Loyalty is rare. If you find it, keep it.
Something new; I’m going to digress before I start rambling on, but don’t get too excited, this could turn out to be a very boring tale.
Reg Ansett was an honourable man, couldn’t help himself; he always had been and always was; how else could he earn the respect, love and loyalty, of those who worked for him. And we all did!
Back in the 1930’s when he started his airline, things didn’t run smoothly for Reg, most of the time. I suppose the Great Depression didn’t help much; and there were times that he didn’t have the money to pay the men, working for him. Some left, but there were many that stayed, they liked Reg and had faith in him.
Reg promised these men, that as long as he had an airline, they’d have a job for life, no matter what!
Then along came WWII, which helped him, and his business. He cancelled all his operations save one.
The Hamilton/Melbourne/Hamilton flight, it operated every day. Never missed.
A week or so ago I assailed you with a post entitled “£19/5/5d”, and those that haven’t read that, and have no idea what I’m going on about, have nobody to blame but themselves; for those that did, I’ll continue with the first day, and then hopefully knock off the next couple of years, in a few paragraphs.
It must have taken Jerry, my mentor, all of 20 – 30 minutes to teach me all I’d need to know, sitting behind the one-way window, which separated the “Traffic Office’ from the ‘Check-in Counter”; not that it was much of an office. More of a corridor really, with a long bench attached to the wall beneath the one-way window, which acted as the desk, along which was a few telephones with a few seats for the T/o’s to plant themselves on whilst doing the little paper work involved. Which really when I think about it was surprisingly little. Then again I’d come from Insurance where papers ruled.
The back wall of the corridor, come office, was one long window looking out onto the tarmac, and all the lovely little aeroplanes, didn’t take long to be straightened out there, they were aircraft or planes. An area that was crowded and buzzing most of the time there were flights due in, or due out. Plus there were the luggage porters and air-hostesses filling any spare space. The porters wanting to know where to stow the luggage, the hostesses wanting to know how many and who was an XV and anything else pertaining to the passengers. All very logical. It was a busy corridor.
I was to be stuck behind the one-way window, which I loved; for a few days, except for the brief sorties I’d have to make, 45 minutes before each flight was scheduled to depart. What for you should be asking /wondering.
In 1960, my first year in the airline industry, it was all very civil, polite; and compared to the cattle round up at todays air terminals; very elegant. Not a scruffy passenger to be seen;. Anywhere! Hope our eldest gets to read that bit! Here I go again wandering off, so back to the 45 minute bit.
Forty five minutes before flight boarding time a coach/bus would leave Ansett’s city terminal in Swanston Street, with the passengers that had checked in there; it was about a 35 – 40 minute trip out to Essendon, and at that time it was my job to go out to the main check-in counter, take the ‘Passenger Waybill” in back, ring my opposite number in Swanston Street and he would tell me, the passengers that had checked in, the pieces and weight of the baggage that they’d checked. I’d write all this info on the waybill and return it to the T/o handling the flight. If he happened to have any check-ins whilst I was getting the myzpt info, he’d just pop back where I was working and enter his passengers details.
Don’t forget that I’m talking about aircraft the largest of which carried 81 passengers, so there was no hurry or panic, and I wont say civilized again, it’s been used enough.
I was also learning a completely new and alien language.
The ‘Check-in counter’ wasn’t as long as the bench come desk in the corridor. would you believe. Not sure now whether it was 5 or 6 sets of scales, the first set was always for the major flights; the Melbourne/Sydney. Melbourne /Perth, the ‘big’ ones the ‘Electra’s’, of which we had three, WOW, Romeo Mikes, Alpha Bravo & Charlie, maximum pax 33t/48f.
Believe me it was exciting for a bloke who’d spent the previous ten years working in an insurance office.
I had intended to write more regarding the opening blurb, but I’m going to have to leave that up in the air, which is a good place for this codswallop to be under the circumstances, as I have to be up early tomorrow, have an appointment at the RPAH Clinic, getting something fitted. So you’ll have to wait for my next dollop of ykw!
LordBeariOfBow 
“the cattle round up at todays air terminals;” Ah, you make me long for what once was (gads, wearing flip-flops boarding a plane? Sigh. Elegance was fun even if experienced rarely – made it all the more wonderful)
Sounds like a grand time working there. You portray the excitement and your enthusiasm of a new job field so well
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Phil, it was an entirely different rime and place, a different world that is sadly gone forever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But if we tell the stories….and they go into legends, perhaps some day
🙂
LikeLike
Well then I shall try and write more. Thank you Phil 🙂
LikeLike
Another good one! I like the way you said you have to get up early in the morning, you’re always up early thanks to Coco! What time are you planning on waking up 4:30? 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually I was up then , and at 2.22 am, Coco is having some problems and I’ve been getting very little rest the past few nights,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry to hear about Coco’s problems, I hope they can be fixed 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
He’s getting old Sue, and it’s catching up on him, poor little fellow doesn’t understand, lucky really I suppose.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor Coco 🙂
LikeLike
Now you mind your manners for the nice folks at the clinic.
LikeLike
I’m always on my best behaviour when I o vist the members of the medical profession, I hold then all in the highest regard and would never dream of being my usual obnoxious arrogant self
LikeLike
Now then, does that high regard extend to nurses? If so, you’d better start being nice to me, old curmudgeon.
