vctenderness ......... the incident I referred to only happened to me once in such a noticeable fashion, and yes, I too took cabin crew flying, played golf, sailing etc. if the opportunity arose, but when I occasionally popped my head around the door of the crew briefing room in the old Terminal 3 reporting office as I departed for the aircraft, and said Hi Gang ! or words to that effect, I was clearly stepping into restricted territory and was not welcomed - so I stopped doing that.
As to Flt. deck being expected to buy a round of drinks ..... in the days when we stayed in the old Pan Am resthouse in Trinidad, before the Upside Down Hilton was built, one of our Captains was chatting up a young PanAm stewardess in the bar, and she offered to pay for the next drink, he demurred, being an "Older Gentleman" - some were - and besides, he said, I earn more than you. Do you ? she replied, so they started counting, he said he did, but only just ! ( Circa. 1958.)
Strats. Were The Days.
Cheers