The way we were - Ansett, TAA, Qantas
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The way we were - Ansett, TAA, Qantas
Perhaps I am just getting old, sentimental and nostalgic, but I miss the days when our industry was different. Today's profit driven disloyal methodology and the pressures and disaffection it is causing overshadows our great history, great airlines and great memories.
I don't know how long this thread will last but I have posted links to all three of our heritage carriers, not for debate and infighting, but for a laugh, a tear, a flight down memory lane and a toast to the good times.
Enjoy
I don't know how long this thread will last but I have posted links to all three of our heritage carriers, not for debate and infighting, but for a laugh, a tear, a flight down memory lane and a toast to the good times.
Enjoy
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I remember some of those ads on TV.
Re fares. $179 to Darwin the other day. Better than the $700 - $1000
I used to pay although not sure $179 is sustainable (It was with Jetstar).
Re fares. $179 to Darwin the other day. Better than the $700 - $1000
I used to pay although not sure $179 is sustainable (It was with Jetstar).
Ah yes the memories back at EN Drome in the 60's as a little kid starry eyed looking at the big radial engined planes & noisy shinny huge jets from the observation deck then wandering around the GA area to peer inside the little planes unmolested by the safety officer, something kids now will never experience
The Airlines are their worst own enemies undercutting each other where no one makes any money & the job uncertainty of it all is now the most concerning part of aviation. Who'd want to be a part of that is what amazes me these days.
The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top!
Wmk2
The Airlines are their worst own enemies undercutting each other where no one makes any money & the job uncertainty of it all is now the most concerning part of aviation. Who'd want to be a part of that is what amazes me these days.
The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top!
Wmk2
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"The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top!"
Might be cattle class but i have yet to fly on a Qantas or Jetstar flight where
the FA haven't done the job with pride (from my perspective), always smiling (even if through gritted teeth
) and well dressed.
Won't fly Tiger so will never know what they are like and the odd Virgin flight,
struck me as very very young but the above applies to them as well.
Australia seems to be on the US course of a race to the bottom !!!
Might be cattle class but i have yet to fly on a Qantas or Jetstar flight where
the FA haven't done the job with pride (from my perspective), always smiling (even if through gritted teeth
) and well dressed.Won't fly Tiger so will never know what they are like and the odd Virgin flight,
struck me as very very young but the above applies to them as well.
Australia seems to be on the US course of a race to the bottom !!!
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I agree that much has changed, and I don't dispute that the old days are gone for good. But these good memories are what keep me sane most days.
The smell of raw Kero, aircraft engines from which the decibels guaranteed you a measure of hearing loss, wily old cranky engineers who would gladly show you how any aircraft component worked, silver tailed pilots, Ops managers wearing ties, Tarmac pushbikes everywhere, porters drinking Vodka mini's in the baggage room and Caterers making up extra business class meals for all and sundry working at the airport
Just a couple of fond memories from a tiring soul with greeting hair and midriff paunch. Even the Hosties would call you sir or Captain and no passenger would contemplate calling you a c..t. Hell even CEO's and senior management admired and appreciated what you did within the airline and would at times take a genuine interest!
The smell of raw Kero, aircraft engines from which the decibels guaranteed you a measure of hearing loss, wily old cranky engineers who would gladly show you how any aircraft component worked, silver tailed pilots, Ops managers wearing ties, Tarmac pushbikes everywhere, porters drinking Vodka mini's in the baggage room and Caterers making up extra business class meals for all and sundry working at the airport
Just a couple of fond memories from a tiring soul with greeting hair and midriff paunch. Even the Hosties would call you sir or Captain and no passenger would contemplate calling you a c..t. Hell even CEO's and senior management admired and appreciated what you did within the airline and would at times take a genuine interest!
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One of the great things I remember from back in the good olde days, was that every time we flew as a family on staff concession, which was often, all our children (and us) used to be invited to the cockpit for a look, something our three Daughters still remember very fondly.
