I cannot imagine getting to 10 million lifetime frequent flyer miles like George Clooney does in the new movie. I am surprised they missed the opportunity to show him working as a tech consultant who flies each week.
Having said that I had a fascinating 3 hours last week – did not fire up my laptop as I needed to – when I sat next to a retired Pan Am pilot on a Southwest flight. He regaled me with stories from his flying career in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Of course, he started with - oh, pretty boring life you know...and then he opened up.
Here’s one – Russian air traffic controllers refused to let him enter their airspace in spite of a pre-cleared flight plan. He had to use Radio Stockholm HF radio to call his operations in London. They told him to head towards Saudi Arabia to refuel and await further instructions. Oh, by the way they told him “only use your weather radar as you go through the Persian Gulf.” US Navy ships were patrolling for attacks on tankers (this was in the 80s during the Iran-Iraq war). Sure enough they could see the plume of a fire from a tanker in the water.
Having landed, the locals wanted to see an ID to prove he worked for Pan Am. He chuckles “I was standing under the wing of my 747 in my pilot’s stripes in the middle of the desert and they wanted to see an ID!” Then they could not find the fueling paperwork so he went in the office and the tea boy had taken it!
He was cool as a cucumber describing that episode. I sure am glad I was not on that flight.
But it was fun to hear those stories. I flew Pan Am quite a bit in the 80s as I did various international assignments for Price Waterhouse. Pan Am was way past its heyday at that point. But just listening to him brought back memories – mostly good. At least my job did not involve doing what Clooney does in the movie.
