Thread: Remember when, when, when....

I can remember back in the late 60's writing tickets for 6 hours on an 8 hour graveyard shift.
The tickets were the next day's work. All that red ink getting all over everything and the fun
of 1 diagonal stripe for 50% ID Positive Space and 2 stripes for all other Space Available tickets.
And then the black ink pads with a variety of stamps - Rule 240 - Rule 380 - Involuntary Reroute etc.
Then the Validator with its blue ink ribbon.
Good golly the ticket - check in counter was quite a mess at the end of the day and the wonders
of PT409 cleaner restoring some sense of cleanliness and order.
Those uniform white shirts didn't stay white for very long - but bleach brought satisfaction back.
The gates were even more of a mess with all the detached tickets and the carbon backs open to
rubbing on every surface. Woe be the day working at a non-jetway gate and with rainy weather
there was a Red Sea of ink.
Those were the days !
Then came the carbonless tickets and forms
Remember to press down hard you are making 7 copies of your travel.
So now "What is a ticket?" something intangible with a computer Record Locator (6 digits/letters).
You go to a counter/kiosk and punch in that RL and the machine spits out paper BP (Boarding Pass)
or if a non-rev a Seat Request. It has a bar code on it for baggage check and scanning at the gate.
The TSA scribbles some hireoglyph markings to allow security passage.
Next up voice command to a lapel pin "Beam Me Up" !
"AT LAST NO MORE PAPERWORK" !
AMEN !

"BUT WAIT - There will always be "RED TAPE" !