TWA Hostess 1962

Recruiting Brochure  1961



After watching Pan Am on TV, someone asked  "Did you really carry your purse on your arm like they're doing on Pan Am?"   The above picture answers that question.



Boeing 707 First Class Lounge and First Class Seating with huge table between seats.





TWA Hostess in the 50's

Mrs. Tillinghast's Finishing School

TWA Training Manual  - Class 62-7

TO:   ALL TWA STUDENT HOSTESSES 

An important part of being a hostess is appearance. A nicely groomed hostess with a friendly smile and gracious manner will invariably conduct a pleasant flight. Students are expected to maintain appearance as required for flight duty.

Complexion and Cosmetics.
     a.  The complexion shall be kept at its best by proper care and use
          of suitable cosmetics and proper diet.
     b. Cosmetics shall be applied to obtain a natural, wholesome look.
         Lipstick must be worn and shall be a
          red shade that harmonizes with the uniform, as well as the hostess'
          skin coloring. Rouge shall be worn, if needed, for additional skin color.
          It must be a red shade and applied carefully for a natural appearance.
      c. Brown or black mascara may be won on upper eyelashes.
          Eyeliner may not be worn.
          (On Pan Am's TV show, the eyeliner is extremely heavy. Too
           much, in my opinion. We could not wear it, nor could we
           wear pierced earrings in the 60's.  I had my ears pierced in
           1965, but could not wear earrings in uniform. I recall
           coming home to visit my mother after my ears were pierced,
           and she could not understand why I would do such a thing.
           "Patricia! What were you thinking?!" Several years later,
           of course, she had her ears pierced too.)
2.   Hands and Fingernails
      a. Nail polish, if used shall be clear or one of the approved red shades, and shall
          not be chipped or peeling. Frosted, or iridescent polishes are not permitted.
3.   Personal Cleanliness
      Cleanliness is a basic requisite of good grooming. Hostess' shall use
       available aids such as deodorants to prevent body orders.
       Particular care shall be taken to keep teeth clean and sweet breath.
4.   Hair Styles
      a.  Extreme hair styles such as French twists or rolls, beehives, ponytails, braids,
          chignons, boyish bobs,  and extreme bouffant adaptations, are non-regulation.
      b. The hair shall be natural color, and not altered by rinses, bleaches or dyes.
      c. The hair shall be worn close to the head; and shall not be longer than
           three inches from the hairline at the nape of the neck when pulled straight.
          It must not extend below the top of the uniform collar when standing erect.
      d. The hair must be clean, well brushed, set, and neat at all times.
          A permanent will be  required, if necessary, to maintain a neat
         hairdo and to avoid any wispy or straggly ends.

         The following are the approved lipstick and nail polish
          shades in addition to the true reds:

                                                                     All  True  Reds (All Revlon)
                                                                   Persian Melon (My favorite.)
                                                                   Cinnamon Stick
                                                                   Snow Peach
                                                                   Hot Coral
                                                                   Pango Peach
                                                                   Berry Bon-Bon
5. Weight and Figure Control.
    All students will be weighed periodically during the training period.
6. Clothing in good taste for street or classroom wear. Also,
     hose and girdles are required.
     Note:  Clothing in good taste applies to attire at your living quarters as well.
     Remember there are other guests - - it is not a girl's dormitory.


PERSONAL CONDUCT
Student hostesses, and hostesses alike, must conduct themselves
as ladies at all times. Violation of this basic rule is a serious offense
 and cannot be tolerated. Smoking will not be permitted.
 CHEWING GUM IS NOT PERMITTED.

SOCIAL LIFE
Social life is necessarily limited during this four and one-half week
 training in order to allow ample time for study and needed rest.
   1. DATING IS NOT PERMITTED ON WEEK NIGHTS.
   2. Dating is permitted on weekends with the following restrictions.
       a. Students shall be in their own apartments no later than 2:00 a.m. -
            permissible Friday and Saturday nights only.
        b. Students shall be on their assigned premises no later than 8:30 p.m.
            Sunday evening; in their own apartments by 10:30 p.m.
      c. At no time will students be permitted to visit men's apartment's
           or to permit men to visit theirs. (ha ha - Ask me no questions - I'll tell you no lies.)

