Oh the weary traveler. My brain hurts from packing my bag mentally. Weather changed in Portugal and I rethink, once again, about my packing. Tomorrow, we leave on the airport bus at 2:30pm to arrive in Logan Boston International Airport at 3:15pm for our 6:20pm TAP flight to Lisbon.
The trouble with me is, that, I started my Travel Agent career in 1972. I am ashamed to say, this was before computers. I don't mean desk top computers, what I mean is the airlines did not have computer. Right, at this point you are thinking that I am ancient. Well, I am looking at my grey hairs and I must be old.
In the beginning, I worked for Crimson Travel. My interview was short. The owner's brother handing me 2 OAG books that together weighed 50 lbs. OAG was a two books of all the airline flights domestically and also internationally in the world! He handed me the world and said "Here, that these books home and when you know how to use them, come back and I will hire you.
A week later, I was hired. The codes in these books were incredible. The days of the week the flight operated or did not operate were numbers, an X in front of a number meant does not operate.....day of the week.
Every airport has its own code (and still does). The air fare was listed under, the City Pairs.
Under that would be the fares First Class listed first (of course), coach class and special fares.
It was easy. You looked at the book, you knew the flight and fare.
Now, you sit down and call the airline and book the flight. Our reservation sheet were five copies.
Paper flew around the office. Each desk had two phones. This was revolutionary at the time. We sat at a semi round bar that faced the customers. The eager travelers would line up in
repeated word of each agent to transact their request. Telephones and people would be on their phones waiting to speak to the agent. You would put the client on hold and dial ,(,,yes dial) the airline.
No seat assignment were given. At the airport, the check-in person had a picture of a plane, with seat tabs, she would take a tab, and put it on a boarding pass. It was fast and efficient.
The point that I want to make is that before computers- all airlines, airports were less crowded, you sat on a real wide seat and had plenty of leg room (all free), you were handed a blanket, a pillow and asked nicely which of the three dinner choices did you prefer and would you like a soft drink or cocktail. People for the most part acted friendly, happy, excited, and joyful while traveling.
All that without a computer. Imagine that. I is really hard to remember. The memories are so sad. I am 5" 3 and I can't stand the lack of leg room. I feel sorry for people who are six feet and over. IT must be torture for them.
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