Thread: God I sure miss Nwa

I'd like to add a little something .......

As a former Pan Am'er ... DL absorbed many of the employees. UA didn't. They realised that error when they reached the UK & absorbed 'us'.
They sent a huge team from Chicago to the building - which was called Clipper House ( Those old enough to remember,errrrrm ) , a ' Pro Team '.
During the course of their stay, they remained late one night, after everyone had left. Went into the Reservation office and ripped off the walls and desks Pan Am route maps, every piece of stationary
and just about any piece of Pan Am they could find.
When Res Agents came in the morning, there were tears. Naturally. The question on everyone's lips was simply, we would have taken it down/removed the items as keep sakes if asked.

But ... that was then ... it was all new to UA.

Most Pan Am'ers had a great love for the airline - I stress the airline, since Management was hell bent on destruction.

So, from 1991 - present. It was a long road. The fundamental issue that remains is that Pan Am was an international carrier, UA was domestic and that domestic mentality has improved, but
often there remains a detach. Americans travelling the globe always felt a ' piece of home ' entering a Pan Am ticket office ... remember, there weren't too many American in Abidjan, Damascus & Lagos back then. Dare say it was the same for TWA.

I never felt a ' them ' and ' us '. What I did feel was ' These guys have a lot to learn '. A choice had been made and without a doubt, it's a two way street. A boyfriend/girlfriend hate to be compared to a previous one .... I'm thankful for the Pan Am memories, but that's all they are now.

As for the Pan Am'ers that still remain, they still feel a twang of heart strings for Pan Am ... I don't think you ever lose the affinity & love of the carrier you joined, over time, you stop
comparing the 2 and start to grow with your new employer. Hell, you may even begin to like them:-)