LUXURY MEALS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 8, 22 October 1935, Page 8

LUXURY MEALS

DINNER ABOVE THE CLOUDS.

ON AN AIR LINER, Serving meals and drinks on an airliner is a job which changes almost as quickly as the seasons. Not so long ago the.air passenger counted himself lucky if he was served with a sandwich for lunch, but now lie can regale himself with a five or six-course meal served as efficiently and as tastefully as in a first-class hotel.

The steward has no light job, but it is pleasant and full of variety. Most of those now employed have served a hard apprenticeship in hotels or in the restaurant cars on our railways, and a few have had valuable experience on largo steamships. But air travel demands more patience —and more agility. Space is limited, if not cramped. All but the few seasoned passengers are plainly nervous, and, therefore, irritable, and thus they are disposed to find fault with tilings —including the steward. One must develop air-legs, which is a much more difficult business than acquiring sea-legs. Indeed, quite a large proportion of people have never experienced much difficulty on hoard .ship, but it is only the very few who are natural air travellers.

The jolts and “bumps” on hoard an air-liner cannot be compared with the plunging and rolling of a ship. They come unexpectedly, and they are often more severe. The steward on a steamship can gauge every movement of the vessel 1 , hut the air-liner steward must lie something of an acrobat if he is to keep his laden tray intact. Journeys are short as a rule, and the number of passengers is limited, so that, of course, there is never any overcrowding. The air-liner steward’s job, is, therefore, easier, because he knows exactly wliat to budget for to meet all demands during the trip, and is rarely caught short. But ho is not allowed to err on the safe side, as, like the passengers, he must not carry unnecessary weight. For this reason the crockery is made of a composition which is very light and unbreakable, the cutlery and glasses are selected with the same end in view, and table decorations are of the flimsy variety. It is said that we are becoming airminded as a nation, and the steward must agree that this is true. But, at the same time, people do not take to air-travel as a duck takes to water. The best passengers are children and the elderly, and the worst, beyond doubt, are the young married or honeymoon couples. 'The latter are often a problem. The man is nervous and anxiously endeavouring to hide his nervousness. The lady, not easily deceived, shares his state of mind. “Are we well up to time, steward?” “Is it likely to he trough over the Channel?”

“This meat seems a little tough. Can i change it for something else?” “Dou you think we- will have time to finish before we land?”

They bombard the steward with questions, obviously seeking for some kind of reassurance. The agitated man may knock over his glass; the lady is almost sure to lose her handkerchief and to scramble in a search for it beneath the table.

However, unless the steward were something of a student of human nature he would not keep his job long, and, after a time, be becomes accustomed to this kind of traveller—and even enters into the game. Just as there are those objectionable people who stride breezily up and down the deck of a steamer when everyone else is the worse for seasickness, so there arc those on an air-liner who tako a peculiar delight in kindling the nervousness of the air amateur.

They don’t stride up and down, oi course. But from their comfortable seat, close-packed witli the rest of the passengers, they grin at the steward. “Guess wo’re going to have it rough, Fred!” they declare familiarly in a loud voice. “If this trip is going to be anything like the last one, it’s me for terra firma in future. Flying may he quick, Fred, but what’s the use of that when it takes you half a week to get over it?” Then comes a harsh laugh which is meant to indicate that he has delivered himself of a joke—but the damage has already been done. It may seem a small point, but a steward is told early in his career that efficiency is less important than a smile. All of them are smiling folk. It- inspires confidence in the traveller, soothes the nervous, and silences the bully, and has really a big cash value in the end. Look out for it next time you find yourself dining above the clouds.