Following a Dream…liner (on the hunt for the 787 Dreamliner)

Posted on June 18, 2013 | 2 comments

The 787 is taunting me. Teasing me. In fact she’s being downright elusive. Ever since the 787 Dreamliner was introduced by Boeing it has been our goal, as the airlineguys, to fly on this revolutionary, highly technical airplane. After years of delays and issues with the lithium-ion batteries, which grounded the entire fleet worldwide, the 787 made a triumphant return to the skies on April 29, 2013 with Ethiopian Airlines.

IMG_2670Currently, United Airlines is the only US-based carrier flying the 787. When United introduced the Dreamliner they were flown on domestic routes to test its reliability and serviceability. After the much talked about grounding, the 787 was re-introduced to the domestic sector, again to test reliability, serviceability, and to monitor the lithium-ion battery fix. As planned from the outset, United’s 787s were designed as an international long-haul product.

So, it was with excitement when United announced that the Dreamliner would fly domestically until the summer schedule went in to full effect, at which time the 787s would fly their intended routes, international. It was our chance to fly this magnificent plane. Unfortunately airlineguy Darin couldn’t join me on this adventure (we gotta get him on a 787 soon!).

The first attempt to fly the 787 was a bust! I didn’t make the flight out of Atlanta to make the connecting 787 flight in Houston. Talk about being majorly bummed. Not wanting to take any chances on the second attempt, I flew to Houston the night before and got a hotel room.

So, now here was my dilemma: standby for the early (7a) IAH – ORD flight, or take the mid-morning (11a) IAH – ORD flight. Against everything I know when it comes to standby travel, I chose the mid-morning flight. (@FriendlyStew and @NonRevAdventure I’ll take your advice next time). All seemed fine until I woke up the next morning to find out that the 11a departure had an equipment swap from a 787 to a 757. Oh, the horror! Again, majorly bummed.

I’m an optimist.  I did some research, made some calls, and sent a few frantic text messages. Much to my delight there was a late afternoon (4p) 787 flight from IAH – ORD. With camera in hand, a positive frame of mind, I headed to IAH for a day of people watching and planespotting. Besides getting on the 787, could you ask for anything more entertaining?

In the hours (about 5) spent at IAH here’s what happened:
• took loads of airplane pics
• was fascinated people watching (amazed how each airport has its own “personality”)
• bumped into 3 aviation professionals who attended a customer service training class I helped facilitate (besides being #avgeeks, the airlineguys are aviation consultants specializing in customer service)
• recognized and reconnected with a high school friend who is an RN and who now is a United pilot (I’m still reeling from this chance encounter and so happy to be reconnected with Mark!)

As you can see, my time spent at the airport waiting for the 787 was well worth it. Yes, she was being elusive, but I had come so far and was not about to give up now.

When I received my seat I was beyond excited: window, exit row.

Here are my thoughts on taking my first United 787 flight:

• First impression — gorgeous
• Mood lighting upon boarding —  soothing (there are 6 settings: boarding, meals, relaxing, cruise, sleep, preloading)
• Layout of FC – spacious (this is where I want to be on my next 787 flight!)
• E+ — roomy, relaxing hues of blue and grays throughout the cabin
• Windows — most were darkened already, customers began experimenting with the window “shades”, impressed with how the tint changes from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button, the size of windows (30% larger according to infographic card in seat pocket) was very noticeable — when seated you had an unobstructed view of the horizon (no craning of neck to look up or down)
• Sound — very taken with how quiet this plane was at takeoff and cruise altitude (60% less noise than planes of comparable size), it was so quiet I could clearly hear the crying kid a few rows back, noise-reducing chevrons on engine nacelles contributes to reducing noise levels of the engines
• Wing — loved the wingflex, sliced right through the air even in mild turbulence
• Crew — friendly and efficient, had nice conversation with Edwin who too is from South Florida, and Sandy was kind to take my picture
• Food — ordered the Tapas snack box, Bloody Mary, water, crew were proficient with handheld devices
• IFE — full selection of films, TV, music, moving map, UA services/amenities, a full system reset was completed on at least 2 occasions
• Landed on time, to gate after short delay due to ramp congestion

A special thank you to ticket agent Heather P (great eye contact, smiled, knowledgeable in job duties) and gate agent Ms. Matthews (smiled, accommodating, calming announcements). They made the check in and boarding process pleasant.