Sadly none of our seven Grandchildren have ever been able to experience this, and probably never will.
Sadly none of our seven Grandchildren have ever been able to experience this, and probably never will.
sheeeez 'para' you must be hallucinating there buddy saying CEO's etc admired/appreciated what pilots did
..............what century was that?:-)
CEO's primary function now is to feather their own nest at all costs & disengage the employees & they have that art down pat!
Wmk2
..............what century was that?:-)CEO's primary function now is to feather their own nest at all costs & disengage the employees & they have that art down pat!
Wmk2
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There is a bit of a myth, perpetrated by some Gen Y PR people no doubt, that discount airfares are an invention of Virgin and Jetstar. This is bull****. deep discounts were available waaaaaay back when. All you had to do was book in advance. Cheapies and Specials could always be obtained. When Ansett sank, the standard full fare, transferable, refundable, totally flexible MEL-SYD-MEL was $365, but you could still get the same tix for $79 with restrictions.
Some great memories there Paragraph337.
A sad irony is the second clip titled "Absolutely" which used Vanessa Amorosi's "Shine". When she wrote the song originally the lyrics were "everyone you see, everyone you know is gonna die".
A sad irony is the second clip titled "Absolutely" which used Vanessa Amorosi's "Shine". When she wrote the song originally the lyrics were "everyone you see, everyone you know is gonna die".
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Flew home with Virgin yesterday morning (ADL to BN). As a family was getting on, one of the young boys peered into the flightdeck and was promptly invited in for a look. Sad that it no longer happens in the air but great to see the crew so obliging anyway. This might be all it takes to give another youngster the flying dream!
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Concur re visiting the cockpit, lost count the number of times
I did and every visit was fascinating and agree, it is a shame
kids now can't do it in the air.
I did and every visit was fascinating and agree, it is a shame
kids now can't do it in the air.
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The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top
I have been in the aussie aviation industry for over thirty years, and still do all within my power for the people down the back.
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I've posted a few of the OPs videos before....but this one is still a favourite.....at the time (late 70's?) such an amazing view!
Christ I know young uns' today who don't even know about TAA!!
Christ I know young uns' today who don't even know about TAA!!
The Way We Were
Thanks Para, what a great thread. Brings back so many happy memories of my days with TAA & Qantas both in Melbourne from the 60s right through to the Sunstate days of the 90s in Hervey Bay.
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Oh God. The footage of Juliet Bravo with the tail cam caused me to melt down. How many times I flew on flight deck on TJB with Ken Collins in command, Wayne Rawlins as F/O and Moss derby as F/E I struggle to recall.
According to boomer TJB was never quite the same after a CAT incident between ADL and PER. According to Boeing the PIC managed to save the aeroplane in what was in their books a hull loss. Putting the nose down and riding it out. Crew and passengers slammed into the ceiling and cutlery lodged in the roof lining. One F/A with a serious back injury.
The other ads also took me back to a gentler time but the one ad campaign I have to apologise for is the Ansett "Absolutely" campaign.
I was cut loose from my beloved East West after the bodgie conspired on behalf of the Fat Bastardo to delay deregulation to nab us and was working on checkin with the good peoples of AN Adelaide. Ansett were filming a training/motivational video at the worst possible time when the place was frantic.
Camera is in my face as I am checking in a pair of sweet young thangs and I am using the bull**** lines I built my Airport career on. One asks " can you check our bags all the way through to Rockhampton?" I answered "absolutely" followed by "you can pick up your bags in Perth when you arrive in Cairns".
In the next 3 checkins I was filmed for the a word was used twice.
Three months later the absolutely campaign began.
So where are the royalties? oh - yeah - right!
Thank you for the trip Paragraph.
It is sad you didn't have some East West stuff in there. We at Eeenie Weenie loved our little fiesty Airline and would possibly still have been here if not for the aforementioned conspiracy.
Eyes are nearly dry. Who screwed our world?
