Who Do You Think A Cabin Crew Really Is?

'Air hostess', 'airline stewardess' and 'air stewardess' are generic terms that the traveling public and society at large use to refer to the cabin crew aboard an airplane. Simply mention the term 'air hostess', images of a clear blue sky and beautiful girls will conjure up one's mind.

'Air stewardess' is term often associated with elegance, poise and beauty of the stewardess, and envy from others.

'Air hostess' is an occupation that pays you to travel the world, and while off-duty, allows you to visit the famous monuments and historic sites that previously you could only read about.

'Airline stewardess' is a job that pays relatively well. Becoming one seems to be every girl's dream. It would leap out whenever an airline recruitment officer asks, "Why do you want to be an air stewardess?" These girls would not hesitate to talk about their long-forgotten dreams:

1. "When I was a little girl, I always dreamed that I could fly. Every time I see a bird flying in the sky, I would tell myself, 'One day, it will be My turn to fly, high up there!'";

2. "I love to travel. Being an airline stewardess gives me not only the chance to travel, but allows me to see the world!";

3. "The pay is good and the benefits are attractive.";

4. "Air stewardesses are often the objects of envy of other girls...";

Their endless praise about the occupation would go on. As it can be seen, air hostess is an occupation that so many dream of. But beneath the shimmer of its halo, what does the job of an air stewardess really entail? When the dream of being one turns into reality and becomes part of your life, can you still dream on? And will this dream last?

So, where is the origins of the term "Cabin Crew" comes from?

'Cabin crew', 'cabin attendants' or 'flight attendants' are the personnel whose jobs are to serve and take care of passengers on an aircraft.

In the past, they were known as airline stewardesses, air stewardesses or air hostesses, a career invented in 1930 by Ellen Church, a registered nurse who convinced Steve Stimpson, manager of Boeing's San Francisco office, that women could work on board as stewardesses to assist with passengers.

The term 'stewardess' hit Boeing Air Transport's managers and 10 days later, Ellen and seven other nurses marched up a Boeing 80A, an 18-passenger commercial aircraft, to become the first stewardesses in aviation history. Other airlines followed, soon air stewardesses were an integral part of airline staff and witness to the post World War I boom in the commercial aviation industry.

The term 'air hostess' may seem degrading, however, it is one that increasingly more females are proud to be known as. In fact, it is fast becoming synonymous with the "leader of refined etiquette" and "snappy and smart dresser". In the few decades that followed, many professions in the world had looked to the etiquette of air hostess as their guide.

In the 1960s, the glamor and status air hostesses command equaled to those of movie stars. They were always the center of attention. The instant they stepped into the airport, all eyes were glued onto them: slim and slender figures, proportionate body shapes, snow-white gloves and pillbox hats (very much like models doing their catwalk on the runway), they paraded graciously from the aero-bridge to the aircraft. Also of great interest to the ordinary folk were their personal lives, as evidenced by the staggering sale of several million copies of the book: Coffee, Tea or Me? The Uninhibited Memoirs of Two Airline Stewardesses, which told the story of two mischievous, willful and wild air hostesses.

Pre-conditions on hiring cabin crew vary between airlines. Some seek out the "girl-next-door" type, others require their cabin crew to come from good background. The image of air hostesses from Trans World Airlines, British Airways, Pan American, United Airlines, Braniff International Airways, Southwest and other smaller airlines - sex symbols. Whereas most major airlines favor girls from the country, perhaps for their simplicity. But one requirement is consistent across all airlines: the ability to speak at least one if not more foreign languages.

Although some European airlines require their flight attendants to have attended university, the recruitment requirements are basically similar, regardless of European or American airlines. The recruitment and selection procedures are rigorous. There are a series of interviews and different stages of elimination, including IQ and physical tests. The level of difficulty in this stringent process may lead one to wonder if he / she is applying to be an FBI agent instead.

After the flight attendants are hired, their grooming and deportment too will come under stringent supervision. Some airlines specify the exact shade of lipstick and nail polish stewardesses are allowed to wear, while others are "strongly encouraged" to put on fake eye lashes, or forced to wear green eye shadow during training so that they all seem to have green eyes.

What all air hostesses are bound to are strict weight restrictions. Many were even forced to wear girdles so as to project the image of a shapely figure. On top of that, they are also subjected regularly to routine physical examination, which include having the weight-checker's index finger poking at their waists to test their reflexes.

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