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The first flight attendant, a steward, was reportedly a man on the German Zeppelin "LZ10 Schwaben" in 1911. Imperial Airways of the United Kingdom had 'cabin boys' or 'stewards' in the 1920s, and first female flight attendant was a 25 year old Registered Nurse named Ellen Church who reportedly coined the term "stewardess." Hired by United Airlines in 1930 , she also first envisioned Nurse s on Aircraft . Other airlines followed suit, hiring nurses to serve as stewardesses on most of their flights. The requirement to be a Registered Nurse was relaxed at the start of World War II , as so many nurses enlisted into the Armed Services . The primary responsibility of the flight attendant's job is safety of the passengers, but most of the work is Customer Service , serving Meals and drinks and accommodating the individual needs of passengers. These roles sometimes conflict, as when flight attendants must cut off Alcohol ic drinks for a passenger who has had too much, or to ask passengers to fasten Seat Belt s, sit down, or otherwise follow safe procedures. with Flight Attendants of United Airlines and American Airlines ]] Particularly in the 1960s and 1970s , the airlines contributed to confusion about these roles by advertising the attractiveness and friendliness of their "stewardesses." One airline used pictures of attractive stewardesses with captions like "I'm Kristin. Fly me." Another airline, Braniff Airways , had them changing clothes during the flight, wearing one garment while greeting passengers and another for serving meals. In advertisements, this practice was called the "air strip," and was advertised with suggestive music. A policy of at least one airline required that only unmarried women could be flight attendants. The , remains a good depiction of and contributor to the "sexy stewardess" Stereotype . as a Flight Attendant]] Airlines were accustomed to firing female flight attendants, even after years of service, if they were deemed too old or unattractive, but a decision by the National Labor Relations Board , in the United States , ended that practice and recognized the professionalism of the job. By the end of the 1970s , the term stewardess had fallen into disuse, and was generally replaced by "flight attendant." Flight Attendant unions were instrumental in fighting sexist stereotypes and unfair work practices. Age limits, size limits, and limitations on marriage as well as a prohibition of pregnancy were lifted as unions fought them in court. The oldest active flight attendant, Iris Peterson , is still flying for United Airlines at the age of 85, having been born in 1921 and joining the company in 1944 . The role of flight attendants received heightened prominence after the September 11, 2001 Attacks when flight attendants (such as Sandra W. Bradshaw , Betty Ong and Madeline Amy Sweeney ) actively attempted to protect passengers from assault and also provided vital information to Air Traffic Control lers on the Hijackings . In the aftermath of the attacks, flight attendants were given heightened responsibilities for the security of their planes. Flight attendant training is usually done in a Hub city of the airline and lasts about six weeks, covering both safety and comfort. Flight attendants often have to be able to speak a foreign Language . Some airlines, such as EVA Air , have height requirements for Aesthetic purposes. Horizon Air and other regional carriers have height restrictions because their aircraft have low ceilings. In the wake of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, many flight attendants at major airlines were laid off on account of decreased passenger loads. In addition, high fuel prices and competition with other airlines have caused many airline companies to discontinue meal service. As a result, the role of flight attendants has been lessened and has prompted speculation as to future downsizing and/or role modifications. Pop-culture Portrayals
External links Flight Attendant Labor Unions:
Collection of flight attendant uniforms, current and historical |
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