Promising faces for a future United Airlines!
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Outside our gate at Denver International Airport
Zylee Anderson, Sage Sudtelgte, Abigail Strickland and ME!
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About three weeks ago I got an email from a girl who is a senior at Roosevelt High School here in Johnstown. She said her speech class was doing a lengthy project during which each student was to pick a career that they were interested in and then find someone working in that career field who would be willing to take the student to her workplace and let her follow her around for a period of time one day to see just exactly what some of the responsibilities were. It was also expected that the person chosen would out the everyday details that had to be addressed in executing a particular job.
I was kind of surprised. How would one go about "shadowing" a flight attendant who does not perform duties in a conventional workplace? And that is not to mention the security issues that would be a big obstacle. There are so many places in an airport that the regular passengers never get to see!
But before I had an opportunity to respond to that email, another girl emailed me with the same request. And then a third.....
My one reply to all three of them was that I wasn't sure if something like that could be arranged, as 98% of my workday is on an airplane. But, I said I would look into it.
Armed with the results of that flurry of emails back and forth, I went to work the next day determined to find out just WHAT might happen--if it could happen at all.
As luck would have it, I approached EXACTLY the right person at my domicile here in Denver. That was a relief! Teri was enthusiastic about the idea. She said that a group had come in June from Denver Public Schools, and they were able to take a tour around the domicile for United flight attendants which is on the 4th floor over Concourse B at Denver International Airport. She said now that all of our briefings take place on the plane rather than in the domicile as they used to, it wasn't much for the students to see. However, we could let this group see what IS there.
And that would include
… the flight attendant lounge which was reduced in size by half when the City of Denver took back the offices that were "down the hall and around the corner" from the original domicile. Back then it was a spacious area with couches and recliners where one could look out through walls of glass windows to the tarmac and beyond. Almost a bird's eye view of airport operations. Now it is a dreary place full of shrouded windows and people engaged with their smart phones, tablets, and laptop computers. Artificial light from the screens. Almost no fresh air.
… a small kitchen with tables and chairs, fridge, microwave, and sink.
… an appearance room stocked with hairspray, hair electronics like blow dryers and curling irons, fingernail polish, a continuous vanity height bench with stools attached to two of the walls, and a steamer...don't forget the needles and thread for quick repair jobs on buttons, hems, etc. Oh, and plenty of full-length mirrors
… rest rooms, also with built in vanities and stools
…. the domicile proper
- This is where the computers are from which we can access the Crew Communication System to find out details for all aspects of life as a United Flight Attendant.
- There is also a CBT room with a bank of computers and flat screens where flight attendants can work on any Computer Based Training they have to complete for yearly requalification or for any other teaching modules which update our handbooks to the most current version.
- A small alcove has multiple file drawers where all flight attendants have a "mailbox" in case there are flyers or other info from United, or another individual would like to leave a message or some kind of a surprise goodie.
- Supervisor offices line the outside window wall in the open area.
- Across from that is the "Concierge Desk" manned by flight attendants who are on special assignment to work doing Company Business rather than fly.
- A small purser station is tucked into the wall near the coffee urns and huge water dispensers filled with slices of lemon, lime, or orange. (THAT is a new addition in the past six months. Kind of nice.)
…. the Mainliner Store That's across the hall from the FLIGHT ATTENDANT area on the PILOT side of INFLIGHT where all things United like lanyards, keychains, T-shirts, suitcases, etc. are sold. Teri said they could go there, too, and buy a little memento if they wanted.
Well, that sounded like it would make a decent tour around the 4th floor offices.
But bottom line, I don't have access privileges with my GREEN airport badge. There has to be someone with a purple badge to escort people through security doors. The concierge desk people have those badges, so Teri told me the day I brought the girls to DIA one of the supervisors would go down to Security Checkpoint and bring them to the domicile on the B Concourse. We decided to arrange a visit for the RHS girls to visit United's DIA operations on Tuesday, September 10.
Then I got thinking about the possibility of having the girls go on a short round trip with me using my companion passes. I ran that suggestion by Teri, and you would have thought she had had the idea herself she was so excited about it. What a great thing for me to do! How they would love actually being on the plane! Sitting in on a briefing with Captain and the rest of the crew! Watching me do my safety checks, see the safety briefing in person, and observe the service while the flight attendants are in the aisle handing out drinks and snacks! yes. Yes. YES!!
