I was making a cup of tea at someone's house the other day, whilst waiting for the kettle to boil I faced their bookshelf and pulled out a book at random. It turned out to be a collection of airline stories and anecdotes from the 1950s - 1970s, the early days of commercial flying as we know it.
One in particular caught my eye. From the way it's written, I'd say this probably did happen at least once.
I quote:-
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The long night passages provided opportunities for entertainment. A favourite prank among the cabin crew, when a new stewardess was on board, was to pretend that a 'Sleeping Roster' required the crew to rest in the crew bunk, which in fact was only for the use of the operating crew, to allow mandatory crew rest away from the controls. The 'chief' or purser would write down the names of the crew, instructing the new girl to be the first to rest in the bunk. The Corporation [airline], he would tell her, insisted that no one slept in their uniforms, as it would crease them. Underwear, pants and bra would be ok. The aircraft would reach the top of climb and with 12 hours level cruise, it would be time to commence 'crew rest'. Unknown to the poor girl, the cockpit crew would be co-conspirators in this practical joke. On one occasion the captain was lying in the bunk, feigning sleep, when the stewardess climbed up the ladder to find the bunk occupied. She reversed down quickly, only to be told by the Purser that it was the Corporation's instructions that crew must take rest, and that all was in order. She went back up the steps, reluctantly.
It was dark, the cockpit was lit only by the instrument lighting, everyone tried hard not to give the game away, but someone failed to suppress a giggle and suddenly the entire crew burst out laughing as the master top dome light was switched on, revealing the unfortunate victim on the top of the ladder, dressed only in bra and briefs, quickly realising, to her dismay, that she had been set up for the amusement of one and all!
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You couldn't make it up.... : )
One in particular caught my eye. From the way it's written, I'd say this probably did happen at least once.
I quote:-
-------------------------
The long night passages provided opportunities for entertainment. A favourite prank among the cabin crew, when a new stewardess was on board, was to pretend that a 'Sleeping Roster' required the crew to rest in the crew bunk, which in fact was only for the use of the operating crew, to allow mandatory crew rest away from the controls. The 'chief' or purser would write down the names of the crew, instructing the new girl to be the first to rest in the bunk. The Corporation [airline], he would tell her, insisted that no one slept in their uniforms, as it would crease them. Underwear, pants and bra would be ok. The aircraft would reach the top of climb and with 12 hours level cruise, it would be time to commence 'crew rest'. Unknown to the poor girl, the cockpit crew would be co-conspirators in this practical joke. On one occasion the captain was lying in the bunk, feigning sleep, when the stewardess climbed up the ladder to find the bunk occupied. She reversed down quickly, only to be told by the Purser that it was the Corporation's instructions that crew must take rest, and that all was in order. She went back up the steps, reluctantly.
It was dark, the cockpit was lit only by the instrument lighting, everyone tried hard not to give the game away, but someone failed to suppress a giggle and suddenly the entire crew burst out laughing as the master top dome light was switched on, revealing the unfortunate victim on the top of the ladder, dressed only in bra and briefs, quickly realising, to her dismay, that she had been set up for the amusement of one and all!
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You couldn't make it up.... : )