Holder of the ONA Super Wings Gold Elf Award for magnificent contributions to the ONA Crew Web
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LINDA AT LARGE
ONA Crew Orphans no more
LINDA GAETZ BLAKELY
I am so glad to be back in your ONA loop,
now that satellite ISP has finally become
available here in the boonies of upstate
New York!
Regarding those great B&W photos Tony
Destro acquired on Ebay! Perhaps you have
already had feedback on them, but will add
my input just in case:
Of the seven gals carrying suitcases I
recognize, from left:
(1) Senior F/A Thila Gerber,
(2) Nancy Waibel
(3) Elizabeth Rios,
(4) ?,
(5) me, Linda Gaetz Blakely
(6) ?, possibly Debbie Slabach, and
(7) Elizabeth Frischherz.
That photo and a few others Tony submitted
show our same crew doing the "bag-drag"
on and off the hotel limo in Gatwick.
They were all taken in September 1972 by
the author/photographer of the 1973 ALPA
magazine article reprinted on your site,
which also includes a photo of six of
the same F/As lined up in a DC-8 cabin.
The author flew a round trip with us
starting WRI-FRA, but his article detailed
another round trip he had made several days
earlier starting with the crew pictured in
the two photos taken in our check-in area
at the JFK office. In those I recognize
Anna Sakkis, Sonia Siebert, Arnelle Meyer,
Ruth Darden, and Nancy Gibbs.
Good grief, I was just 21 when those pictures
were taken and already on my second airline!
Universal Airlines in OAK had just folded in
May 1972, when ONA acquired two of their DC8-61s
and hired some of us.
Since we were still Part 121/DC-8 current,
we had only four days of ONA "boot camp" as
our initial training. On the evening of the
fourth day we were sent out on observation
flights, in street clothes because our ONA
uniforms weren't ready yet.
I am enclosing a file photo of my original
acceptance letter from ONA from May 1972,
and another of my ONA class roster (with
the header "F/A Initial - Abbreviated.")
Eight of the original 14 were still on
the final seniority list dated 9/15/1978.
Among Hal's (ONA pilot Hal Blakely)
ONA papers I have found pilot and F/A
seniority lists dated August 1, 1969.
If those would be of any interest I would
be glad to scan them and send them along later.
Best regards,
Linda Gaetz Blakely
ONA GORGEOUS STEWS
All crew photos provided
by Tony Destro, Florida
Tony found these wonderful ONA
stewardess photos on E-Bay!
Tony tried to get the owner
to get permission to publish
the photos but to no avail.
So Tony bought the photos
all to our delight!
The photos are taken at
Gatwick London UK.
Thanks Tony and enjoy!
Alexander House at
Gatwick London
ALEXANDER HOUSE
GATWICK LONDON
The Alexander House is
an elegant 4 star country
hotel located within easy
distance of Gatwick Airport.
This airport hotel is set
within 175 acres of gardens
and parkland
JFK BIRDSTRIKE
by Tony Destro
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
SOS CHILDREN VILLAGES - SHARE YOUR ABUNDANCE
IN FOND AND LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF ALL FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES
WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US
Warranty - WEBSITE FIRST PUBLISHED AUGUST 30, 2003
O
|
LINDA AT LARGEONA Crew Orphans no moreLINDA GAETZ BLAKELY
I am so glad to be back in your ONA loop, now that satellite ISP has finally become available here in the boonies of upstate New York! Regarding those great B&W photos Tony Destro acquired on Ebay! Perhaps you have already had feedback on them, but will add my input just in case: Of the seven gals carrying suitcases I recognize, from left: (1) Senior F/A Thila Gerber, (2) Nancy Waibel (3) Elizabeth Rios, (4) ?, (5) me, Linda Gaetz Blakely (6) ?, possibly Debbie Slabach, and (7) Elizabeth Frischherz. That photo and a few others Tony submitted show our same crew doing the "bag-drag" on and off the hotel limo in Gatwick. They were all taken in September 1972 by the author/photographer of the 1973 ALPA magazine article reprinted on your site, which also includes a photo of six of the same F/As lined up in a DC-8 cabin. The author flew a round trip with us starting WRI-FRA, but his article detailed another round trip he had made several days earlier starting with the crew pictured in the two photos taken in our check-in area at the JFK office. In those I recognize Anna Sakkis, Sonia Siebert, Arnelle Meyer, Ruth Darden, and Nancy Gibbs. Good grief, I was just 21 when those pictures were taken and already on my second airline! Universal Airlines in OAK had just folded in May 1972, when ONA acquired two of their DC8-61s and hired some of us. Since we were still Part 121/DC-8 current, we had only four days of ONA "boot camp" as our initial training. On the evening of the fourth day we were sent out on observation flights, in street clothes because our ONA uniforms weren't ready yet. I am enclosing a file photo of my original acceptance letter from ONA from May 1972, and another of my ONA class roster (with the header "F/A Initial - Abbreviated.") Eight of the original 14 were still on the final seniority list dated 9/15/1978. Among Hal's (ONA pilot Hal Blakely) ONA papers I have found pilot and F/A seniority lists dated August 1, 1969. If those would be of any interest I would be glad to scan them and send them along later. Best regards, Linda Gaetz Blakely |
All crew photos provided by Tony Destro, Florida
Tony found these wonderful ONA stewardess photos on E-Bay! Tony tried to get the owner to get permission to publish the photos but to no avail. So Tony bought the photos all to our delight! The photos are taken at Gatwick London UK. Thanks Tony and enjoy! |
Alexander House at Gatwick London
GATWICK LONDON |
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
SOS CHILDREN VILLAGES - SHARE YOUR ABUNDANCE
IN FOND AND LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF ALL FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES
WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US
Warranty - WEBSITE FIRST PUBLISHED AUGUST 30, 2003