Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Rick Cisowski, retiree from YUL C&SS, shares this memory -

Around this date in 1977 or so, Bob Roach, Jim Drury and I finished a midnight shift, went out to the airport, and looked at the departures board and picked a destination. We decided on Barbados for 5 days. No hotel reservations, no nothing. I had 80 dollars and a library ID card in my wallet.

Fast forward 44 years and there's 32 dollars in my wallet, and an expired library card.

Despite all that.....Stay positive... Rick C.

In this issue we have a short article about Valerie Walker (see 'TCA/AC People Gallery').

Terry Baker remembers working alongside Valerie in the LHR Station Manager's office, where I was the office clerk and Valerie was a stenographer before her move to Canada.

Valerie was then known as Valerie Phipps. I had the pleasure of her company just once, while I was on a flight from Mirabel to London Heathrow and Valerie (now a flight attendant) was working the first class section. We caught up on the local gossip. Yes, I was on a pass and had been upgraded – I wonder how that had happened!

By Mary Manni, Day of Flight Coordinator, SOC, Toronto.

Unusual Baggage.

Suitcases aren't the only items some customers want to check in. One brought a cow to Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport believing it could travel as a checked bag, another customer wanted to take a boa constrictor on board as carry-on baggage.

"Baggage is considered to be the personal effects required by a customer for one particular trip," says Bob Blake, Manager, Customer Service-Baggage. "You'd assume that would be clothes, gifts, and toiletries. But, that's not always the case."

Airport agents have seen some fairly unusual items plunked onto check-in counters such as automobile tires, human organs, engine blocks, car bumpers, sculptures, window frames, refined sugar, paintings, televisions, stereos, and even a recliner. Sports enthusiasts want to check in paraphernalia like skis, snowboards, hang gliders, kayaks, windsurf boards, bikes, camp stoves and golf clubs.

"Excess or unusual baggage requires special attention," Blake says. "It typically takes up more space and is heavier than standard baggage, requiring the aircraft - at times - to take on more fuel. That's why we apply handling charges."

There are exceptions to the rule, however. A scientist flying from Winnipeg with a collection of mosquitoes thought he'd have to pay for each one because Air Canada usually charges per animal. In this case, a single charge was applied!