag with ALL of their medication in it! Oy Vey! The meal service took literally 3 hours to do, because out of the 87 people who ordered special meals only 1 knew about it! HA! Push/Pull with only 2 F/A's working coach with the plane being about 3 football fields long, the beverage/meal cart moved about 2 rows every 20 minutes! We both began to twitch after about 5 rows of EVERY passenger getting tomato juice, water "NO ICE!" and coffee! I just wanted to lock myself in the bathroom and cry! After we landed, it took us another 45 mins to get all the wheelchairs off, not to mention the ramp having to use the catering truck pulled up to the 1R door to pass thru all of the car seats and strollers! What a circus that was! I'm still getting chills thinking about it! Needless to say, there were cocktails flowing that night in the hotel bar!

 

[Travelpro72]

Oh how I miss the mad dog. Wasn't it wonderful being "B" just waiting for the fold up counter to slam you on your head on landing? The md-80 rocked until it went to 3 people. YIKES! Whatnow, you totally summed up the LGA-PBI experience to a T.

 

[Whatnow?]

And we worked trip after trip like that without complaining like we do today because that was the norm! Flying the MD-80, DC-9 and F-100 with six legs a day serving hot meals and even snacks on all flights over an hour was just another day at work! Today, we can't even get anybody to do a second beverage on flights! :huh:

 

[burghlaw1]

Full breakfast on 45 minute PIT-PHL flights.

Hot towels, ice cream sandwiches and free movies in coach on trips to the left coast.

 

[Travelpro72]

Ya know....I'm not trying to belittle the "legendary" PIT-PHL hot breakfast and all but do any of you realize that other airlines like Eastern for that matter was doing short segments as well with hot breakfast only on L-1011's? I'm not saying it wasn't hard but almost every other flight a f/a has to tell you about the PIT-PHL breakfast or ask if you've heard of it. It's funny. Up until food was cut serving ANY kind of meal on the md-80 with only TWO f/a's in coach beats the PIT-PHL breakfast ANY day.

 

[N903AW]

Ya know....I'm not trying to belittle the "legendary" PIT-PHL hot breakfast and all but do any of you realize that other airlines like Eastern for that matter was doing short segments as well with hot breakfast only on L-1011's? I'm not saying it was hard but almost every other flight a f/a has to tell you about the PIT-PHL breakfast or ask if you've heard of it. It's funny. Up until food was cut serving ANY kind of meal on the md-80 with only TWO f/a's in coach beats the PIT-PHL breakfast ANY day.

I remember in '86 when working with American we did a full hot breakfast, with a choice of 2 entrees in coach, on a full DC-10-10 (everything sent up from a lower lobe galley) between O'Hare and Detroit!! We were scrambling for our jumpseats as the plane was crossing the runway numbers on landing!

I hated working in the back on the MD-80s with the split galleys that AA had. I also have not-so-fond memories of sitting in the aft jumpseat having a smoke while my equilibrium was played with from the out of synch "thrum-thrum-thrum-thrum" of the aft engines! Or was that the 727? Probably both!

 

[LCC_#1]

Full breakfast on 45 minute PIT-PHL flights.

Hot towels, ice cream sandwiches and free movies in coach on trips to the left coast.

REALITY CHECK!!! US AIRWAYS NEVER...I repeat NEVER offered free movies!! You were probably approached by a nice f/a!! Get your facts straight!!

 

[safety stud]

So much to remember...

Lucky Leaf Apple Juice in the Large Can
Chicken Wings delivered from the Airways Hotel to the jetway
Plastic lined paper trash bags
Choice of Lobster Roll or Steak for the BTV crew meals...
Heck..... Crew Meals.....
Nacho Cheese and Crackers
Mints in coach arrival service..
Choice of Pepsi and Coke products...(didn't last long)
Fred the Crew Scheduler - PIT
Judy the Crew Scheduler with the sexy voice - PIT
Trip sheets with the big print
ROC-LGA-SDF-IND-LAX direct flight on the 72...
All-Nighters that paid...
Water Cuplets...
Golden Sun Service (wine and orange juice)
church keys
cockpit keys
video keys
Boarding Music on the 727 (Always started with Barry Manillow's Copa Cabana)
The Amfac Hotel and the Green Door...
Peppys Galley at the Bowling Alley...
The Red Onion...
Flashing your badge going around security...
Cornbeef on a bagel
Hockey Pucks for breakfast...

