Despite the stereotype of being a flight attendant, the job has changed are great deal since it started in 1934.
In this Business Insider piece that chronicles flight attendants through the years, you get a front row seat.
Back in the day it was possible to enjoy real food on an airplane, you could stretch out and relax on the flight. Along with those amenities, you had what seemed to be an endless line of beautiful women serving you. By todays standards, what was once commonplace is now only seen as something of the rich and famous.
Personal Flight Experience
I myself have been taking flights for nearly 24 years now on a regular basis and I’ve seen the changes first-hand. When I was a child I was taken care of on a flight. They gave me coloring books, new toys and all the drinks and snacks I wanted. Much of that has changed today, not just in regards to the children. But also with adults and the amenities offered to them.
Flight Attendants, Then and Now
The flight attendant position, once called a stewardess or steward, had a dark side as well. In a Travel and Leisure magazine article, it was reported that during the 1950’s and 60’s the requirements for becoming a flight attendant were daunting. You had to have a perfect figure, be the right height, wear high heel shoes at all times and you were forced to retire after you passed the age of 32. The article goes on to tell the story of how this type of behavior was abolished by means of litigation.
Take a few minutes to scroll through these amazing pictures put together by Business Insider. This collection was brought together using resources such as Wikimedia Common’s Collection, Flickr and the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives to name a few.
To view the complete collection of flight attendant photos, visit Business Insider HERE.
