For as long as he could remember Ashley Stuart had always been obsessed with flying and aircraft. As a youngster his bedroom was festooned with self-assembly models made from kits, the walls were littered with posters of aircraft in flight and on the runway taking off. His ambition in life was to become a a commercial airline pilot for one of the major carriers. While he was at university studying aerodynamics and flight theory he joined the University Air Squadron, UAS, where he took flying lessons in preparation for his intended career and obtained his Private Pilot’s Licence, PPL. After graduation he applied for for a commercial pilots course, sponsored by a national carrier and sailed through the basic aptitude and theory tests.

However as part of the requirements for a Commercial Pilots Licence and further flight training he had to undergo an intensive medical which showed up that he had a significant degree of colour blindness which would preclude him from many roles including night flying, which would be a major stumbling block for long-haul operations.

He was totally shocked and depressed when he was told that although some roles would be available to him according to CAA (*1) rules, it was company policy to not employ pilots with his problem as it would restrict where and when he could be allocated a flight. He was offered a role doing short-haul delivery hops in light twin-prop aircraft, but had dreamt about travelling the world to visit all the exotic and exciting cities he had read about and so turned it down asking what other options would be available to him. Unfortunately the only role available to him was as a cabin-crew flight attendant, but he considered that was better than not flying at all, and signed up for the training course.

The training group he was in was mainly female and only included four other males: two quite camp and obviously gay who quickly teamed up together ignoring him as he made it plain that he was straight; two who were extremely macho woman-chasers who thought that they would have their pick of the female flight attendants and considered that the short slim slight Ashley at 5’7” and 125 lbs didn’t fit with their image. That left Ashley out on a limb, but he soon teamed up with a friendly group of the girls, Jo, Kathy, Sue and Sally who seemed willing to accept him into their group at coffee and lunch breaks and at the end of each day over a glass of wine in a local bistro in a.discussion group going over the things that they had been taught. Over the course of the training programme they all became close friends and spent a lot of time together.

As well as the technical issues of safety procedures. security issues, and company customer care approaches they were given lectures on personal grooming and company policies on uniform codes, hair care, and for the girls makeup styles.

At the end of the course, they were advised that the dress codes were being changed and that they were selected to be the first to be issued with the new style uniforms. Out went the formal suits, formal hairstyles and associated accessories replaced with a more casual and easier to maintain style, a unisex light cotton short-sleeved jumpsuit and loafers which the company considered would be much more practical and customer-friendly As they went to collect the boxes with their new uniforms and flight bags, ready for their first flight posting the following day, Ashley was called back by the course tutor.

“Ashley there has been a bit of a mix up with the uniforms and it appears that you have been allocated a female uniform and it will take a few days to sort it out, so your first flight will be delayed.”

“What do you mean by a female uniform? I thought you said that they were unisex to give a common corporate image.”

“Well, generally they are but the female style is slimmer and more fitted and the zip flap goes right over left rather than the other way, but otherwise they are virtually identical, and the loafers have a slightly raised wedge heel. It appears that with your name, your size, and the fact that your size chart was submitted grouped with the girls you have teamed up with, it was assumed at the uniform suppliers that you were female and they allocated you what they considered to be the appropriate uniform.”

“Are you sure that nothing can be done, I am so looking forward to my first flight tomorrow.”

“I’m afraid not, but if you are so desperate why not wear the uniform you have been issued with, I’m sure that no-one will notice the slight differences.”

“‘I’ll go and try it on and see what it looks and feels like, give me a few minutes before cancelling my flight allocation.”

When Ashley tried it on, other than feeling a bit snug, he didn’t feel the slight differences were worth worrying about and decided that it would do until something was sorted out.

Ashley and the girls went out for a group celebration meal where the main points of discussion were which flights they were on and what they thought of the uniforms. The girls were quite happy as they thought the jumpsuits were a lot more practical than the previous skirt and jacket sets, and the loafers would be a lot more comfortable on a long flight than the heels they were expecting to have to wear. When Ashley told them that his uniform would be the same as theirs the girls had a good laugh about it, the general reaction being ‘that’s what you get for hanging out with a group of girls’, but they didn’t think that it would be anything to worry about.

When Ashley dressed the following morning he noticed several other difficulties with the uniform he had been given which he had missed when he had first tried it on. As the jumpsuit was more fitted and made of a light material he could see what the girls later told him was a VPL, a visible panty line, where his boxers bunched up and he needed to change into snugger-fitted light briefs. It also highlighted the fact that the front zip only opened to just below waist height, rather than down to the crotch where the mens version would go, which meant that he would have to completely drop the whole jumpsuit to go for a pee, just like the girls would have to do, it was no longer a quick zip down, out and in, zip up that he was used to. When he opened the flight bag to put in his change of clothes, toiletries etc he found a shoulder bag inside and realised that the pockets in the jump suit and the associated fitted blouson jacket were quite shallow and gave no room for putting anything in. Again just like the girls he would have to use the shoulder bag for his wallet, passport and other bits and pieces. It was not a case of the simple differences that had been described to him.

However he was committed to his flight, so collected his case and bag and made his way to the airport, where he met Jo who would be on the flight with him.

“Hey, don’t you look cute this morning, you know with a bit of makeup you could pass as another one of the girl flight attendants.”

“Pack it in Jo, I feel embarrassed enough as it is, without comments like that, but I am prepared to grin and bear it, let’s sign in, meet up with the rest of the crew, and get the aircraft ready for our passengers.”

They met up with the captain, co-pilot, and the four other flight attendants who were all female, and were soon welcoming their passengers aboard seeing them to their seats and carrying out all the safety checks. As had been suggested nobody made any fuss of the way Ashley was dressed ,most of the passengers seeing and treating him as another of the female attendants, which frustrated him, but he just smiled and bit his tongue. It was only a short hop over to Munich, with a 45 minute turnaround for refuelling and restocking, which gave Jo and Ashley an opportunity for a quick coffee and sit down.

“What do you reckon then Ashley, did you enjoy your first flight?”