Overall, an awesome passenger experience and a wonderful introduction to the Boeing 787! Would love to take a long-haul flight to experience the 787s feature of increased oxygen and humidity of the cabin air (lessens the effects of jet lag we hear). Hint, hint 😉

Thanks United for an awesome experience!

airlineguy Sylvester

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Preserving the wonder of flight – American Airlines CR Smith Museum

Posted on April 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

As we know, many airlines have come and gone. Change is a constant in the airline industry. Because of all the changes, the details of the past can quickly slip away. It’s great knowing that airlines have set up shrines to avgeeks the world over in the form of airline museums. One such place is the American Airlines CR Smith* Museum located near DFW Airport. We had been wanting to visit this museum for quite some time and the opportunity arose to visit.

Opened in 1993, this interactive museum chronicles the storied past of American Airlines.

Highlights of the museum include:

• a flight simulator where you can pilot your flight (there was a line, so didn’t get the opportunity to experience this exhibit)
• FA uniforms from different periods (the “Astrojet” period FA uniform was a favorite)
• an interactive kids area (being a kid at heart, I did pick up the crayons and created my own work of art)
• a 15 minute, heart-warming, patriotic film about American (the air-to-air visuals are spectacular)
• and the pièce de résistance – a fully restored DC-3 (Flagship Knoxville)

Another highlight of the visit: The Volunteers

It was such a pleasure to meet Betty, Foster, and Kyle. They made the visit exceptional. Betty greeted me as soon as I walked in and proceeded to give me a personalized overview of the museum. She asked question of me, used my name often, told me about the history of the museum, and shared with me her time as an American employee. Lovely lady. Then there was Kyle. A young student intern who felt very “fortunate” to be working in this particular museum. And I can’t say enough about Foster. He started with American in 1943 as a mechanic, became a flight engineer, and retired after 50 years. He was so kind and shared snippets of what it was like to work for an airline in the golden era. A true gem.

Perfect for a day trip or for those who may have a few hours layover at DFW. We highly recommend!

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The museum is opened Tuesday – Saturday 9a – 5p, and seasonally on Sundays (1p – 5p From Memorial Day to Labor Day). For further information it’s best to visit the museum website at:

www.crsmithmuseum.org

*CR Smith – Cyrus Rowlett Smith (in case you were wondering)

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The Fashion Runway

Posted on January 27, 2013 | 2 comments

Edith Head. Pucci. Halston. Ralph Lauren. Kate Spade. Christian LaCroix. Richard Tyler. KaufmanFranco.

Famous designers collaborating with airlines is nothing new. Fashion has been gracing the runways for many years now. Fashion, romance, and glamour still surround aviation. However, nowadays you have to look a little bit harder. Some cabin crew joke it’s near the floor because lots of time is spent bending, stooping over, and picking things up off the floor.

Recently American Airlines announced that it would be rolling out new uniforms for its crews. They chose KaufmanFranco. They’ve designed for some of the world’s best know celebs: Beyonce, Christina, Megan Fox, and Halle Berry to name just a few. And while all of these people are glamourous in their own right, dressing cabin crews is much different.

Fashion must follow function. What’s the use of looking fabulous when you can’t bend over, stoop, and otherwise look glamourous while collecting trash, and pulling/pushing beverage carts?

The designers of KaufmanFranco seem to be on the right track. Here’s what they have to say:

One of our favorite uniforms was designed by Kate and Jack Spade. We know firsthand, extensive research went into the functionality of the uniform: how cabin crews move (bending, reaching, stretching), what their jobs entail (customer service and safety), and how they get the job done (often in a hurry). They then chose the “right” fabric that could stand up to stains, spills, and being pack and unpacked (wrinkle-free is really, really important!). They then used their knowledge of what is fashionable to create a wonderful uniform that received many stares and compliments from passengers as well as other airline crew members. We enjoyed this uniform immensely. Truly one of the very best!

Enjoy the slide show!

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An Unlikely Resting Place

Posted on January 20, 2013 | 2 comments

An Unlikely Resting Place

Nestled between two runways, at the world’s busiest airport, you’ll find an unlikely resting place. Between the takeoffs and landings of RJs and jumbo jets you’ll find a place that’s serene, peaceful, and reflective. It’s the Flat Rock Cemetery.

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Having lived in Atlanta in the early 90s, we knew of this cemetery and the area that surrounded it. During the early 90s, and before the latest airport expansion took place, this area was home to many families. Single family homes, cottages, and apartment buildings were shaded by oaks and pecan trees. Today this area is unrecognizable. Gone are the homes, schools, parks, and most of the trees. One thing that hasn’t changed is the Flat Rock Cemetery.

