Allegedly, a Pan Am 727 flight waiting for start clearance in Munich overheard the following: Lufthansa (in German): „Ground, what is our start clearance time?“ Ground (in English): „If you want an answer you must speak in English.“ Lufthansa (in English): „I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?“ Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent): „Because you lost the bloody war.“

„TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees.“ „Centre, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?“ „Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?“

One day the pilot of a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to hold short of the active runway while a DC-8 landed. The DC-8 landed, rolled out, turned around, and taxied back past the Cherokee. Some quick-witted comedian in the DC-8 crew got on the radio and said, „What a cute little plane. Did you make it all by yourself?“ The Cherokee pilot, not about to let the insult go by, came back with a real zinger: „I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yours and I’ll have enough parts for another one.“

Allegedly the German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They, it is alleged, not only expect one to know one’s gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206. Speedbird 206: „Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway.“ Ground: „Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven.“ The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop. Ground: „Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?“ Speedbird 206: „Stand by, Ground, I’m looking up our gate location now.“ Ground (with quite arrogant impatience): „Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?“ Speedbird 206 (coolly): „Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark,…… and I didn’t land.“