“It wasn’t too bad except for all the passengers addressing me as Miss or Dear, I should have waited for the mens’ uniform, although this one is mostly quite comfortable and practical. I don’t know about you but these new shoes are rubbing a little bit and my heel is getting sore.”

Jo giggled as she fished in her shoulder bag. “Here you are, you should wear socks, but these should do, I’m wearing tights but these knee-highs will do the same job, and you can put them on your feet without stripping out of the jumpsuit. Go to the loo, and I suggest that you use the ladies after all the comments you have been getting, sit down in a cubicle and put them on, and don’t forget your bag, I’ll come with you, I need to go anyway.”

“First time for you in the Ladies Ashley, it’s a pain having to unzip and drop the jumpsuit to have a wee, isn’t it? Us girls are used to having to fiddle about with things in there, dropping our trousers and tights or hitching up our skirts to sit to wee, but it must be bit of a change for you rather than just unzipping your flies.” Jo jokingly said as they left the cubicles.

“To be honest, with this jumpsuit I had to do the same as you, drop the suit to my hips and it was just as easy to sit down to pee to make sure that I didn’t splash onto the suit.”

“All that palaver is why we girls take so long in the cubicles and why there are always queues at peak times.”

“I never thought that I would be comparing toilet habits and associated clothing problems with a female colleague Jo, it’s a different world. Anyway we need to get back and get ready, the passenger gate will be open soon.”

The flight back was much the same, quiet and well organised. It was mainly a business flight so there was none of the rowdiness that Ashley had seen on holiday tourist flights. After the passengers had left the aircraft Ashley and Jo collected their belongings and went for a coffee to unwind.

“How are your feet Ashley did those knee-highs work for you.”

“They were brilliant, thanks Jo. I did put some socks on this morning but that made the shoes too tight, so I just went barefoot. I’ll get some more of the knee-highs on the way home.”

“I’ll come with you, I’m going your way, we’ll stop off somewhere. You need to make sure that you get the right ones, there are so many options, too fine and they won’t last out the day, too heavy and your feet will sweat. That’s another thing, I’ve found that the jumpsuit rubs a bit and tomorrow I’ll wear a light Camisole underneath. If you only have the normal men’s coarse cotton t-shirts or vests which will maybe be too warm, perhaps we should get some for you too, nobody will be able to see them and you will feel a lot more comfortable.”

Ashley came away from the shops with 2 packs of 20 denier knee-highs, one pack natural and one pack black, along with 5 cami tops in beige and white, with Jo insisting that he would be more comfortable wearing them under the suit, enough to last a week with them all being washed over the weekend. In the morning Ashley put on a cami top under the jumpsuit and although it was styled for a woman with thin shoulder straps and a scooped neckline it felt comfortable, taking away the roughness of the cotton.

As it was to be another short-haul flight, just down to Bordeaux, he didn’t bother with the overnight case, just putting his necessities along with a spare pair of knee-highs, into his shoulder bag, met Jo at the airport and helped to prepare the aircraft ready for the passengers. Again during the flight he was often mistaken for another of the female flight attendants, but just accepted that it didn’t really matter, the passengers were only on the plane for a couple of hours.”

“I feel much better wearing the cami this morning, how about you Ash?”

“Much better, it was a good idea of yours, and with my knee-highs I hardly noticed the shoes.”

“I’m off to the Ladies, are you coming. Apart from everything else the air-conditioning on the plane is drying out my skin and I need to put some moisturiser on my face which means redoing my makeup. It might be a good idea if you use some too, your skin looks awfully dry. I usually use a tinted moisturiser which acts as a base for my makeup, but this one has no colouring, give it a try. If you rub it in well, it will get rid of the moisture sheen and will be unnoticeable.”

When we arrived back to base, I realised that the moisturiser had done its job, my face felt softer than normal and still had a bit of a glow about it. “Jo, will you help me pick some moisturiser, there seems to be so much choice? I think I’ll continue to use some,”

“No problem Ash, you can spend a fortune on ones that make all sorts of claims about rejuvenation, removing wrinkles and rehydration, quoting all sorts of medical mumbo-jumbo, but a good basic one applied liberally overnight and again lightly in the morning will freshen up your skin. When I first started using makeup, my mum gave me all sorts of warnings about cleaning everything properly before going to bed, but like most teenagers I ignored her, and now have to work harder to keep my complexion clear. You men have it easy, but a bit of moisturising won’t do any harm.”

Ashley had got used to wearing the jumpsuit by the end of the week, and thought that as the uniform one was so light and comfortable he would get one or two similar things for wearing around the house on his days off, along with some extra casual loafers. He thought “Ok, they might be for women but they will all be comfortable and practical, look unisex not too feminine, it’s not as if I would be wearing dresses and skirts.”

He picked out a pair of his skinny jeans and a a long cardigan, which he thought made him look sufficiently androgynous if not feminine, picked up his shoulder bag, which had now become a habit for him and set off to browse the shops. He soon found two really nice jumpsuits, one in soft denim and one in in pale cream linen and was having a good look at them when he was approached by a sales assistant. “Why not try them on dear, I think they will both suit you, and they are on sale at the moment, 50% off.

She led him over to the changing rooms where two women got in just before him but he managed to get the last curtained-off cubicle. He tried out the linen one first and went out to look in the mirror to see how it looked. “ That really suits you dear,” said one of the women who had come out to see how her dress sat on her. “I wish I was slim enough to wear something like that, but unfortunately those days are gone.”, obviously assuming that Ashley was another woman.

“Thank you for that, I’l get this one and the other one too, I’m treating myself to some new outfits today.”

It was the same in the shoe shop, he had a quick look at the racks of men’s casual shoes but there was nothing he fancied, and was looking through the women’s section considering a pair of brown leather slip-ons, but was a bit put off by the deep wedge heel. “I like those myself, said the saleswoman, what size are you, I’ll get you some to try on.” He ended up leaving with two pairs, the leather ones and some cornflower canvas loafers, again with a bit of a raised heel to them.