We visited the Flat Rock Cemetery recently to take a look around. And here’s what we learned.

The Flat Rock Community was settled just before the Civil War by inhabitants who were farmers. In the year 1872 they establish the Flat Rock Baptist Church and erected the first building in 1875. Over the years the congregation grew. However, in the 1960s as the Atlanta Airport began to expand the congregation of Flat Rock Baptist began to dwindle. By 1970 the land of Flat Rock Baptist, except the cemetery, was sold to the City of Atlanta. The oldest marker is  from the year 1877.

Of the pics taken at the Cemetery, this one has to be the most fascinating. If you look closely you’ll see a green apparition. Not one to believe in such things, seeing this has really freaked me out. The pic has been shared with those into psychic and paranormal activity and some of the things that have come back have been interesting. One clairvoyant says, “it’s been around for awhile, seems very active with spirits (some good, some not so much), there’s an uncomfortable yet calming feeling about this pic.” We showed the pic to a medium and she said, “First impression, angelic guardianship of the souls there. Second, healing of souls there.”

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While at the Cemetery one of the most profound moments was seeing the grave markers for the Thrailkill children. Four of their children all passed away within the first year of their lives. The medium tends to think it may be one of the the children.

I know many people don’t believe in this type of phenomena, and this is understandable. All I’m doing is reporting what was observed on this visit to the Flat Rock Cemetery.

The next time you’re in Atlanta and have time we encourage you to swing by and take a look around. Not only is this a historical place and peaceful place, it’s also a great place to watch planes take off from the world’s busiest airport.

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TWA: “You’re going to like us”

Posted on January 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

“You’re going to like us. TWA” (and we do, we really do)

ImageIt goes without saying that as the airlineguys, we love all things related to airlines. However, every now and then a particular airline will rise to the top of our consciousness and there it remains for a bit of time. It’s almost like the aviation universe starts to present images, stories, and references to that particular airline. We got TWA “on the brain” when we saw a picture posted and retweeted on twitter of a TWA meal tray. An economy meal tray. Full-size meal tray. Complete with entree (chicken or beef?), salad, dinner roll, dessert, and full-size coffee cup. Ahhh, those were the days. We briefly experienced the time period of the full-size, domestic flight, meal tray…in economy class.  It was short-lived, but we do remember.

If TWA were a personality we wonder whether or not it would have suffered an inferiority complex. Think about it, in the halcyon days of air travel, TWA and Pan Am were the gold standard. However, it was Pan Am that ushered in the days of the Jumbo jet. Pan Am that pioneered around-the-world flights. Pan Am was the “official” flag carrier of the US. And close behind was TWA.

Both carriers were very similar in many aspects. Both had their share of triumph and tragedy, yet they were distinct carriers that occupy a soft spot in the minds of the traveling public the world over.

If TWA were a personality and had an inferiority complex, we would have advised them to snap out of it! Here are some note-worthy aspects of TWA:

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  • Iconic leaders: Howard Hughes – Although never holding an official position with the airline, he controlled TWA for 25 years. He was suave, debonair, and passionate about his airline; all before eventually withdrawing and becoming a recluse.
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Howard Hughes

  • Known as the: “Airline of the Stars” – Movie stars, and business execs often flew TWA in its heyday.
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Fred Astaire & Gene Kelly

  • The Trans World Flight Center at JFK opened in 1962 designed by Eero Saarinen – On the National Register of Historic Places, this terminal is a monument to the golden era of the Jet Age (side note – we WILL be in attendance at this years’ open house!). Click here to see pics from Jaunted.
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Trans World Flight Center at JFK. Picture courtesy of Jaunted.

  • In 1969 TWA carried the most transatlantic passengers of any airline; until then Pan American World Airways had always been number one.
  • TWA offers the first-ever in-flight audio entertainment, providing individual receivers to passengers to listen to commercial radio programs.
  • TWA was the first airline to introduce regular in-flight movies aboard its aircraft when it offered the feature film “By Love Possessed” in the first-class section of a Boeing 707 during a scheduled flight from NYC to LA.
  • TWA is the first airline to offer passengers freshly-brewed coffee in flight.
  • TWA receives the 1994 J.D. Power & Associates award as the #1 US airline for customer satisfaction on long flights.
  • TWA receives the 1998 J.D. Power & Associates/ Frequent FlyerMagazine award as the #1 US airline for customer satisfaction on flights of more than 500 miles.
  • TWA receives the 1999 J.D.Power & Associates/Frequent Flyer Magazine award as the #1 US airline for customer satisfaction on flights of less than 500 miles.

