We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.
Play

00:00

/

00:00

Full screen
Video quality

Low 0 MB

High 0 MB

HD 0 MB

Captions
Volume
Volume
Hero image for Coffee, Tea or Me?

Coffee, Tea or Me?

Television (Excerpts) – 2002

In this 2002 documentary director Brita McVeigh heads down the aisle to explore the world of air hostesses in air travel’s glamorous 60s and 70s heyday. Seven ex-“trolley dollies” recall exacting beauty regimes, controversial uniform changes, and the job’s unspoken insinuation of sexual availability. The cheese and cracker trolley becomes a vehicle that charts the changing status of women as McVeigh argues that — despite layovers in Honolulu, and a then-rare working opportunity for ‘girls’ — the high life concealed harassment, and struggles for equal rights and pay.

What I had now was a story that traced the changing status of women. It finally made sense to me, as the recipient, a woman of the next generation. I had been trying to grasp the anomalies of the 50s, 60s and 70s working environment for a New Zealand air hostess and now I could see a way to tell the stories of these women.
– Director Brita McVeigh after discovering the 1987 book Human Rights Commission vs. Air New Zealand Ltd.: A Story of Sex Discrimination.

Key Cast & Crew

Generic Profile image for Brita McVeigh

Brita McVeigh

Producer, Director

Profile image for Gaylene Preston

Gaylene Preston

Producer

Generic Profile image for Cameron McLean

Cameron McLean

Camera

Profile image for Tim Woodhouse

Tim Woodhouse

Editor

Generic Profile image for Anthony Nevison

Anthony Nevison

Sound

Profile image for Irene Gardiner

Irene Gardiner

Network Executive

See all 9 credits

Acknowledgements

Made with funding from NZ On Air
Presented with thanks to the New Zealand Film Heritage Trust – Te Puna Ataata

Music

Title song 'Pretty Things' by Flight of the Conchords (Bret Mckenzie, Jemaine Clement)

Categories

If you liked this, you might also like...

Collection
Collection image for Labour Day Collection

Labour Day Collection

Curated to mark Labour Day, this collection features...

Collection
Collection image for The Gaylene Preston Collection

The Gaylene Preston Collection

A collection full of riches, devoted to the work of Dame...

Thumbnail image for C'mon to New Zealand

C'mon to New Zealand

More glamourous trolley dollies

Thumbnail image for Survey - Getting Together

Survey - Getting Together

Features the ‘Folded Wings’ ex-air hostesses’ club

Thumbnail image for The Living Room - Series One (Flight of the Conchords)

The Living Room - Series One (Flight of the Conchords)

Bret and Jemaine recorded the title song for Coffee, Tea...

Thumbnail image for Inquiry - Nothing Venture, Nothing Gain

Inquiry - Nothing Venture, Nothing Gain

A 1974 doco on the status of women in NZ

Thumbnail image for Holiday for Susan

Holiday for Susan

Features more glamourous 60s air travel

Thumbnail image for Miss New Zealand 1973

Miss New Zealand 1973

More grooming and deportment training

Thumbnail image for Topless Women Talk about Their Lives - First Episode

Topless Women Talk about Their Lives - First Episode

Danielle Cormack plays a wannabe air hostess

Thumbnail image for War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us

War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us

More women’s stories, produced by Gaylene Preston

Thumbnail image for Don't Let it Get You

Don't Let it Get You

Howard Morrison and airline hijinks in 1964

Thumbnail image for Our People Our Century - Cradle to Grave

Our People Our Century - Cradle to Grave

Cradle to Grave: More union organising

Thumbnail image for Behind Our Planes

Behind Our Planes

More women and planes

Thumbnail image for Cappuccino Tango

Cappuccino Tango

More coffee or tea conundrums

Thumbnail image for Off the Ground - 3, The Modern Pioneers

Off the Ground - 3, The Modern Pioneers

A series on the history of aviation in NZ

Thumbnail image for The Ralston Group - 20 June 1991

The Ralston Group - 20 June 1991

Another look at service on Air New Zealand

Thumbnail image for K' Road Stories - Sugar Hit

K' Road Stories - Sugar Hit

More coffee and tea

Thumbnail image for Reaching for the Skies - An End to Isolation

Reaching for the Skies - An End to Isolation

Documentary on the history of Air New Zealand

Thumbnail image for Air New Zealand - Birds

Air New Zealand - Birds

High profile advert for Air New Zealand

Thumbnail image for Making New Zealand - Aviation

Making New Zealand - Aviation

A documentary on Kiwi aviation history