OM“ Travel 29 - Sunday, March 1, 1987 - North Shore News CP AIR EXECUTIVE MAKES A BLUNDER Stewardess beauty is not determined by age SORRY, but I had to laugh about the recent lawsuit won by a CP Airlines flight attendant. Eunice Geary was retired by the airline in 1984 to comply with the then-requirement of.mandatory retirement at age 60. She won a substantial settlement and put a stop to the age-60 business. But the quote I read that made me chuckle was reported in the Vancouver Sun, Thursday Feb. 19. Larry LeBlanc, western region vice-president in the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ airline division was quoted as saying, ‘‘I know businessmen would like an attractive flight attendant, but ex- perience is important.’ Mygawd, that man, if quoted correctly needs a PR_ repre- sentative. Every woman, age 50 and up in this country may be out for his scalp. They may enlist the aid of fogies like Liz Taylor (not 60 yet, but working on it), Marlene Deitrich (nobody knows for sure hhow old she is except herself but she hasn't been I.D.’d in a bar lately) or even Nancy Reagan, who Jooks in pretty good shape con- sidering she has to live with Ronald. You show me a_ businessman (naturally businesswomen are ex- cluded) who would turn down a cup of any beverage, even dropycd into their lap, by one of these ladies. But, perhaps, being obviously too young to know better, Mr. LeBlanc secretly yearns to be serv- ed by ‘‘experienced’’ 20-year-olds, assuming that they look a lot bet- ter than Taylor, Deitrich or Reagan. Don't get me wrong — | don’t want my safety on an_ aircraft jeopardized by some incompetent idiot who can orly remember the layout of a Viscount. But I’d be willing to bet that there are a lot of 65-year-old people, either sex, that could beat the pants off poor Mr. LeBlanc at wrist-wrestling and look just as good as he does while they’re at it. at So, I had a lot of laughs last week. Don’t ask me why, but we Viceroria’s Onl Seaside Hatel Enjoy two nights of luxurious accommodation at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. You pay regutar rate for one night and receive the second night accommodation for q * based upon 1°! avaitability Gak Bay Bearh Hotel 1175 Beach Drive, Victoria, B.C. V8S 2N2 598-4556 —— ee watched the Miss America pageant the other night. To Brian’s eternal credit, it wasn’t his idea. What pi- qued my interest was Bob Barker’s refusal to allow the finalists | to parade in real fur. Offered to quit, he did, if he didn’t get his way. Anyway, the girls paraded in fake rabbit and he proudly announced that the furs were ‘‘simulated’’. Pity they were so ugly — darn sure they could have got someone to do a better job of simulation had some thought been given to the matter. But, what really intrigued me was the matter of luggage. One contestant was asked to guess the number of suitcases the average contestant carried. I think the number ‘‘14’’ was mentioned, along with ‘‘18’’. Ladies and gentlemen, I hope one of your sons doesn’t get the privilege of taking one of these fashion plates on a lioliday. And, I'll bet each one would be happy to wear real fur, two suitcases full, if someone would provide it. Pub in the sky. Customers are asking for it by name «ind only Continental has it. Space to stand and walk and sip and talk, and a whole lot of room to breathe for everyone on board. Fares listed are one way costs based oni: #4und trip purchase. Up to 4 flights a week. A Saturday night stay is required with a maximum stay of 90 days. Reservations required at least 7 days prior to depar- ture and ticketing within 7 days of booking. Tickets are non-refundable. Barbara McCreadie Once I get started on some of the hearty laughs in the travel business, | have a hard time quit- ting. {n some parts of the world, unusual things beset a traveller. I was on a cruise ship, floating somewhere outside of the Falkland Islands (look down towards the tip of South America). The British know it well. The tourist business isn’t too travel wise snappy in the Falklands — if it was bad before the war, it has to be worse now. It never occurred to me that I might be in unusual company — my friends were all Argentine. We Careers in Travel We can open the doo; to the - exciting world of travel for YOU @ DAY AND EVENING COURSES conducted by industry professionals TRAVEL COUNSELLING SALES & MARKETING RESERVEC COMPUTERS with on-site Installations TRAVEL TRAINING CENTRE @ Ste. 2-1583 Pemberton Ave. North Vancouver 986-2221 cruised into port (in lifeboats, but that’s another story). After getting to the dock with some difficulty, my friends decided that they wanted some souvenirs. We entered a small shop where the usual plastic penguins, maps and “T visited the Falkland Islands’’ T-shirts were for sale. The majority of my friends spoke a bit of English, but not enough to take on old Blighty. Several of them tried, haltingly, to purchase some piece of junk, prov- ing that they had really been to the Falklands. Nothing but trouble. Defeated, they moved out of the way and I got my turn at tae cash register. I’ve still got a fine Irish finen tea towel with a map woven inio it. The proprietor looked at me with the same jaundiced look he gave the Argentines. “Do you prefer I pay in Cana- dian travellers’ cheques, American dollars or pesos?’’ I snapped. He accepted my pesos. Then, | started with the . first peopie in line and ran their pur- chases through the till. I handed them over, took the cash from my friends and the sheepish retailer pocketed the money. ‘‘Where are you from?”’ he ask- ed. Canada. “What the hell are you doing hanging about with that lot?’’ ‘That lot’’ consisted of several doctors, a couple of lawyers, a university professor and a few Brazilian kids. We also had with us a wonderful Argentine lady, a bacteriologist, with five little kids — the oldest was four. Such scum. But, it’s little things like this that wars germinate from. 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