The “golden age” of flight attendants!

There was a time when air travel itself was the destination. The airlines were international superstars; even among those long-gone carriers, their still-remembered names can conjure deep feelings of nostalgia, romance, and adventure: Braniff, Continental, BOAC, Swissair, TWA, Pan Am. These were the '50s and '60s. The world was on the move, and it was the new jet planes that were getting people there. But competition for the travel dollar was fierce, and Madison Avenue decided the face (and heart) of every airline would be the flight attendant, or the stewardess. 

So it was that the “stew” became synonymous with the airline’s brand. She - and at that time, she was exclusively female - was the airline. The stewardess became the fantasy for every woman: glamorous professional, high-end server, customer service expert, nurse, therapist, and in no small measure, sex symbol. And to that end, these women were carefully selected for their looks and brains, then rigorously trained for weeks, and finally dressed as high-flying, high-heeled models in uniforms often created by top fashion designers.

Heddy Frosell da Ponte was one of those chosen women. She was the ideal candidate to be employed by Pan Am in the 1960s: a pretty female with a terrific figure, under 32 years old, unmarried, and a speaker of multiple languages. The Glamour Years of Flying as a Stewardess is Heddy’s fascinating, often-times hilarious collection of exploits as she traveled the world as a stewardess during the golden age of international air travel. 

This remarkable book is also a rare look back at the people, places, cultures, and lifestyles gone forever, but now brought back to vivid life by a stewardess-turned-author who knows how to tell a fast-moving tale. So, buckle up. This will be one flight you’ll never forget.

About the author

Heddy Frosell da Ponte was a flight attendant for 45 years. Now retired, she lives in Georgia.