After more than 66 years in the air, the industry’s longest-serving flight attendant prepares to retire
Posted by hunterschuler@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 97 comments
blackdocsavage@reddit
A lot of the older flight attendants work the bare minimum. But because they are full time employees they still get full travel benefits, which are better than the retirement ones.
So they work one or two trips a week. Those trips are normally short shuttle runs, like Charlotte to Boston. They start at 7 and are home by 1 or two.
PendragonDaGreat@reddit
Yeah, I know another long term FA who's a family friend, she's essentially been semi-retired for a decade. Fly out and back same day, or fly out Friday come back Monday.
themobiledeceased2@reddit
She started flying when Air Travel was for wealthy and typically business men. Traveling domestically & world wide through job benefits was an incredible opportunity. For long term pilots, flight attendents: it got into their blood.
P5YcHo299@reddit
I dunno.. I think weight limit (or width?) should be imposed.. when a very large steward or stewardess walks down the isle and hits literally every passenger in the isle, that's unacceptable.
hunterschuler@reddit (OP)
> However, [in the 1950s and 60s], stewardesses were also under intense scrutiny. Some airlines had weight and appearance policies, forced them to quit if they got married and mandated they retire at age 32.
That's pretty wild.
fenuxjde@reddit
Ummm, I hate to break it to you, but the world used to be pretty shitty to women.
Like a lot more shitty than it is now.
Tommy84@reddit
It still is, but it used to too.
SufficientSquirrel27@reddit
r/UnexpectedMitchHedberg
Badrear@reddit
I think it’s r/UnexpectedMitch
F0rbiddenD0nut@reddit
On Reddit, Mitch Hedberg is always expected.
prex10@reddit
Used? Their is still standard amongst middle eastern carriers.
fenuxjde@reddit
Yeah I don't know people aren't reading the second half of my post where I say it's still shitty, but it used to be more shitty.
teljes_kiorlesu@reddit
Yup and I would take what we have any time over even how it was 30 years ago.
Pretty1george@reddit
Just spend some time in the internationals at JFK.
Weight restrictions aside, the flight crews from ITA, Lufthansa, Air France, Qatar, etc, are all STUNNING. These is an absolute air of class and sophistication exuded from them. They actually appear proud of their brand.
As opposed to when you see international non-US crew walking about like int’l AA, DL, and UA, it’s a different vibe
Family_Shoe_Business@reddit
ME3 and prestige Asian carriers still do this.
NeedleGunMonkey@reddit
Some “highly regarded” international carriers with practically only foreign cabin employees on work visas still operate like this.
CaptainAttidude@reddit
Does she got cancer?
Go_Loud762@reddit
66 years? That means she is at least 84 years old.
That's way too old to be doing that job.
MurkyPsychology@reddit
Christ, I couldn’t imagine even wanting to still be working at that old.
I totally agree though. Realistically, how effective is someone in their 80s going to be at navigating a dark, smoke-filled cabin? Opening a heavy ass Boeing door and initiating an evacuation? Dragging an incapacitated passenger out of their seat and to an exit? Even just maneuvering a heavy beverage cart can be a challenge for an older, weaker body.
If you’re in that great shape at that age and want to work, then awesome. More power to you. But I think physical fitness tests should absolutely be required for safety-critical roles.
It reminds me of the woman who used to be the longest-serving flight attendant (she worked at AA, and either died while she was still an employee or shortly after she retired). Many people who worked with her said she just would not have been useful in an emergency, maybe even more of a hindrance. She was also known for being racist and treating Black passengers differently but that’s another problem.
chunkymonk3y@reddit
Someone that old should at least be working a more-age appropriate job like serving in the US Senate
Obi_Won_Jabroni_@reddit
How effective? According to the voting cohort of this country.
Very.
fresh_like_Oprah@reddit
She outlived a bunch of her airlines!
jackofnac@reddit
I’m very pro union but this is actually a problem in the industry. During layoffs, 2-3 young employees are laid off to afford one person like this, who cannot be forced to retire but owns a level of seniority that makes her untouchable regardless of her ability to do the job well. I know a lot of FAs and there is a borderline crisis of elderly FAs who just will not retire.
HuskerDont241@reddit
Thank our for-profit healthcare system for that. I’ve known many people who stuck around the industry longer than they wanted just for healthcare reasons.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
It's a difficult issue because where and how do you draw the line without discriminating and what are reasonable accommodations?
DutchBlob@reddit
It’s absolutely not discrimination to tell a person (regardless of gender) that they cannot be a flight attendant (anymore) because they cannot open the emergency (over wing) exits that can way like 18 - 25kg, in the same way that handicapped people are not allowed to sit at emergency exits. So if an 84 year old woman cannot open an emergency exit or jump from the slide that would be reasonable grounds to let her go.
