April 16, 2024
Editor’s note: Kathy Mills Rozzini shared her memories of her uncle who worked at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). See her memories of being at SEA Airport opening day with her family.
During World War II, Stanley Mills was a small arms teacher in Étretat, France. When the war ended in 1945, he returned to Seattle. Once his enlistment was up, he was hired by United Airlines (in 1946) as a passenger agent — the person that solves passengers' problems and complaints.
In 1957 he was promoted and sent to Chicago so he could assist with the installation of the very first "articulating jetway." That is the retractable "people-tunnel’" for boarding or disembarking from the plane. Back then they called it an Aero-Gangplank and he was part of the installation team for the very first one at Chicago's O'Hare Airport in 1958. He was also still a Passenger Agent.
After that, my uncle was sent to LaGuardia airport to help install their jetway and was promoted to Chief Passenger Agent.
Read more about the history of SEA Airport and its passengers and employees