He made his way home, having enjoyed visiting the shops, desperate to get out of his tight jeans and into the denim jumpsuit and new loafers, amazed at how it had been assumed that he was female, nobody questioning him or treating him any different to any other woman. He had always been short and slim but nobody had ever before questioned the fact that he was male. Sunday morning he needed some groceries to top up the cupboards, but felt comfortable going out in his new outfit. Draping his bag over his shoulder he walked down to the local supermarket and quickly found everything he needed. Rather than going straight back home, he decided to have a stop for a coffee. He was watching the world through the café picture window when he noticed someone stop at his table and sit down.

“Hi Ash, I didn’t expect to see you here.” He was stunned to see Jo smiling at him. “I wasn’t sure that it was you, you look a lot different this morning, I really like that jumpsuit, you’ll have to tel me where you got it.”

“This may sound weird, but I found the uniform and shoes quite comfortable during the week, and yesterday decided to get something similar for casual wear around the house. At the shops I expected to be seen as a man buying women’s clothes and be really embarrassed but I was just treated as a woman. I didn’t expect to meet anyone I knew today so just put this on to come to get a few bits and pieces.”

“Don’t worry about it, it looks good on you, and with your collar-length wavy hair you look quite feminine, there’s no reason for anyone to think differently, although a bit of lipstick would be the icing on the cake.”

“Jo, can we please keep this between the two of us.”

“Of course Ash, I promise, we girls tell each other our innermost secrets and usually manage to keep them. Let’s finish our coffees, then I need to to get a few things and afterwards we can go back to your flat, where you can show me the other things you bought. After she picked up a few grocery items he led Ashley over to the makeup racks and picked out a few bits and pieces, before leaving the shop. “Ash, please don’t take this the wrong way, but the suit is not sitting quite right and is stretched at the waist. It will sit a lot better if we get you a cincher to push in the lumps of your love-handles, It will help with your uniform too, I noticed that was also a bit stretched. What do you think, are you willing to give it a try.”

Back home Ashley squeezed into the cincher before putting on the linen jumpsuit and leather shoes to show Jo. “That’s much better Ash, you have a definite waistline now. If you wear the cincher most of the time, including in bed, your body fat will gradually redistribute itself. I’m glad you decided to give it a try. It’s time I was going, but you should change back into the denim outfit it is much more durable for doing odd jobs around the house, that cream linen will soon get dirty.”

As Jo was leaving Ash called her back “Hey Jo, you’ve forgotten one of your shopping bags.”

That’s ok, it’s all for you anyway, just a few things a girl needs, a tub of slightly tinted foundation, some lipsticks and mascara, nail polish. Have a play with it and see how you get on, if you are going to go out wearing women’s clothes, you need a bit of warpaint to seal the image. There are some remover pads in there too, make sure you clean everything off, I don’t want to see any traces when you turn up for work tomorrow.

For the rest of the afternoon and evening Ashley stayed in the jumpsuit and loafers, cooked dinner and tidied up, not really giving a lot of thought to how he was dressed, but decided to leave the makeup that Jo had bought for him.

When he put on the uniform in the morning to get ready for work, Ashley had to agree with what Jo had said, the cincher really pulled in his waist and the suit sat a lot better.

“Hi Ash,” Jo greeted him, “no trace of makeup, no tell-tale signs, that’s good.”

“To tell the truth, I didn’t bother giving it a try. I find the clothes comfortable and will continue to wear them, but I am not a woman and don’t wish to pretend to be one.”

“Ok grumpy, whatever you wish, Let’s go and get ready for the hordes.”

When we returned later they were told that the following day would be a flight to New York and would involve an hotel stay, mainly for the cockpit crew so as not to exceed their flying hours. This meant the overnight bag with a change of clothes and Ashley carefully packed a shirt, trousers, jacket, underwear, and socks along with the usual toiletries.

However things did not go according to plan. When they arrived at JFK Ashley’s case was nowhere to be found, and the best on offer was the usual staff lost-luggage package with emergency overnight kit.

After they had checked in at the hotel, with a cheery ‘welcome Ladies, enjoy your stay.’ from the concierge, they went up to their rooms which was actually a double suite with an interlinking door. When Ashley opened the emergency pack he found it to be the female version, a cotton nightdress, a pack of panties, some tights, a pair of leggings and a cotton top along with a collection of basic toiletries and cosmetics. He needed to get out of the uniform so just put on the clothes he had been given before knocking on the interconnecting door to go in to see Jo.

“Please do me a favour Jo. I need something better than this to go down for dinner tonight, can you ask at reception if there is anywhere nearby where you can get me something. Don’t go mad and spend a fortune, it’s just for one night.”

To be continued.

An hour later Jo returned from her shopping trip with a huge clothes bag and wearing a big grin.

“I asked at reception and the nearest clothes shops are a taxi ride away, but it’s not the end of the world, your luck is in. There are often items left behind in the closets when guests leave. The hotel keep everything for a couple of weeks in case anyone calls back, but dispose of it after that. A lot of it is rubbish and goes straight into the bin, most items are then sent to goodwill thrift shops, but anything decent they keep to help out in situations like yours where guests’ luggage is lost or damaged in transit. I managed to find a few things for you at next to no cost.”

“That sounds like a good job Jo, it looks like you have managed to get enough to keep me going for a few days, not just for this evening, and if you managed to get it all at bargain prices, that is even better.”

“That is the good news. The bad news, which you may not be so happy about when I empty the bag, is that the only things that they had in your size were women’ clothes, we women tend to carry more luggage, even for an overnight stop than men do, and there is a lot more stuff to be left behind. I’ve got you a couple of pairs of trousers, obviously women’s style and fit but not over-the-top, and some fairly neutral shirts, which you should be able to wear without attracting too much attention. I also found a couple of skirts and silk tops to go with them, and a lovely azure satin sheath dress with chiffon sleeves that I though you might like, but if you don’t I’ll have them for myself. The only shoes that they had are obviously women’s with instep straps and thick 3” heels. If you want to dress for dinner you have three options as I see it: wear your uniform and hope that you don’t spill anything on it while you are eating; dress androgynously in ladies trousers, blouse and your loafers; or why not try a night on the pink side and wear the dress or skirt and top.”