Joatboy@reddit
Physical ability tests could be a good start
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
Sure, I don't disagree, but when and how do you implement that if it wasn't part of the initial hiring agreement and isn't a part of the regs?
Thu66@reddit
If the military can do it, airlines can
polarisdelta@reddit
Putting it in the regs is the first step, after that it's a fait accompli for the airlines. Mandatory retirement for pilots wasn't something any of them bargained on when that went active either but somehow the system was able to cope.
The alternative is to do it quickly and messily after a big body count event causes public scrutiny to ask an uncomfortable, obvious question of "this person could not possibly have done this job, why did Airline jeopardize the safety of the flying public like this?"
ElevatorGuy85@reddit
There are three words that ought to scare the airlines and regulators into doing something to require some kind of “fitness for duty” testing after some prescribed age. Those words are “duty of care”. To a judge, jury or insurance attorney litigating a case, those three words can quickly swing the outcome when it’s shown that inadequate care was not given, especially in a situation that was foreseeable.
TigerIll6480@reddit
I mean…a lot judges have mandatory retirement at age 70.
ElevatorGuy85@reddit
Those 70 year old judges aren’t responsible for the safety of hundreds of passengers in the event of an emergency with an aircraft on the tarmac, in the air, or making an emergency landing on a runway, or on some other piece of land or water.
But the idea that an octogenarian flight attendant can do that … well that is just downright scary. I expect that some of them would also struggle just to get the overhead baggage doors to close properly or to handle a meal cart in cases where there was sudden turbulence.
I get the whole “I like to be around people” vibe that a lot of flight attendants probably really enjoy about their job, but at some point, if they want to keep doing that, then find them a role at a check-in counter or at the boarding gates, where they don’t have the responsibility for hundreds of people on and aircraft in an emergency.
This is not age discrimination, it’s just plain common sense, the same way airline pilots have a mandatory retirement age.
TigerIll6480@reddit
Everyone ages differently, and I’ve known some people her age who were/are very spry - I had an uncle who was going on regular hunting trips in the wilderness into his late 80s, and he could physically keep up with just about anything. But in some of these jobs, there should be some sort of a bright line rule due to physical demands and the higher risks of sudden health issues. If someone really does want to keep working because they enjoy it, I would imagine there are other roles they could move into that would benefit from their vast experience.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
Yeah, you're not wrong. And, again, I support it. It's just going to take a political will that isn't there.
We've never successfully acted on these sorts of potential issues and even now can't even mandate FAs at all overwing exits despite panicking pax using them when they really shouldn't.
Unfortunately I think the quick and messy solution after a big body count is what it will take.
xphyria@reddit
We actually do have recurrent training every 18 months where we go through all emergencies, open/close doors, simulate evacuations and stuff. If she passes that, she's good to fly.
blissfully_happy@reddit
I mean, pilots and ATC have a mandatory retirement age, why can’t FAs?
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
Look at my previous comment for that.
FLGirl777@reddit
You also need to run mental abilities too. My mother is younger than this lady and I don’t think she’d be capable there
rckid13@reddit
US airline pilots have a mandatory retirement age of 65. Maybe flight attendants should have a mandatory retirement age too. Just draw the line somewhere.
pipic_picnip@reddit
Retirement age is not a discrimination, specially if the job requires high cognitive abilities. It’s extremely rare for anyone in 70s to be in peak of their health, and most have multiple health issues plus failing sight, memory etc. That’s just aging, unless one thinks aging is discrimination.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
In the US age discrimination only applies to people over 40, so that's one of the issues that has to be navigated with mandating a retirement age.
Don't get me wrong, I think fitness for duty and physical ability are a huge concern with an aging FA work force that should be addressed before it's a problem, but given existing laws, unions, and the past justification for current laws it's hard to find someone who will take up that fight because it hasn't yet resulted in deaths and that's really what it seems to take to get these sorts of things moving.
bumbumpopsicle@reddit
Pilots have a safety related mandatory retirement age (I think 65). Since FAs are primarily there for passenger safety, it would reason that they should also be subject to a mandatory retirement age as well.
m0viestar@reddit
The line should be retirement age. If you're 67+ you need to make room for others. Most unions have mandatory retirement ages for this reason. Problem is ageism is illegal and young people don't have as much standing to sue for it as old people.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
I don't disagree that "retirement age" should be the line, but how do we define that within the scope of relevant CFRs, union agreements, and age discrimination laws and implement it?
