The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA wants to point out that a lot has changed since the days of girdle and weight checks.

The world's largest Flight Attendant union, recognized the season premiere of Pan Am as a reminder of the extraordinary accomplishments of Flight Attendants at the forefront of the jet age, but noted that despite the glamorization of these women in the television series, "it also highlighted the myriad of social injustices overcome by the strong women who shaped a new career. Weight checks, girdle checks, the no marriage rule, sexism, gender discrimination, racism – all of this was challenged by intelligent, visionary women who helped to usher in the call for social change throughout the country and around the world."

We think they might be taking it a bit far by saying that Pan Am stewardesses ushered in a call for social change around the world, but the general gist of their statement seems correct - flight attendants and stewardesses have certainly evolved from the "coffee, tea, or me" age into today's role of safety professionals certified by the FAA.

"The fictional, glamorized world of Hollywood's Pan Am is a far cry from today's realities of air travel that ditches high fashion for 'low cost,' jam-packed airplanes and massive cuts to Flight Attendant staffing," the association stated.

That's for sure. After seeing the season premiere, we're pretty sure we'd much rather have been a flight attendant in the "jet age" than in current times. Girdle checks and all.

[Flickr via The Convention Fans Blog]

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