“Don’t be silly I would look ridiculous wearing a skirt or dress, no-one would ever believe that I am a woman, we\ll be lucky if we do not get barred from the restaurant. I might it might be best if I just order room service.”

“This is our first night stopover, it should be memorable, I insist that one way or another we go down to the restaurant for dinner, As for not being seen as a woman, you are constantly being called ‘Miss’ on the plane, most people see you as female anyway, and that is without makeup and your hair styled.

I’ll try on the trousers and one of the plain blouses, they may not look too feminine and I think that I can probably get away with that.”

“What do you think Jo?’ I asked a few minutes later as I did a turnaround to give her a full view.

“Not too bad, but to be honest, even with the trousers and blouse you still come across as looking like a woman, but you walk and talk like a man, I think it would be less confusing if you wore a skirt or even the dress, which I think would suit you.”

“ I know that I have been out wearing a jumpsuit and been taken as a woman, but this is a different level I’d never get away with it.”

Let me prove it to you, by giving you a makeover, we have plenty time.”

An hour later after Jo had worked her magic on him Ashley couldn’t believe what he was looking at in the full-length wardrobe mirror. She had managed to tease his hair into a short but feminine style and had given him a dramatic evening makeover.

“There you are Ash,I told you that I could make you convincing. Go and put on the panties and a pair of tights from your emergency pack, wear your new dress and heels and we’ll have a look at the finished article.”

When he came back from changing, he walked in rather sheepishly and embarrassed and went over to the mirror again. Ashley looked stunned, he pictured himself in his new appearance alongside images in his head of Jo, Kathy, Sue, and Sally and if he didn’t know better he couldn’t tell who was the fake.

“From the look on your face Ash it seems that we will be going down to dinner together as two girls, I had better go and get myself sorted I can’t be outshone by you, it would never do. While I am in my room drop your dress top again I have left out one of my bras and some breast forms and the special glue to fix them in place that I found in the store downstairs, why anybody would leave them behind I can’t imagine. If you have problems give me a shout but try to manage it yourself. Ashley fiddled around for a while until he managed to get the bra clasp connected behind his back and slipped in the breast forms. When he zipped up the dress again it now really showed its shape and style in its best light.

When Jo returned looking equally as glamorous as Ash, she handed him a clutch bag matching the dress. “I’ve put a few bits and pieces in there, you might need to touch up your makeup after eating, and don’t forget your money, you are paying tonight girl.”

When they entered the restaurant, Ash nervously looked around to make sure that none of the rest of the crew were there, then followed Jo to a reserved table.

“Good evening Ladies, welcome to the Runway Hotel. Do you wish to order a drink while you are choosing your meal.”

“You choose for a change Ash, you know your wines better than I do.” Jo directed the maitre d’ over to Ashley, with a sweet smile. She was surprised when Ash confidently discussed the wine choices with him before ordering a bottle of Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

“Very good Ash, an excellent choice, but where did the sultry feminine-sounding voice come from?”

“At school I played the lead part of Elizabeth Bennet in a production of Pride and Prejudice, amongst other times acting as a woman or girl, it was a boys’ school you see and because of my size I was always chosen to play female roles. The drama teacher was an ex-professional actor who coached me in voice training to make me even more believable, particularly after my voice broke into the high tenor that it normally is now ”

“He certainly taught you well. I don’t want to embarrass you, but have you ever dressed as a girl apart from the school plays, you play the part so well.”

“If my mum had been allowed her way I would have been wearing a skirt around the house when I was rehearsing for the plays, as she thought it would help me get in character and get used to the feel of a skirt flowing around my legs. With my obsession with aircraft I was already considered a bit of a weirdo anyway, and was often being called all sorts of names for regularly dressing as a girl for the female roles. If it had got out that I was wearing a skirt at home, my life at school would have been unbearable. As it was, I didn’t have any close friends, nobody wanted to be associated with the class geek, and it would only have got worse if anyone found out.”

“But never since then?”

“Not until tonight, unless you count wearing the airline uniform and the jumpsuit around the house, but that is what I am doing this evening, I am just playing a role.”

‘Well enjoy it Ash. For tonight you are my best girlfriend and we are out enjoying our first time in New York, tell me a bit more about yourself.”

Ashley soon relaxed, ignored how he now appeared as a woman, and enjoyed the night in the restaurant chatting to Jo about their colleagues, the airline and life in general, and later they made their way back to their rooms.

“You did really well tonight Ash, nobody picked you out as anything other than an attractive young woman, and you even acted and sounded the part once you slipped into your female voice. We must do it again sometime, I really enjoyed myself being with you was almost like being out with one of the other girls.”

“I had a good time too, but I don’t think that I will make a habit of it. When we first went into the restaurant I was so worried that I would be picked out as a man in dress, but I soon relaxed after discussing the wine with the maitre d’ without any problems. However, after tonight the dress, shoes, and the other things you bought for me will go back into the wardrobe.”

“In that case, fold everything up and I’ll squeeze it into my case., we don’t want any security checks finding a collection of women’s clothes in your luggage, you can have it all back after we clear customs. Then make sure to clean off all your makeup, we don’t want any tell-tale signs left in the morning.”

On the flight home, although Ashley was now back to his normal appearance, his voice kept slipping into the female version that he had been using all the previous evening in the restaurant and was being addressed as another one of the female attendants by all the passengers he dealt with.

True to his word, the meal in New York with Jo was his last outing as a woman, although he did continue to wear the comfortable jump suits at home, along with the cincher to keep his waist nice and trim. His new replacement male uniform soon arrived and his old one was left in the wardrobe as an emergency spare. Although his voice occasionally slipped into female mode, he was now recognised as a male by everyone, but found that he was now treated differently, for some reason a female attendant was treated in a more friendly manner than a male.

A few weeks later as they left after a flight back to base, Jo asked him if he fancied going for a drink as there was something she wanted to talk about with him.

“Ash we’re on an overnight stop tomorrow in Dubai, it’s my birthday and I would like to go out for a celebration meal. Is there any chance that I can coax you into coming out with me dressed like you were in New York, I would really like that as a special birthday present for me?”

