Memoirs from the Orange Army

The story that has no end

The world of aviation is a vast and ever-changing industry. It is a cut throat game where if you don't adapt to the constant change, you'll be left behind and forgotten about much like how the north of England is to London. Many airlines who have refused to update their practice to current methods have failed because of the fierce competitiveness of other airlines. Much like the financial sectors, airlines have to be ruthless on strategy which has led to the destruction of state airlines in some countries.

It is because of this that the aviation industry have always been notoriously unstable when considered as a career choice for some. It is in fact no longer considered to be a career choice in the UK more as a career break or stop gap. In many other countries, this is something millions of people aspire to have and yet we as Brits take it for granted.

As I have mentioned a number of times throughout the writing of this book, the perception of glamour and wonder that is woven into the industry is simply but a mirage. There are many times I have seen fellow colleagues reach arduous times, had breakdowns in relationships and lost touch with loved ones because of the amount of flexibility demanded from us by the industry. I have personally observed many a heartbreak with other crew members who lost friends, family or partners. It is only when you take on this job seriously as a career that your personal life can suffer greatly and thus all your personal ties too.

This being said, there is no stronger bond than the love we have for our own colleagues or even for the colleagues across all other airlines. We can all relate to each others hardship and we heal each others pain with a simple galley chat and a cup of tea or coffee. We all speak the same language across the world and can laugh about the difficulties the job can bring. We thrive and grow as people at work because of the people that we meet and work with that enrich us with their stories and experiences. We meet a multitude of people everyday and have a shared responsibility of power to not only care for our passengers but also inspire them in the ways of etiquette and to be better people to each other. We champion those who inspire us and learn new things from them everyday.

I can safely speak on behalf of the entire industry when I tell you that despite the days where we would most rather be at home instead of being on a metal tube full of people like sardines in a can, when it comes to having our days off, we all secretly look forward to returning to the skies once more. We understand, more than most people, that life is incredibly short which will be why we never plan too far ahead for the future. We live each day like it is our last, we tell our loved ones everyday that we love them before we leave for work because holding a grudge against humanity is a complete waste of our time. We laugh often, we eat and drink plenty and enjoy all the opportunities life gives to us.

We as crew are extremely loving people, a smile or a hello to us will get you far. Taking the few seconds to get to know our name is even nicer and we find it deeply respectful when people do it. A simple please and thank you is all we ask for in exchange for looking after each and every person onboard. We spend years teaching our children the right and wrong ways of the world including how to use manners and yet many of us become too self involved to even acknowledge a person when they greet us. We have become far too ignorant in modern day society and yet it is something which could easily be reversed by actually opening our eyes again to the world outside of technology.

To my fellow colleagues working not just for easyJet but for all airlines, I appreciate everything you do to enrich other people's lives, I adore the unconditional love we have for this world and the shoulders we provide to cry on when needed. You are all true guardians of people, you are not afraid to speak your mind and despite the challenges you face on a daily basis at work, you try your best to understand and address the situation in your best ways. You adopt an ever-expanding field of cultural knowledge in an effort to provide the best environment for our passengers. I ask that even on your darkest of days you remain united as one family and continue to be purveyors of change for the good in this world.

I personally have never felt a deeper love for a company than I do with easyJet. We are not just a close knit family at each base but we are interconnected as a family throughout the entire network. We all share a common goal of being the best of who we are and trying to be the best to our customers. We have some of the most amazing customers who are loyal to us because of the time and attention we as a company like to show them. Not a day will go by where we don't learn something new either from each other or our customers. It is through our revolutionary and pioneering ways that we can keep in close contact with our customers and have established ourselves as Britain's biggest airline. It is at easyJet where each employee is made to feel welcome and become a part of something special. We are listened to, taken care of, rewarded for our hard work and motivated to continue the great work of the airline.

When I decided to write this book, I wanted create something that would give a better understanding to the outside world about how chaotic the aviation industry can be. I wanted to be able to show the hardships, the fun times and downright strange occurrences we experience on a daily basis which you may never have seen or heard of before. For those inside of the industry, I wanted to renew your faith and love which may have waned for some you over a long period of time. You are a part of something extraordinary where you bring millions of people pure joy and happiness every year whilst getting them to where they need to go in a safe manner.

So, thank you for choosing to read this book, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I hope, maybe, one day to look forward to seeing you all again in another one of my books. On behalf of myself, the crew in this book and our beloved airline, we hope to see you again on another flight in the not too distant future. Maybe, just maybe, you'll be onboard with this book right now whilst you fly safely to wherever you may be travelling. We have been easyJet, thank you everyone.

"In an ever-changing world, what legacy will you leave for others?" - C.H