The forces of the industry, mismanagement, costs, and tragedy (hijackings, TWA 800) were too much for the carrier once that once touted “The Most Comfortable Way To Fly”. And we all know the rest of the story…

  • In 2001, TWA files for bankruptcy for the third time. TWA agrees to sell most of its assets to American Airlines for $500M.

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While there is a lot more information regarding the storied past of TWA, we wanted to bring you the highlights of this once great airline. Every now and then an airline from the past will come to haunt us in the present. That’s okay, we like these kinds of ghosts from the past. So, be on the lookout for other carriers we highlight. After all, we are the airlineguys.

Please check out Silver Wings International‘s homepage for more information.

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Will the real Debbie Delta please stand up!

Posted on November 4, 2012 | 1 comment

In the summer of 2011 a friend, and fellow airlineguy, and I took a train excursion on Amtrak from Chicago to Seattle on the California Zephyr and Coast Starlight (read about that here). However, it was on the flight from Atlanta to Chicago that we met a flight attendant named Debbie. She was no ordinary Debbie. She was Debbie Delta!

“Debbie Delta” is a nickname given to a FA who is Delta through and through. She’s Southern. Gracious. Loves her job. And loves Delta! We’ve met a couple of Debbie Delta’s that are guys, but that’s another story we can share later.

This Debbie was all of the aforementioned. She was kind. Talkative Thoughtful. Funny; a real spitfire. As we got to know her on the flight she let us know that she was from Monroe, Louisiana – The Home of Delta Air Lines. How cool is that! Think about it. What are the chances that Debbie from Monroe, Louisana; would one day go to work for Delta as a FA, and become a real Debbie Delta? Will the real Debbie Delta please stand up!

The other day while at Crew Outfitters Debbie stopped by. We immediately recognized each other. It was so nice to see her. Having not seen each other since that flight from Atlanta to Chicago back in 2011, we had lots of catching up to do. One of the things we shared was that she had just celebrated her 38th year of flying! After 38 years, she stills enjoys her job. Loves the customer interactions. Loves Delta. You’d think with this kind of seniority she’d be flying international. But no, she’s done her share of international flying and chooses now to fly domestic trips (“nothing over two and a half hours”). That’s the beauty of this job – there’s a little bit for everyone.

We also shared some pics from back in the day when she began her flying career. From what we hear there were some crazy, fun times in the lower galley of the L1011! To have been a flight attendant during the 70s would have been the best – the colorful interiors, the funky uniforms, the numerous domestic widebody flights, the well-behaved passengers. Ahhh…

Lower galley L1011 – early 1970s. Look at those regulation shoes! 🙂

Seeing Debbie was special. It got us to thinking though. Okay, we know the nickname for Delta FAs who are engaged, love their jobs, love their airline – Debbie Delta’s.

airlineguys and Debbie Delta

Help us out fellow avgeeks, What names are giving to FAs at other airlines who embody that particular airlines’ culture?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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It’s all about the music

Posted on September 30, 2012 | 2 comments

You may wonder why we occasionally post and comment about music, music videos, and the latest musical acts. No Doubt and Lana del Rey have been two musical acts on our radar lately.

No Doubt

Lana del Rey

Little do most people know, we used to program boarding music for our former airline. What? That’s right, program boarding music. You may think, oh there’s nothing to that. Well, let us tell you, there was plenty of thought and consideration that went in to it.

Einstein used a formula E = mc2. So did we! We used the bell-shaped curve to guide us in our musical selection (more on this later). And we also had the good fortune of collaborating with a lovely woman named Danette Christine who is founder and president of SoundTrack Marketing. As a musician and singer, she has a way with music. As a entrepreneur, she understands the ins and outs of the music business. We connected on so many levels.

You can’t deny the transformative nature of music. Music has a way of influencing people, places, and situations. Think about the last time you were at a bar, restaurant, club, or store. Did you take the time to listen to the music in the background/foreground? Chances are it wasn’t haphazardly put together. Lots of consideration is given to creating the “right” atmosphere. The right ambiance.

When programming music for boarding we were considerate of the atmosphere we were creating. In years past many airlines had no boarding music at all or used classical music. The thought behind using classical music was that it had a  calming effect. Where this may be true, it’s not very contemporary in today’s environment to play classical boarding music. Our assignment was to make a difference in the boarding experience. We were given creative license to create the best boarding experience for the customer through music. So, we chose contemporary tunes (Gwen Stefani, Luther Vandross, Beyonce, Celine, Jason Mraz, etc), oldies-but-goodies (Spinners, Jackson 5, etc), as well as an “ambient mix” of groovy sounds.

