Tag Archives: flight attendants

Heidi, Edelweiss, Alphorns, and all things SWISS

Posted on August 23, 2011 | Leave a comment
Last week Swiss International Air Lines announced they’re rebranding. The current brand, visually, includes a red cube shape with the Swiss flag in the bottom corner. Simple. Clean. Unencumbered. Proud. Precise. Very Swiss.
When you hear rebranding you may think, ‘now what?’ The current branding works, right? Well according to Holger Hätty, Chief Commercial Officer of Swiss International Air Lines, companies can’t afford to be complacent; they must lay the foundations of today for tomorrow’s successes.

Swiss International definitely has a strong and viable foundation. It was Swissair (predecessor to Swiss International) that created a foundation of exceptional customer service and operational efficiency (Duh! They are Swiss after all). Had Swissair not built such a strong foundation, they would not have weathered 9/11 or bankruptcy to become SWISS.

Over a 2.5 year period, I had the opportunity to experience the Swiss spirit firsthand as a FA in the crew exchange between my airline and Swissair (mid-1990’s). What a wonderful experience. Water skiing on Lake Geneva. Day trips by train into the Swiss countryside. Spectacular views of the Swiss Alps (Matterhorn). Fondue. Endless fields of sunflowers. Wonderful friends. After quite a long absence, I recently visited Switzerland where I met up with an old Swissair friend. Ah, the memories. Many things had changed, especially at Flughafen Zurich. The whole experience was distinctly Swiss. Loved the airport train ride between terminals! Click to experience.

On the tarmac - ZRH

The spirit of Switzerland is still alive, so it’s really not rebranding but repositioning. The key elements of the repositioning (elements experienced at the old Swissair):

• We are genuine
• We are close to our customers
• We are totally devoted to delivering optimum product and service quality

Seems like some things old are new again. Out with the red cube. Welcome back tailfin with the Swiss cross! SWISS believes this better represent the move to be the “Airline of Switzerland”. I agree.

Their new branding is a promise of a new beginning. For complete details click here

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Limited choices

Posted on July 8, 2011 | 1 comment

A couple of thoughts came to mind the other day because of a situation that occurred. The situation centered around computer outages at USAirways and United and how these outages affected the vast majority of their customers. Luckily, those issues were resolved fairly quickly and life in aviation returned to normal after a day or two. So, that was the situation. The thoughts were, due to the limited number of airlines that exist today, the possibility and impact for something major to affect so many is heightened even when it happens to a single carrier, let alone two. The other thought was how few airlines exist today. In essence, we have limited choices in the airline industry. And for us avgeeks (aviation geeks), limited material to blog and talk about.

Imagine for a moment, the delight of aviation bloggers, and avgeeks around the world if the Internet had been possible before 1978 (we’re sure Al Gore was working on it though). Airlines and choices were plentiful. There would have been so much to write about. Can you imagine? Compared to the years right after 1978 there are only a handful of carriers today.

On October 24, 1978 the Airline Deregulation Act was signed into law. It really was about increasing competition and removing the barriers to entry into the airline business. According to AlterNet, an online news magazine and community, “In the 27 years before airline deregulation, no airline went bankrupt. Since 1978, 160 airlines have come and gone. In the last quarter-century, the rate of bankruptcy among air carriers has been as much as 10 times higher than that of the general business community.” In essence, limited choices. We would be remiss not to mention the toll this has had on many individuals, families, and communities; a topic we’ll cover at a later date.

Some of the airlines that no longer exist included: PSA, Western, AirCal, Braniff, Eastern, TWA, Pan Am, Air Florida, Texas International, Northwest Orient, Southern Airways, PeoplExpress, Piedmont, New York Air, National, Hughes Airwest.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have all these, and today’s, airlines to blog and talk about? Imagine the volume of material. Imagine the stories. Imagine the possibilities.

However, we’ve come to some realizations. Not only in aviation, but in life. When it comes to limited choices we have to make due with the choices we have available. Having limited choices requires us to search harder, be more aware, become more at peace with what is; not with how we want things to be. As for the limited airline choices for blogging and discussing, we’ll make due and and continue to feel strongly and passionately about a topic that is dear to our hearts. Are you doing the same about that which brings you joy?

