Training took place in Kansas City, where cadets learned about seven different aircraft, including the massive Boeing 747.
"It was kind of terrifying, because it was so big – and the stairs, the spiral stairs that led to first class that you had to go up and down not infrequently," she said.
Luxury and Cabin Realities
Hood preferred working on the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, a widebody plane with a comfortable cabin.
Flying during this era felt like being in a fine hotel or cruise ship, with passengers dressing up and enjoying quality meals.
However, smoking on board was a major challenge.
"If you went on a five-day trip, which wasn't uncommon, you had to pack a separate whole uniform because you just would smell so much like smoke," Hood said.
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Separating smoking and non-smoking sections did little to improve air quality.
"The whole plane was filled with smoke because you couldn't keep it from going backwards, it was ridiculous."
International flights often had lower passenger volumes, leading to unusual behavior. Hood recalled seeing passengers disappear under blankets or enter bathrooms together.
One encounter in 1982 led to a five-year relationship with a passenger in seat 47F.
Other bizarre sights included a passenger breastfeeding a cat, a man flying in his underwear to avoid wrinkling his suit, and a man riding a bicycle down the aisle of a 747 in Frankfurt.