During our assignment we constantly, and still do, listen for new music. The app Shazam has become our friend. Each month we would add songs to our list for possible boarding music choices. On our monthly conference calls with Danette we would discuss the selections for a possible playlist. We would present our list and suggestions and Danette would present hers. Each song would then be reviewed for sound, lyrics, and placement in the lineup. Each playlist lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. Here’s where the bell-shaped curve came in. The “science” was to begin the boarding music with a mid-tempo. The mid-tempo would welcome on the first class and elite customers. Once general boarding began the tempo would increase a bit. The rationale was that as the majority of customers boarded the boarding the music would get them moving expeditiously to their seats. As boarding came to an end the songs in the boarding playlist would return to a mid-tempo.

Bell-shaped curve used for boarding music

Besides creating an experience for the customer, we also had to be cognizant of the cabin crew; they would be listening to the music playlist for a complete month. So, we made sure to choose tunes that didn’t grate or irritate them. The term that we used to describe this condition was “music fatigue”; hearing the same tune over and over again to the point of exhaustion. Definitely not the experience we wanted to create for our fellow cabin crew.

Our collaboration with SoundTrack Marketing proved very popular and lasted for 1 and 1/2 years. We received (and still do receive) positive comments from flight crews and from customers on a consistent basis. They really enjoyed the “freshness” of the music, the selections we chose, and the diversity of those selections. On occasion we’re asked by cabin crew to come back and program the music again. We’d gladly do it all over again!

Is there anyone listening?

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Yes!

Posted on August 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

Yesterday we were speaking with a flight attendant, when Darin asked her how long she’d been flying. At 39 years we were impressed. She let us know that she began her flying career 39 years ago at Hughes Airwest. Having grown up in the West (Phoenix and Vegas), Darin was very familiar with the airline that was “Top Banana”. As conversation continued she let us in on a little known secret; she had a small part in a Hughes Airwest commercial. We were like, “Which one?” She said are you familiar with the “Yes” commercial? And we were like YES! So, we immediately went to YouTube and there she was!

Ulda says “Yes!”

We love old airline commercials. The dancing. The singing. The jingles. Everyone, the crew, the passengers; seemed like they were having the best time. Maybe that’s why we like these commercials so much. Today’s  airline commercials pale in comparison to the airline commercials of yesteryear.

As it turns out Ulda was very fascinating. In 39 years she’s flown all over the world. Nowadays she flies mostly South American routes. From our conversation it’s obvious she still enjoys her job. When we asked her what has kept her in the business for 39 years her response was, “”Places to go. People to meet.” She mentioned how everyday is an adventure and that she’s a gypsy at heart; always on the go, always looking for a new experience. When asked what the biggest challenge was with flying, she said that the traveling public doesn’t quite understand the role of the flight attendant anymore.

It’s pretty amazing the things you can learn about people when you take the time to listen and share. Thanks Ulda!

airlineguys & Ulda

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Air Hollywood

Posted on August 24, 2012 | 2 comments

Air Hollywood

Air Hollywood

About 3 weeks ago we read an article about a little known company named Air Hollywood. The article was about their “K-9 Flight School” whereby they train dogs to be comfortable in and around airports and airplanes. As lovers of dogs we were very intrigued. As lovers of all things aviation (some would say we’re geeks), we were enthralled by Air Hollywood. We promptly connected with Air Hollywood to inquire about taking a tour of this very unique studio. To our surprise, and delight, they answered our inquiry with enthusiasm. We quickly set up a visit.

Nestled in an industrial park near Northridge CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, is an unassuming studio. There are no ornate gates to welcome you, no electric golf carts whizzing executives from set to set, no reserved parking spaces with famous movie stars names emblazoned on them. What we found was a small team of enthusiastic, funny, accommodating folks charting a path as a niche studio.

Air Hollywood, which opened in 2001, is the world’s largest aviation-themed studio. Their client list includes major motion picture studios, television networks, and film schools from around the globe. Films and commercials utilizing Air Hollywood’s sets and props include: “Elizabethtown” starring Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom; critically acclaimed TV series “Lost”; comedy film “Bridesmaids” starring Kristen Wiig; and the Ameriquest commercial, “Don’t Judge Too Quickly”, to name a few. In addition to airplane mock-ups, Air Hollywood provides airport terminal sets, prop rentals, set design, a fear of flying program, and they license stock footage. Very ambitious to say the least.

