In 1954, being a flight attendant was less about safety and more about meeting a rigid, borderline absurd, list of physical and personal requirements. A viral Reddit post titled “Requirements for being a flight attendant in 1954” shared a typewritten list from Chicago and Southern Air Lines detailing qualifications that seem more like beauty pageant criteria than job standards.
Among the strict requirements: women had to be single, aged between 22 and 28, weigh between 100 and 120 pounds, and possess slender legs, even teeth (with no visible gold fillings), good carriage, and natural hair color. The list also specified that applicants should have at least four years of college or two years of college and two years of business experience, along with “the ability to carry on a lively conversation.”
The reactions on Reddit were swift and pointed. One commenter wrote, “This reads like a bunch of dudes sitting around a typewriter with one of them occasionally saying: ‘oh and don’t forget ______.’”
Another user recounted the harsh reality of being a flight attendant during that era, saying, “My mom was one during this era… It was oppressive, and there was no safety from sexual harassment and assault. Measurements and weight were taken daily. A very restricted diet, smoking encouraged. Shaming if they were bloated.”
The post also highlighted how meticulous training even dictated how attendants walked. “They were told how to walk, including the old ‘pile of books on the head’ walking test. Walk down stairs with legs and feet sideways. Graceful everything,” added the commenter.
The most biting response mocked the bizarre randomness of the qualifications: “It wanders from objectifying physical qualities to education to soft skills and then comes back to tack on, ‘Oh and no zits! Gross! And nice hands, don’t forget nice hands!’”
Another summed up the era bluntly: “Ah yes, the golden age of aviation—when you needed a modelling contract, Olympic-level patience, and zero gold fillings to hand out peanuts. Safety? Nah. Slender legs? Absolutely essential.”