“I’d much rather not Jo, sooner or later I will let something slip, and be outed as a cross-dresser, and that is something I want to avoid, particularly in somewhere like Dubai that isn’t one of the more socially liberal states. However, if it means so much to you I’ll do it. As they seem to have permanently paired us together on the crew lists, I spend more time with you than anyone else and you’ve become my best friend, so of course I’ll do it for you. I’ll get myself ready and pack everything when I get home, we will be having an early start.”

Ashley had a busy night, making sure that his body was totally hairless, washing and conditioning his hair so that it would be a bit fuller than normal, and trimming his nails so that they would be ready for applying polish the next evening. When he packed his overnight case he double wrapped all his female clothes and accessories and covered them with his normal male items, the last thing he wanted was a security spot check finding them and asking him to explain why he was carrying female clothes.

After a routine but tiring flight hey arrived at their hotel in Dubai, booked in, made a restaurant reservation and Ashley started to prepare himself. Remembering how Jo had worked on him in New York he did his hair and makeup himself before putting on the satin dress and heels that she had bought him, allowing Jo to get herself ready without having to rush after dealing with him. Finally he had a close inspection of his appearance in the full-length closet mirror. It was not quite as perfect as when Jo had done it for him, but was completely acceptable in turning him once again into an attractive young woman.

The pair of them made their way to the rooftop restaurant, arms linked, to find their table next to a picture window giving a lovely view over the Old Town to the modern high rise developments along the coast and the spectacular Burj Al Arab jutting out into the sea like a boat in full sail. They ordered some wine and were looking at the food menu when they heard someone approach their table. Looking up Ashley was horrified to see Kathy, Sue and Sally, who had been on the training course with them. The last thing he wanted was more people seeing him dressed as he was.

“Hi Jo I’ve not seen you for ages, do you and your friend mind if we join you, we have a lot of catching up to do?” Asked Kathy.

Jo stood up to give the other girls a welcome hug.”Of course, that would be lovely. get the waiter to bring over another table and chairs. Girls this is Ash who I have been working with, Ash meet Sally, Sue, and Kathy.”

Kathy was the first to realise that Ash was Ashley who had been in their group for training.
“Ashley, is that really you, I would never have recognised you if Jo had used a different name. Stating the obvious, you haven’t half changed, you’re looking gorgeous by the way, come and give me a hug, that’s what us girls do when we meet an old friend.”

They were so soon joined by Sally and Sue, with the girls all giggly and excited and Ash wanting to run away and hide. As they were hugging and greeting each other the waiter came over with another table and more chairs, setting the extra places.

“Let’s sit down, all our news is just bits of gossip, but you two obviously have a lot more to tell.”Sally could not take her eyes of Ash, she couldn’t really believe what she was seeing.

Jo asked the girls what they were doing there as she was surprised to see them, they were on the previous days flight and should now be on their way home. While they were waiting for the waiter to finish what he was doing, the questioning of Ash was paused, but quickly resumed after he had left.

“There was a technical problem with the aircraft, nothing serious, it will be fit to go in the morning, but at least it gives us a chance to have a catch up with you both. You first Ash, you have a lot more to tell. When we were in training, you fitted in really well with us, and were almost one of the girls, but I never realised the reason you were so at ease with us. Have you always dressed in women’s clothes, they do suit you? You are not flying as a female are you, we’ve heard that one of the cabin crew is doing that, in full makeup and with his, or maybe that should be her, hair properly styled. Apparently she is really good at her job and the airline tolerate her as long as she comes across totally as a female and does not embarrass the passengers or the company.” Sue answered for them.

“Hold on Sue, one question at a time please. I’ll come back to how it has all happened, but first you must understand that other than stage appearance taking roles as a a girl in school plays, I have never dressed or acted as female until the mix up over our new uniforms. When I wore the female uniform that I had been issued with, I became accustomed to being treated as a female attendant by the passengers, although other than wearing the uniform I didn’t really see why there was any confusion, but just accepted it. One thing led to another and here I am, Ash, wearing a dress, heels and makeup”

“With boobs too, I assume that they are not genuine, and just look at your narrow waistline, I’m jealous.” Sally giggled. “ You can’t stop there, it’s a long way from an incorrect uniform to being dressed up in all your finery for a girls night out.”

Fortunately for Ash, the conversation was interrupted by the waiter bringing over two bottles of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and taking the order for their meals after filling their glasses.

“You are embarrassing Ash so I will take over where she left off.” Jo picked up the story, told them about meeting Ashley when he was out shopping wearing a jumpsuit and loafers and how that put the idea into her head, when his case was lost in New York, to get him to have a night out wearing a dress, the same outfit that Ash was wearing that night.

“You have really fitted into the role, you even talk and gesture just like any of us, I would never have doubted you or recognised you if Kathy hadn’t picked it up first. I love the dress by the way, it really suits you and is a super fit, have you any more clothes with you or at home.”

“Jo bought me a few tops and skirts in new York, but I haven’t worn them since, and this is the only dress that I have.”

“That will never do, wearing the same outfit that you have worn before for a special night out, you’ll have to splash out on some new clothes Ash. Actually I might be able to help you, I’ve been having a clear out of a lot of things that I don’t wear anymore but haven’t had time to put them on EBay or Vinted, It’s all good wearable stuff, it’s just that I have got bored with it. I’ll sort some out that I think will suit you.” Kathy offered.

That started the others off and Ashley was soon in danger of being swamped by promises of more clothes than he was ever likely to wear.

“Thanks ever so much girls, it’s so kind of you, but I don’t know when I will ever get the opportunity to wear it all.”

“Don’t be silly Ash, I’m sure that tonight will not be our last time out together, and a girl never has too many clothes to choose from. Now that we have met up again, how about us all getting together for a regular night out. I know it will be difficult with the shift patterns, but we’ll manage something. Ash when we do meet up I insist that you turn up in women's’ clothes and all made up, from now on you are one of the girls.” Sue suggested, the others all agreeing they would look forward to it.

“That’s enough of that Ash and I were intending this to be a quiet birthday meal for me, but now we’re all together let’s make it a proper girl’s night out, enjoy a decent meal together and have a good gossip.”

