WKNO TRANSCRIPT
CHRISTOPHER BLANK (WKNO): This weekend, the musical "Come From Away" returns to the Orpheum for a limited engagement. The subject is history. And for those of us who lived through the September 11th attacks, it may still seem like yesterday.
After the hijackings, the skies over America fell silent. 38 incoming international flights were diverted to the Canadian town of Gander in Newfoundland. The musical picks up the story from there, using interviews with some of the real people who found themselves stuck in a foreign country. With me today is a retired American Airlines Captain Beverley Bass, whose own story is heard in this musical. Thank you for joining me.
BASS: Thank you for having me.
BLANK: So even 23 years later, you still travel around and talk about your experience on September 11th. Why is that important to you?
BASS: Well, I do travel quite a bit and mainly it's because the association with "Come from Away." Had the musical not happened, I'm sure I wouldn't be in demand as much as I am now.
BLANK: Back in 1986, you became American Airlines' first woman Captain. Has the industry changed for women entering the business and wanting to fly?
BASS: It absolutely has changed, but that being said our percentages are still not very good. We represent approximately 6% in the airline industry as far as women pilots. When I started 1976, you would literally go years without seeing another airline pilot that was female. But today I feel like I see them all the time. So we feel like we have evolved but the numbers do not say that.
BLANK: In 2001, the entire airline industry changed almost overnight. An entire generation has never known a time when you could take ice water through security. But I would argue that the pandemic also had its own impact on flying. We've all seen the videos of people losing their minds on planes. Maybe it's a sense of entitlement. I wonder if you think it's time for more discussions about passenger behavior on planes, maybe some stricter policies in Airlines about how people should behave?
BASS: Absolutely I do. I think it is terrible what is happening with the airlines today. Not only did 9/11 have a tremendous impact on that and the pandemic, but I think just in general society no longer feels like they have to dress nice to be on an airplane. When you don't dress nice, you don't always act nice, and I think it just trickles down. I remember in my early days of flying on the airlines, even as a passenger, we always dressed nice. We would not get on the airplane in short shorts and flip-flops, and now anything's acceptable. And I think it affects the way people act.
BLANK: You are 72 years old. You are retired from American Airlines, but you are still flying airplanes. What keeps you flying?
BASS: Because I absolutely love it. When I was eight years old, I announced to my parents that I wanted to be a pilot. I took my first lesson at 19. I came home from that lesson, I walked into my parents' house and I announced to them that I would fly for the rest of my life. I only wish they were alive today to see that I'm still flying at 72. I still love it.
BLANK: Beverley Bass was an American Airlines pilot on September 11 when her flight was grounded. Her story and others are brought to life in the musical "Come From Away" opening Friday at the Orpheum. Beverley, thank you for joining us.
BASS: Thank you. Appreciate you having me.
