Claim made that average age of an AA flight attendant is 60!

 
Old Sep 29, 2010, 8:31 am
  #1  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,378
Claim made that average age of an AA flight attendant is 60!

Pretty incredible, no? This really should be a young person's job when you factor in pay, working conditions, work schedule, etc., but "nobody" quits and there's no new hiring.

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/a...flight-at.html

EDIT: BTW, if you read the link, you'll see that there are actually AA flight attendants collecting Social Security! Amazing.

Last edited by iahphx; Sep 29, 2010 at 8:36 am Reason: more info
iahphx is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 8:50 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT Pro 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,587
Originally Posted by iahphx
Pretty incredible, no? This really should be a young person's job when you factor in pay, working conditions, work schedule, etc., but "nobody" quits and there's no new hiring.

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/a...flight-at.html

EDIT: BTW, if you read the link, you'll see that there are actually AA flight attendants collecting Social Security! Amazing.
This didn't tell me anything I didn't already know.

Thanks for sharing, I especially enjoyed reading the comments at the bottom of the article from several current and former AA FAs. However awful some AA FAs maybe, my experience has been that there are many wonderful FAs that enjoy their job and take pride in their airline. Sadly, those are becoming few and far between. AA FAs are far less disgruntled and surly than PM-NW or UAL FAs it seems.
AAerSTL is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 8:52 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: ORD/PSP
Programs: AA LT Plat, 6.0 MM, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 1,002
Average Age of a Passenger in F is 62!

And I remember leering at some of those same babes 25 years ago! We go back a long way together.....
siankaan1 is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 8:55 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Programs: AA 2MM - UA 1P / Hyatt Diamond - SPG Plat / Hertz 5* - Avis 1st
Posts: 3,882
Enjoy a flight on AA metal to NRT, and you will easily confirm the average of 60.

The poor talk about FAs having to slash their spending on pet care is a bit odd, though.
Wilbur is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:12 am
  #5  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, MR, HH, SPG
Posts: 105
Just like the fleet....

The age of the FA's seems to correlate closely with the fleet age.
WildRyan is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:14 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: RDU
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 267
I was on a flight with a FA who retired from his regular job at 55 or 60 and then retrained to become an FA. He had been working for AA for nearly 20 years since, and was in his mid to late 70's. I was astonished!
BigEyedFish is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:14 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,692
Really? 60!? Well, maybe not. But I do see how it's hard to be at a company for 10 years and be at the bottom of the pool when it comes to layoffs.
Xero is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:14 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ohio
Programs: HH Dia, WOH Dia, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plt
Posts: 131
I have to call BS on the average age of FAs on any US carrier being 60 years old. While it is clearly obvious to me that the average FA age for US carriers is higher than for non-US carriers, (and this can certainly manifest as FA grumpiness and reduced service quality to passengers), for the average age to be 60, there would have to be a significant population of FAs between the ages of 60 and 70 in order to compensate for the FAs in the 20-60 age group.

So, for the 35-year old FA who was quoted in the article, there would have to be a corresponding population of FAs to collectively average out to an age of 60. So, say:
-1 35-year old and and 1 95-year old; or
-1 35-year old and 2 72.5-year olds; or
-1 35-year old and 3 68-year olds; or
-1 35-year old and 4 66-year olds; or
-1 35-year old and 5 65-year olds;
etc

Sorry, but I don't think that for every 35-year old FA, there are 5 65-year old FAs. And the above numbers would get even more absurd if we were talking about a 25-year old FA.

Again, not saying that US carriers don't skew older, I just don't think the average age is 60.
Alumino is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:20 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: OKC/DFW
Programs: AA EXP/2 MM
Posts: 9,999
Originally Posted by Alumino
I have to call BS on the average age of FAs on any US carrier being 60 years old. ...

Sorry, but I don't think that for every 35-year old FA, there are 5 65-year old FAs. And the above numbers would get even more absurd if we were talking about a 25-year old FA.

Again, not saying that US carriers don't skew older, I just don't think the average age is 60.
I agree; it is pretty hard to believe.
oklAAhoma is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:23 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 467
There's absolutely no way average age is 60- not possible.
EaglesOhThree is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:27 am
  #11  
brp
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,511
Something is definitely wrong with that data, as several have noted. While I don't recall any 25-year-old AA FAs (maybe some on Eagle) there are certainly some on the younger side that would require some much older FAs to balance at 60. And I'm just not seeing them.

If they said 50, I'd be inclined to believe it. Maybe they misspelled '5'?

Cheers.
brp is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:30 am
  #12  
TBD
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,201
If the writer doesn't like the job .... he can quit. AA doesn't owe him a job.
TBD is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:35 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP (LT Plat), HH DIA, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 456
FWIW, the first comment by a purportedly 20 year AA flight attendant includes a more believable average age of 48.
SafeFlyer is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:35 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Well frankly, the author doesn't even really claim that the average age of an AA FA is 60. He claims that the average age of an AA FA is "approximately" 60.

IMO, that word "approximately" is a red flag that he's just pulling numbers out of his @ss.
lobo411 is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2010, 9:39 am
  #15  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
1. It's a BLOG, for Pete's sake!

2. The writer completely avoids committing himself to the veracity of the item:

a. "It purports to be from an American Airlines flight attendant, and I have no reason to believe that it isn't."

b. "I'm neither endorsing it nor condemning it, nor am I vouching for its accuracy;"

The writer is full of BS in many ways - I am well over the median age she claims for FAs, and I am quite sure I can pop or pop and toss a 20 kg / 44 lb hatch, as can a number of people I now in their 60s and 70s. (I also know people her age who could not.) The people she speaks of with such disdain must TEST regularly to demonstrate they can, in fact, perform the required duties. (Others have ably pointed out why the median age isnot likely to be 60 anyway.)

Other clues:

"Last year I made $34,000 working no less than 17 days a month. These are generally 12 hour long days from checkin time at work to arriving at our last destination for the day. I won't even take you into our work rules. We don't have time."

Wow, I now people who made that by working 22 (or more) days a month, with two+ hours of commuting each day, and with fewer benefits.

"I don't have all day to sit here and explain all of the reasons why our union sucks or American Airlines sucks. They both are to blame. They both need to stop acting like babies and step up to the plate."

Ah, yes, the sour grapes attitude toward life - life itself sucks, and end sin death. So, if it's all that bad and she's nearly been laid off several times, perhaps it's time to shut up and put up, or bail and find something more worthy of her presumed skills and abilities. (Hint: it's probably not writing, being an analyst, being objective or accepting the concept of personal accountability.)
JDiver is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.