Best all
EWL
Now Knight Flight Travel Managers
Same numbers apply
According to boomer TJB was never quite the same after a CAT incident between ADL and PER. According to Boeing the PIC managed to save the aeroplane in what was in their books a hull loss. Putting the nose down and riding it out. Crew and passengers slammed into the ceiling and cutlery lodged in the roof lining. One F/A with a serious back injury.
The other ads also took me back to a gentler time but the one ad campaign I have to apologise for is the Ansett "Absolutely" campaign.
I was cut loose from my beloved East West after the bodgie conspired on behalf of the Fat Bastardo to delay deregulation to nab us and was working on checkin with the good peoples of AN Adelaide. Ansett were filming a training/motivational video at the worst possible time when the place was frantic.
Camera is in my face as I am checking in a pair of sweet young thangs and I am using the bull**** lines I built my Airport career on. One asks " can you check our bags all the way through to Rockhampton?" I answered "absolutely" followed by "you can pick up your bags in Perth when you arrive in Cairns".
In the next 3 checkins I was filmed for the a word was used twice.
Three months later the absolutely campaign began.
So where are the royalties? oh - yeah - right!
Thank you for the trip Paragraph.
It is sad you didn't have some East West stuff in there. We at Eeenie Weenie loved our little fiesty Airline and would possibly still have been here if not for the aforementioned conspiracy.
Eyes are nearly dry. Who screwed our world?
Best all
EWL
Now Knight Flight Travel Managers
Same numbers apply
For those yearning for the good old days. Mate of mine now a captain flying wide-bodies overseas, told me his story of going for a Qantas interview in Sydney when he was about 22 with 1500 hours. He failed the first part of the process and was sent on his way after being informed he wasn't the Right Stuff to be a Qantas pilot.
Feeling pretty miserable he boarded a Qantas 737 flight to go home to Melbourne. Being a keen enthusiastic young man he slipped his business card to the hostie at the front door and asked any chance of having a look at the cockpit on the way to Melbourne. You could do that in those days.
Over Canberra she ushers him into the cockpit. As he described it to me at the time, the cockpit atmosphere was like ice. The first officer made a point of ignoring his presence by staring out of the right hand window while the captain said zilch either.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable the young keen and enthusiastic bloke leaned forward in the jump seat after a few minutes and said "Thanks for the invite to the cockpit and where do you chaps go after Melbourne?" Meaning, do they continue to Adelaide or somewhere.
The captain looked at the lad's business card on the consul turned around and said haughtily "My name is Captain Smith (not his true name of course). In future, address me by that name - not "you chaps."
The young bloke was deeply embarrassed and after only one minute the captain said "You can return to the cabin now, please'.
Well maybe the young man was not the "Right Stuff" to be a Qantas pilot. But as sure as hell the Qantas captain was definitely not the Right Stuff either...
15 years later and the young man was certainly the Right Stuff for his current airline one of the best in the world by far.
Feeling pretty miserable he boarded a Qantas 737 flight to go home to Melbourne. Being a keen enthusiastic young man he slipped his business card to the hostie at the front door and asked any chance of having a look at the cockpit on the way to Melbourne. You could do that in those days.
Over Canberra she ushers him into the cockpit. As he described it to me at the time, the cockpit atmosphere was like ice. The first officer made a point of ignoring his presence by staring out of the right hand window while the captain said zilch either.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable the young keen and enthusiastic bloke leaned forward in the jump seat after a few minutes and said "Thanks for the invite to the cockpit and where do you chaps go after Melbourne?" Meaning, do they continue to Adelaide or somewhere.
The captain looked at the lad's business card on the consul turned around and said haughtily "My name is Captain Smith (not his true name of course). In future, address me by that name - not "you chaps."
The young bloke was deeply embarrassed and after only one minute the captain said "You can return to the cabin now, please'.
Well maybe the young man was not the "Right Stuff" to be a Qantas pilot. But as sure as hell the Qantas captain was definitely not the Right Stuff either...
15 years later and the young man was certainly the Right Stuff for his current airline one of the best in the world by far.