‘THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING'

Today there are all sorts of rules that air crew have to follow, but in the ’80s it was a case of anything goes. A former SAA pilot spills the beans about what went on: from mile-high sex to first-class excess

- ROBERT SCHAPIRO

IT’S hard to imagine it: pilots smoking in the cockpit, flirting with air hostesses and flying their planes like cowboys with absolutely no regard for the comfort or safety of their passengers.

Back in the ’80s, SAA was the “ultimate boys’ club”, says Robert Schapiro – and he should know because as a co-pilot he saw it all. And often it wasn’t just the pilots who were behaving badly but the passengers as well.

In this extract from his new memoir, Secrets from the Cockpit: Pilots Behaving Badly and Other Flying Stories, he lifts the lid on some of the crazy antics he witnessed.

CHICKEN OR BEEF?

It wasn’t unusual for pilots and cabin staff to gain 10 kilograms or more in their first year of working for SAA. It may come as a shock to today’s travelers but airline food used to be surprisingly good – even in economy class.

First-class food, though, was in a league of its own. Canapés, appetizers such as caviar and foie gras, soups, main courses such as lobster and fillet steak, lavish desserts, and rich cheese and fruit trays were of fine-restaurant quality.

Meats such as rare roast beef, game or duck would be carved to order onboard; nothing was pre-packed.