When flight attendants fought the airline industry and won

The “stewardess rebellion” fought the industry and won.

When flight attendants, known as stewardesses at the time, first took flight in the 1930s, the profession became a token of glamor. Unlike other jobs open to women at the time, like teaching or secretarial work, stewardesses had a unique opportunity to travel the world and meet new people thousands of feet in the air. While the position provided exciting opportunities for working women, it also capitalized on the bodies of these women to benefit the airline industry.

For decades, airlines exclusively hired young, single, unmarried, white women and enforced strict policies — like weight and age requirements — to make sure their employees were up to the standard they were selling. Airlines relied on the glamorous reputation of the jet-setting stewardess to sell luxury air travel, and it worked. Along with imposing extreme qualifications for the job, airlines leaned into a “sexy stewardess” stereotype with advertising campaigns and new uniforms, like Southwest Airlines' “hot pants” that painted stewardesses as sex objects.

But in the 1960s and '70s, stewardesses mounted an organized push against their employers' discriminatory labor practices. They became one of the first groups in the US to fight discrimination in the workplace. And they won. Their activism and legal battles, which used Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, became known as the “stewardess rebellion.” It changed the airline industry into what we know today and paved the way for working women nationwide.

Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: How flight attendants changed the airline industry

Sources:

Check out more history and photos from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants:

And learn more about Black flight attendants' history from Black Flight Attendants of America:

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[Vox]

Thanks for watching! I wanted to share a fact I learned while reporting this story: we started calling stewardesses “flight attendants” sometime in the 1980s after a Supreme Court decision forced airlines to hire men to the profession. Cabin crews tried calling themselves “stewards and stewardesses” for a while, but ultimately landed on a more gender neutral option: “flight attendants.” - Halley

[Dreamers]

I’m proud to call Patricia Banks Edmiston my grandmother. Thank you Vox for recognizing my grandmother’s contributions to American history. My family and I thank you all for your love and beautiful comments ❤️

[megaman]

Patricia is literally living American history - she should be mentioned in history books!

[mackenzie-deltadurocher]

"I didn't care if I got hired or not, but some young black woman was going to fly" powerful!

[mmps]

My mom's been a flight attendant for 40 years and she does so much more than just serving meals and beverages. So much first aid stuff and helping tired parents with crying babies. And dealing with difficult passengers too of course. She's amazing!

[nothingfancyjustchancee]

As an African American flight attendant hired in the 90’s, thank you for highlighting the struggles and achievements of my predecessors. I have shared many jump seats with various women who blazed the trail for me. They generously shared their knowledge and experiences. Including how they were discriminated against by their own peers. I will forever honor these ladies in my heart.

[fxrmcdm]

I was hired in 1968 as a stewardess for Northwest Orient Airlines. At that time, only men were allowed to become Pursers, i.e. the Lead in the cabin on International Flts. Besides the better trips they held, Pursers made substantially more money, had single rooms (stewardess' had to share rooms), did not have weight or hair requirements, could wear eyeglasses, were allowed to marry, and other benefits not afforded stewardess'. In the late 60's and early 70's Mary Pat Laffey-Inman challenged this with a. class action lawsuit which went all the way to the Supreme Court under Title VII, Workplace and Equal Pay Equality of the Civil Rights Act. The lawsuit took years to settle, but in the 80's she and her fellow co-workers won. Not only was this a victory for females of Northwest, but it changed the dynamics of the U.S. airline industry across the board.

[elfarlaur]

It's a shame the sexualisation of flight attendants still exists subconsciously in the minds of far too many passengers. I'm a male flight attendant and the way that some male passengers act toward my female co-workers is disgusting.
It's also kind of funny and pathetic how when they're being dicks to the women I work with, they shut up the moment I show up. I'm the furthest thing from a threatening looking man but just the fact that I'm a man makes them slump down into their seats.

[dhaljit]

My mom was one of the first flight attendants back in the day in her country, who fought for the right to continue flying past the age of 40. She loved her job a lot and still enjoys seeing others in uniform.

[nikki]

Flight attendants are one of the first people you rely on when a flight goes wrong, they are trained in first aid and whatever else needed to ensure safety

[tessat]

In one of the landmark cases involving discrimination of flight attendants by airlines, the US Supreme Court looked at the duties of a flight attendant and determined that the essential task of a flight attendant was to get passengers safely from one point to another. All the other tasks, like serving food and drink, and being a selling point for customers, were all secondary to the essential task of getting passengers safely from one point to another. This knocked out most of the airlines' justification for discriminatory hiring policies.

[Bbb]

Fun fact the National Airlines "Fly Me" campaign was created by Dick Wolf, the executive producer and creator of Law and Order

[nacabatingan]

This is why I love Vox, they can give us complex history from simple things that we often overlook and take for granted.

[christinasornbutnark]

What a trail blazer Ms. Patricia N. Banks is. A true living legend for both civil & Womans rights. Wow!

[ziqi]

Friendly reminder that 60 years ago was more or less only 2-3 generations ago, so we’re not that far removed from these movements. The fight for equality continues.

[eeneranna]

The story of Patricia is a great example of how racism is not this long gone concept only an ancient America would even think of. I love stories like these because they really help me explain how it's wrong to think that racism ended when MLK gave a speech or when the civil rights act passed.

[Beinthesky]

My mom was a flight attendant, and now I am one. Thank you, Patricia.

[thehangmansdaughter]

I'm 5' and fresh air, but I weigh more than 118 pounds. That's very slim indeed. I understand attendants must be fit and healthy, if they can't fit down the aisle they can't do their job, but this is beyond ridiculous.

[sueh]

I flew for AA from 1977-1996. A lot changed from then to my retirement. In 1977, we saw returning mothers to the ranks, and although they lowered my seniority, I applauded their perseverance to right a wrongful requirement. Weight check was also under review and was eventually trashed. Although the public only saw our outward appearance, safety was our primary function on board, requiring EPTs ( Emergency Procedures Training) every year.

[AmaraJordanMusic]

I’m so happy to see a video about this! There have been several strikes and movements for change around flight attendants, their uniforms, the marriage and age cut offs, and pay, but this was the bellweather movement. Great piece!