Air Babylon
by Imogen Edwards-Jones
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Book Summary Information
Author: Imogen Edwards-JonesEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-07-04
ISBN: 0593054563
Number of pages: 329
Publisher: Bantam Press
Book Reviews of Air Babylon
Book Review: Should be With the Fiction Novels Rather Than the Non Fiction
Summary: 4 Stars
This is classified as a non fiction book but there's too much extreme stuff happening in one 24 hour period and some of the stuff which does is pretty implausible for it to be so. Plus the narrator is revealed to be a guy about a quarter into it and not the girl on the cover or the supposed author Imogen Edwards-Jones. Unless she got a sex change or something between that day and becoming an author or is still a guy but writing under a female penname, Imogen similar to Imagine could be I guess, anyway who knows it's a bit confusing.
So anyway this fictional story is set in Heathrow airport for most part, then on board a cut price airline on route from London to Dubai where every possible thing that can go wrong does. Basic story is a ground staff duty manager is recounting their day, from parking their car, to dealing with her/his own hung over staff, other airport personnel such as baggage handlers, airport chaplains, customs, wildlife officers and of course passengers. His assistant is a flamboyant gay guy (the constant stereotypes for all workers in the airport leads me to further believe this is pure fiction) is reliable but likes to sneak off for paid breaks, to drink or have sex with celebrities in the toilets (like you're really going to think you'd get away with that unnoticed if this wasn't a work fiction). Anyway it's his assistant's 30th birthday, and although he doesn't want to go, thinks he should accompany his friend on a flight to Dubai and help celebrate the milestone.
Have no idea if the author actually did any research, has worked in the industry her/himself or is just recounting tales they heard from airline workers in a bar or even on the reality behind the scenes airport TV shows, but truthful or not there's some entertaining tidbits of what, may or may not go on behind the scenes.
Obviously like any customer service industry it is not a very intelligent thing to do to have a go at those behind the counter or on the plane as they are ultimately in control of how great your experience until you get off the plane is. If Imogen is to be believed the check in staff have chat windows open to gossip about the passengers they are serving and alert the others to ensure if they are having a go at them they get seated next to a fat person or a screaming child and all other staff at the gate and on the plane can read the message on the screen or print out and act accordingly where laxatives can be slipped into their drinks, flatulence made in their faces by attendants bending over while under the pretext of helping nearby passengers and so on. If they are nice at check in, they are upgraded or given some sort of special treatment. This is plausible but if true would leave behind evidence that could easily be used in civil action against the airline for compensation by the passengers or the very least to fire employees so I doubt they'd actually do it. Also apparently in relation to those that arrive after check in has closed, the radio call starting "We Have ...", will always be met with the response no we're full but if they say "Any chance ..." then the answer will be yes.
Apparently also if you don't eat the airline meal you get flagged for customs officers who will make an assumption you've swallowed drugs and detain you for questioning or glove action since those who have swallowed drugs don't really feel like eating.
I did find the supposed behind the scenes process interesting, but like I said I have no idea what is fact and how much is pure fiction based on hearsay or TV watching. It's an entertaining book that will make you think twice before having a go at an airline employee if this is something you do, but I wouldn't be quoting anything inside if doing research for an assignment, feature article or anything like this.
Summary of Air Babylon
Heard the one about the airline that has introduced 'corpse cupboards' on new planes to cope with the number of people who die in the air? Heard the story about the First Class air hostess who got fired for sitting on the face of a passenger during a long haul flight? Heard about the amount of knickers and false teeth that are left behind in the body of the plane? Heard how pissed-off stewards put laxatives in your drinks? Heard about the pilot who ran out of runway? Heard of the disabled passengers who miraculously walk again? No? Then you haven't read Air Babylon. Do you know the best place to have sex on a plane? Do you know how to dress for an upgrade? Do you know that one drink in the air equals three on the ground? Do you know who is checking you in? Who is checking you out? Do you know exactly what happens to your luggage once it leaves your sight? Is it secure? Are you safe? Do you really know anything about the business that you entrust your life to several times a year? Air Babylon is a trawl through the highs, the lows, and the rapid descents of the travel industry. It catalogues the births, the deaths, the drunken brawls, the sexual antics, and the debauchery behind the scenes of the ultimate service industry - where the world is divided into those who wear the uniform and those who don't...Industries & Professions Books
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