Tag Archives: flight attendants

When we think about it, how many of us ponder the effect that we have on others? We go through our lives, sometimes blindly, accomplishing our daily routine. Wake up. Brush teeth. Have morning coffee. Commute to work. Work. Commute home. Eat dinner. Watch tv. Go to sleep. Wake up. I know sometimes it can seem like the proverbial hamster on the hamster wheel. Every now and then life will present us with a situation or person who really does cause us to wake from our own dream and realize the impact we have on others.

A few days ago, while teaching a customer service class for a major Southern-based airline, I was approached by a nice young man. He introduced himself as Kyle and told me that he has been employed with the company for 4 months. He asked how long I had been a flight attendant and when had I been based in New York City. I let him know that I began flying out of NY in 1993 and continued flying out of NY (JFK, LGA & EWR) until 2000. Curious as to why, I asked, ‘why?’ What he told me blew me away. He told me that when he was 5 years old he took his first plane ride ever; he and his family flew from JFK to Orlando for vacation. On that flight I was his flight attendant! He told me that I had given him kiddie wings and had made the flight very special. I was speechless. Speechless because after all these years he had remembered me; that he had remembered my name and how I had made such an impression on him. It was one of those ‘ah-ha’ moments that will stick with me for life. And now, in 2010, here he is working for the company in which he took his very first plane ride.

Thank you Life for presenting me with Kyle. Thanks for confirming to me that we do make a difference in the lives of those we come into contact with. Never underestimate the effect you have on others.

What a great way to end the work week.

Stewardess or Flight Attendant?

When we were flight attendants we used to have the conversation about differences between stewardesses and flight attendants. Before we get into this conversation, let’s see what Webster (not Emmanuel Lewis) has to say:

stew·ard·ess
–noun
a woman flight attendant

flight attendant
–noun
an airline employee who serves meals, attends to passengers’ comfort, etc., during a flight.

Even though both words have virtually the same meaning, there’s a huge difference in what makes one a ‘stewardess’ as opposed to a ‘flight attendant.’ And just so you know ‘stewardesses’ still exist to this day!

TRIVIA: The very first flight attendant (steward) was a male. Heinrich Kubis. He flew as a steward on the Zeppelin fleet including the Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg. More about male flight attendants in another post.

The first female stewardess was Ellen Church hired by United Airlines in 1930. She was 25 and a registered nurse. Once airlines began hiring stewardesses, being a nurse was a requirement. This requirement was relaxed at the start of WW2.

Ellen Church - first UA stewardess

It was in the 60’s and 70’s that many airlines began advertising the attractiveness and friendliness of its stewardesses. National Airlines had the “Fly Me” campaign. Southwest airlines had hostesses in hot pants. Braniff International Airlines even had what became known as the ‘Air Strip‘ whereby stewardesses would change outfits during your flight.

The Braniff "Air Strip"

Pacific Southwest Airlines

Delta Air Lines Summer 1969-70

National Airlines

Pan American

Many challenges that stewardesses faced (age limitations, no-marriage clause, weight requirements) were laid to the wayside in the 70’s and 80’s.

It was at the end of the 70’s that the term flight attendant replaced stewardess.

Even though the term stewardess was jettisoned, stewardesses still exist if you know what to look for. During our time as flight attendants it was a pure delight to fly with a stewardess. She, after all the years in the air, still:

Katherine Lee aka "Deltalina"

Virgin Atlantic

Pam Ann

Today’s question: Have you had the pleasure of being served by, worked with or know, a ‘stewardess?’ If so, let’s here about it.

Remember to keep it low and tight, low and tight…