My journey into the aviation industry began in the early 1980s while I was a student at Ramapo College of New Jersey. An intriguing opportunity arose: a co-op position with an airline based at Newark Airport (EWR). That airline was PEOPLExpress, and they needed student workers at their Haynes Avenue facility – the very same building used by United Airlines. For a modest $5.00 an hour, I eagerly accepted the position, working from February to August 1984. The work itself was often repetitive, the phone system felt ancient, and the company, in general, seemed somewhat chaotic. Yet, there was an undeniable sense of excitement and I enjoyed watching the planes take off from the old hangar during my breaks.
The reservations department was a melting pot of college students like myself, hailing from various schools throughout New Jersey and New York City. There was even a group of students from Canada who came down to staff the phones as part of their academic program. I often wondered what they wrote in their reports about their experience!
A memorable perk was the “Breakfast in Boston” tradition. A group from reservations would regularly take the first flight of the day to Boston, enjoy breakfast, and then return to Newark. With approximately 19 daily flights, including some departing every half hour, securing a flight to Boston was practically guaranteed.
During my time at PEOPLExpress, I also gained valuable insights into the inner workings of the airline industry. I learned, for example, that if there was inclement weather in Maine, the last flight from Newark would often be mysteriously canceled due to “mechanical issues”. The unstated reason was to avoid potential disruptions to their hub-and-spoke system caused by an aircraft being stranded in a snowstorm. Although supervisors never explicitly confirmed this, it was a widely understood practice. Handling the ensuing calls from frustrated passengers was always an experience!
I witnessed the impressive growth of PEOPLExpress firsthand, including the addition of flights to major destinations like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and London, as well as various smaller cities.
One month, I was recognized as “associate of the month” for my team, thanks to my strong customer service skills and efficient processing of customer requests. While I may be embellishing the details slightly, it was a significant accomplishment that I proudly added to my resume. It also garnered me some favor with management. My supervisor, Judith, was particularly supportive, unlike some of the more difficult Customer Service Managers (CSMs).
Occasionally, graduating students were offered positions at PEOPLExpress as Customer Service Managers (CSMs). Despite the grandiose title, this role was essentially a flight attendant with additional administrative responsibilities. The starting salary was $17,000 per year, but the stock options were the real draw. Although I am unsure of the financial outcome for employees when the airline ceased operations in 1987, I recall many young employees in their twenties who appeared to be quite prosperous due to those options.
After my time at PEOPLExpress, I pursued other opportunities and did not return to the aviation industry until 1992, when I began working for Executive Air Fleet, Inc. But that, as they say, is a story for another time.