Saturday 23 June 2007

Cabin Fever

It's not often that I spend much of my time thinking about airline cabin crews. Unless I'm in a plane that's preparing for take-off, is mid-flight or is coming into land. It's at times like those that it's almost impossible to ignore the unsung heroes and heroines of the sky.

Whether it's the chic sophistication of an Air France air hostess, or the perma-tanned glow of an Easyjet flight attendant, it's too easy to dismiss them as merely glorified tea-ladies (and lads) in the sky.

We take their role as air-borne ambassadors for Revlon, Gallaghers and Rotary watches too lightly if we see them only as people paid to try to flog us expensive stuff in a bid to empty our wallets of the last bits of strange currency lurking there before we arrive back home.

Well, Bill Blunt isn't one of those who underplays their importance, I can tell you. I've seen them in action, re-assuring a nervous Mrs Blunt that the 114 tons of plane, people and luggage making up the Boeing 747 she's flying on really will take off safely, stay in the air and land at the other end without any foreseeable difficulty. And that's quite a skill, I can tell you.

And let's not forget their role in helping make sure that their planes run to schedule. Admittedly, some of them are better at this than others but, on the whole, they do sterling work.

Finally, let us not discount their impact on the night-time economies of city centres the world over. Without the sight of late-night stewards tripping gaily from bar to bar, Manchester, Liverpool and further-flung places would be the poorer for it.

It's a brave man that accuses Bill Blunt of over-gilding his case just to get some award or other. That's never been my style, and never will be. But if I've made you think again about the role of the humble cabin crew member, then I've done my job.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I mis-read that Mrs Blunt weighed 114 tons and was just about to take a sedative - I do apologise - carry on tripping in a gay fashion.

Anonymous said...

Mrs Blunt will NOt be amused byy your quip, daddy papersurfer. She's very conscious about her weight and size. ... as I know to my cost!

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised you take notice of the gay tripper, Bill...
Still, well, who am I to judge, really, each to his own...

As you know, I have tripped all over the world, with a variety of experiences to explore and expand upon...however, don't ever, ever, use the words First Choice Airlines in my company...unless you want spanking with my hand luggage....

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised you're surprised. domestic minx... I've always tolerated and been supportive of gentlemen and ladies who bat for the other side, even though I never played for their team myself.

As for First Choice Airlines, that's a name that prompts invective in the Blunt Household, too. I forget, for the minute, what Jasper calls the people who run FC - but I do know that a couple of four letter words are involved somewhere along the line!

B. N. Sullivan said...

Aha! I see you've been reading my Cabin Crew News blog. Thanks for the link.

Your appreciation of flight attendants is noted. ;-}

Anonymous said...

Mr Sullivan - your blog is my first port of call for news about Cabin Crews, I can assure you.