Coffee, Tea or Me?

What I had now was a story that traced the changing status of women. It finally made sense to me, as the recipient, a woman of the next generation. I had been trying to grasp the anomalies of the 50s, 60s and 70s working environment for a New Zealand air hostess and now I could see a way to tell the stories of these women.

– Director Brita McVeigh after discovering the 1987 book Human Rights Commission vs. Air New Zealand Ltd.: A Story of Sex Discrimination.

Pre-1974, women employed by the airline were required to leave the industry if they married, became pregnant, or had the audacity to pass their 35th birthday. Airlines in fact behaved like bored husbands, trading in the loyal older woman for the younger, perkier model.

– Director Brita McVeigh

It was written in the personnel manual that a hostess was required to visit the bathroom to check her appearance every 10 minutes.

– Director Brita McVeigh