I'm sure many of these have already been mentioned...

Good times... Good times....

 

[sbtinme]

PI238 ATL-LWB 73S -- that operated for all of the 1980s.

PI entering the PIT market with two ROA nonstops!

INT-GSO/TRI early morning mainline flights

GSO/TRI- INT late evening mainline flights

ROA maintenance hangar

GSO's largest sign in the state of NC

The Nancy Davis Pacemaker

727-100s

the retirement of the YS-11s

the 767 in TPA

F28 and 733/734 familiarization flights

N9049U that never was reregistered with a PI registration

Smokehouse Almonds in the square foil packs

Snacks on small plastic trays wrapped in saran to pass out on short flights

N838N Mount Mitchell Pacemaker - -the D B Cooper plane

 

[ggiby]

Memorizing the announcements
Weight check
Hotel fire drill
First Class stationary
First Class playing cards
Truffles
M & Ms
Hot Chocolate
Clam chowder and corn chowder
Montecristo
The old PIT crewroom
Kiddie amenity kits
TWO LOD/Os
LOD/Os who are actually fluent
Rapid reaccrual
$125.00 per week for newhire training
An extra 5+30 for coming in late on MetroJet
Having to stand up from the j/s when anyone needed the aft lav on the F-100
Regular to-go bags for the pilots
Pilots who always check rooms
Central
Designated Shuttle plane, seats, and crew
Getting on your knees in front of the MD-80 phase I to pull out the trays in the back
The D position on the 80, which became the C
B on the F-100 in August
The horn on the F-100
F-100 underseat space--no dividers--you could put your roll-aboard sideways
Wheels
DC-9 card table
Falling into the DC-9 closet while doing the demo during sharp turns
The dance floor on the BAC-111
Sunlight around the BAC doors
The loud cranking noise on the BAE-146
Tammy Faye
Mushroom shirt
PSA buxom gals wearing the tailored vest only
Hand-tied scarves
Skyway
Steak or chicken crewmeals
Beige china with gold trim
Marriotts, Westins, Hyatts
The Bonaventure
Valley Ho
Refusing to DH on Express
Green claim form
1 for 3
727-200 PIT-PHX, most senior flight for a while...
4-11-88, the LAX crewroom code
No PHL, only PIT BOS and DCA
No PSA or PI
PI crews hoarding every single leftover and organizing it (jelly, butter, ketchup...)
The 'Division' consisted of two whole destinations
Face-to-face evaluations
PDQ
Young people--and I mean 18 to 21
Mood lighting on the nine with two brown coffee cups
keys
Employee cafeteria in PIT and PHL
Smoking, as soon as the bell went off--DING! puffpuffpuff
Cool hotel nightclubs
THREE choices for meals on domestic--for free
DC-9's white, pull call bell, and nasty girt bars
4-day worth 32+00
Red carnations
Hotel helicoptor ride in St.Lucia
50% discount on the Concorde
No computers or cell phones
Innocence/naivete
Glamour

Oh boy.... you forgot the biggest one of all.... however I am very impressed w/ all that you did remember...

What about ....

#1.... Piedmont punch????? oh I sure wish I had one of those little blue cans....

#2..... remember....Tammy Faye??? (the ole 737...200....airstairs????"

#...3.... the worst of all...... the YS 11... and the F 28...

Blast from the past!!!