The current system is in large part because of the history of discrimination in the FA industry.
m0viestar@reddit
"Retirement age" is already legally defined. You don't need to define it further. It's 67 if you were born after 1960.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
That's A definition, but it's far from the ONLY. definition.
jackofnac@reddit
Oh I agree. And it has to be addressed through collective bargaining, where the majority of the workforce is older and wouldn’t likely sign on to that. It’s not an issue with any simple solution.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
Yeah, it's also an issue we see in the maintenance side, especially in more niche but desirable roles that demand higher qualifications.
Recently we had a guy suffer a stroke on an airplane, and thankfully he's doing a lot better now but he submitted a reasonable accommodation request to get a wheel chair through the airport on layovers and we had y have a huge talk with HR, Legal, and more acronym types than I ever wanted to know existed about why this wasn't a good idea.
RentAscout@reddit
Our pension system forces all employees to retire at 65, regardless of position or seniority. The unions, employees and employer can't negotiate with pension system.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
Which pension system?
RentAscout@reddit
Government. I'm clueless if that's a thing in the private world.
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
Not every one is part of A government pension, and even fewer are part of YOUR government pension.
TraumaticOcclusion@reddit
Go on any international us based flight and the FAs are all over 50
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
But does being over 50 mean they can't do the job?
Battle2Intense@reddit
Not sure why we unilaterally decided that every job had to be open to everyone regardless of age. Flight attendant should be a job reserved for young and single people of all genders. Seriously do we really want 70 year old attendants to herd people towards the exits in case of an emergency. Plus given the hours and commitment, its more of a job for 25 yo vs 45 yo. Its fun at 25 but lets be honest, kind of sad at 45 and god forbid at 65.
There are also plenty of jobs in an airline beyond flight attendant, both in the airport and the office. There should be a ten year window for attendant and afterwards have a training program available for other jobs in the airline.
Just so messed up there is a shortage of young people volunteering for the job because the best spots are all reserved for 50 and 60 year olds.
MyMurderOfCrows@reddit
I am very curious, why on Earth would it be a job that should only be reserved for single people? Add to that, I mean I don't think octogenarians should be acting as flight crew for a plethora of reasons but what is wrong with a fit 45 year old being a flight attendant?
As someone who works for an airline (not part of flight crews or even at the airport), most young people want a job as a flight attendant because it is a career that pays well, gives good benefits (free and/or almost free travel for yourself, parents, spouse/partner, and kids is pretty attractive to most people!), and after training, can be more flexible for some people. I personally wouldn't want to be an FA as people are assholes when flying and being the one who has to take the brunt of that is less than desirable to me.
pipic_picnip@reddit
Yeah I don’t care how experienced they are, I don’t want to sit in a plane by any pilot who’s above 70+ I am sorry. I don’t know why some countries don’t have retirement ages. Here it is under 65 for most jobs. After that you can still seek employment but it can’t be in a safety or precision related job that requires high cognitive abilities. But you are perfectly okay to accept a desk job. A job like a pilot shouldn’t be done by a 80+ person that’s wild.
quesoandcats@reddit
Right? I thought she had to have been in some sort of management role, but no, she was still flying as cabin crew for Delta until she retired!
Jesus tap-dancing Christ...
flaginorout@reddit
Right? LOL.
This lady was serving Manhattans to Indiana Jones on a DC-3.
Tony_Three_Pies@reddit
It’s wild to thing that pilots born after she started working have already been forced to retire.
IcyTable6584@reddit
Amazing career! Kudos to her!!
She was absolutely gorgeous when young but even today she looks great!
chris-hatch@reddit
bud just stop
Battle2Intense@reddit
so many dudes on reddit are like that annoying guy in the group that says shit acting they are going to get laid.
IcyTable6584@reddit
Jaded, bitter, angry? Sounds like you two need help
PlaneNorth9849@reddit
don't understand why working well past retirement age is glamorized in the corporate world. If someone genuinely enjoys their work, that's their choice. But treating delayed retirement as a badge of honor? A society that celebrates working until old age more than enjoying retirement risks valuing people only for what they produce. Needing to work indefinitely isn't necessarily inspiring. It's more a sign that work has consumed time that can never be replaced.
F0rbiddenD0nut@reddit
I work with some old timers that could have retired long ago but choose not to. Their reasoning is almost invariably that they don't want to just sit at home and they'd be bored. They'd rather be working just because it's something to do and keeps them active.
Personally I'd much rather sit at home and enjoy relaxation, but to each their own.
TristanwithaT@reddit
Especially at #1 seniority. Pick out whichever of 3-4 international trips that sound nice and enjoy one leg out, day off in random international city, then one leg home.
Mongoose151@reddit
Plus, do you think a lot of these older flight attendants could physically help in an evacuation?
