Fly Girl: A Memoir

In 1978, Ann Hood joined the ranks of flight attendants, experiencing the glamour and sophistication of the golden age of air travel. She survived TWAs rigorous Breech Training Academy and learned to evacuate aircraft, deliver babies, mix cocktails, administer oxygen, and stay calm in any situation. Hood found adventure, romance, and the unexpected realities of life on the job, flying through deregulation, an oil crisis, mass furloughs, and a labor strike. She began to write, even drafting her first novel from the jump-seat, and reveals how the job empowered her despite its roots in sexist standards. Fly Girl captures the nostalgia and magic of air travel at its height and the thrill of every take-off.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 19 May 2023
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

In the glamorous era of air travel in 1978, flight attendants were the epitome of elegance and sophistication. Ann Hood, fresh out of college and eager to explore the world, joined their ranks, driven by a passion for adventure and a dream of one day becoming a writer. After a rigorous job search, Hood successfully completed TWAs demanding Breech Training Academy, acquiring the skills to evacuate various aircraft, deliver babies, mix perfect cocktails, administer oxygen, and maintain composure in any situation.

On her flights, Hood experienced the adventure she had always yearned for, as well as the unexpected realities of life on the job. She served delectable chateaubriand in the first-class cabin, dined in front of the majestic pyramids in Cairo, fended off passengers' advances, and found romance during layovers in London and Lisbon. With over a million miles walked in high heels, she traversed the dawn of deregulation, the oil crisis, massive furloughs, and a labor strike.

As the airline industry transformed, Hood began to write, even crafting snippets of her first novel from the jump seat. In her memoir, Fly Girl, she shares how the job empowered her, despite its historical roots in sexist standards. Packed with humorous, heartwarming, and shocking anecdotes of life as a flight attendant, the book captures the nostalgia and magic of air travel during its peak, as well as the thrill that remains with every take-off.

Weight: 236g
Dimension: 139 x 209 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324050414