From the Flight Deck

Allen Snyder has been checking a few things off his bucket list.

He wanted to fly somewhere in a private jet.

He wanted to visit Gander, Newfoundland.

And he wanted to cruise along the Nile River in Egypt.

The first one he did on a Shoreline Aviation flight. The second he accomplished as the destination of the Shoreline flight. And the third he did flying British Airways – but he wore his Shoreline Aviation cap while navigating the Nile.

Allen, from Boston, hadn’t been a charter traveler, and he was advised to use Shoreline’s services by a client who was a charter traveler.

“I didn’t need to go on a long trip; I just wanted to fly a private jet and cross that off my list,” he said. “So I picked a place I really wanted to see, for its history and to experience a place that was renowned by its human kindness.”

Gander International Airport is midway between the US and Europe when flying the Great Circle route between New York and London. Planes would fuel there during WWII, and it became a regular refueling depot for trans-Atlantic flights after the war. The town literally was developed around the airport until it was rebuilt in the ‘50s away from the runways.

But it was the immediate aftermath of 9-11 that brought fame to Gander and Gander to Allen Snyder.

When terrorists struck from the air that fateful day, the FAA immediately closed off American airspace. All of a sudden a whole lot of planes couldn’t land in the States. Thirty-eight planes, carrying about 7,000 passengers, were directed to Gander.

Books, movies and plays followed the story. “A musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, ‘Come From Away,’ which retells the stories of passengers and Newfoundlanders in Gander after Operation Yellow Ribbon, was mounted on Broadway in 2017. The same year, ‘Come From Away’ was nominated for 7 Tony Awards and won the Tony for Best Direction of Musical.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gander,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador#History

Strangers took in strangers, providing food and shelter for days, until the US airspace was cleared for air travel again.

“The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) actual Gander residents and stranded travelers they housed and fed. The musical has been received by audiences and critics as a cathartic reminder of the capacity for human kindness in even the darkest of times and the triumph of humanity over hate.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_from_Away

So, in 2019 Allen traveled by charter to Gander with his then girlfriend, his brother, and his brother’s wife. He not only got a great trip out of the adventure; he also got a great hat.

Yes, that’s Allen in the photo wearing his Shoreline Aviation hat he received during this charter experience. And that’s the hat he chose to take roughly 5,500 miles to visit Egypt in June and cruise the Nile with his current girlfriend.

“I took it because it was white and clean,” Allen said. “I wanted a white hat for sun protection, and my Shoreline hat did the trick.”

Dahabiya Nile Boat is a luxurious two-masted boat for small groups. Allen said they spent about five days on the river and the rest of their two-week trip on a standard tourism excursion. And how did his Shoreline cap work? Just take a look at the smile in the photo!

Truth be known, though, Allen’s Shoreline cap is not his favorite.

“My favorite hat is my American University hat,” he said. “That’s where my daughter works. But I’d use Shoreline again!”

Photo of Allen Snyder courtesy of Allen Snyder. Photo of the boat used under Creative Commons license.