Jumpseat: Jet Setting in the 70's

by Dianna Bennett

A true story romp of a coming-of-age TWA air hostess who was witness to the rise and fall of a great airline. It sets the stage for the golden age of travel. In 1969, with the Vietnam War raging and a generation in upheaval, 20-year-old Dianna is reeling from a broken engagement and searching for a way forward. When a chance encounter leads her to Trans World Airlines, she leaves behind small-town heartbreak for the glamorous—and often chaotic—world of international travel.

As a fresh-faced TWA air hostess during the dawn of the jumbo jet, the Boeing 747, Dianna finds herself swept up in a whirlwind of exotic destinations, unexpected friendships, and personal discovery. With wide-eyed wonder and unshakable grit, she navigates the highs and lows of life at 35,000 feet—all while witnessing the rise and fall of one of the most iconic airlines in history.

A poignant, funny, and inspiring coming-of-age memoir, Jumpseat, is a first-class ticket to the heart of the Jet Age—told through the eyes of a young woman learning to fly on her own terms.

Genres: Nonfiction

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2024

About the author

This is my memoir. I started writing it in 1999 and finished it in 2024. I wrote it as a reflection on life in the 1970s and 1980s. As a college student, I was prepared to finish my four years and become a wife and mother. Life stepped in when my boyfriend returned from the Vietnam War and no longer wanted to be a husband. I soon found a job as an airline hostess. This book is a walk-through of my life and the hundred events that occurred during my 16 years of flying with TWA.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks For The Memories

Readers of a certain age will fondly remember what air travel USED to be like compared to what the experience is like today. For starters, flying was not something taken for granted because not everyone had access to it financially. And those that did treated it as the special experience that it was! Everyone dressed for the occasion, was appropriately groomed and well behaved treating the employees as well as their fellow human beings with respect. You would not find, for example, a passenger wearing pajamas as they do running errands. Elegant full meals were served and there WERE no plastic utensils!
This book describes the experiences of an "air hostess"/stewardess named Dianna Bennett. She was hired by TWA, which, along with Pan Am was considered more of an elite airline until their demise.

[Olivia]

I truly enjoyed reading this. The golden age of flight was before my time. I was a flight attendant during the late 2010s, and many of the stories still brought back my own memories of my time working as a flight attendant. If you are interested in what it’s like to be a flight attendant, give this one a read. If you’re interested in TWA specifically, this is a decent perspective from a flight attendant.

It was a little slow to start. I think it might have benefited from a little more backstory at the beginning to help get to know Dianna better. The formatting I received on kindle also had some problems that made it a little more difficult to read.

I never rate memoirs, as I just don’t like the idea of rating someone else’s life and lived experiences. I received this book for free from Goodreads giveaways. All opinions are my own.