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Over time, Earth was became one connected planet—one global neighborhood.

Although a majority of flight attendants in the 1930s were women, Pan Am and Eastern Air Lines exclusively hired men for the role. These male stewards, who made up one third of the flight attendants across the industry, were sometimes belittled as “interlopers in an already well-established female realm.”

The first episode of our "QueerSpace" limited series spotlights the history and community built by male flight attendants.

In late 1959, the FAA released its “Age 60 Rule,” which essentially required mandatory retirement for airline pilots over age 60. As his 60th birthday rapidly approached, Captain Michael Gitt appealed with an age discrimination lawsuit against Eastern Airlines to help him overturn the age disqualification. Read about his attempt to leverage the new Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA).

After World War I, many people began to operate commercial airlines. But every one of these early efforts failed because of high operating costs.

While fashion accessories may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the National Air and Space Museum, this collection captures the diversity and playfulness of flight crew dress across the decades.

New airlines emerging after World War II began operating on a nonscheduled basis and offering the first discount fares, undermining the government's regulated airfare system.

In 1978, Congress passed a law allowing airlines to set their own fares and routes, an event that transformed the commercial airline industry and the passenger experience.

How have computers transformed commercial flight? From ticket reservations to aircraft design and manufacture, computers have helped airline operations become more efficient and flexible.

Air mail had helped the commercial aviation industry thrive in its early days. Contracts to deliver mail were awarded to airlines by the federal government, but small, independent airlines complained that the way contracts were distributed was unfair.