LOL

 

[ggiby]

Memorizing the announcements
Weight check
Hotel fire drill
First Class stationary
First Class playing cards
Truffles
M & Ms
Hot Chocolate
Clam chowder and corn chowder
Montecristo
The old PIT crewroom
Kiddie amenity kits
TWO LOD/Os
LOD/Os who are actually fluent
Rapid reaccrual
$125.00 per week for newhire training
An extra 5+30 for coming in late on MetroJet
Having to stand up from the j/s when anyone needed the aft lav on the F-100
Regular to-go bags for the pilots
Pilots who always check rooms
Central
Designated Shuttle plane, seats, and crew
Getting on your knees in front of the MD-80 phase I to pull out the trays in the back
The D position on the 80, which became the C
B on the F-100 in August
The horn on the F-100
F-100 underseat space--no dividers--you could put your roll-aboard sideways
Wheels
DC-9 card table
Falling into the DC-9 closet while doing the demo during sharp turns
The dance floor on the BAC-111
Sunlight around the BAC doors
The loud cranking noise on the BAE-146
Tammy Faye
Mushroom shirt
PSA buxom gals wearing the tailored vest only
Hand-tied scarves
Skyway
Steak or chicken crewmeals
Beige china with gold trim
Marriotts, Westins, Hyatts
The Bonaventure
Valley Ho
Refusing to DH on Express
Green claim form
1 for 3
727-200 PIT-PHX, most senior flight for a while...
4-11-88, the LAX crewroom code
No PHL, only PIT BOS and DCA
No PSA or PI
PI crews hoarding every single leftover and organizing it (jelly, butter, ketchup...)
The 'Division' consisted of two whole destinations
Face-to-face evaluations
PDQ
Young people--and I mean 18 to 21
Mood lighting on the nine with two brown coffee cups
keys
Employee cafeteria in PIT and PHL
Smoking, as soon as the bell went off--DING! puffpuffpuff
Cool hotel nightclubs
THREE choices for meals on domestic--for free
DC-9's white, pull call bell, and nasty girt bars
4-day worth 32+00
Red carnations
Hotel helicoptor ride in St.Lucia
50% discount on the Concorde
No computers or cell phones
Innocence/naivete
Glamour

Oh boy.... you forgot the biggest one of all.... however I am very impressed w/ all that you did remember...

What about ....

#1.... Piedmont punch????? oh I sure wish I had one of those little blue cans....

#2..... remember....Tammy Faye??? (the ole 737...200....airstairs????"

#...3.... the worst of all...... the YS 11... and the F 28...

Blast from the past!!!

LOL

 

[EMBFA]

Ya know....I'm not trying to belittle the "legendary" PIT-PHL hot breakfast and all but do any of you realize that other airlines like Eastern for that matter was doing short segments as well with hot breakfast only on L-1011's? I'm not saying it wasn't hard but almost every other flight a f/a has to tell you about the PIT-PHL breakfast or ask if you've heard of it. It's funny. Up until food was cut serving ANY kind of meal on the md-80 with only TWO f/a's in coach beats the PIT-PHL breakfast ANY day.

Oh my god, thank you!

Get over the damm hot breakfast on the DC9 or the jumbo "three four hundred" (can we start calling it the 737 please?) Yes it was hurried but it's nothing compared to what F/As at the big boys were doing at the time. The same can pretty much be said today.

 

[USCREW]

Oh boy.... you forgot the biggest one of all.... however I am very impressed w/ all that you did remember...

What about ....

#1.... Piedmont punch????? oh I sure wish I had one of those little blue cans....

#2..... remember....Tammy Faye??? (the ole 737...200....airstairs????"

#...3.... the worst of all...... the YS 11... and the F 28...

Blast from the past!!!

LOL

I definitely remember Tammy Faye and the LOUD 200.

I never had PI punch but I loved the natural unroasted peanuts.

I never stepped foot on the F28.

Before we merged operationally with PI, I experienced the greatest kindness on two separate occasions with a PI agent and F/A in BWI. Thank-you for taking me into your homes when I was stranded!

Someone mentioned the ELM ride--wow, I was always crammed in the middle of the back seat of that tiny car during a blizzard.

Fred was a real character. You always had to walk pass him to get into PIT ops. On March 4th, 1989 (when Eastern shut down), I tried to call in sick for the very first time since it was my birthday. He told me that Uncle Ed had a tele-type saying that anyone who called in sick that day would be terminated. Fred would make up stuff and create his own rules. He was brutal to reserves. When I was hired, I was the last person on the very last page of 176 reserve pages. When future called me, it was usually around 1930 or later. Now, I get a call before 1230!

How about the brown jacket and the red jacket people?

My first flight ever with Sunny, Rogie and Captain Bud Weisser and F/O Chip Monk :blink: