For many of us, the tragedies of the September 11th attacks will forever be a vivid memory. Some people may have been at work, others may have been sleeping; I for one was in grade school, finishing up some last minute homework. This major event happened to all Americans, but have you ever stopped and wondered what this time was like for aviation personnel specifically? Recently becoming a newer flight attendant, I have found myself intrigued by what my coworkers were doing 17 years ago when this event took place. I have asked the question many times and have heard some of the most interesting, shocking and moving stories. One pilot actually waived to the pilot of an airplane that went down that day. Another flight attendant learned that her flight was used as a dry run for the, then, future 9-11 terrorist attacks. So many aviation employees, from pilots to flight attendants, to mechanics to office staff and more were affected by the 2001 events. 
The airline industry, in my opinion, was the backbone that helped all Americans start healing. Below are a few of those shared stories. Through this project, I am seeking to share just a few of those perspectives to you, the reader, in hopes of providing healing and paying tribute to those lost and to those who stepped up to bring America back on her feet. I am honored to be a member of this industry and I am proud to be American.
– Life of a Sassy Stew –
Airline Employees Were Flying – A Recall from Flight Attendant Jill:
The day started like any other. We had already flown one leg within Florida and were now bound for Albuquerque. It was a light load that day and after we finished taking care of our customers, we sat in the last row of the plane and talked.
After a bit I said, “I haven’t checked on the pilots yet so I’ll go up there.” I entered the cockpit, using the pre 9-11 “2 knocks on the door” procedure, and asked them how it was going. The Capt. said, “We’re under attack.” I asked, “What do you mean, ‘we’re under attack’?” He then told me that 2 planes had flown into the 2 towers of the World Trade Center and there had been an explosion at the Pentagon, but they didn’t know if it was another plane or a bomb. I then said, “You’re so full of crap!” And he said, “NO. This is happening,” with a grave look on his face, and turned the radio up in the cockpit so that I could hear what was going on… Click Here to Read Jill’s Full Story
Airline Employees Were Stranded in Other Cities:
I was looking forward to a fairly easy 3 leg day to Northern California. Texas had been hot all summer and I couldn’t wait for cooler temperatures. I didn’t get much farther than the first leg of my trip and never left the state. After landing in LBB (Lubbock, TX) I noticed that we sat on the ground for quite a bit of time. All we heard at moment was that there was a ground stop. Not uncommon, happens all the time do to weather, air traffic control issues; But we were in West Texas on a clear hot sunny day with the nearest airport 300 miles away…Click Here to Read Full Story
Airline Employees Were Living Their Home Lives:
Septembers in Phoenix are filled with warm, sunny skies. We often spent time in the pool out back, floating on a raft, beer in hand, watching the planes coming into Sky Harbor on final approach. That September was no different – at first. On September 10th, 2001, I was getting ready for bed, I had an early 5AM turn. A turn is just flying to one city and back, so I was flying to ABQ (Albuquerque, NM) and back to PHX (Phoenix, AZ).
The phone woke us both up – it was my boyfriends mom. She lived in the east and was awake having breakfast when the news broke. My boyfriend and I were both flight attendants, and she was calling to make sure we were ok…Click Here to Read Full Story
Airline Employees Were Gearing Up for Work:
On the morning of 9-1-1, I was living in New York City at the time. I was a Flight Attendant for American Airlines and was currently on the sick list; being off for three days prior. I usually wake up fairly early in the morning. This particular day, I was up early, and promptly made my way to the kitchen to fix myself a big hot cup of green tea. Click Here to Read Joanne’s Full Story
Where you September 11, 2001? What do you remember and in what ways has it shaped you? Leave a comment below. I would like to thank these brave contributors for opening up and sharing with us about this. I hope this was a healing process for you as it was for me. Fly safe.
