Imagine a job where you’re expected to be part nurse, part bartender, part security guard, and—on top of all that—constantly smiling, even when passengers made inappropriate comments or tried to grab your attention in ways that were far from professional.
That was the reality for Ann Hood, a former TWA flight attendant who opened up about the shocking sexism she faced while working in the airline industry in the 1980s.
Let’s just say—it wasn’t all about jet-setting and glamour.
Welcome to the ‘Golden Age’ of Flying—Where Flight Attendants Were ‘Sexy Ornaments’
When Hood became a flight attendant in 1978, airlines were still stuck in a “Mad Men”-era mindset. Flight attendants weren’t just trained to serve passengers—they were expected to look good while doing it.
Airline ads pushed the idea that stewardesses (as they were still called by many) were there to flirt, entertain, and keep passengers happy. One of the most infamous commercials from National Airlines featured a beautiful woman in uniform saying:
👉 “I’m Cheryl. Fly me.”
And it worked. Passengers expected flight attendants to be charming, sexy, and accommodating—no matter what.
“It was one of the most sexist jobs a woman could have at the time,” Hood explains. And while airlines looked glamorous, behind the scenes, it was a very different story.
Training to Handle Harassment
While today’s flight attendants go through training on handling emergencies, in-flight security, and medical procedures, Ann and her colleagues had an additional lesson to learn: how to fend off unwanted advances from male passengers—without making them angry.
“We were taught how to politely brush off passes from male passengers,” “techniques varied from a flirty, ‘Don’t be naughty!’ to, ‘What would your wife say?’
Anything was OK, as long as we said it with a smile.”
That’s right. Instead of reporting harassment, they were trained to manage it—always in a way that wouldn’t upset the customer.
Because, back then, keeping passengers happy was the number one rule.
Fired for Gaining a Few Pounds: Airlines’ Strict Beauty Rules
As if fending off constant harassment wasn’t enough, flight attendants were also expected to maintain a strict weight and flawless appearance—at all times.
Ann Hood revealed that her airline had rigid weight limits—and gaining even a few extra pounds could cost you your job.
“All airlines sent a chart with your application,” she recalls. “You looked at your height and the maximum weight, and if you didn’t fall within that, they wouldn’t even interview you.”
But it didn’t stop there. Even after getting hired, flight attendants had to maintain their hiring weight—which was often lower than their actual allowed limit.
Hood remembers being terrified of stepping on the scale at work, knowing that even the smallest fluctuation could put her job at risk.
Her roommate was fired for gaining just a few pounds.
And the rules didn’t just apply to weight—the dress code was just as strict:
- Skirts had to stay above the knee—but not too short.
- Makeup had to be flawless at all times.
- Hair had to be neatly styled, with no room for error.
Flight attendants were constantly reminded that their looks mattered just as much as their skills. The message was clear: be charming, be thin, and be beautiful—or be unemployed.
The Double Standard in the Sky
But one of the biggest frustrations Ann faced was the double standard between male and female flight attendants. While women had to meet strict beauty standards and fend off harassment with a smile, their male counterparts had a completely different experience.
“The men had no weight requirements. No one cared what they looked like. They weren’t treated like objects,” she explains.
Male flight attendants were seen as professionals, while women were expected to be charming, sexy, and accommodating at all times.
The Nightmare of Smoking Flights
As if harassment and strict beauty standards weren’t enough, flight attendants had to endure another nightmare—working in a flying cloud of cigarette smoke.
Back then, smoking on airplanes was completely normal. Passengers could light up anywhere, and the so-called “non-smoking section” was a joke—smoke didn’t care about seating arrangements.
For flight attendants, it was a disaster:
🚬 The air in the cabin was thick with smoke—making it hard to breathe.
👕 Uniforms reeked of cigarettes by the end of a single flight.
🧳 Flight attendants had to pack an extra uniform just so they wouldn’t stink of smoke after a multi-day trip.
“If you went on a five-day trip, you had to pack a second whole uniform because you just smelled so much like smoke,” Hood recalls.
It wasn’t until the late ’90s that airlines finally banned smoking on all U.S. flights—but for decades, it was just another hazard that flight attendants had to grin and bear.
More Than Just a Pretty Face
Despite all the sexism, Ann loved her job.
She traveled the world, met incredible people, and learned skills that would stay with her for life.
Flight attendants in the ’80s weren’t just servers—they were highly trained professionals who could handle medical emergencies, security threats, and even deliver a baby mid-flight if necessary.
Ann remembers one flight where she had to perform CPR on a woman having a heart attack. Another time, she had to help restrain a passenger who became violent because he didn’t get the meal he wanted.
“It was such an empowering job, yet it was also so sexist,” Ann reflects.
Nevertheless, she still recommends it as a career option.
“I was 21 when I was hired, and it gave me confidence, it gave me poise, and the ability to think on my feet,” she adds. “To take charge on that airplane, and once I got off, to walk into a city and feel completely at home – or at least figure out how to feel at home in it.
“I don’t know if it should be someone’s life’s work – if they want it to be that, great. But I think a few years working as a flight attendant could change your life.”
From Flight Attendant to Bestselling Author
After nearly a decade in the airline industry, Ann left to pursue her true dream—becoming a writer.
She published her first book, Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine, in 1987, just a year after leaving TWA. Since then, she has written over 20 books, including her latest memoir, Fly Girl.
Looking back, Ann acknowledges the challenges she faced as a flight attendant in the ’80s, but she also cherishes the experience.
“I still love flying,” she says. “I don’t know if it should be someone’s life’s work, but a few years as a flight attendant can change your life.”
Would You Have Survived as a Flight Attendant in the 1980s?
Hood says she’s proud of her years in the air.
“Flight attendants are a force,” she says. “They make all the decisions in the cabin. They troubleshoot emergencies. They land in cities where they don’t know anything or anyone and figure it out. It’s such an empowering job—yet it was also so sexist.”
She still loves flying, but is glad the industry has changed.
So next time you see a flight attendant, remember—they’re not just serving drinks. They’re trained for everything, from medical emergencies to stopping a guy from riding a bicycle down the aisle.
