Image Trip: Flight Attendants

Photographer Brian Finke's book Flight Attendants depicts glamorous images of a not-so-glamorous gig.

By Carlin Flora, published on July 01, 2008 - last reviewed on July 28, 2008

In a photo from the book Flight Attendants, Ava from Cathay Pacific dons a 1960s-era uniform for a special anniversary celebration, as she primps in the Hong Kong hub cafeteria. "I loved that retro hat," says photographer Brian Finke. "I wanted to capture these everyday moments, such as the women getting ready."

While some international airlines expect their air hostesses to look beautiful and serve beverages with an alluring smile, stateside companies long ago shed such romantic notions. Ellen Simonetti hadn't gotten that message when she signed up with Delta in 1996. "I was attracted to the job because I thought it sounded glamorous, and I didn't like sitting at a desk." Because she speaks German, Simonetti was immediately given a plum overseas route from Orlando to Frankfurt. "We had a 24-hour layover, so the jet lag was really bad. A lot of flight attendants are addicted to sleeping pills."

Though she did love the perks, which included free flights to Mexico or Hawaii for vacations, Simonetti says, "Once you start doing the job, you realize you're picking up people's trash. You're also an EMT and a security guard, but you're treated like a waitress."

In 2004, Simonetti was fired for posting campy shots of herself and fellow crew members, in uniform, on her anonymous blog. "I never intended for the pictures to look sexy or inappropriate," she says. "I'm not a flirtatious type; I never even got male passengers' phone numbers or anything like that." A lawsuit she filed against the airline is still pending. Meanwhile, Simonetti's former colleagues have told her that Delta's new flight attendant uniforms, perhaps in a nod to nostalgia, are markedly low cut.