The ‘good gossip’ turned out to be which of the other crew members and pilots that they had flings with, including full grading of who was best and who needed a lot more practice, and which of the flight crew were too touchy-feely and pushy and should be avoided. No allowance was made for Ashley being there, as far as they were all concerned, at least for that night, he was one of the girls and nothing was held back about their personal lives and intimate medical problems, much to his surprise. After all the wine they had drunk, Ash needed to use the loo, picked up the clutch bag and was immediately followed by Sally.

Ash fond a spare cubicle, sat down, did what was needed and was getting dressed again when Sally called over the cubicle wall “Ash have you got any tampons or pads, I’m just coming on all of a sudden and I’ve left my bag at the table.”

Ash dug out a pad from her clutch bag, The girls had been referring to him as she and her all through the meal, and with the wine that had been drunk she just accepted it. Jo had insisted just like most other women, she should always have something for an emergency, although she never knew what she had meant. She passed it under the cubicle door to Sally and stood staring at the mirror thinking how far down the path to womanhood she now was, sharing sanitary products with another woman. She was refreshing her lipstick when Sally came out.

“Thanks ever so much Ash. I hope that I didn’t embarrass you by assuming you had period products, I was in a bit of a panic and forgot who you really are, after being in your company all night you are just one of the girls. I’m surprised that you had a pad though, you obviously will never need one. You are lucky, it can be a real nuisance sometimes, the pain, the grouchiness, the bloating, and the mess, even with other girls who all go through the same things it can be embarrassing sometimes. As for the men, they are even worse, every time we are a bit fed up or grumpy, it’s a matter of ‘Are you on now’, as if that is the only thing that upsets us. You have been brilliant the last few minutes, most men are not comfortable thinking or talking about periods and quickly change the subject.”

“Glad to help Sally, are you ok now? We all have our problems but we have to stick together and help each other, don’t we?”

“You’re right Ash, most men seem to be shallow and momentary in their relationships but with us girls it’s a lot deeper. You’ll always be my friend and I hope to see you again. Can I ask another favour, may I borrow your lipstick, my lips need a refresh, yours is almost the same colour as mine, which is in my bag along with my pads and all the other paraphernalia. Thank god for girlfriends to turn to when we need help.” she giggled.

The others had to leave as they had an early flight scheduled. After goodbye hugs and promises to meet up again soon, Jo and Ash sat for a while finishing off the wine.

“That wasn’t too bad was it Ash, you looked horrified when the girls walked over, but they loved you, and once you got over the shock of seeing them you just blended in with the rest of us When we were in training and you latched on to our little group, we were all a bit wary of you, but after a few days, apart from the way you were dressed, you were as much one of the team as the rest of us girls. Today has proved how right we were, I’m not suggesting that you were camp or gay, but you turned out to be a kindred spirit and that was reinforced this evening, you were as much part of the girls night out as the rest of us.”

“You don’t know the full story Jo. When Sally and I were in the loo, she unexpectedly started her period and asked if I had anything I could give her. I had to give her the pad that you had put in my bag, you said that I should away carry something for emergencies, now I know why. That led to a discussion on period pains and problems and the way men treat women, it’s not the sort of conversation that I am used to. Even over dinner some of the intimate little secrets that you all bounced around was a different world to me, women are much more sharing and open about their experiences than men.

“When girls reach their teens there are all sorts of problems, the first period can be a shocker, the longing for breast development and then the constant itching when it is happening, the first crush on a boy which can be extremely painful. For too many the traumas of teenage pregnancy or even worse abortion can leave us scarred, not forgetting the joys of the menopause which are something to look forward to with dread. Sharing and talking through these problems are how us women deal with things, whereas men hold everything back and suffer in silence. You heard the girls, they all want us to meet up again, including you, do you think that you could do all this again? If so, you need to get used to conversations about things like that”

“It’s not something that I was planning, this was intended as a one off, or an encore if you prefer, anything more needs a lot of consideration.

To be continued.

Ashley and Jo were up early the next morning getting ready for their return flight back to Heathrow, when Ash’s phone buzzed with an incoming email from the airline head office

“ Mr Stuart, we have received a customer complaint about the way you present yourself. As soon as you arrive back in the UK please come to the HR suite to see me to discuss where we go from here. The substance of the complaint is that you are over-effeminate in the way you dress, sometimes wearing the female uniform and speaking in quite a feminine tone. The passenger alleges that she was not comfortable with you serving her and you made her feel embarrassed. Please come as you normally present yourself, I wish to see you as you normally look to our valued passengers. If the complaint is upheld either you will have to change your appearance and manner or you will unfortunately be re-assigned to non-public-facing duties or you will be dismissed.

Kay Abernethy,
Director of Human Resources.”

Ashley immediately showed the message to Jo who looked as shocked and disgusted as he felt.

“That’s totally unreasonable Ash, all those people you have served without any problems, and just one bigot could lose you your job, what are you going to do about it?”

“Obviously I do not want to lose this job and will do everything I can to assure HR that I will give no further cause for complaint. However, from the tone of the email this may very well turn out to my last flight. If that is to be the case I want it to be memorable. Unpack your makeup kit, styling wand and spare uniform Jo, and put it in your cabin bag. After we clear security and passport control, I will get changed, you can do my hair and makeup, then Ash is going to be on duty today looking her best.”

The long flight back to the UK was routine and they were kept busy without any problems, until they were on he last leg of the journey not far from the coast of The Netherlands. Suddenly the alarm lamp lit in the crew kitchen where Ash was sorting drinks for some passengers. She answered the intercom warily wondering what the panic was.

“This is the Captain, both myself and my First Officer are feeling unwell, dizzy, confused, and sweating. Without causing any panic please find out if there is anyone on the aircraft with any flying experience, military or civil. We are flying on automatic at the moment but still need to get someone in here to help out urgently during the approach and landing. I am not sure if I can land the plane safely, and have sent out an alarm to Air Traffic Control to make emergency preparations.”

