Customer Reviews

Glamour and Turbulence: I Remember Pan Am, 1966-91

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I read this book because of Pan Am and the job depicted. I reached the minimum age required to apply for the job just when Pan Am collapsed, but the legend of this airline is precisely what has always made me dream as well as ache about the airline industry. And this book says it all: on the one hand, it's all about glamour, exotic places, a jet-set way of life, and on the other hand, you get to read insulting judgment about how the non-elite (translate anyone who was not a Pan Am crew member, deadhead or first class passenger) managed to ruin the image and glory of a flight attendant's life, especially when we arrived by busloads with deregulation. I found those terms appalling from the mouth of someone who has made service industry her career and lived a wonderful life from it. No one really chooses to be in economy class, though.
Finally, after reading this book, I came to wonder whether Pan Am wasn't in fact also victim of its elitist image... How could an airline survive today with such a haughty behavior towards its passengers? How could they have been rescued by other airlines they once despised? Could Pan Am be something else than a legend of the past? In light of the author's state of mind, I bet most of its survivors would not have it any other way... Wouldn't it be nice however, if a contemporary, friendlier Pan Am reappeared and let us experience the magic of worldwide air travel?
Don't get me wrong: I too miss Pan Am because it had such a great image, great routes and it's true it's responsible for the best-looking image of crew members, and sure, I too would have been proud and happy to be a part of it and quite depressed when losing it all. In fact, this book really taught me how self-indulgence can be dangerous. Let's just hope the author got a glimpse of this deep inside herself.
By the way, I don't know when the author last came to Tokyo, but the Oriental Bazar in Tokyo still exists, at least it has since 91 until now.

This book is the true story of a flight attendant who worked through some of Pan American's best and worst decades. Aimee Bratt takes us through her interview process during the mid 1960s and her experiences with training and her first flights. The author explains her participation as a working crewmember and shares her observations on layover points which include bargain priced shopping and relaxation in south seas fun and sun. This reviewer found Bratt's description of her choice of career, training, and experiences rewarding. She adds dimensions to the history of the once great carrier which is no more. Her perspective is of value and this book is recommended for aviation historians, airline workers, and readers who may wish to research the flight attendant job. The author is still a flight attendant with a major carrier and many of the experiences she relates about the job are still relevant today. The often bizarre hiring process, training sessions, and first years of work have changed less than the aviation technology. Review by Georgia Nielsen, historian, author, and flight attendant.

I thought I would have a good read about the ups and downs of a flight attendant in the "good old days" of flying, including funny anecdotes and perhaps a harrowing story or two. Not so. Instead the author comes across as a pretentious and bitter employee with a condescending, "holier than thou" attitude toward other crew members and passengers who didn't meet up to her "superior" standards. She categorizes fellow flight attendants, passengers and crew into neat little cylinders of critical judgement, headed up by titles such as the disillusioned ones, the lazy ones, the zealous ones, the subservient ones, and the tacky tarts. Overall, I found the book to be an unpleasant read - one I would not recommend to others. (Instead, consider "Footsteps in the Sky," by Helen E. McLaughlin, which provides a much more enjoyable read of the life of flight attendants in the "good old days.")

My father was a mechanic with Pan Am from the 40's to the late 70's when he retired. I didn't realize all the glorious history of this great airline until I read this great book by Aimee Bratt. It was so interesting to read about the lives of flight attendents, pilots, and management, along with the pictures. She makes the book so interesting, it is hard to put down.
Thanks Aimee and the t.v.show Pan Am for bringing this wonderful history back to life.

Lorraine Wilkie
Douglasville,Ga.
Dec. 2011

Excellent book. Well written with lots of Pan Am stories. I hope to run into Aimee on a Delta flight sometime and shake her hand. She lived the life I was born too late to be able to, but always dreamed about.

I bought this for my mother who was a stewardess for Pan Am in the 60's........she said it brought back great memories for her

An entertaining and informative treat! Aimeé Bratt's description of life at Pan Am is captivating. This is an easy read, yet loaded with witty remarks depicting the strenuous working conditions at airlines. The reader will immediately feel Ms. Bratt's love for Pan Am, the pride of having worked for the company for 25 years, and her frustration with the internal and external factors that brought Pan Am down. This is one of those books you will want to read again.

I expected to read a book about Pan Am. Instead I found myself reading Ms. Bratt's auto-biography. If you want to read a book that delves into the day to day life of a flight attendant then pick up "Plane Insanity". Skip this one.

Reminds me of my youth spent as a flight attendant's child flying those glorious routes, in Pan Am's first class. A great book of what it was like in more gentle times. A good read if you remember the times of courteous passengers when flying was an adventure. I miss those days.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Glamour and Turbulence". This is not just a book for people who travel often. Any person who is frustrated with the behind-the-scenes politics of any large company will enjoy this easy read from Ms. Bratt. It is informative as well as entertaining. After reading this work you'll have more respect for those who work in the flight industry and must smile through the pain