FOR WOMEN No Glamour In Work Of An Air Hostess

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 September 1947, Page 10

FOR WOMEN No Glamour In Work Of An Air Hostess

Theye are doubtless a number of girls in New Zealand who would welcome an opportunity to become air hostesses. The occupation is one of the newer callings now. open to women and some Waafs; specially, with their background of service in the Air Force, .would probably welcome a chance to don uniform again for an “air’’job., ' ■ ,

Australia has made good use of air hostesses on her continental air routes, and the hundredth air hostess was recently enrolled by Trans-Atlantic Airlines.

Those people who think air hostessing consists merely of “looking pretty” in a smart uniform and doing vague odd jobs as they crop up, are due for disillusionment. Behind the unflurried ease with which air hostesses shepherd passengers on to planes, mind children, arrange special food for babies and invalids, and look after the general comfort of travellers, is six weeks’ intensive study for trainees under competent guidance, as is the case with Trans-Australia Airlines. Three senior air hostesses at the Essendon airport, Melbourne, train the girls, states an article received from the Australian High Commissioner’s Office in Wellington. M'aximum Age Limit

Trainees with T.A.A. must be from 22 to 28 years of age, sft 6in in height and about 1201 b in weight.-They must be of intermediate education standard and have either a first aid or nursing certificate. »

Three weeks of preparatory lecturing and instruction on the ground is followed by three weeks’ journeying with a senior hostess. After that, they are on their own, subject only to four four-weekly checks by the

supervisor, who sees if they are carrying out their flying duties correctly. After six mouths the hostesses are given a refresher course.

Ground instruction includes lectures from the traffic manager on all traffic and publicity duties; talks by the maintenance engineer on the maintenance and care of planes; instruction by a doctor on first-aid and* care of passengers who are ill; how to look after their own health; and the use of. oxygen; lectures from the senior route pilot, who makes them acquainted with the instruments in the plane and aids to navigation and flying.

Short Working Week

The girls work 20 flying hours and eight ground hours weekly. They receive free uniforms, consisting of a suit and three blouses, with top coat and scarf for winter, and three white uniforms for summer wear.

The hundredth air hostess to pass through the training course at T.A.A. —the Federal Government airline—was Mrs Joy Daniell, a war widow. Before her marriage she was a beautician. “This is no glamour job. It is hard,-serious work,” she said of her new occupation.