I wrote this blog a few years back, but it is as relevant as ever today. I think my theory of a “genetic” link to the travel industry has been proven correct, even if just in my own family!
On this Father’s Day I will be remembering the man who introduced me to travel and helped put me on a career path that while difficult has been rewarding and a lot of fun as well. My Dad was kind of an aviation pioneer, of sorts. He began his airline career back in the 1950’s before it expanded into the mass transportation system it is today. He wasn’t CEO or even an executive, he was guy who worked the ramp at a very small airport in NewarkNJ for that great by-gone airline Eastern Air Lines. As a child I remember riding the tractors with him across the ramp (pre-high level security) and how cool it was to pull up to the airplane and watch the well dressed people climb the stairs to all kinds of exotic destinations. (Miami) I can still remember how proud I was of my Dad and how special I felt to be there with him working on giant airplanes. I used to dream of being one of those people capable of traveling anytime to virtually anywhere in the world without boundaries but I knew how expensive it was and that the only way a kid like me could accomplish that was to get a job like my Dad working for an airline, preferably Eastern Air Lines.
I am happy to say that I was able to do that and much more. Working for many different airlines I always enjoyed being able to follow in my Dad’s footsteps in basically working in a business that allowed people the freedom to live their lives by moving from place to place for any number of reasons. The excitement of the business and the constant urgency that seemed to be “ever present” I feel was the perfect lead into our fast paced online travel present day. Although I have left the airline business behind, I still have great respect for the difficulty, responsibility and the pressures they have to keep themselves afloat and provide jobs for the hundreds of thousands of guys (and Girls), who like my Dad, worked so hard so all of us could simply, fly. I salute them all and my Father’s Day wish is for the return of better days for the aviation industry so they will be able to continue to do exactly that. Working for an airline isn’t easy, but sometimes, it can be really cool! Thanks Dad.
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