Some eighteen years ago I left a job, not just any job. It was a job I loved and enjoyed. I had been working for American Airlines for twelve years, most of that time within American Flight Operations at Heathrow. The job had become more of a vocation than a career.
I had raised my hand before I was even offered a package to take a lay off after 911 in 2001. It surprised a lot of my co workers as I guess they thought I was going to be there till judgment day. However the package came at a time when I needed to make a decision about the job, because I lived in Worthing (sixty five miles away) and had been driving to and fro from work for the past twelve years. The journey time and the cost of fuel were digging deep into my health and my pocket.
For some years I had been sharing shifts with a good buddy of mine, John Camilerri, we had been cooperating with each other by doing double shifts covering each other. If one of us was on an early eight hour shift and the other was on a late eight hour shift we would cover the others shift. It used to work out as a sixteen hour duty shift. Then we would get a day off as the other worked the next sixteen hour day. It equated to one double day at work, one day off, one double day again and then two days off.
However a new work time directive from the government had come into law and we were no longer allowed to work sixteen hours consecutively. This had then played a major part in my decision to accept the package, even before a figure was agreed. I would probably have been forced to go with nothing six more months down the road.
The terrible terrorist atrocity of 911 saw all the Airlines reducing in fleet size and manpower worldwide and I sadly used the opportunity to leave the fold.
Of course, we currently see all this again in today’s environment and now it seems on an even larger scale of that in 2001 and I truly feel for all those involved in today’s disaster and layoffs.
So I departed Heathrow for pastures new. That meant leaving behind a number of colleagues that I considered as friends and indeed family. The American Airlines family at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports was truly felt and understood by all, especially during that time.
I remain in touch with a large number of those wonderful people, mostly via Facebook. It was hoped this year to have a reunion evening, of course that was thrown asunder by Covid19.
Today’s pictures show a photo of myself and the great departing gift given to me on my departure. It is a model of a Gloster Gladiator biplane, the second photo was taken today with that same model by its place of honour. The third is a picture of the beautiful cream cake made for me on the day with its heartfelt sentiment from the gang in Flight Operations. It contains part of an expression often used by me against someone annoying. That expression being, (why don’t you piss off and annoy someone else)
At least I hope that’s why they put that on the cake.
To all of you that remember me at American, I still love and miss you all. I am now happily retired and still living in Worthing.
Onlyvfr 