LikeLike
Obviously you don’t read my posts, each year on the 24 th June I re-blog a post dedicated to NURSES!
https://lordbeariofbow.com/2019/06/24/ward-9-west-2-rpah-2/
LikeLike
Having something fitted at the RPA?
By far too mysterious. In the words of one of our own dear politicians, “please explain”.
All the best.
Ira
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some heart monitoring thing that Prof Kilian wants for reasons unknown.
LikeLike
Another great read, B! 🙂 Thank you for sharing more!
And you are so right about loyalty! 🙂
Hope all goes well at the RPAH Clinic! I send my bestest wishes for you!
I’ll unfasten my seat belt now and leave quietly! 😉 😀 😛 😎
HUGS!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Your welcome to stay Carolyn, I’m not sure if you’ll enjoy the tucker I’m going to serve up on this flight; airline fare was never the best, and I’m carrying on that tradition 🛫 ✈️ ✈ ✈️ 🛫 😀 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a little etiquette book first published in the 1880s, called Don’t, by Censor. My version has a small section on Airline Travel, only 11 guidelines, such as “Don’t worry if the AEROPLANE tilts in making a turn”. 🙂
LikeLike
WOW that was written before the Wright Bros, that Censor was certainly ahead of his time
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are other little gems regarding tipping, smoking and airsickness. My Aunty gave me the book when I was about eleven. A bit too late, really. The horse had already bolted in the etiquette department, 🙂
LikeLike
Now I’m even more confused, this book on air travel written in 1888 and given to you????
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh for goodness sake! Keep up will you! The first edition was printed in 1888 – or earlier. My aunt gave it to me, hoping it would turn me into a lady.
This edition must have been printed in, let me see . . . when was the first commercial flight?
Here we go with another gem.
“Don’t expect to be airsick. If you do feel unwell at all, the steward of the AEROPLANE probably has a remedy. Ask HER for it. (Capitals all courtesy of GG).
LikeLike
Obviously your aunt failed miserably
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know, I think the damage was done before she found the book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just received a comment from Brian…LordBeariOfBow…in the comment section on his lastest post. He said,
“I’m in hospital ticker trouble don’t know how long will you can you let those that read my stuff know and I hope to be back soon.”
so I wanted to share it with you here.
HUGS,
Carolyn
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for letting me know Carolyn. That’s a concern, and I hope he comes through this okay. I wouldn’t have realised, as I am way behind in reading blog posts. I haven’t yet caught up with his last one. . . I do hope the old curmudgeon rallies. I really do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!
Yes, I’m concerned about him, too!
(((HUGS))) for you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good post Brian. It reminded me of my first flight in 1976. A distinctly civilised affair compared to the horrors of today. Every time I fly I say never again but I always do of course!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well you will travel Ryan won’t you? Two flights with them was two flights too many for me.
Have they got their passengers standing yet? I read that they were contemplating removing the seats so as to accommodate more passengers.
My worst experience was at Boston Logan, treated as criminals, our youngest daughter has the same name as a woman on their “list”, so the whole group was shoved into a holding pen in full view of all the travelling public. Not an experience to forget. Never got an apology or exclamation.
LikeLike
But they are so cheap Brian. I just flew to Berlin for £50 return. Unbelievable good value!
LikeLike
Cheap and nasty as I recall, still they got me to Austria and back and at least I had a seat,no strap hanging for me. I think I went to Rome with them too, my daughter made the arrangements and we flew from Stansted
LikeLike
There is no denying that they are an awful airline but passengers like the cheap fares.
LikeLike
Well they certainly weren’t cheap in the 60’s when I was with them, I was lucky, after 12 months a 50% fare after 2 years I paid just 25%, Used to cost me £4/16/- return MLD/SYD/MLD, with the occasional free flight thrown in
LikeLiked by 1 person
arse not class???
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just received a comment from Brian…LordBeariOfBow…in the comment section on his lastest post. He said,
“I’m in hospital ticker trouble don’t know how long will you can you let those that read my stuff know and I hope to be back soon.”
so I wanted to share it with you here.
HUGS,
Carolyn
LikeLike
Nostalgia rules OK
LikeLike
I suppose when you get as old and grumpy as me Derrick there really isn’t that much left, 😥
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
It’s a different world we live in now. I got a text message yesterday from RACV. They didn’t have my new address to send a renewal notice. That was very kind of them. So I rang the number and fixed everything. But then today I got another text asking me to write to them and give an evaluation as to how satisfied I was with my treatment. Back in the old days that you are referring to decent treatment was assumed and you didn’t need to ask for compliments.
The big dollar is now the only way they measure ‘loyalty’. Much the same as I mentioned in one of my earlier posts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I got one from cellarmasters after placing an order, these drive me round the bend; mind you; it’s a short drive!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ridiculous aren’t they? I just delete the requests. It’s a transaction, with goods/service received for value, and that’s the end of it. Don’t be in the business if you don’t know what to do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just received a comment from Brian…LordBeariOfBow…in the comment section on his lastest post. He said,
“I’m in hospital ticker trouble don’t know how long will you can you let those that read my stuff know and I hope to be back soon.”
so I wanted to share it with you here.
HUGS,
Carolyn
LikeLiked by 1 person