ButteredPizza69420@reddit
This should matter a lot more ^
GardenPeep@reddit
They might be better at staring down anyone reaching for their carryon
TizzyBumblefluff@reddit
I mean, flight attendants are paid terribly so probably couldn’t afford to retire. This should highlight the fact that the world over, they are compensated poorly for the amount of responsibility the role entails.
PARTINlCO@reddit
I’m pretty happy with my pay as an FA. Not rich by any means, but i’m 12 years in, make around $80/hr.. I fly about 10 high time turns a month, almost 3 weeks off, and bring home about $10k gross. In a much better position than a majority of the people in the country who have similar credentials (HS Diploma/GED) to me.
(mainline FA, of course. regional FAs are definitely way underpaid)
TizzyBumblefluff@reddit
You’ve highlighted the exact issue, you and similar FAs are outliers and your higher pay skews the average. Also, USA isn’t the only country.
PARTINlCO@reddit
Since the FA in the post is an american FA, hence why I didn’t specify american.. thought it would go without saying. Never claimed USA is the only country? Also, more than 50% of the 30,000 FAs at my airline are topped out in pay. You top out after 13 years, not 40 years or something outrageous. It is not some extreme outlier to be clearing $8-$10k as a US mainline flight attendant in 2026 - not at all.
TizzyBumblefluff@reddit
You sound defensive.
PARTINlCO@reddit
I’m negating what you’re saying, but sure.
gromm93@reddit
It's glamorized in propaganda pieces like this, who congratulate the retirees for their long years of service, in spite of the fact that the reason they can't retire is becuase they've never been paid well.
The real question is "who the fuck writes this shit with a straight face, who the fuck wrote the press release, and what is their angle". Every news article has an angle, about what they want the public to believe. Their job is literally to manipulate the public to their own ends.
pemb@reddit
Yeah, this is r/OrphanCrushingMachine material.
a_scientific_force@reddit
Joan was awesome. Great to talk with, and a ton of energy. You’d have no idea she was as old as she is.
justfutt@reddit
Is it likely anyone has more flight miles than her?
rckid13@reddit
It depends on how she works. Some super senior people choose to use their seniority to barely work. If she has worked an average schedule for 66 years she probably has more flight miles than anyone including all of the pilots. If she's been working one trip per month for the last 30 years then some other ~55 year FA might have more miles than her.
She likely has more flight miles than any senior pilot just due to the fact that the pilots can work past age 65.
JoLeTrembleur@reddit
Your mom has. Sorry.
LetsGoHawks@reddit
There's a good chance she has flown more miles than.... anything really. Human, animal, or machine.
Outer space stuff exempted of course.
rckid13@reddit
Flight attendants have different rest rules and they often fly more per day than the pilots. If she's been working an average schedule for 66 years she would have more time in the air than every senior captain she flies with just due to the fact that none of them can fly for that long.
quesoandcats@reddit
Wait, she's often the lead flight attendant??? Who has seniority over the longest-serving flight attendant in the world?
rckid13@reddit
The lead FA position can be very random at my airline. They bid for the position and some senior people want it, others don't. The purser is always in front and some people prefer working in the back. My airline gives a $1/hour pay boost to the lead flight attendant on each flight and that isn't worth the effort for some. I've had many flights where the lead flight attendant was the most junior FA in the crew.
castafobe@reddit
In most airlines the lead is an optional position. The most senior can choose lead and if they don't want to then the next senior FA has a choice and so on. It usually pays a bit more per hour, but there is also more responsibility. Some senior FAs will choose not to fly lead, either all the time or just on occasion.
quesoandcats@reddit
Oh fair enough!
pandab34r@reddit
66 years in the air is crazy; I thought they went home or to hotels and stuff in between flights?
boardbe1@reddit
We have physical fitness standards in the military. Not just for everyone else’s safety, but for our own too. You wouldn’t want your commander to be a nurse corps officer that is in their 80s. You put people’s lives at stake, and if she were to fall and break a hip… not t only is that career ending, but at 80, you throw a fat embolis and you are dead. Same with flight attendants. I would question their ability to, strength and even cognition at 80. Not safe for the passengers or themselves.
RawdogHantavirus@reddit
Thank god not a pilot
F0rbiddenD0nut@reddit
Pilots are forced to retire at age 65. FAs have no such regulation.
collegefootballfan69@reddit
This has to someone from AA
Legitimate-End-1346@reddit
I was surprised to see she was at Delta. I had my bet on American.
CA_LAO@reddit
A few years back the #1 and #2 senior FAs at UA were both LAX based, and both used to do fairly regular NRT turns. I've had both on flights multiple times. I have never seen anyone work as tirelessly or courteously as the they each did.
post-explainer@reddit
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