Monday 27 May 2013

At a do in Tehran Sheraton!

Tehran of the 1960-70s had a beating  pulse of modernity, posh restaurants and hotels. Sheraton was part of Iran Air entity. Although I had left the airline years before and worked at various places including the ministry of labour as "Expert in International Relations" and later at the Iranian Bank, I still had connections to Iran Air as my then husband worked there. My last job was at the management of a small airline where I worked until the onset of the revolution!
These photos were taken at one of the events in Sheraton Hotel.
At the office in Iran Air: 1965 and with a colleague who became my husband later!
With some colleagues.
 The photos below were taken after the first group of Iran Air hostesses were trained by the two of us who were ourselves trained by the Americans and took over their jobs as they left. In the 1960s Iran Air became a public airline headed by General Khademi who spent his life to promote it to the highest standard where Iran Air ranked top of airline in the world!
Americans from mainly Pan Am were employed to establish vaious departments, run it for a while, train Iranians to replace them and supervise them to make sure they know the business. A large number of US trained technicians, engineers and pilots then made Iran Air as it was.
As Flight instructors I was given training in Iran by a woman, called Lee Trojillo, then sent to the US and later to Beirut at the Middle East Airlines (MEA) to recieve further training.

After two years in the training I was appointed as head of flight service which oversaw the performance of Iran Air flight crew and confirmed the highest standard of service given to the passengers. My boss was an American: Tom Temple who gave me a free hand to improve the department. I oftern travelled as additional crew to inspect and guide. In the space of two years on the job I made sure the service was promoted and for that travelling on flights to various routes was a normal prctice. 
This photo was taken of me at Heathrow Airport in August 1968. A few months later I resigned from Iran Air over an incident which got out of hand and left a job which the airline had paid lots to train me and I loved very much. 

While Head of Flight Service I often attended seminars and conferences abroad. These photos below were taken at a week conference in Paris.

This photo below was taken at Tehran Officers' Club: General ghademi, his wife and a number of ailine cabin crew were there. I am in the floral dress beside the general. As is seen the uniforms hair style and makeup are all in the highest standard of the day.


One of our flight attendants was about to get married to an American. She invited me to her house in February 68 along with some other women.


At the wedding of her in the American Officer's Club in Tehran; April 1969. We are greeted by the bride and groom. I wore this light blue dress with golden rims which I had bought in Selfridges in London pn one of my many trips. 


I started work in the Iranian Airline in 1965 as an Instructor. To learn about the flight service and how to tain cabin crew I was sent to the US for 3 months training; first a week in New York at the Pan Am headquarters, then Washington Dc and finally, Miami in the Pan American training establishment where for two months intensive training was followed by graduation cermonies.

Saturday 25 May 2013

You couldn't live in Tehran and not take you photo at the trendy Afshin studios!

We took these photos when we still lived in valleys of hope, looking into a happy future. Years of Cholora and social disease were yet in the womb of the future.
My wedding in 1965.
We had a simple ceremoney at home in Yusefabad, Tehran. For the dress, I travelled to Hamburg in Germany and bought that mini skirt dress with matching gloves. For the music I chose the themse from the film Pacific Ocean which played throughout the night.




In 1964, two years after I returned from the US and resigned from teaching, I was employed by the Iranian Airlines where I me my future husband. All these photos were taken on our engagement night where family and friends gathered to celebrate!

The days we were!




This photo was taken at a friend's wedding right after I finished Teacher's Training College. From left: me and two other women and Simin on the right.

Aunt Iran & I





This photo was taken in Tehran at Chrystal photo shop. Aunt Iran is at her prime!