Although Ash as Ashley, had never flown a commercial airliner, the largest being merely twin prop ten-seaters, she decided that this was the moment that she could prove herself capable and get transferred from cabin crew to the flight deck, her long-term dream.

Ash quickly made her way to the flight deck where she found the First Officer slumped in his seat unconscious, and the Captain looking tired and distracted, but still in control, with the aircraft operating on autopilot. Firstly she dragged the co-pilot away from his controls so she could get herself in a position to take over, before telling the Captain that she had a PPL but had never handled anything as large and complex as the A350. He confirmed that he felt unfit to safely handle the aircraft, but that as long as she could master the basics under his instructions he felt able to guide her through the process. However the Captain’s condition deteriorated, sporadically drifting into unconsciousness, and Ash felt that he was not in a reliable state to help her get the aircraft to safety.

She immediately radioed ATC, to put them in the picture.”This is MEA4673, A350 inbound from DXB Dubai heading for LHR London Heathrow . We have an emergency and request clearance for priority landing, The Captain is unwell and the First Officer is completely unconscious, over.”

“Received MEA4673, who is in control, over.”

“Flight attendant Ash Stuart, I have a PPL but have never even been in a cockpit of an aircraft of this size and complexity, over.”

“You are being diverted to Stansted, we cannot risk you flying over central London. We have your location, just clearing the Dutch coast, disable the autopilot and take manual control, divert to a North bearing and circle over the sea, slowly descending to 10000 ft while we clear the Abbott holding stack to allow you a free run in. We will guide you in and will patch in an experienced A350 pilot to instruct you on the controls and how to handle them. Advise the cabin crew what is happening and that they are to carry out emergency procedures, over.”

Ash contacted the senior attendant, Jill, to advise her that she was now at the controls due to problems with the pilots and asked her to check the passenger manifest for anyone that had flying experience.

“Sorry Ash, but there does not seem to be anyone obvious, should I put a request out over the PA?”

“No We don’t want to create a panic. I’ll put a ‘fasten seat belts’ warning over the PA telling the passengers to expect a bit of a bumpy ride due to weather conditions, please organise the cabin crew to carry out all the emergency procedures and checks, collecting any loose items and stowing everything away

While waiting for support from ATC she nervously tried to understand the locations and condition of all the controls, but soon heard back.

“MEA4673, this is Rob Williams at ATC, I have many hours flying an A350 and can almost fly one in my sleep, I’ll get you down safely. You are clear to make an approach, all other traffic is on hold at a high level. The airspace is clear, drop in a spiral to 5000ft to approach the airport from the Northeast. Listen carefully to my instructions and we will hopefully get you down without any problems.”

As Ash had told Jill it would be, it was a bit of a bumpy and wobbly descent and an even bumpier touchdown, but by following the detailed guidance from Rob Williams she had landed and stopped the aircraft without any damage or injuries. Even though she was on an adrenaline high she collapsed back in her seat and almost blacked out from the stress.The aircraft was immediately surrounded by the emergency teams who rushed onto the flight deck to deal with the pilots, and a technical crew to ensure that the aircraft was safely parked, the passengers evacuated and all systems shut down.

Ash was ushered from the aircraft into the terminal, past the ranks of photographers and camera crews who had been alerted to the emergency, to an interview room to be debriefed by CAA incident investigators who praised her for the calm and efficient way she had dealt with the crisis. She was then given a clean uniform and allowed to freshen up before facing the press alongside the airline flight director and Rob Williams who had given her clear instructions as to how to land the aircraft .

It was reported that the flight crew had been drinking from a flask of coffee loaded in Dubai which had been laced with Rohypnol or something similar and it was suggested that this was a terrorist attempt to deliberately crash the aircraft over northern Europe. Ash was highly praised for taking control despite her lack of appropriate training and experience. The flight director rambled on about how the company was extremely grateful to her for landing the passengers safely without any injuries from her slightly erratic flying or any significant damage to the aircraft and a promise was made that her role in the airline operations would be re-evaluated. Ash was then faced with a barrage of questions about her previous experience and how useful that had been in following the instructions from ATC, to which she thanked Rob Williams for his calmness in passing on the benefit of his experience.

When Ash arrived home, Jo was at her door waiting, and welcomed her with a big hug before they went in. “You were amazing today Ash, I shudder to think what would have happened if you had not been there. We had advised the passengers to prepare for an emergency landing but when you bumped us down and stopped the aircraft there was an immediate round of applause and as the passengers left they all asked us to pass on their thanks for whoever had taken control. You probably have not had time to see or hear anything, your photo is splashed on the front page of the evening newspapers and your landing and interview was shown on the early evening tv news bulletins. You are a bit of a heroine.The flight director also gave a lot of praise to the rest of the cabin crew for the way we handled the emergency with the passengers, highlighting the vital role that we play, not just glorified waitresses, you’ve done all us girls a big favour in raising our image.”

“I’ll leave all that to everyone else, I just need to relax and come down from the adrenaline high and prepare myself for the interview tomorrow with the director of HR.”

“How are you going to play that, they can hardly discipline you now?”

“Stay overnight Jo, I’ll need you to help me get ready in the morning. If the airline want to splash my photo over the media and use me as a poster girl to get the publicity, that is exactly what they are going to get. As requested I’ll be going in wearing my uniform, the female version, but in full makeup and with my hair styled, wearing my bra and boobs. I’m not ashamed of the way I have been dressing, in fact I am proud to be seen as one of the girls.”

The next morning , Ash walked up to reception at headquarters to sign in.

“I’m Ashleigh Stuart, I have an appointment with Kay Abernethy.”

“Good morning Miss Stuart, I saw you on TV yesterday, you did an amazing job bringing down the A350 and the passengers safely. I used to be cabin crew myself before I had my family, most of the passengers do not realise how hard we girls have to train, you have done us all proud.”

Ash was shown up to the HR director’s office where she was welcomed with a soft handshake and a big smile.

“You did really well yesterday Ash, this was supposed to be a disciplinary meeting to lecture you on company policy regarding grooming and appearance, but you can forget all that now. In fact if you always present yourself as you are looking this morning I can’t see any problem with you continuing to do so. However you will not be continuing in your role as a flight attendant.”

