I’m not familiar with what other airlines were flying. I just know that I flew from CA to Milwaukee in 1959. The United Airlines plane was a prop and it took all day (5 AM CA time to 8 PM Central — losing 2 hours, of course). Jets for domestic flights were rare during those years.
Skimpy uniforms? Are you sure that you are talking about 1961? Even passengers were expected to “dress up” for a flight in 1961. I remember a big flap caused by one of our domestic airlines in the mid-1970s — forgotten which airline — that gave away a pair of tickets to fly to some vacation spot and then denied boarding to the couple who showed up. The lucky ticket winners were dressed in jogging attire which airline officials deemed inappropriate.
I think that it is interesting that she is listed as “Anna Obama”. I’ve never heard any other reference to her using that version of her name.