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Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter Since 1995

Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Since 1995

Heather Johannson shares this memory -

On a 1990's trip to the relatives in the UK, I went on a last minute sell off. Despite my usual security precautions, my purse was ripped off my shoulder.

Now I had to get back into the UK without a passport and with a police report written in Spanish. After filling out what seemed like a ton of paperwork, they let me in.

Luckily, I had left my CP Air ID and YVR security card with my Aunt while I was in the Canary Islands. When I arrived in YYC to connect through to YVR, the Customs officer said that my Airport security was better than a passport any day.


Further to my submission in NetLetter #1430, regarding my memories of LHR staff which, incidentally, first appeared in NetLetter #960 issued February 5, 2007 but I thought that it worth repeating, if only to encourage readers responses.

I recall the following -

Valerie Phipps transferred to Montreal (YUL) and trained as a Flight Attendant. In a later year, while travelling from Mirabel (YMX) to Heathrow (LHR) for a visit to meet my wife and return to Mirabel (YMX), I had been upgraded to first class and Valerie was working that flight.

We had a pleasant exchange of memories. My wife would take an annual visit to see her mother for a week while I looked after our children. By week's end, I was up to my ears with youngsters and my baby sitter took over while I travelled to Heathrow (LHR) from Mirabel (YMX) and we both came back on the return flight.

On one occasion going through customs at Mirabel (YMX) the officer checked the opened carry-on luggage and, noting there wasn’t any male possessions asked me where my suitcase was. I told him everything was in front of him. He asked my wife when she had left for England. A week ago was the answer. Then the officer asked to see all our travel documents and seeing I had travelled the night before and that we were Air Canada staff said -"Oh you Air Canada types - get out of here".

Of the staff mentioned in the NetLetter #1430, Cyril Cavanagh transferred to Ottawa (YOW), Hilary deCourcy-Donovan to Toronto (YYZ), Tom Howson to Prestwick (PIK), George Steele to Montreal, Les Powell to Toronto (YYZ), Colin Bailey to Dorval (YUL), Don Wiley to Toronto (YYZ), and I missed a mention of John Cleary, Johnny McCrae, Stan Kordyz and Barry Rawlings, who went to New Zealand.

Those are my memories for now.

Terry Baker

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