EDITOR – With all the hype about the 1995 Rugby World Cup, I was there at Kings Park when we beat the French team on the way to the finals.
What a memorable game that was too.
Later that evening we flew a jumbo-load of passengers back to Cape Town and in celebration, drinks were on the ‘house/plane’ to the passengers but evidently there were very few takers as the celebrants were mostly ‘well on their way’.
I was in London for the final game when the Springboks were victorious and actually delayed departure by a few minutes because of the extra time. As a crew on the bus en route to London’s Heathrow Airport, there were a few pedestrians who recognised us as being South Africans with SA Airways and cheered us as such.
But at Heathrow itself, as the crew we were waved through all security formalities with congratulations on the Springbok victory from all. The same happened at flight planning and operations – we were cheered along with every courtesy and assistance.
When it came our turn to taxi to the take-off runway, our request was met from fellow pilots to the effect ‘well done and let the South Africans go first’, instead of being the mostly usual 10th to 15th in turn for take-off.
All along there were messages of congratulations on the Springbok victory.
Even on leaving the UK airspace and entering French control, we were congratulated by the French (remember we beat them on the road to the finals) and advised that the airspace was ours and to next call them leaving their control en route to South Africa and Johannesburg International.
It truly was a proud time for all South Africans.
PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN, NOW RETIRED SA AIRWAYS FLIGHT-CREW MEMBER
