Things we used to have...

[noflynomore]

A nice G & T to sip as you taxiied in on the last sector.
Divvying up unused miniatures in the crewroom post flight.
FOs who didn't whip out a novel at top of climb and start reading without even the courtesy of asking first.
FOs who wouldn't dream of reading a novel in flight.
Captains who wouldn't even let you read a paper.
Captains who expected you to happily go along with them never doing a checklist.
Hotel suites for Captains.
Cabin crew who didn't swarm the desk to get their hotel key before the Captain.
Layovers downroute.
Edible crew food.
Car parking less than half an hour from the office.
Chief Pilots who actually flew.
Knowing the Chief Pilot's name.
Recognising his face if you were ever to meet him in person.
Ditto CEO
Ops dept you could phone without waiting ages in a queue.
Rosters fit for human beings.
Clearly speaking the name of your airline instead of mumbling when asked who you fly for.
Uniforms that weren't seconds from a budget bus drivers' supplier.
Open flight deck door.
Yummy mummies on the flight deck.
Captain in charge of his aircraft during turnarounds.
Staff travel on empty seats.
Leave bookable less than 18mths in advance.

I could go on. And on. And on.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

"You're one of the last of the Barons", he was told - "Yes, and proud of it - this airline once had standards!" came his reply.

Would that be the same type of 'Baron' that would have had apoplexy had they been introduced to the concept of CRM?

And then there's the (in)famous tale of the VC10 skipper at Manchester who simply ignored the presence on the dispatcher on the flight deck:

"Papers to sign please, Skip"
No response from 'himself' in the LH seat.

"'Scuse me skip, could you sign the papers please?"
Still no response.

After a couple of further attempts the FO intervened:

"I think the c*nt is waiting for you to call him 'Sir'".

That sort of thing I think aviation is far better off without.

[evansb]

"Things we used to have"? Cars that required maintenance every 3 months.. I truly miss that.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Telephone calls almost obliterated by crackles and hisses and sounds of frying bacon. And you had to rent your phone from GPO, and wait months to be connected, often on a 'party line' shared with next door.

Don't miss that.

Oh, and dirty old British Rail with it music hall joke trains, and staff who thought the railway was their train set, spoiled only by those pesky pax.

[Stanwell]

Originally Posted by evansb

"Things we used to have"? Cars that required maintenance every 3 months.. I truly miss that.

My 1973 Bedford van requires maintenance, of one kind or other, daily.
We have what some people would call an 'intimate relationship'.

Then there's my wife - but that's another story.

[Discorde]

Oh, and dirty old British Rail with it music hall joke trains, and staff who thought the railway was their train set, spoiled only by those pesky pax.

Many of British Railways' problems could be traced to chronic underfunding in the post-war years. When the rest of Europe was re-equipping with electric and diesel traction the UK continued to manufacture steam locos because they burnt cheap and plentiful British coal. I would agree with those who suggest that the majority of BR staff were conscientious and professional in their work despite lack of Government support. But it could also be pointed out that some of BR's problems arose from misuse of power by the unions.

Things we used to have:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmSA0W3mkn4