The Shocking ‘Qualifications’ for Female Flight Attendants in 1954

Imagine applying for a job with requirements straight out of a beauty pageant rulebook—welcome to being a female flight attendant in 1954.

A recently resurfaced list of qualifications from Chicago and Southern Air Lines has social media users cringing at the outdated and sexist standards.

In the 1950s, flight attendants, then called "stewardesses," were expected to be more about aesthetics than aviation safety. One of the standout rules? You had to be single—being engaged or married was an automatic disqualifier.

The job also had strict age and size requirements: women had to be between the ages of 22 and 28, stand between 5'2" and 5'5", and weigh between 100 and 120 pounds. Eyeglasses were a no-go, and “good teeth,” “slender legs,” “natural hair colour,” and “clear skin” were all must-haves.

The list also highlighted that women should have a “good figure,” “nice hands,” and a “good carriage.”

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Beyond physical attributes, the personality demands were just as head-scratching. Stewardesses had to be “willing and anxious to please,” have an “even temper,” and possess the “ability to carry on a lively conversation.”

While today’s flight attendants are highly trained professionals focused on safety and service, this blast from the past serves as a reminder of just how far workplace equality has come—or how ridiculous it once was.