“What ! You can’t fire me after what I did yesterday, he press will be scathing when they find out, and it will be awful publicity for the company.”

“Just wait Ash, let me continue. As I was saying, you will not be continuing as a flight attendant, your records show that you originally applied for training as a pilot and that is what will happen next.”

“What about my colour-blindness, is that not a problem.”

“That is a company policy, which we have reviewed as unreasonable and unacceptable in terms of Disability Discrimination law. CAA rules do allow you to fly commercial aircraft and passenger airliners, but there may be some restrictions, it’s unlikely that you will get behind the controls of an A350 again flying to Dubai, but you should still be able to get around most of Europe and North Africa. How does that sound for you.”

“Brilliant, it’s what I’ve always wanted, am I allowed to give you a hug?”

“Most unusual Ash, but after yesterday all the rules are out of the window, come here.”

“Thank you ever so much Kay.”

“Finally, one thing to clear up. It was all a bit of a panic and rush yesterday organising the press conference, and nobody realised your true identity, it was just taken for granted that you are a female. Now that your story has been splashed all over the media it will be difficult to put the genie back in the bottle. That begs the question will you be training and flying as Ash or Ashley, neither is a problem for us? If it is going to be as Ash, you have been selected as the poster girl for our next publicity campaign, if it is to be as Ashley we will quietly work to make Ash fade out of the picture and let you resume your life.”

“I had my arm twisted the first time I was talked into wearing a dress, but I am now comfortable living as a woman, I have some amazing friends and relate to other women much better than I ever did to men as Ashley, I’m sure that Ash is here to stay.”

“Welcome to the world of womanhood Ash. I’m sure that you will be a successful pilot and will enjoy your new life, make the most of it and show those men what we women can do. Have some time off, you are due some rest days, give me a week or so to get things sorted then come in to see me again.”

Ash could hardly contain herself waiting for Jo to get back from her return flight to Berlin, and pass on the good news, and left 3 or 4 texts asking Jo to call her.

“What’’s the panic Ash, you know that we are not allowed personal calls when on duty.”

“Get yourself home and put on your glad rags, we are going out celebrating tonight, and if I can get hold of Kathy, Sue ,and Sally, let’s meet at somewhere special like The Waterside at Bray, my treat.”

“What’s up, have you won the Lottery?”

“Even better than that but I’ll not tell you now, I want to make sure that you all come.”

Remembering what Sue had said in Dubai about not wearing the same outfit too often, Ash realised that she needed to go shopping to find something different and glamorous. She rummaged in her wardrobe looking at the things that Jo had bought for her in New York which had been shut away ever since and chose an A-line chino skirt with a jade cotton top which she thought looked smart but not over-dressy for going shopping.

Rather than looking at the local shops Ash drove to the Westfield shopping complex which offered a much larger selection of high-end boutiques and spent most of the afternoon visiting at least a dozen shops trying on various styles and colours before finally selecting a cerise sleeveless halter-neck fitted cocktail dress with a waterfall hemline, matching 4” heels and clutch bag. At last Ash realised the joys of shopping as a woman, but also the difficulties is selecting something appropriate with the right fit, and the need to coordinate the accessories and makeup.

When she eventually returned home it was a last minute rush to finish her preparations and get ready before her taxi arrived, she hadn’t realised how much time it would take to do her makeup hair and get dressed. When her taxi finally arrived at the Waterside she nervously went into the cocktail bar where she found the others to already be there waiting for her.

“OMG Ash, you are looking gorgeous, you’ve obviously had a full day at the shops, that dress is stunning.” Jo had a long look at her before giving her a hug, and whispering “The way that dress fits and shows that you are braless must mean that you have decided that the breasts are now going to be a permanent part of you.”

“That’s it now Jo, I’ll just have to be more careful when I am running or walking fast, they seem to have a life of their own.”

“They must be a bit of a strange feeling for you, for the rest of us girls it is a gradual process and we have time to adjust and get used to them, but you will soon just accept them as just part of being you.”

The other girls were all over Ash, again all making comments about her new breasts, but mainly asking where she had bought her dress and shoes.

“In Dubai you told me that for special occasions a girl always needs a new dress Sue, I took your advice, but didn’t realise how long it would take to find something appropriate.”

“Well, it was certainly worth the effort it really suits you.”

“Right girls, let’s sit down and order some drinks, you must be wondering what I was so excited about and what I need to tell you.”

“If it was any other of my girlfriends I would be waiting for you to say that you were pregnant, but despite how convincing you are looking, there are limits and that is obviously not possible.” Kathy giggled.

“I’ll leave that to you all, thank you very much. Anyway I’m sure that Jo has told you about me being called in to see the HR Director after a complaint from a passenger that one of their male cabin crew looked and sounded over-effeminate, but if that customer could see me now I think she wouldn’t be able to find fault with me.”

“Get on with it Ash, you sound like Hercule Poirot dragging out the story of the murderer, what did she say?”

“Well girls, it seems that I will no longer be working with you as cabin crew,…………I’ll be on the flight deck. After bringing down the aircraft yesterday, they felt that with my PPL I was more than suitable as a basis for training for a commercial licence, which will start in a week or so. The other good thing is that they have accepted me as Ash. I think I’ll probably be the only woman on the training course as this is who I am from now on. To cap it all off, because my photo has been splashed all over the papers and TV, they want to use me as their poster girl for the next publicity campaign, the modelling fees will more than pay for this dress and a few more things for my wardrobe.”

“Wow, I see why you wanted to celebrate, that is wonderful news, fulfilling your lifelong dream, although not quite as you imagined it. I just hope you won’t get full of yourself with airs and graces like a lot of the pilots and forget your friends back in the passenger cabin still acting as trolley-dollies.” Jo was the first one over to give me a hug, soon followed by the others in an excited huddle, causing quite a stir in the cocktail lounge with other customers wondering what was going on.

“Right girls, as I said this is who I am, your girlfriend Ash, I expect you to treat me just the same as you do each other, we are all here for a girls’ night out, let’s enjoy ourselves.”

To be continued.