Text Box: Clay Center native Etta Warren, 93, was one of the first stewardesses for American Airlines. She returns each year from Sun Lake, Arizona for Thanksgiving with family and is usually asked to retell her story. She and her son David Warren of Colorado Springs, fly back for the Holiday. “It’s been a yearly venture for the last 55 years, “ Etta Warren said. In 1930, Aviation Corporation’s airline subsidiaries were incorporated into American Airways, which became incorporated as American Airlines in 1934. In 1937 American Airlines carried its one-millionth passenger. Etta Warren became a stewardess in 1938. To be a stewardess for American Airlines in 1938, you couldn’t be afraid of flying, were required to be a registered nurse and weigh less than 120 pounds, Warren said. Now as a member of the Phoenix Kiwis Club, an organization of former stewardesses, or “birds that don’t fly anymore”. Warren attends conventions of former stewardesses every couple years. The last one she attended she was the only one who had been a stewardess in the 1930’s. Warren was one of the eight registered nurses who graduated as a full-fledged stewardesses after six weeks of training at the Chicago airport. Only about one in 55 applicants at that time were selected to serve as American Airlines stewardesses. “We had to be registered nurses before we could even apply,” she said. “We had to be in case (of an emergency), so we could help anyone who needed help on the plane during the flight.” Training she received included airlines routes and schedule, radio, weather, pilot training, rudiments of flights, commissary and food service, ticketing, passenger handling and proper passenger relations. “Of course we had to be really neat, we had our uniforms, had to dress all very nice, be careful of our nails, also our hair”, Warren said. “We had to be well groomed”. Compared to those stringent requirements, Warren said today’s flight attendants have it easy. “Of course everything now is pretty relaxed”, she said. Her first route was between Newark and Chicago. While on that round she visited with brother Ray Hauserman and his wife in New Haven, Conn., about 100 miles from Newark, according to a Dispatch article. “We just passed the little town of Stathburn, Canada. We’re flying from Detroit to Buffalo,” Warren said in a 1938 letter home. “Gee! It’s a great trip!” “I have 13 passengers this time, “ she continues, “ and most of them are asleep, which makes things easier for me. I was just talking to one of the passengers who is a millionaire-- he’s in the oil business: also has some interest in planes and flies one of his own. He told me he ranks 16th among the richest oil men in the United States... Some of these passengers like to talk about themselves, and all we’re supposed to do is listen.” For most of her stewardess career Warren was stationed in Fort Worth and flew to El Paso, Texas and Memphis, Tenn. And around the South. Her duties on those longer routes included making up the planes and serving meals. “I’ll be on the largest planes in the company,” she wrote in 1938. “They carry 26 passengers and can be made up into 14 berths. It’s a sleeper plane going from coast to coast -- New York to Glendale or Los Angeles, California. It will be a great experience, flying in the South: and new country, new people, new ways and customs.” While at Fort Worth she was pictured in a promotion for American Airlines with then First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. “They called me one morning and said they needed someone for a picture with Mrs. Roosevelt,” Warren said. “They said if you’re free, come, we need you. It could have been most anyone else, I happened to be available”. Despite the relatively short period being a stewardess, the experience had an impact on the rest of her life, Warren said. She met her husband as stewardess. “I flew for just about a year, then I had three children and never went back to flying”, she said. Her late husband Ed was a pilot, though not with American Airlines. He flew his own plane, Warren said. She and her husband Ed attended Kiwis conventions all over the country regularly, she said. At one of the Kiwis conventions, she met a girl she flew with who designed the uniforms they wore. Now she keeps in touch with 60 to 70 other Kiwis in the Phoenix chapter who meet monthly “just to say hello”. “I’m the oldest one, the only one who ever flew in the 1930’s”, she said. ~ By: Ryan D. Wilson, Staff Writer - 28 November 2008 Text Box: In 1952 The Kiwi Club was officially chartered as a national organization of retired American Airlines Flight Attendants. The name “Kiwi” was chosen from the Australian bird that does not fly. Initially, a list was compiled of 560 prospective members. Over the years that list has grown to over 1,150 annual members divided among over 45 chapters. They also now accept Members At Large (159+) & working Flight Attendants (40+). The Kiwi Club recognized The Wings Foundations establishment. In 1996 The Kiwi Club named The Wings Foundation as it’s National Endeavor of Annual Support. They raised over $25,000 in donations by 1997. Text Box: The annual donations have grown since that time, & to date the Kiwis have contributed over $161,866. The Current Kiwi/Wings Liaison is DFW Flight Attendant Ruth Foster & On behalf of all the members of the Wings Foundation... Many Thanks to the Kiwis! Click Picture above to go to Kiwi Club Website

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Dear Flight Attendant...”Happy Holidays to you and your Family...”

We are inviting active flight attendants to join our club.  It is a great way to continue those feelings of camaraderie we experienced during our flights, layovers, and debriefs.  In 1996, as a show of our support, we named The Wings Foundation as our National Endeavor.  Donations from other charity functions have been over $1 million dollars.  Local Kiwi chapters have donated $164,946.00 to Wings.  For an in depth view, please visit our website - www.thekiwiclub.org

 

Have a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year.