Come fly with me Come fly ...come fly away We can go to Atlanta ...or Amsterdam today, right Al?
Come fly with us...and you'll have fun all day!
Hi Folks! I am here singing with none other than BradleyInternationalAirport's Delta / Northwest station manager, Mr. Al Garvey. Well I'm singing and he and Judy are looking at me like... keep going George... we think we see Frank Sinatra's spirit and he's on his knees begging you to stop. Judy is just jealous of my voice. Well let's get going because I have a lot of "noteworthy" things to say about one of the nicest, most professional and hardworking guys I have ever met. Al Garvey has spent 32 years with Delta and says each is as exciting as the first with the emergence of the global capabilities the Delta/Northwest merger has provided us here in CT. Al, I know so many people are thrilled that they can fly to Europe right from BDL. Hey George, says Judy, I know so many people that are thrilled that they could fly YOU to Europe right from BDL. Matter of fact I think there is a line out the door here...look, there's Walt Waterman, Harry Minich, your American Idol, Danny Carstens, and your rent-a-cop cousin Bobby Reid. I think they are taking up a collection. I'll be right back, can Al and I borrow some money from you to throw in the hat? Al agrees. OK Al, here, this cash is as good as money. I know you would not want me to miss an adventure. And that's what today is all about...an adventure in fun and all the new possibilities that Al and Delta have to offer as they emerge into a market of air travel that will wow their customers and give them choices and versatility beyond compare. Al and his crew at BDL are committed to the best customer service possible and Judy and I know that first hand from any Delta experience we have had here. Judy, isn't your husband on a Delta Flight right now? He told me he needed a break from you. Yes George, as we speak, he's on his way to Orlando to architect some RFID thing there. Oh yes I know what RFID is: "Ready For Incredible Dinner" because look! Here comes Gina, the lovely Skyline Restaurant owner to make sure we are all A.O.K. Al, we have to be awake here, she's pretty quick witted.
Hello George? Yes Gina? I thought you were going to get Judy and me on 'Deal or No Deal' at the Foxwoods auditions. Don't you have influence there? You said you did. Well Gina it's like this. I told Judy that Howie Mandel was my first cousin... see the resemblance? I sent Judy down alone and knew that after a one hour wait to park and 10 hour wait in line, she'd come back. Al and I came up with that plan on our own. Sorry to say Gina, it was No Deal. I'll get you in on something even better. Al told us that Delta is dedicated to the very latest technology and is constantly improving the website to make it easy for customers like us to find flights, dates and the prices we want. We can even download them to our mobile phone. Hello Al... is that you? It's me George on my cell phone. Yes George, I'm sitting right in front of you. Al, can you get me to Vegas A.S.A.P. and book Gina's family too? Al says, that's a Deal Gina!
My buddy Al was born and raised in picturesque Burlington, VT and started his Delta career there. Hailing from a family of 3 brothers and 3 sisters, he knew how to keep a crowd happy during an 18 hour snow day early on. He said that being in a small airport back in the 80's gave him the opportunity to learn everything from baggage to tickets to milking a cow. Al says he and I have been at the airport so long that there were only model airplanes when we started and the Wright brothers were flying them. Don't spit up your food like that Judy, it's not lady like. Yes Al, I agree, we have a lifetime at the airport but I think the three of us sitting here know that there could never be anything better. BDL is like a great big amusement park, but with bigger rides!
In Burlington, Al wanted to know all he could about the business which led him to a promotion and transfer to Chicago. Not long after that he found himself again at BDL in a supervisor's role. Another promotion as a station manager took him to Albany from June of 1992 through November of 1994. It was then that Tom Rivers retirement was eminent at BDL and guess who returned from Albany and has been the station manager here ever since? And for Al's return, we are all very lucky. He is very dedicated here at Bradley and has a very professional and friendly way about him that makes his friends and customers happy to be in his company. I never hear him say anything unkind, he can joke around with the best of them and he can even put up with me.
For instance, Al does a lot of great volunteer work here being part of the Bradley family group that holds 3 events each year to benefit the great Paul Newman's 'Hole in the Wall Gang Camp' in CT. The first year I volunteered for Space and Aviation Day years ago, it was a hot one... late June. I was selling water under a tent as the public came in to experience the many attractions and I kept asking Al to get me cases of water, so I didn't have to leave the tent and lovely shade it provided. And here Al was the one in charge of the thing! He never blinked an eye and I had enough water to keep everyone going all day long! I was a lot of help there wasn't I Al? We stuck Judy and Debbie Kapchus in the fire safety trailer where they had to drop and roll with every kid that came by about 900 times. I waved to them from my tent when the fake smoke would clear, right Al? They dragged themselves over for some water but I told them sorry, all out, I'm waiting for Al. Al is on the Board of Directors for all the BDL events that raise money for the camp. There is a kick off breakfast each year and then 'Space and Aviation Day' where Al is the director of the 5K Space race because he is a marathon runner. This guy lives in another town from me and one day I see him running past my street! He is doing 15 miles a day right now and has finished 10 marathons including Boston 3 times. He runs up hills that my car has trouble with. I ran against him two years ago in the Space race. I was in the lead police cruiser and edged him out by a few feet... sorry Al, Just keep on running, it will take you places! In November there is an annual Wine and Cheese tasting party at the Air Museum that sells out and Al tells me, that to date, the Bradley committee has raised over a half million dollars for the camp since its conception. And he's right in the thick of it keeping volunteers like me out of trouble and helping a great cause! When speaking about his wife Terry, daughter Amanda and her family that includes 2 beautiful granddaughters, Al's smile lets me know that he has everything a guy could ask for. He even gives his dog Buddy honorable mention. When asked about the future with Delta, he says his career has been an evolution with every step more fulfilling. Customer Service is key and for the employees here, the merger with Northwest has opened BDL up to the world. Everyone is very excited. He thinks that within the year it will all fall under the one name Delta. That will alleviate any confusion and he looks forward to everything they will be able to bring to the customer. Well Al, we both love sports, our NE Patriots are playing and soon our beloved UConn teams will be what gets us through the winter. I had the best time here at the Skyline with you, even if you, Gina and Judy say my name is on the ladies room wall. I told my cousin Bobby Reid to stay out of there but he never listens. Do you know he subscribes to this column from Florida? Get on the Delta website Bobby and get up here, we need to talk. I want to offer my best wishes to your assistant Marilyn in her retirement. Where are you Marilyn? Come back and have lunch!!! Al, my friend, it's been an honor. You are the best of everything. You make the rest of us better for knowing you and your commitment to your family, career and all the people you work so hard to help. You will always be a star in my book and my thanks to you and everyone at the Skyline for the wonderful time we have shared here today. Until next time, I'm going to sing again....Thank you for being my friend!
