Norman conquest

The latest aircraft to be delivered by Cardiff Aviation fleet to Albanian carrier Albawings – personally delivered by the ACMI firm’s chairman Bruce Dickenson, no less – was christened Sir Norman Wisdom (Mr. Pitkin).
Baffled? Let us explain for the benefit of our younger readers.
The comic British actor, best known for a series of films made in the 1950 and 1960s featuring the hapless Norman Pitkin, gained something of a cult following at home and abroad. And one country where Wisdom went down a storm was in the tiny, isolated communist nation of Albania – very possibly because its dictator, Enver Hoxha, had banned almost everyone else. (Also, the dialogue wouldn’t have posed too much of a challenge to the translator.)
Quite why the pint-sized Pitkin escaped the attentions of the Albanian censor has never been fully explained, though one theory is that Hoxha saw Pitkin’s on-screen escapades as some sort of struggle against the forces of capitalism. And we thought it was just slapstick.
But while the films have faded into obscurity in their home country, Pitkin’s popularity in Albania has survived the collapse of communism. The by then Sir Norman even upstaged the England football team when he appeared at their training ground in Tirana in 2001.
Cardiff Aviation’s Dickinson admits that he was  pleasantly surprised to find out just how respected Norman is across Albania and had no hesitation in naming the 737-400 after him.
“We’re delighted to honour his memory with our latest aircraft as ‘One good Turn’ and of course, we expect it to be a much smoother operator than Mr. Pitkin.” 

Share this story

Related Topics

Latest off the record news

Lufthansa Cargo donates to Kenyan aid projects

Lufthansa Cargo has donated €10,481 to Cargo Human Care (CHC) in support of the organisation’s aid projects in Kenya. An…

Read More

Share this story

Air Cargo News Covid-19 webinar now available on-demand

Air Cargo News held its first webinar – Coronavirus: the outlook for air cargo – on April 15. Speakers included…

Read More

Share this story

Lufthansa Cargo and ANA Cargo deliver relief supplies to Australia

Lufthansa Cargo and ANA Cargo recently collaborated to deliver two tonnes of relief supplies to Australia. Lufthansa transported the supplies…

Read More

Share this story

Air Cargo News

Air Cargo News
Established in 1983, Air Cargo News is the leading source of news, information, interviews, analyses and reports to the global airfreight industry. Our leading portfolio includes print, digital and events that give businesses in the airfreight industry the ability to connect with decision-makers in this sector.