Leading the team is founder and CEO Talaat Captan; a movie producer who experienced the challenges first-hand of filming in and around airports. And these challenges became more evident after the events of September 11th. It was through these challenging experiences that Talaat set out to create an aviation world that would be very realistic and one that would be much easier to work within. And hence, Air Hollywood took off.

The rest of the team included Rachel, Morgan, Matt, and Toshi. All affable and accommodating. And let’s not forget Lucky, Talaat’s adorable little dog that was visiting the office for the day.

It was Rachel, the set booking agent who’s responsible for PR and marketing at Air Hollywood, who gave us the behind-the-scenes tour. She was knowledgeable and excited about leading us on the tour.

The tour began with a visit to a narrowbody (single aisle) mock-up. Once inside we were told that the interior of each of the mock-ups could be custom designed for the needs of the client or specifically configured for a specific airline. We also learned that the ceiling could be removed and the aisle widened, if needed, to accommodate lighting and cameras when filming. The mock-up included galleys, lavatories, and a cockpit. The cockpit was “open” such that filming could take place from all angles. This gave new meaning to the term “glass cockpit”. A unique feature of this mock-up was the ability to create “turbulence”. Huh? Through airbags housed underneath the mock-up platform, compressed gas could be sent to the airbags allowing for the entire mock-up to shake, rattle, and roll. While we didn’t get the opportunity to see it firsthand, we were informed that turbulence could be set on a scale of 1 to 10. And Rachel said 3 was pretty intense.

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We then moved on to the “terminal”. Inside the terminal we found a check-in counter, waiting area with seats, and a security check point complete with magnetometers. Rachel explained that through strategic positioning of seats, signage, and flooring, many different looks and effects can be achieved.

The next mock-up we visited was also a narrowbody, however, it included a first class section. This mock-up, like the previous one, had moveable ceiling panels, real overhead bins, and a cockpit. And what a cockpit it was! This particular cockpit was THE cockpit used for the filming of the movie Airplane! Talk about excited! Surely we had to take a picture in this piece of aviation and film history. And don’t call me Shirley. Roger that. Roger Roger.

THE airlineguys inside THE Airplane! cockpit

Moving on from the narrowbody mock-up, we now visited a widebody (dual aisle) mock-up. The layout was that of a Boeing 767. The cabin was…spacious. If only…but we digress. On this set, the crash scene from the critically acclaimed TV series “Lost” was filmed; an intense scene made all the more real because of the details of the set provided by Air Hollywood. The widebody mock-up also includes a jetway. A few scenes of the comedy “Bridesmaids” was filmed on this jetway and inside this widebody mock-up.

Next came the props department. This was an immense area that housed a Lear jet mock-up and items needed to dress the set. There were various luggage styles categorized by period. So, if a scene called for luggage from the 70s, they have it. There was signage from various airlines. Signage also came in different colors and languages. There were telephones and telephone booths. Beverage and food carts of varying sizes included glassware and snacks that would never go stale (they were plastic). There were newspaper stands with newspapers. Need a smartcarte to haul your luggage? They had those too! Looking for a place to check in for your flight? Kiosks and ticket/gate counters were numerous. It was almost too much, yet we didn’t want to leave!

On the tour we also saw a room for hair and makeup for the actors, and a holding room for the extras who serve as passengers.

After our whirlwind tour of the facilities we had the opportunity to sit with Talaat, the CEO and founder of Air Hollywood. This man is passionate about aviation! As he spoke it was like listening to ourselves speak. He told of us of his love of all things aviation. He shared his experiences in the film industry. His love of dogs and how important the “K-9 Flight School” is to him really struck a chord in us…what a great service! Talaat also shared his desire to grow Air Hollywood’s list of services including the “Fear Of Flying Program”.

He then asked about us. We told him about our experiences in aviation (as former cabin crew, facilitators, PR ambassadors, and our penchant for discerning excellent customer service). We also shared our goal of the airlineguys: To create a community of like-minded people who love aviation; who love what air travel means (experiences that can broaden the mind and change you in a positive way); a community that chooses to focus on the positive aspects of air travel instead of the negative. And through our experiences and connections with other like-minded people, we can bring light to this often maligned marvel of physics and power.

The 3 of us agreed…we’re geeks. Avgeeks!

airlineguys Darin, Talaat, Sylvester

http://www.airhollywood.com

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