Well if that, then they could just come to DIA earlier on the day they were to fly with me and we would do the "tour" in the domicile before going to the gate. Unfortunately, Teri told me she was going to be off the day the girls came. But Vicki would escort the girls and do the tour. Well, surely Teri would fill Vicki in with all the details she and I discussed. Didn't think another thing about that aspect.
After a week of emails, I was finally going to meet Sage, Abigail, and Zylee. I had them come over to the house to get acquainted. They asked me questions about being a flight attendant, and I gave them a short version of my own entry into the airline industry. We also talked about the physical aspects of the job--not everything is glamorous. And some of the days are loooooong!
I suggested there might be a possibility the girls could go on a trip with me. They were very enthusiastic about that! Louis and I explained the procedure and emphasized, however, that NOTHING was written in stone. Numbers of empty seats could change between then and the next week, even as late as the night before and the morning of. But they were still willing to take that chance. Louis had them give him their driver's license numbers and their full names. In addition he gave them a little tutorial about the role of the United app once their names were added to the standby list, then promised he would add the girls to my companion pass list and check seat availability for the four round trip assignments I had during September.
Of my assignments to go to Phoenix, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and Jackson Hole Louis found that Albuquerque would be the best bet. Lots of open seats going--and coming home, a VERY important part of the trip! Though we knew that number would shrink over the next few days, it seemed to be the safest course to take.
The girls came over to the house again the afternoon before the Albuquerque flight so we could go over the details of their visit. Louis also gave them their standby boarding pass to get them through security. Zylee, Sage, and Abigail were to get themselves to DIA somehow (They told me their parents were okay about their going to the airport on their own.) They did ask about parking rates. Once again Louis was the one who told them how much money and how much time to allow for them to go through security so they could meet me at 1 pm on the B Concourse by the departure board near John Elway's restaurant.
On the morning of 9/11 I was on the road by 5 a.m. The round trip to Phoenix was going to be first with an ETA back in Denver about 12:45 p.m. Just enough slack for me to get my passengers deplaned and arrive at the rondevu point on time. I was excited--and a little apprehensive about this whole deal. What if something happened and all the seats were sold out. What if? What if? What if?
RELAX! Just roll with it.....
But when the time came for me to go upstairs from the concourse to the domicile and let Vicki know our "guests" were ready to tour my United "home away from the hubbub of all the travelers", Vicki looked at me and said, "That was supposed to be yesterday. I had it on my calendar and you didn't come. Though I did see that your double turn was today. And, just exactly, what is it you want me to do with the girls? You know they can't go into the offices, etc." I was taken aback.
It sounded to me like Terri hadn't briefed her as to what was supposed to happen. Or the fact that since the girls were going on my turn to Albuquerque with me, there was no need to come a day before and do the tour then. All on the same day! Wednesday! So the Tuesday part was superfluous.
Truly, I didn't know how to answer that barrage of questions, so we got into the elevator to go down and escort the girls through the security doors using Vicki's badge.
When we got upstairs again, Vicki took them into the hallway and pointed to the Flight Attendant Lounge, briefly telling them that if a flight attendant has some time between trips and chooses not to sit by the gate, she can come upstairs and be more comfortable. There is even a sleeping room that is completely separate from the TV and any conversation that might be going on.
As she went to move on down the hall I said, "Is it possible to open the door and just let them SEE what it looks like?" Vicki opened the door a crack, no more than about a foot, and quickly shut the door! There was no time to see anything but a blur of blue uniforms. I thought maybe they would be able to step inside and get a better look. NOT!
"And here on the right are comfortable lavs for men and women. The kitchen with a refrigerator in which a flight attendant coming in during the morning and having a day sit might want to put some lunch or something. But NOT overnight! (I didn't know that....it was news to me!)
Next is the appearance room..... a lot of flight attendants use this to spruce up their uniforms or hair or nails on a sit." (I rarely see THAT happening. Someone is usually on the phone or one of the commuters who had to sleep there is getting ready for the day. WOW! I'm learning a lot myself!)
When we got to the glass entry for the domicile proper, Vicki ushered the four of us in over the threshold and stopped just about five feet inside the door. With a sweep of her hand, she took in the computers, the CBT room, the mailboxes, the offices, the Concierge Desk, and the purser station. She just pointed as she named each one, though some of those places were actually out of sight.