These rules are not intended to work a hardship on anyone.
Their purpose is only to insure your well-being and to make
 your training period as profitable and enjoyable as possible.
 As grown women, training for a very responsible position,
 you will be expected to adhere to these policies without
 having to be reminded.

Now you know why TWA Hostess training  in the early
60's, was referred to as "Mrs. Tillinghast's Finishing School".
The President of TWA at the time, was Charles Tillinghast.

Trans World Airlines Hostess Training

This information was in my "Report for training" packet.  Dated December 19, 1961
Reporting Date: February 19, 1962

TRANS WORLD AIRLINES, inc. 10 Richards Road, Kansas City 8, MO., USA

Additional Information About "Airline Hostessing" With TWA

During training you will live in the Casa Loma Hotel and share apartments with other girls in training. The apartments are furnished completely, including linens and kitchen utensils. The rate per person is approximately $16.00 per week.

As a TWA employee you will be paid every two weeks. During training, your bi-weekly pay check will amount to $87.46 less deductions for income tax, social security, etc. based upon a pay scale of $200.00 per month. Upon graduation, you are paid $317.52 per month for the first six months, the second six months your salary is $334.53; at the end of the first your your salary will be increased to $357.21 per month. Thereafter, you can expect annual increases to a maximum of $425.25 per month. In addition to your base pay you will be reimbursed for expenses while away from your home base. TWA supplies hotel rooms in the cities away from your domicile on overnight layovers.

During your first year as a Hostess, you will buy your own uniform items at an approximate cost of $250.00. This includes a summer uniform and hat, a winter uniform and hat, topcoat, raincoat, blouses, purse and gloves. TWA issues you a suitcase on a loan basis.

To us our Hostesses are among the most important people in the company. They spend more time with the passengers than any other employee. Consequently, the passengers' impressions of TWA frequently are based upon impressions made by the Hostess. If she is truly a gracious Hostess, is friendly and pleasant with each passenger, makes each one feel welcome aboard the airplane, then she will make each one want to FLY TWA again.

Bear in mind that being a Hostess is not all glamour - there is a lot of hard work involved. It is a service type position and "Service is our ONLY Product." There are beverage, meal and liquor services, aid to be rendered to passengers with reservation problems, aid to elderly, aid to youngsters traveling alone, and innumerable tasks to be done. Also, bear in mind, that you will walk from Kansas City to Los Angeles in five hours, in even less time on the new jets, as your perform the above mentioned duties.

Up to now, we have concentrated on pointing out what you can expect and what is expected of you; however, there is a definite glamour side to the airline business and we want you and your parents to know how working for an airline like TWA will change your lives. TWA is the ONLY AIRLINE that operates from coast to coast and east to Europe, Africa, and Asia. TWA has a most generous pass policy, through which your parents may share with you the thrill of flying, for they are eligible, because of you, to have free and reduced-rate transportation over our routes. You can give them a magic carpet if you are a TWA Hostess. You are eligible for passes after being an employee for only one year. (Oh I love the magic carpet thing, and believe me, mother took advantage of the passes and was ALWAYS flying somewhere until my last month with TWA.....March, 1991.)

After approximately two years, you will have enough seniority to bid for a transfer to the International Division (which I did) providing you are able to reasonably speak and understand any one of several European languages.

The Hostess and TWA have a relationship in which there will be as much given as received by both parts.

                     ___________________________________________________________

TRANS WORLD AIRLINES, INC.

Kansas City, Missouri

March 1, 1962


Before the days of "Jet-Ways" or "Jet Bridges", stairs were used.  I can remember snow coming inside the front door and having to stand there smiling and greeting each passenger. We didn't have slacks in those days and it would be absolutely FREEZING cold! Oh, and walking down icy, stairs, carrying our crew kits in 3" heels - that was fun too. But wait! Then we had to walk across the icy tarmac and wait outside for the hotel van to come - which sometimes took twenty minutes or more. Brrrrrrrrr.  This In-FLight Bulletin was given to us when we were still in training.
                                                                          

DOMESTIC IN-FLIGHT SERVICE BULLETIN #62-8

Winter Boarding Procedures

On multiple service flights, for passenger comfort during winter operations with snow, blustery winds and cold temperatures, it is permissible to use one passenger loading stand. (stairs). This procedure will be used when considered advisable by the District Treansportation Mgr. - Station Operations. In such instances, the passenger steps will be positioned at the forward door. Terminating flights require two passenger stands at all times. (front and aft doors.)

