This was the fledging operation of the newly incorporated (three airplanes strong) Northwest Airways, and of course the gal was Camille “Rosie” Stein. She handled the advertising and publicity, took reservations and wrote tickets, did the payroll work (not too difficult with but three mechanics, three pilots and a couple of ground service employees), delivered the checks and all the other odds and ends involved with running a company. As the airline grew so did the demand for her time. She resigned from her position at the Chamber and became a full time airline employee.

            “Rosie” had about a twenty-year stint at NWA before her retirement in 1946. In the early days she worked from a one-room shack at Speedway Field, later Wold-Chamberlain and now MSP International Airport. She was a “JILL-OF-ALL-TRADES”. Occasionally she was called on to chase cows and deer from the grass runways (the cows are gone but the deer are still around) and then even made breakfast for passengers waiting for delayed flights.

            She had many titles and jobs at the airline, including being a member of the Board of Directors and probably was the first woman officer of a major airline. She hired the first stewardess and planned the menus when in-flight food service was inaugurated. She also served as the first woman Chairperson of the Passenger Service Committee of the Air Transport Association.

            A St. Paul newspaperman nicknamed her “Rosie” for her unfailing optimism and her stock answer when questioned about conditions on the airline; “Why, everything’s just rosy.” A few years ago Miss Stein was elected to the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame.

YOU DINED THE BEST WHEN YOU FLEW NORHWEST

            Remember back in the olden days when airline meal service was something special? When a fond moment for a stewardess (that’s what they were called, then) was receiving a meal tray back from a smiling passenger with the comment, “That was delicious!” At Northwest Airlines, in-flight food service was as good as any and better than most.

            “We took it pretty seriously,” recalls Al Carriveau, whose many responsibilities included that of a manager in NWA’s Food Service Division. Carriveau is now on the History Centre’s Board of Directors.

            “Northwest once had flight kitchens in the Twin Cities, Billings, Seattle, Anchorage and Tokyo,” Al recalls. ‘We also operated restaurants and bars at the Billings and Anchorage airports. Food Service Directors such as John Arnold and Harold Lindbergh really knew their stuff. Everything was first class.”