My father worked for BOAC (the grandly titled British Overseas Airways Corporation), which in 1974 became British Airways. He worked for 30 years as an accountant at Heathrow, and when it became clear that more years of service weren't going to add further to his pension, he retired. He was still in his mid-50s, so he started looking around for another job.
Trans World Airlines was a major US carrier operating out of Heathrow. My father saw an advert for TWA and applied. He had an interview at their offices in Esher, 10 miles from the airport and got the job. On his first day he drove to his new office, passing a water treatment centre along the way. On arrival he went to see his new boss.
"Hi Don, it's good to have you with us. Do you have any questions?"
"Yes" said my father. "I'm curious to know why we're not located closer to Heathrow. Wouldn't that make more sense?"
"How so?" said his boss.
"We'd be closer to all the other TWA operations - flights crews, maintenance, sales and so on."
"Ah" said his boss. "You're thinking Trans World Airlines. That treatment plant is our operation. This is the Thames Water Authority."
He worked there for 10 years.
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