# What is up with Southwest Airlines pilots? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 4, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801 "2021-11-04T16:02:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/41 "2021-11-11T08:50:25Z")
Yeah. You know, I don’t give a flip if either the hand giving me a beverage or the hand hauling my ass out of a burning airplane is owned by a homosexual, old person, someone with the weight issues of Baron Harkonnan, or a purple furry alien from Arcturus III so long as said hands are competent and able to do the job. But then, I’m a ruthlessly practical woman who hasn’t grown up with the assumption others are eye-candy for my benefit. Douche Bro’s have a bit different outlook, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/42 "2021-11-11T16:39:38Z")
The asshole is just longing for the “good old days” where sexually harassing the flight attendants was just part of the jet set experience. In accordance with that philosophy, flight attendants had to be slender, female, under 32 and single. And they had to have near perfect vision without glasses, because back in those days “men never made passes at girls who wore glasses”, although one progressive airline allowed women with imperfect vision to apply as long as they wore contact lenses. One airline gave male passengers “little black books” for obtaining the phone numbers of stewardesses. > **[Skies often were overly friendly Early flight attendants faced sexism](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2007-03-07-0703050190-story.html)** These requirements were shot down in a series of court actions, but it took a long time. It wasn’t until 1986 until the requirement that flight attendants remain single was shot down. > **[Pretty, thin, young and single? Check out these sexist stewardess job...](https://clickamericana.com/topics/money-work/fly-girls-stewardess-job-requirements-of-the-50s-60s)** > > See what was needed get a coveted stewardess job back in the '50s and '60s! Some requirements were grounded in reason, but others were just plain sexism in action.  This article has some old airline advertisements, including one featuring a bunch of women that weren’t pretty enough to make the cut - I guess it was Eastern Airlines way of reassuring men that they’d have hot girls to harass, not ordinary ones. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/43 "2021-11-11T19:57:58Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > The safety lecture and life vest demo were pre-recorded, but audio only. No video. For the life vest demo, the flight attendants stood in the aisles and demonstrated the actual steps along with the lecture. Interesting. I’ve been on many, many flights, and have seen plenty of video safety briefings (though none as good as the NZAir one) and don’t recall any audio only ones. A couple were to Hawaii also. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/44 "2021-11-11T20:06:37Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > This article has some old airline advertisements, including one featuring a bunch of women that weren’t pretty enough to make the cut - I guess it was Eastern Airlines way of reassuring men that they’d have hot girls to harass, not ordinary ones. They didn’t even mention the “Fly Me” ads. Sexism didn’t stop at flight attendants - one airline, I think Eastern, had a “take me along” campaign where the little wifey whined to executive husband to go along with him on a business trip. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/45 "2021-11-11T21:01:31Z")
So the airlines were Hooters even before Hooters. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/46 "2021-11-11T21:04:06Z")
Jesus. I’m surprised the airlines didn’t include cup size in their list of “qualifications”. And that TWA “Foreign Accent” looked more like an ad for an escort service than an airline. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/47 "2021-11-11T21:14:23Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > So the airlines were Hooters even before Hooters. And then there was that time that Hooters actually had an airline. > **[Hooters Air](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooters_Air)** > > Hooters Air was an airline headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States. Hooters Air flights were operated by Winston-Salem, North Carolina–based Pace Airlines both as ad hoc private charters, and as scheduled USDOT public charters. As such, flights operated both under Pace Airlines' IATA Code of Y5 for ad hoc charters, and under its own IATA Code of H1 for public charters.\[citation needed\] > The airline was established in 2003 and started operations on March 6, 2003. It was fou... ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/48 "2021-11-11T21:22:46Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > So the airlines were Hooters even before Hooters. Both known for their wings? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/49 "2021-11-11T23:39:58Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I’ve been on many, many flights, and have seen plenty of video safety briefings (though none as good as the NZAir one) and don’t recall any audio only ones. Have caught some on American, when flying the equipment that does not have built-in screens. > [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I’m surprised the airlines didn’t include cup size in their list of “qualifications”. Would not be surprised if one of the forms to fill out once selection began did include that… y’know, for “uniform fitting”, not for review by the guys at HR… Then again if you go back enough not just the airlines, just about every employer could advertise asking for physical appearance traits… > [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > And that TWA “Foreign Accent” looked more like an ad for an escort service than an airline. Or for themed “Champagne Rooms” at the fancy strip club. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/50 "2021-11-12T04:26:54Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Interesting. I’ve been on many, many flights, and have seen plenty of video safety briefings (though none as good as the NZAir one) and don’t recall any audio only ones. A couple were to Hawaii also. I’ve been aboard aircraft with audio-only safety briefings, but they tend to be smaller commuter or regional aircraft that don’t have video screens–Dash 8s, Beechcraft 1900s, and the like. Aboard the Dash 8s, the audio plays while the flight attendant (there’s only one) demonstrates. Aboard the Beechcraft 1900s, there’s no flight attendant, so all you get is the recording. And that’s usually while the aircraft is taxiing, when the engine noise drowns it out to the point where it sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/51 "2021-11-12T07:09:07Z")
How many here have gotten to hear the lecture and (partial) demonstration on how to abandon ship _at altitude_ and use your parachute? Pro-tip: Always be sure to jettison the canopy _before_ releasing your seat belt and shoulder harnesses! ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/52 "2021-11-12T22:37:44Z")
If you check out the “Presenting the Losers” ad, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they all seem rather small-busted - even the woman with glasses. I think they got their point across. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/53 "2021-11-12T22:48:29Z")
::Looking at the “Losers” ad:: Isn’t that Ali MacGraw seated front and center? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/54 "2021-11-12T22:56:55Z")
Yep. One who “did not meet the standard”. So that we the readers will wonder what sort of bombshell _did_ make the cut… The “Coffee, Tea or Me?” era was quite something! ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/55 "2021-11-13T03:08:53Z")
I, (as a passenger!) flew in and out of Kai Tak a couple of times. Yikes! It’s alarming at the beginning of a journey and downright terrifying after several hours of connecting flights. You won’t be groggy, you’ll be WIDE awake! (Still not the scariest airport to fly through, in my experience!) ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801/56 "2021-11-13T13:41:52Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Isn’t that Ali MacGraw seated front and center? I thought the same thing! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-southwest-airlines-pilots/953801.md?page=2)