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Diversify?

Posted on June 13, 2011 | 1 comment

A friend recently responded to a Facebook post asking, “Are you diversifying? @trainguys coming soon??” I chuckled and then gave it some serious thought. First, let me say my love of aviation has not diminished. Like any good first romance, I can’t let it go. However, my love of trains is close second. This hidden love is becoming so evident that a friend described me, in great detail, as a hobo. Hey! I resemble that remark!

I recently returned from another journey “on the rails”; my second one this year. (See our blog “No plain (plane) experience for me”). In an effort to compare experiences between VIA Rail Canada and the US passenger rail system, the same friend and I set out on Amtrak this time.

When I was younger I remember seeing the Amtrak commercial “California Zephyr”.  I was intrigued and beguiled. The woman announcer’s voice beckoned to me. Thank goodness for YouTube because I was able to find that commercial and was once again lured to the rails (click to watch). The naming of trains by Amtrak evokes a sense of adventure and harkens back to the days of old when “riding the rails” was an experience. It was, and still is, about the experience for me.

The experience aboard the California Zephyr from Chicago to Sacramento was just OK. The crew were pleasant, food was tasty, and we departed and arrived on time. However, a few things were amiss. It was in the details. Even though the crew were pleasant, they didn’t carry themselves with pride. Average age appeared to be in the mid 50s. Most appeared not be be quite together in their style and how they wore their uniforms (stains, wrinkles, too big or too small uniform pieces). Hairstyles weren’t current or maintained. Underneath the pleasantness was a definite tone. And the coaches themselves were in need of a deep cleaning with emphasis placed on details (rips, tears, stains, repainting, lighting, etc.).

In Sacramento a connection was made to Amtrak’s Coast Starlight. And in an instant it all changed…for the better. As we learned, the Coast Starlight is Amtrak’s premier train. And most expensive. Why? More than likely it has to do with experiencing some of the most beautiful vistas. Amazing outcroppings of rocks. Raging river rapids. Full moons (yes, we were mooned a few times). Soaring forests. And snow-capped mountains. The service provided by the crew was exceptional. They all worked well together to provide an extraordinary experience. They were considerate, funny, thoughtful, and resourceful. They were willing to share personal tidbits and stories which made them even more enjoyable. Our cabin attendant and the Pacific Parlour car attendant were the standouts of this wonderful crew. Letters of commendation to Amtrak about these two is definitely in order.

Because the Coast Starlight is considered Amtrak’s premier train, the train was in better condition. The lighting, restrooms and shower facilities, and common areas were well-kept and the majority of the coaches had been renovated. The highlight of this train was the Pacific Parlour car. Built in 1956 for the Santa Fe El Capitan, this coach offered swiveling lounge chairs, private dining, wine tasting, a stand-up bar, and a movie theater. That’s right, a movie theater! There are only five of these special coaches left in existence and you can only find them on the Coast Starlight.

The experience on the Coast Starlight more than made up for any shortcomings of the California Zephyr.

So, back to the question first asked: will we diversify? I’ll never say never. I remind myself and you to remember: life is about the journey; it’s a quest for different experiences. Shake it up. Diversify when you can. By air or by train, we like a good adventure.

SLy

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Looking up

Posted on May 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

At the close of last year Darin (the other airlineguy) blogged an entry detailing his early childhood memories of aviation. He was fortunate to have grown up in an airline family. As for me, I didn’t. However, I think we both had a fascination with flight that started early.

As a kid growing up in rural Jupiter, Florida I would daydream about leaving on a jet plane. Not that Jupiter was a bad place to grow up. However, I knew there was a big world out there that I wanted to see. I found myself looking up a lot as a kid. Whenever I’d see a plane flying overhead I would first identify the aircraft type and then the airline. After determining this very important information, I would make up a story about where the plane was going to or coming from. Back in those days the aircraft were mostly 727s and L-1011s. The airlines I saw most: Delta and Eastern. For us Florida folk did any other airlines exist?

