The cheap 15 denier tights bought in Terminal 4 Boots were seriously riding up. Why did they only ever stock 'large'? How many 6 foot flight attendants pass through the terminal on any given day?

'For god's sake!' Sam surreptitiously tugged at the back of her skirt but only made matters worse by pulling the synthetic hosiery even further up her nether regions.

"Good morning Sir, 5C, half way down on your left'

It had been a full on 5 day turn around. Three return trips to Lyon, two to Gdansk and now a quickie shuttle up to Bangor for a few businessmen and lone travellers. Sam had such high hopes of her life as a flight attendant. She could vividly remember long, warm family holidays on the beach in Dorset. Picnic cream teas with scones and jam and idle hours just daydreaming in the sun. She would lie on her back and stare up at whispering vapour trails of passing planes. Too far up to hear but just the sight of them brought a flood of colour and excitement to her young heart. There was no way her family could ever afford a foreign holiday – not since Grandma moved in just before last Christmas and Dad’s redundancy coming just six weeks later.

The job wasn’t all bad. She did get to see the world, well Europe anyway – or at least bits of it that were near the airport – and the team were a friendly bunch. Her favourite passengers were the single older folk. Where once they might have been accompanied by a partner or children, maybe a friend, they were now at a time of life where they were the only ones left behind. It was a joy to make them feel special and important.

The front row consisted of just two seats. Octogenarians Gladys and Clive were both making their way to North wales to visit children. Gladys’ grey hair was swept up over the top of her head in a loose bun, strands carelessly tumbled down round the side of her face giving her the air of an aging artist or model. With arthritic thumbs slowing her progress, Gladys struggled to engage the seatbelt clasp. Sam moved to help but was beaten to it by a nimble Clive whose delighted, kind face was only too eager to help such an attractive neighbour.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention, I will run through the safety procedures for our flight today.”

Sam hoisted out the tatty demonstration life jacket and proceeded to chant through the usual instruction given to the disinterested passengers. She could see the front row certainly weren’t paying any attention as Clive was offering Gladys the pick from his mix of sherbet lemons and humbugs.

Touching down in a wet and wild Bangor, Sam stood at her post bidding her human cargo a fond farewell. “Thank you Miss” winked Clive as he slipped his hand into Gladys’ and walked down to the runway.