ON THE BREADLINE: WAYNE WAKEMAN

Wakeman, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was a pilot for Aloha Airlines, a captain with twenty years’ experience at the company. On March 30, 2008, Aloha shut down operations, putting more than 1,900 employees out of work: the largest mass layoff in Hawaii’s history. “Hawaii at this time last year had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, at 2.6 percent,” says Wakeman, who has searched in vain for a new airline job. “It is now at 6.5 percent, according to local newspapers.”

How do you cope with getting up every morning? What motivates you?

My motivation is, as the saying goes, “When one door shuts, another is open.” It was hard at first because I had been flying for a total of thirty years, which is half my life, and to have it stop suddenly was quite an adjustment. I had overlapping flying with Aloha Airlines and with the Hawaii Air National Guard, flying F-15 Eagles. As some of my friends would say, I had one of the greatest jobs anyone could have. I was one of the lucky few that could say “I love my job.” Today I just thank God that I still have my health and a special someone that keeps my spirit alive.

Likewise, how do you cope with getting to sleep at night–or getting any sleep, period?

I have no problem going to sleep at night, even though my mind is going a mile a minute trying to figure out what my next plan of action is. I’m fortunate that I have a pension from the Air National Guard, so I’m not that desperate. However, my unemployment compensation has run out, so now I am living with less and will have to move from my two-bedroom apartment to something smaller and affordable.

Give an example of the sort of changes or cutbacks you’ve had to make in the way you live your life.

I needed to start all over again and put together a résumé, which I haven’t needed to do for thirty years, so that was hard. I was planning to upgrade to a later-year truck, as my present one has 173,000 miles and is starting to nickel and dime me to death. Well, I guess I will have to keep my old truck for a while longer. I can’t travel as often as I like because I no longer have any travel benefits since the company folded.

Share with us some of your recession gallows humor.

There isn’t much humor only because everyone here in Hawaii knows Aloha Airlines, and they were as shocked as we, the employees, were. So when they ask where do I work, I say that I was a product of Aloha Airlines and they all make a sigh of sadness and apologize for what happened. I respond by thanking them for their concern but I also say, “I always wanted to know what it’s like to be completely retired and Aloha Airlines gave me that opportunity, and now my golf score is getting better.”

What, if anything, gives you hope that the future holds better things?

At this point, I just live day-to-day and hope that I am going to be successful in whatever it is that comes my way. I don’t think it will be flying because of my age. But whatever it is, I will be great at it.