I was a late bloomer. My first airplane ride was at 16 years old. I had spent the summer in Atlanta attending the Resource Center for Science and Engineering at Atlanta University and my parents had driven me up from Jupiter. At the end of the summer program I called my folks and told them that I didn’t want them to come and get me. Once the shock wore off I asked them if I could fly home instead. They agreed and purchased for me a one-way ticket on Delta from Atlanta to Palm Beach International. The ‘new’ Atlanta airport had just opened. At the time it seemed so futuristic. I was beyond excited. Ecstatic would be more like it. Once again I found myself looking up.

At my age memories do come and go on occasion, but not about this. It was a Saturday morning. My friend and his family, whom I had just met that summer, drove me to the airport. In fact, they all came to the gate with me. It was 1981 so you could do this. The interior of that Delta 727 was psychedelic; complete with faux wood paneling in first class. The flight wasn’t very full. I had a window seat in coach. The sun was shining. The flight attendants were friendly. Even though the flight was about an hour and a half, it seemed longer. I’m sure that had to do with savoring every minute of the experience. Things were really looking up.

We landed safely and on-time in West Palm Beach. It was great reuniting with my family after being away for almost 3 months.

That plane ride was a defining moment in my life. And I’ve been looking up every since.

In our busy lives we sometimes forget to look up. I encourage you to do so everyday.

Sylvester

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No plain (plane) experience for me

Posted on April 7, 2011 | 3 comments

It was no plain (plane) experience for this airline guy. In fact it was an amazing experience! Even though I’m an aviation geek, I have a very strong love of trains and train travel too. I know, I know how can this be? Just know that you get to a certain point in life where you stop asking why and just go for it.

My other “fascination” with transporting people started when I was in 5th grade. Back in the day, Palm Beach County Florida safety patrols would make an annual pilgrimage to Washington DC to see the government in action. Transportation was via Amtrak. I remember my trip quite vividly: the sound of the train, the swaying back and forth, big comfy seats, flushing the toilet and watching stuff drop to the tracks below (ewww!). Every since then I’ve been hooked. I’ll let you in on one of my bucket list item: to be at the controls of a speeding locomotive. Crazy, yet true.

So, what does an aviation geek do to satisfy the train geek in himself? Thanks to a good friend and an invitation to join that friend, he takes an excursion via the rails!

What a pleasure it was to ride VIA Rail Canada from Toronto to Vancouver. “The Canadian” is the flagship train route in their system. To put it simply: it was an amazing experience.

In 4 days aboard the train I met many wonderful, interesting, and fascinating people. There was the young couple who were actors/singers/dancers. They were wrapping up a Broadway touring gig and  were heading out for some R&R and downtime around sightseeing and visiting friends. There was the retired older couple who were in the process of moving to the west coast to be near their children and grandkids. There was the politically astute and enlightened composer and graphic design artist couple that were returning to Vancouver to visit friends and their old neighborhood. There was another retired couple who had moved to Canada from England to be near their children and grandchildren. And then there was the couple traveling with their delightful twin autistic sons.

The staff working the train were a senior bunch. The average seniority was about 30 years. They had seen it all! Most of them were engaging, talkative and seemed to still enjoy their jobs. Most of them.

Being mostly disconnected from the Internet, twitter and Facebook updates, and my life had a profound effect. Being on the train allowed me to reconnect with people, learn about others, enjoy the spectacular views, learn more about myself, and ponder the experiences of life. Too many times we’re caught up in our own lives to realize that there’s a whole world out there full of interesting, thoughtful,  kind people; beauty that can take your breath away, and conversations to be had. Too often it’s “easier” to tweet, text or email than it is to have face-to-face conversations with others. It’s a behavior that has to be practiced, utilized, be reminded of.

I can only guess that this experience is very similar to what air travel used to be like during the Golden Era. Relaxed Atmosphere. No overcrowding. It was all about the journey/experience. Polite, considerate fellow travelers.

I’m so intrigued by this experience that I now want to experience travel via train again very soon but this time on Amtrak. The last time was a long time ago and I’d like to see how it compares.  I hear they’ve improved quite a bit. A good friend, who lives in Washington DC and travels often to NYC, regularly takes Amtrak’s Acela. He prefers this experience over the hustle and bustle of air travel on this route; says it’s more civilized.

Maybe train travel will become the “it” way to travel for those looking for an experience as oppose to just getting from A to B.

If you have any questions about my experience please contact me. Otherwise enjoy the pics!

