MARCY'S FLIGHT NUN TRAVEL BLOG- RAMP ANGELS!!!!

I never liked the name "Ramp Rats" given to the guys who worked the ramp.  To me, it wasn't a name that honored the work they did! Back in the late 60's and early 70's there were no women who worked that position, at least not that I was aware of!  The conditions were sometimes brutal!  They would be crawling into luggage bins, sometimes lifting and moving  freight and luggage that weighed almost as much as they did!

As you can imagine, Winters in the Mid-west can often be horrific, with temperatures and wind chill that was well below zero!  There they were, deicing aircraft, trying to load freight and luggage in blizzards and arctic temperatures, and somehow getting the job done! In the Summer, the temperatures on the ramp would also be brutal! But they were there!

On a personal note, I had many occasions to see them go above and beyond their roles. 

Amusingly- I had one time I had put money into the coffee machine, only to have nothing happen!  (You can imagine this Italian girl without her 6 a.m. coffee, yelling at a machine!)  Along came a Ramp Angel- who hit the machine in a certain spot- and voila- Coffee! Needless to say- I was grateful!

One hot Summer's day we were getting ready to head to Chicago- I was working a Convair 580-but the flight had  been delayed. Out of the window I saw a Ramp Angel running back from inside with water. There was a dog cage on the ramp, and the pup must have been in trouble.  The "Angel" took the dog from the cage and began gently wiping it down with cool water, also letting it have a drink. Then he walked the dog, letting it relieve itself.  Gently putting it back in the cage, the dog thanked the agent with lots of puppy kisses to the face.

Come rain, shine, sleet, snow, and everything in-between, they were outside, doing their job!  To board the Convair, passengers had to walk outside and climb the stairs.  Often the agents would be the ones to hand out umbrellas during a down pour, with little protection for themselves.  Yep- wet to their core, but doing their job!

I have one memory that will forever warm my heart.  One the Convair 580- the only way to get the disabled passenger aboard was to use a chair called a "straight back".  It was a small chair that would fit down the aisle of the aircraft, equipped with a shoulder harness and seatbelt to keep the passenger from falling off.  Two Ramp Angels would carry the passenger up the stairs and get them into their seat.

On this particular occasion, one of the Ramp Angels, a big burly young man- carried an elderly woman onboard.  There were no other agents to help, so he carefully picked up the woman from the chair at the bottom of the stairs and carried her up and into the aircraft.  Gently placing her in her seat, he helped her put on her seat belt.  Then he placed his hand on her cheek, a most gentle sign of compassion!  The woman closed her eyes, placed her hand over his, and held it to her face for a moment! She murmured something to him that I didn't hear, but the young man gave a glorious smile and said "God Bless You and Thank You!"  

I've often been amazed at what these folks do and have done, especially during a time when they were short handed or when the weather was brutal!

Yes- I would call them "Ramp Angels"!  For those of you out there that hold or have held that position, I say Thank You for a job well done!! And for those with whom I have worked with, know your efforts were appreciated and admired!

Life Is Indeed An Adventure! And Working Around Angels On The Job Is A Wonderful Part Of The Adventure!