And the tour was over! I was astounded! That was LAME, LAME, LAME! I was embarrassed!
I asked if the girls could cross over to the Mainliner Store and pick up a little memento. "No....they need a different badge holder to accompany them to that area. Now I will go down to the gate and let the Agent know these three are your guests and see if she will issue them a boarding pass and let them get on with you."
Okaaaaaay. But at that point we are still one and a half hours BEFORE I have to check in at the gate. Vicki looked at me expectantly. I said I would go get my bags as I had left them upstairs and we could go to the gate. Then she asked the girls if they had eaten. No. So Vicki told me to go get my bags and meet them at B13 which was our departure gate while she escorted them to the Food Court.
I did as I was told. As I was ready to step onto the elevator, I stepped back and pushed open the door on the PILOT side of INFLIGHT--as I have done many, many, many times before--and went into the Mainliner Store. Quickly picked up three keychains with a little mini plastic United Airlines plane, pulled out my credit card, threw the sack into my bag and hurried on my way to the gate where I arrived before Vicki and her charges.
Still an hour to go before my check in. Time that was supposedly tagged for the tour of the domicile. Since the gate agent doesn't even show up before an hour prior to departure, Vicki said she would be back at 45 past the hour and left.
I apologized profusely to Abigail, Sage, and Zylee for such a LAME presentation. I told them it wasn't at all the way Teri and I had agreed it should go. I thought plans were in place for them to walk around the glassed in area--as I do--while each area and it's purposes were pointed out. Differing ideas for sure!
Anyway, it was 9/11 so I told the girls MY 9/11 story from 18 years ago. Then to fill in the time, I inquired about where they lived, where they had been born, what kinds of summer jobs they had had, what their school activities were and anything else I could think of to pass that last hour.
Eventually the gate agent came and I told her about the job shadowing. She gave the girls seat assignments right then. Even though they weren't able to sit three abreast, they were all in the same row right behind the exit row.
By then Vicki was back and began to launch into the whole job shadowing when the gate agent said she was aware and they had seats. I got on first to do my safety checks, then after five minutes Vicki brought the girls down the jetway where I met them at the door and gave them a tour of the plane and "shadowed" me while I did my pre-departure responsibilities. It was time for the Captain to brief with the flight attendants and we were there in the aisle waiting.
Instead the Captain, a beefy man gone soft with a florid face, stormed past us and accosted one of the cleaners. And a 15 minute irregularity ensued while supervisors, a union steward, and two policemen stood at the door of the plane and debated what course to take. They removed the cleaning person, and to this day I am still not sure just exactly what the altercation was about. The only words I could hear with some understanding from the Captain was something about that was not going to be tolerated on HIS plane! I didn't hear the young man's defense. We never had a briefing....
And then the show began. The passengers boarded while I was stationed at Door 1L. I made the boarding announcements, wrestled the bags in the overhead bins into positions that allowed for more bags, and then briefed the exit row. After arming the doors, the flight attendants did a live safety demo and we were off for Albuquerque!
The short, short flight was turbulent all the way so we didn't even take out the beverage cart--just passed out cups of water. Picked up the trash, did our "prepare the cabin for landing duties" and sat down during a really bumpy touchdown.
After all the passengers were off, I ran out to the gate area to make sure the girls got a seat assignment and boarding pass for the flight back. They were on top of it. Had already talked to the gate agent, had passes in hand, and had gone to use the bathroom. They came back just as I got back onto the plane.
The return flight to Denver was also irregular. We hadn't been in Albuquerque long enough for the weather to leave the area. So, amid even more turbulent thrashing about, we again passed out water in cups. The girls didn't even get to see how we handled the beverage cart.
Though that four hours from the time I checked in seemed both so long and really no time at all, we were soon back in Denver. I told Abigail, Zylee, and Sage to wait for me in the gate room, as we hadn't even taken any pictures to document their day. (They asked upstairs and Vicki said "Not in secure areas!" I don't know if that is true or not.....)
The three of them seemed delighted at their experience. And truthfully they were thinking they got a good deal out of it after all since they went on the plane for an actual flight. Probably MORE exciting than some of the job shadowing experiences of some of their class mates. Their project, report, and speech are due October 7th. I told them to be sure and let me know how their efforts were received. They promised they would.
I just hope that "shadow" doesn't turn out to be a dark cloud.....
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