Sylvester

Union Station - Toronto

Train #1 Toronto - Vancouver

Observation car "dome"

1950's observation car (last car of the train)

Jasper, Alberta

Abandoned station - Hornepayne, Ontario

 

It's not safe on the tracks!

 

 

Big wheels keep on turning...

VIA Rail Canada

 

 

One day...

 

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The Future of Flight

Posted on January 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

So, we were looking around on YouTube, as we often do, and came across one of the most interesting, fascinating and wonderful commercials for the Airline of The Future. That future airline was Braniff International. For those who don’t know, Braniff was an airline that began operations in 1928 and met its demise in 1982. Like all the other legacy carriers, Braniff began with humble roots. However, it morphed into the ‘groovy’ airline of the 60s. In fact, it was in 1965 that Braniff began its transformation…it was the “End of the Plain Plane.”

During this era Braniff introduced a multitude of brightly colored planes, designer uniforms by Pucci (complete with “space bubble” helmets to protect the hostesses hair) and the infamous “Air Strip.” Very fashion forward. Very cutting edge. Very fun (pay attention at 0:42 of the video…haha!). And then there was this:

Now, if this is the future of flight…sign us up!

This video was made in 1968 and predicted what airline travel would be like in 1975. Some of these enhancements are upon us…others we wish were. So, let’s break it down. Already here today:

  • trains that take you to the “jetport”. Check.
  • a “friendly computer” that knows more about you than you do. Check
  • video phones that allow you to keep in touch with home (Well, not quite yet. But there is wifi). Check
  • pushing buttons (don’t push the hostess) for food. (Virgin America has this option onboard their planes). Check
  • watching one of three movies or all of them at once (many airlines offer plenty of on demand entertainment options). Check
  • supersonic transport (we miss Concorde). Check

We hope to be around when:

  • robot porters clear your luggage for customs. How nice would this be not to lug your luggage?
  • pneumatic glass tubes take you to the plane. Craziness!
  • electronic valets clean and press your clothes. Just like Rosie from the Jetson’s cartoon!
  • shining a light directly into your eyes will relieve a headache. Seems counterintuitive, but hey, it’s the future.
  • gate agents use jetpacks to fly over to the aircraft to lock the door. This we can’t wait to see!

We guess until this happens we’ll have to endure lugging our own luggage, walking to the gate or using the moving sidewalks, long lines, weather delays, pat downs at security and the reintroduction of supersonic transports.

Here’s to the future!

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Happy New Year

Posted on December 31, 2010 | Leave a comment

2010 proved to be an amazing ride for us. Helping others realize the impact they have on the customer experience has been fulfilling in many ways. It’s what we set out to do in 2008 when we embarked on this adventure. And that’s just how we like to look at life; as an adventure:

ad·ven·ture   [ad-ven-cher]
-noun
1.an exciting or very unusual experience.

To call it exciting or unusual would be an understatement. There have been more than a few nights of thinking…’what if.’ But why concentrate on the ‘what ifs’ of life? When you purposefully look for a different/better experience, spending time on ‘what ifs’ is a waste of time and energy. We are finding you can accomplish more by putting that sort of energy to work for you.

2010 was the first year (of many we hope) where we were able to FULLY combine what we like, with what we like to do:

Aviation + Customer Service = airlineguys

When you can combine what you like, with what you like to do, work is not like work. We encourage…no we implore…you to follow your passion. Find those things, that passion, that job, that will inspire you to live a more balanced, fulfilling life. Has it been easy? No. Has it been challenging? Yes. Would we change things if we could? No. The journey is far from being over or complete. In fact, we’re just starting out.

So please follow our journey by friending us on Facebook, following us on twitter and reading our journey on this blog.

