PHOTOS COURTESY ALOHA AIRLINES
Aloha's "Funbird" inspired some groovy uniforms for flight attendants in 1973.
|
|
Air carrier aficionado somehow knew he had single chance to get a photo
My name is Mark Tlalka, I am 18 years old and I'm writing to you from Chicago.
My Aloha Airlines memory is a little different than the other ones; it is recent but a very positive one. I run a Web site as I am a big fan of Phoenix-based US Airways and have gotten to know a lot of the employees working at the airline. As a customer, a supporter and "fan" of US Airways, but also a friend of employees, I know how much it would hurt to lose the airline. My heart goes out to all the employees at Aloha Airlines.
The following is a fragment of a blog entry/statement on Aloha Airlines which includes my memory on Aloha Airlines. The full entry can be found by going to www.kinglobjaw.com/kblog where the entry was made.
"In regards to Aloha Airlines, I have a pleasant story to share. In a way, I feel very lucky. I was actually recently in Hawaii, and had a flight from Honolulu to Kahului aboard Hawaiian Airlines. I chose Hawaiian Airlines since they are a US Airways partner for earning Dividend Miles and it was all on one ticket. It was a rainy day, probably the only rainy day during my entire trip.
"As I settled into seat 16D, I realized it was already 7:55 p.m. The last day in Hawaii had gone by really fast. It was dark outside. The window to the right of me was approximately 5 feet way -- the view was very blurry and full of water droplets. It had stopped raining, however. Just a few moments we later we pushed back and we were on our way, taxiing out of Honolulu's interisland terminal.
"I started seeing tails of Aloha Airlines Boeing 732s. I really felt like taking a picture and my camera was just inches away in the seat-back pocket of 15D. No, it's dark outside, it's so blurry, it's not worth taking pictures this time. I will come back to Hawaii again, I will take great daylight pictures of those Aloha 732s. Next time.
"The camera, which I pulled out of the pouch, I slowly put away back into the seat-back pocket. The gut feeling didn't let go as I quickly snatched the camera out of the pouch once more.
"It was a chaotic grab, and the contents of the seat-back pocket just fell out. I didn't care, I needed to snap as many photos in the next few seconds. The plane was taxiing, there was no time to lose -- any second, the tail I would see would be the last. In total I have no more that 10 pictures. ... Maybe it was an instinct, or I felt that my life would not witness something again, but I felt a sense of calm afterwards.
"Aloha Airlines was the only airline aircraft I photographed that night. When we landed in Kahului, there were other planes, but I didn't seem to be interested. Aloha Airlines were the only aircraft pictures I came back to the mainland with. Thinking about this story as Aloha announced its plans to cease operations, made me think to appreciate people/things while we can, because one moment it will be too late. Mahalo, Aloha Airlines."
Mark Tlalka
PHOTOS COURTESY ALOHA AIRLINES
The airline had 27 Boeing 737s in its fleet when it closed for business after 61 years.
|
|
PHOTOS COURTESY ALOHA AIRLINES
A Boy Scout troop readies to board a DC-3, which was taken out of service in 1969.
|
|