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90 Years of Flight Attendants

 

Last week marked the 90th anniversary of airline flight attendants, and it carries with it a story about changing roles in American society as well.

For a start, back then the title was 'stewardess,' and most of us over 50 grew up with all the leering jokes and attitudes that went with airline advertising that emphasized their looks and desirability. Even today, many people fly without realizing that passenger safety, not service is their key role and that their presence is legally mandated.

The first flight attendant, Ellen Church, was certainly prepared for a serious role; when she went to work for Boeing Air Transport, predecessor of United Airlines, she was both a registered nurse and a qualified commercial pilot. Boeing wasn't interested in that part.

Flights in those days were generally fairly short hops, flown at relatively low altitudes with significant turbulence. They couldn't fly above the turbulence because they weren't pressurized. The idea of hiring the first flight attendants was to have someone aboard to help keep passengers calm.

The first flight for Church (below, welcoming a passenger aboard) was a 20-hour run from Oakland, California to Chicago, with 13 stops en route. 

(Eingeschränkte Rechte für bestimmte redaktionelle Kunden in Deutschland. Limited rights for specific editorial clients in Germany.) USA : Women at work As the first airline stewardess in history, the 25-year-old registered nurse Ellen Church (*1905-1966+) from Iowa welcomes a traveller at the door of a tri-motored Boeing 80 A of Boeing Air Transport on 15. May 1930. It is reported that the service idea of recruiting female flight attendents, particularly nurses, goes back to the operations manager of Boeing Air Transport, which was a predecessor of todays United Airlines. He stressed that they would have a calming effect on passengers with fear of flying. - 1930 - Vintage property of ullstein bild (Photo by ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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