So, be on the lookout for us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you! We wish you peace, love, prosperity and health in 2011. May it be your best year yet!

airlineguys

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Memories

Posted on December 29, 2010 | 1 comment

As this year comes to a close, I like to reflect on some fond memories of this past year.  I feel so lucky to be able to do what I love, facilitating and consulting and this year in a field that I grew up loving, aviation.  Some of my early memories of the joy of aviation are of the times with my father. He started with Western Airlines the same year I was born nineteen sixty something…  We would go to the airport and park at the viewing area near the end of the runway in SLC.  I was just a child full of anticipation as we would watch the Western 707 or 720B on approach, it was beyond thrilling. The aircraft would whisk by with a thunderous ground shaking roar of all four engines.  I was filled with excitement and awe at the power and grace of that beautiful plane as it gently touch down.  All I wanted to do was be on that airplane… Until, the Western Boeing 727 with the flying W positioned itself for takeoff,  I couldn’t wait for the louder more thunderous roar that was a bout to take place.  It was the start of a new flying adventure for everyone that plane.. Now that, is where I wanted to be… These feelings of excitement would be repeated with every take off and landing that we would watch. What a wonderful day it would never last long enough… Thanks Dad for the fond memories back in the day. As for now, thanks for a great 2010.  Let’s all make 2011 full of fond new memories, it’s your life LIVE IT!

Darin

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 25, 2010 | Leave a comment

The airline guys want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you all. May you enjoy the holidays spent with friend, family and loved ones. No matter which airline you travel on this holiday season…Safe travels to all!

SLy & Darin

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Celebrity sightings

Posted on December 23, 2010 | Leave a comment

So much emphasis is placed on celebrity status. And I’m no different than a lot of people I know. There’s something interesting in seeing, reading about and discussing the lives of those we consider ‘celebrities.’ Now don’t get me wrong, celebrity status is not just about the rich and famous; although most celebrities are rich and famous. Notable non rich celebrities include Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Snooki, The Situation and Bristol Palin. It’s weird mentioning the last three with the likes of Mother Teresa. But these are crazy times in which we live.

As a former flight attendant I often thought, ‘Being a flight attendant is like living the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”; however, without the rich and without the famous.’ I got to fly all around the world for free — hop a flight to visit friends for a party; fly some where for lunch or dinner; attend museums and galleries in foreign lands; waterski on Lake Geneva; Christmas shop in Seoul. I won’t bore you with the details but where I’ve been able to travel and who I’ve been able to meet has been quite interesting and, at times, fascinating. At least to me.

Because memory can fade with time, I decided a long time ago, ‘write it down so you won’t forget.’ I’m so glad I stuck to my plans. Every time I had a ‘celebrity’ onboard I made it a point to write down their names. Here’s a partial list:

  • Stevie Wonder
  • David Copperfield
  • Julius Irving “Dr. J”
  • Martina Navratalova
  • Jeremy Irons
  • Milla Jovovich
  • Harry Connick Jr.
  • Tom Brokaw
  • Joan Collins
  • Debbie Allen
  • Natalie Portman
  • Diane Lane
  • Racquel Welch
  • Peter Gabriel
  • David Cassidy
  • Carole King
  • Paul Reubens “Pee Wee Herman”
  • Kelly Ripa
  • Tina Louise “Ginger” from Gilligan’s Island
  • Courtney Cox
  • Roberta Flack
  • Luciano Pavorotti

I’ll share a couple of my favorites.

Kelly Ripa — down-to-earth, funny, onboard with her husband and kid, spoke with the FAs in the galley and constantly checked to see if she was imposing on our time and space.

Paul Reubens “Pee Wee Herman” — such a nice guy, was a customer on 2 of my flights and saw him once in the airport, he recognized me on the 2nd flight, we spoke about “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” (watched it religiously in college) and his upcoming projects. I so want to see his show on Broadway.

Debbie Allen (Fame) — very ‘real’, we laughed and talked a lot on the flight, I shared the homemade Christmas cookies I had baked for my crew; she obliged, took and ate 2 of them.

Carole King (song writer of — “(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman”, “I Feel The Earth Move”, “You’ve Gotta a Friend” to name a few of her hits) — two flights with her (international and domestic), a few weeks after the international flight she wrote a good letter to the company for the service I provided to her…I still have the letter.

Courtney Cox — amazingly slight in stature, she and husband David were very friendly and polite.

Diane Lane — beautiful both inside and out, gentle in spirit, we had nice conversations throughout the flight.

Stevie Wonder — very pleasant, he has the distinction of being on my very last flight as a flight attendant.

Contrary to what most people think about celebrities, the ones I met were very nice; they’re people just like you and me…many just happen to have social and/or financial status.

Let’s hear from you! Share your favorite celebrity sighting with us!

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