Guided by Memories, TWA Flies Into History

Re “A ‘Heck of a Ride’ at TWA,” Sept. 3: I found TWA flight attendant Dolores “Dodo” Narz’s comment quite ironic when she stated that passengers today are less respectful and courteous than when she began her career 48 years ago at TWA.

Did it ever occur to her that part of the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the airlines themselves? By taking steps to maximize the discomfort of the passengers, such as adding more seats in the coach section, frequent delays, overscheduling, passenger bumping and downright rude and indifferent flight attendants, the airlines have antagonized passengers to the extent that a new term has come into being: air rage.

Most coach flights are nothing but cattle cars in the sky. Yes, passengers are less courteous and respectful today. Maybe that is only because the airlines have sucked every penny out of their companies for maximum profit with a total disdain for the flying public.

Charles Jones

Calabasas

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While your article was a heck of a human-interest story about five aging TWA flight attendants, it would have been better placed in the Health section under “gerontology.” I fly on commercial airlines a lot, and have done so for over 40 years, so you know I am no youngster. But reading about a 70-plus-year-old flight attendant, male or female, scares me a lot.

I am sure the “Golden Girls” are having a ball in-flight, but I can’t help wondering how effective a 70-year-old would be in an emergency situation; for example, in an aircraft evacuation. And to prove that I am not an age discriminator, I feel the same way about 20-year-old flight attendants who are visibly pregnant.

Gordon L. Froede

Cheviot Hills

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Your excellent article portrayed just a few of the thousands of loyal and dedicated TWA employees who saw the “golden years” and made a lifetime out of serving the traveling public. I flew for 28 years before retiring in 1992 and, like so many thousands of others, both customers and employees, mourn the demise of a wonderful airline. American Airlines is getting thousands of talented, dedicated and experienced employees, and I am certain in the years to come it will appreciate not only the synergies but the human assets as well.

While we welcomed the American Airlines acquisition of financially sick TWA, we were surprised and disappointed that American Airlines has not welcomed us equally. It has chosen to treat us as second-class employees and retirees behind our American Airlines counterparts. It is a shame that this has been a bittersweet ending--and beginning.

Margrit LeFors

Huntington Beach