I joined AE at the start, Feb 1979 because they asserted that they intended to operate only three 737's, forever, and work only for Intasun, forever and be based at Gatters, forever. One year later, I was in the back of a cab heading for Cardiff on the start of a "W" pattern that took me away from home for six days.
Years later, long haul, crewing through Bangor, Maine, seven days hotac'd up at the Holiday Inn and going up & down East -coast America was normal. I suggested we open a transit Base at Bangor & make me Base Captain where I would live , forever. Chief Pilot used to fall about laughing every time he saw me.
Brakedwell : Got me welling up again ! Blimey, those AE crews look damn young.