Otto Herold - photo by Nigel A JAMES
The
Flight Now Boarding!
It
was 1975, the 21st of December. Everyone was
looking forward to a wonderful Christmas. The Glühwein,
and the smell of chestnuts roasting had put Vienna in a super
Advent mood. And, with only 3 more days to go, the shops were full of
last minute shoppers! There was snow on the ground, and everyone was
Christmassy happy! And then it happened. It was an event so tragic
and bad that it stopped Christmas from moving. There was a feeling of
sadness and shock. Vienna was hurting and suffering.
The
notorious terrorist Carlos with his band of Palestinian and German
accomplices had taken over the OPEC council of minister’s meeting
and were holding OPEC staff and 11 oil ministers hostage. And, one of
those being held was the powerful Sheik Yamane of Saudi Arabia. A
blood bath, it seemed, was about unfold!
With
4 already dead, the Austrian government was not about to take any
chances. And so, bearing in mind the importance of life, the
terrorist’s demands were agreed to in full. These not only included
good food and good wine, but also messages in French to be read at 2
hourly intervals on the radio, and, most importantly, a plane to take
them and their hostages to a place of their choice. But, of course, a
plane needs a crew, and this was to be no normal flight!
Otto
Herold was a young co-pilot with Austrian Airlines at the time, and,
when the call for volunteers came he needed next to no time at all.
If he were to be called, he would be the one for the right-hand seat
in the cock-pit! And, so it was that on the morning of the 22nd
of December, Otto Herold and captain Manfred Pollak were ready and
waiting in their fully fuelled plane for permission to take-off for
destination unknown.
The
terrorists and their hostages boarded, and, to everyone's relief
everything went off very well. The two pilots experienced nothing out
of the ordinary, that is to say, nothing except the one small thing
that still sticks out in Otto Herold’s mind. Because there were no
hostesses on board, he had volunteered to serve coffee, and, all
were thankful for the refreshment; that is to say, all except one!
One of the hostages, an oil minister, rudely rejected the offer of
coffee, and, whilst pushing it angrily away demanded tea! There was
no tea and he, too, had to make do with coffee. The crux, however,
came when Otto went to collect the dirty cups. One of the terrorists,
a Palestinian, stopped him, and, instead, forced the now “non too
happy” complaining and demanding minister to clear up the dirties!
There were to be no more passenger complaints for the rest of the
flight!
The
trip came to an end in Algiers where the last of the hostages were
released. Carlos and his gang then disappeared, and Otto and Captain
Pollak were flown back to a sad and very much shocked Vienna. And
Christmas?
It
was different. It was more an occasion of relief mixed with sorrow.
People had been killed, and Austria, a small central European peace
loving country, had been wounded. “Why us” was everyone’s
question.
And
Captain Pollok and Otto Herold? Volunteering had been brave and
both were decorated for their courage. Of course, both continued
flying and Otto Herold went on to become captain. And, as everyone
knows, captains can never stop flying!
Now,
happily in retirement and many Christmases later, Otto Herold is
still very much behind the controls, and his fleet of model planes is
impressive. But, no models, however realistic, can replace the
Viscounts, the DC 9s or the Airbuses which he once skippered. But,
flying is flying and even in miniature the take-offs and landings,
just like then, are still just as exciting as ever!
Nj.
