We've Come A Long Way, Baby!
My "other job," non-remunerative, I hasten to add, is writing and editing Reflections, the quarterly newsletter of the NWA History Centre. While doing research for the March, 2010 issue, I came across this gem in the NWA H.C. archives. The weekly NWA employee newsletter, named " NEWS Letter," funnily enough, and dated December 28, 1944, featured this front-page story: Florence Kerr Takes NWA Post Mrs. Florence Kerr, director of war public services of the Federal Works Agency in Washington, has resigned that position and will join Northwest Airlines on January 1 as director, women's division, traffic, promotion and public relations. Announcement of the appointment was made today by President Croil Hunter. Her activities with NWA, Mr. Hunter said, will be devoted principally to stimulating interest among women in air travel and educating women's groups in the convenience and comfort offered by commercial aviation. "This is an important work," Mr. Hunter asserted. "Promotional work among women's groups is a field which has been largely overlooked by the airlines. "Surveys have indicated that women exert a significant influence on methods of transportation to be used by all types of travelers. By bringing to the attention of women the advantages of air travel, the commercial airlines industry can gain the support of an extremely important public element. "With so many sons now in war flying, women are certain to have a new aviation-consciousness when these boys return. The job of helping to develop that interest among women everywhere holds a unique importance for the entire airline industry." Can't help but wonder what Florence Kerr, if she is still with us, thinks about women in aviation today. I guess one could say she did her job well in 1945, since if she got on a commercial airliner today, chances are her Captain is a woman, the air traffic controller guiding her through the skies is a woman and women have already lived in the space station. Way to go, Florence!
Tongue in cheek Department . . .
If we don't laugh, we'll cry!
 Thanks to retired NWFA Bob DuBert for this great cartoon.
"Not Big Brother," NTSB says
The hapless duo piloting NWA Flight 188 last fall . . . you remember, the flight that overshot MSP by 100 miles, can't seem to catch a break. Now the NTSB says it wants to monitor all cockpit conversation on all flights, citing this event as one of the reasons. The pilots union is fighting it, as may be expected. Wonder how far they would have flown if a cabin attendant hadn't come knocking on the flight deck door, wondering when they were going to land? It would be fun to get NWA Captain Deke DeLong's take on all of this. Check out the next NWA History Centre newsletter, Reflections, coming in March, telling of the day Deke overflew Fargo, N.D. more than 60 years ago. www.NWAhistory.org Deke was a NWA pioneer and a real character. He learned to fly in France in WWI, barnstormed in the USA, started with NWA in 1928 and was Sr. Pilot for many years before retiring in 1959. Cap't DeLong died in 1964.
Scanned to the Skin
KSTP TV - Minneapolis and St. Paul - Full-body scanners coming to MSPY'know, I'm not so worried about how each individual feels about being "scanned" to the "skin." I'm more worried about the TSA people who have to look at each and every body. YUK! I think they should get hazard pay! Yesterday I mentioned American Airlines new $8 fee for a blanket in flight (provided, of course, your flight is over two hours in duration) for coach passengers. Today American surpassed itself in the extra charges domain by announcing a $50 charge for flying "standby" (again, for coach passengers only.) Soon a first-class ticket will seem like a bargain compared to a coach ticket plus all the extra charges.
I'VE BEEN SCAMMED!!!
No, this has nothing to do with airlines, past or present. It started this morning. After my usual coffee stop, I ran into the credit union next door to hit the ATM for $60 cash. When the receipt came out, it showed a balance of $200 + change in my checking account. I haven't had a checking account balance that low since I was a NWA stewardess in my twenties, when my monthly salary was $212.50. I scurried back home to look at the bank statement I remembered receiving a few days ago. Disclosure: I have been derelict in checking my bank statements every month. Until now, that is!!! I found numerous charges previously unknown to me and vendors I've never heard of. After spending almost two hours on the phone to one vendor, who was unable to verify the charges, I decided my time would be better spent if I went directly to the credit union and talked with a real live person. Angie, short for Angela, (but I think it is really short for Angel,) patiently helped me go through all the debits to my account and highlight all the bogus ones. Turns out every one was an online charge using my credit union debit card! She then put me in touch with their fraud division, where I learned that more charges were occurring as we spoke. My checking account balance was now down to about 38 cents. My debit card number was promptly rendered kaput. The fraud division will proceed from here. I learned that I may be reimbursed for some, if not all, of the bogus charges (roughly $2500) once they have completed their investigation. In the meantime, I have car insurance due in a week. Yikes! So I had to drain some cash from a C.D. to cover my checking account balance. And I needed spending money, too, as my debit card has been shredded and my new debit card won't arrive for a week to 10 days. That rules out the ATM! Ladies and Gentlemen, hear my words! Check your checking account balance frequently! Don't wait for the monthly statement to come by mail. You can do it online or by phone, too! You're going to need all the cash you can muster. Especially if you travel by air. American Airlines announced today that is is charging $8 for a pillow on all domestic coach flights over 2 hours plus all flights to Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and Canada. Under 2 hours? No pillows, period.
I love an airline with a sense of humor!
Since Northwest Airlines has disappeared, I'm casting about for a new one to adopt. Kulula has my vote!
 Note: Double-click on each photo to enlarge.
Note: Be sure to double-click on the photos so you can read the paint job!
NO MORE NWA.COM
Well, it is over. The last regularly scheduled NWA flight, No. 2470, departed Los Angeles International Airport for Las Vegas at 8:45 p.m. Saturday. At 3 A.M Sunday, Northwest's web site began redirecting customers to Delta. For 84 years, it was a great ride!
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