For those of you who never experienced flying in the "golden era", you may be surprised with the choice of meals.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Fish Provisioning

This is to serve as a reminder that March 7 is Ash Wednesday and April 20, Good Friday. The fish provisioning for these two days are as follows:

                                     Boeing 707 Flights
   Over 1:30 minutes                                    Less than 1:30 minutes
First Class  50% Meat                           First Class - 100% Lobster
                  50% Lobster

Tourist       50% Meat                          Tourist - 100% Meat
                  50% Fish                                   plus 50% non-meat sandwiches

"Come Fly With Me"  was recorded in October, 1957, by Frank Sinatra. The album cover had a TWA 1649 "Jetstream" Starliner Constellation in the background.

TWA Training

Galley Training

Nail Check

Jumping on the chute in skirts! - Constellation (Propeller Airplane). These slides were not inflatable as they are on the jets and, if we had to evacuate, we would select "able bodied men" to jump down and hold the slides for passengers to use. Thank God I never had to evacuate either a "Connie" or a Jet! 

P.S. I don't think that girl in the door at the right wants to jump! Click on pictures to enlarge.

Hostess Training

March 13, 1962

Dear Mother,

     I'll be so glad when this week is over! Yesterday we went to class with rollers in our hair and no make up. Can you imagine? Here we all were standing on the corner of Main street waiting for the bus looking horrible. You know me and my dark eyes, it was so hard for me to face anyone. We all put a white scarf on our heads. We spent the whole morning applying make-up, combing out our hair and having a manicure. One girl is really having problems because she had long hair and ever since they cut it, she can't get used to using the rollers. They really had to work with her. There's another who keeps picking her nail polish off in class. She got reprimanded. She said it's becasue she is so nervous. Aren't we all!  After lunch, we were drilled on emergency procedures.
     Today we had a drill on an emergency landing in the cabin trainer. I got to work the D position. Then we had our F.A.A. test which was eight pages of 20 essay questions. If we don't get a 90, a make-up test is given, and if we don't pass the make-up - good-by TWA. Tomorrow's test is on Hostess Regulations -  you know, wear the girdle, when to wear the hat and the gloves, chewing gum, smoking, etc. This should be about the easiest compared to all the others.
     We bid for our bases and I'm a nervous wreck. Here's how I bid:  MKC, (Kansas City) LAX, SFO, BOS, (Boston) MDW, (Midway -Chicago) IDL, (before it was JFK) and EWR. (Newark) It will be announced Friday.
     I feel very depressed and sick of all this all of a sudden. Of course, I'm due for my "friend", and this may be my natural day before - grouchy mood. I could just scream - I feel so tense.
     Oh well, I guess I'll get over it.
                                                        Love, Tish


March 14, 1962

Dear Mommy,
     I feel much better today, and wanted you to know I'm not depressed anymore. We got our scores on three tests and I got two 100's and one 99. I was so relieved and happy. Today was graduation for the class ahead of us. Next week, it will be us! We haven't tried on our uniforms yet, but maybe tomorrow.
     Would you look for my camera? I sure would like to have a flash camera. I hope we find out our bases tomorrow. I can hardly wait. There were six of us who bid MKC, six IDL, two MDW, one LAX, one SFO.
    I am elated that you and Kathleen will be here for graduation. I think Kathleen can pin on my wings.This will really top things off for me. (My sister, Kathleen, started flying for TWA in 1957, and at that time, she was a Supervisor of Hostesses in Chicago.)
     The card you sent was absolutely precious. It was so perfect - sounded just like you. Must close----
                                                   Love, Tish     xxx