Airline Road-Test: Best & Worst of the Skies
Photographer Brian Finke Dishes on His Latest Project
Flight attendants have been an iconic cultural image since the 1960s, with the stylish crews of TWA and Pan Am. From their chic, tight-fitting uniforms to jet-setting around the world, the lifestyle is one often associated with glamour and mystique.New York-based photographer Brian Finke, in his new book Flight Attendants, vibrantly documents this present-day niche community, in a series of portraits that display both the charming and realistic sides of the industry. Having traveled around the world for two years, concentrating on 15 airlines in particular, with some (including Delta, Hawaiian, Qantas, British Airways, Thai, Tiger, and Icelandair), Finke captures an inside look at the men and women of professional air travel both on the ground and in the sky.
With his work currently on exhibit in LA’s Stephen Cohen Gallery (June 12-Aug 2), as well as an upcoming exhibit at Paris’ Gallerie Philippe Chaume (Sept 11-Oct 3), to complement the book's release by powerHouse, Finke joined psychoPEDIA to discuss his experience making the book, and the highs and lows of airlines:
How did you develop the concept for the book?With my work in general, I photograph a lot of different subcultures and like working on projects that describe specific ones. My previous project was about cheerleaders and football players, and while I worked on it, I thought a lot about the costumes and style around it. I was traveling a lot on planes anyway, and it was right in front of me, so it seemed like a natural progression. Also, after September 11, I was drawn to the challenge of getting in there and photographing it. It wasn’t something I had really seen pictures of before.
Has the perception of flight attendants from the early days to now has changed?
I started photographing domestic airlines, and discovered traveling isn’t what it used to be. Pretty quickly I realized that I also wanted to go overseas to photograph airlines in Europe and Asia. When I was in Hong Kong, they were saying there’s still an allure of it being an exotic lifestyle. I think that still exists, but with my personal experience traveling around the States, it’s not what it used to be. Even last week I was going to DC and New Orleans, flights are always delayed two hours and crowded.
Was your own impression of their lifestyle altered after the project?
With my pictures, it was important showing the reality of current travel. Some of the pictures have a sense of humor and are whimsical, and some are more romantic and nostalgic.
I realized a lot of flight attendants make it fit their own lifestyle. One of the attendants I photographed in Iceland has a family and kids, and she just goes to work like anybody else—flies to Europe then flies back home. I realized they make it fit whatever lifestyle or point of life they’re in.As for style, which airlines have the best uniforms?
There’s a website called Uniform Freak, that has hundreds of uniforms on showcase. Several airlines in Asia are my favorite. AirAsia is a carrier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that has really great uniforms. I worked through airlines’ PR departments and would propose story ideas to editors, and a lot of them dealt with fashion and travel. Airlines in the past several years have started inviting high-end designers to design their uniforms.
Which airlines have the most attractive or glamorous stewardesses?Icelandair is definitely a favorite. They have the scarves and hats— which are on the cover of the book. AirAsia is another favorite. It’s very Virgin Atlantic– great with style. And Air France is great, also.
Most unattractive?
Hooters Air, which doesn’t exist anymore. It was around for a few years, but folded a little over a year ago. They would have flight attendants, where two would be traditional ones in uniforms and two would be dressed as Hooters girls like in the restaurants, in nylons, short pants, T-shirts. They were there more for entertainment.
Best service or most helpful?In a broad case, a lot of the Asian airlines are very good with passengers. Cathay Pacific is great. I photographed them during their 60th anniversary where they brought back the retro uniforms for a few months.
Oppositely, is there an airline with especially gruff flight attendants?
Not a big fan of Continental, even though I didn’t photograph them. They don’t seem very helpful these days.
Which has the nicest amenities?
Foreign airlines in general, and Cathay Pacific for sure.
What about the best food?
I recently flew Virgin American, and I like how you can go on and purchase food whenever you want. They have a touch-active screen where you can watch movies, but also purchase food whenever you want during the flight, which is nice.
Since you flew constantly during the project, do you have special tricks to avoid air sickness?
I fly a lot-- it’s just a normal thing. I drink a lot of water and take vitamin C to deal with jet lag and breathing airplane air all day.
Have you witnessed any emergencies while flying?Once I was flying back from Florida and a plane had to make an emergency landing because a passenger had a heart problem. It’s good to know when something comes up that they can react so quickly.
What is your overall favorite airline after the entire experience?
I like Air France a lot, who I use a lot to fly back and forth to Paris. The food, drinking the wine, and visually the uniforms and plane are nice. And when I flew to Iceland, they put us up in First Class and really took care of us more so than normal.
What projects do you have planned for the future?
After photographing mostly female flight attendants for a few years, my wife had the idea to photograph construction workers. Time to hang out with the boys for a while! So I started on that this summer. I’m starting it here in New York, then hopefully take it to other major cities around the world.
~Leann Peterson
All photos by Brian Finke
