goodeats21

At the time of that article, had been working 60 years...and not called in sick even once!
Impressive.

Flaflyer

Assuming the first hired FA was 18 years old, the girl who served drinks and peanuts on Orville Wright's first flight would be 134 years old today. All other FAs are younger.

dmurphynj

So... has she been able to bank all of her sick time over the last 70 years?

That's, well, a retirement fund in and of itself at this point. :-)

Orange County Commuter

LimeyFlyer

That raises an interesting question for me... yesterday's flight there were two male FAs who were on my side of the obese spectrum, and for sure, if there was an emergency, wouldn't be my first choice to make sure I got off the plane...

I'm happy for the message to be promulgated that FAs are there for safety, but when they are clearly not physically fit and at least as obese as I am, please stop the charade. This is the exception though, it has to be said.

Ready to be lectured. :-)

clubord

timfountain

ATPL-rated pilots have an FAA mandated retirement age of 65. Was 60 until 2009 when congress pushed it out 5 years to address a perceived looming pilot shortage.

trust77

I hope not - she can still give many more years of excellent service. I have been switching my travels to HKG through EWR the past two years to try and catch her, but the stars have not aligned yet, lol.

PTahCha

Why not? Do you expect them to carry you off the plane in case of an emergency? In case of an evacuation, they are there to prep the cabin, provide instructions, shout commands, and open exit doors after captain's instructions. Their ability to respond to emergencies are tested at recurrent trainings. Besides, I would worry more about security emergencies, which I rather have a linebacker on my side.

dmurphynj

That's, unfortunately, all too common these days.
I was hoping that maybe employees before XYZ hire date had a grandfathering clause or some such. Apparently not. Bummer.

My significant other is a school teacher and her sick time also disappears when she retires. Some of her coworkers show up with all sorts of funky illnesses and diseases and such so they can "save" their banked time. I don't get it.

Never understood "perfect attendance" awards in school, either. Just encourages kids to spread their germs.

If you don't feel well, don't show up. Please - for the rest of us!

greenpau

chipmaster

Beyond the curiosity and or / joy and amazement that people can have meaning, serve, add value going thru our many life stages. Enjoy seeing people with the opportunity who continue to defer moving to the next stage or have no desire to move the next step.

Recall vividly one time at PVG senior FA was waiting in the priority line, funny as the group 1 line is the longest, LOL. She was very senior and collapsed, I felt bad for her, don't know why, but her seniority was enough to make me think twice about how safe I'd feel if she was serving me or leading an emergency activity.

But to my personal comfort and safety:
1) Pilots, simply expect at some age that reaction time, judgement speed decline
2) Read about recent 737-MAX hear pilot strength might be a need, worry even now can they if they had to.

For the FA:
1) Review safety and check; probably pretty low bar here
2) Provide in-flight service: Push that heavy cart, serve drinks/food all the way across from aisle.
I have had the experience where the FA simply was NOT capable of handing over a glass cup full w/o spilling it. Watched as my aisle mate watch her shaking serving.
Pretty clear many FA are incapable and not required to help passengers with their carry - on, on foreign carriers we call it age / physical discrimination but in general they are much more capable.
3) It's clear that FA in an emergency event; evacuation, passenger help needed, etc. etc. they have knowledge, quick of mind, physical to lead.
I've seen enough FA on the big three I'd not count on them to open the exit or do anything physical quicker than what I've seen as the foreign carriers, is this OKAY?

So of course if the job discription is so limited that is okay, I guess, but given a choice all things equal as a consumer you know what carrier I'd pick, sadly on domestic the choice is limited.


I have some minimum expectation for why they are there, perhaps if those here can refresh or memory. We only know what we expect from Pilots, front line sold

msp727

Interesting and less known about Norma is that she was a flight attendant onboard Continental Air Lines flight 603 that crashed in LAX at takeoff to Honolulu.

trust77

That's amazing and to see she overcame the trauma of that experience and carried on all these years - she deserves a round of applause. Is she still flying? I have not had the opportunity of flying with her (yet).

wanderingkev

Staying on the theme of service longevity and not wishing to take thread off track I am amazed in general at the service longevity of US flight attendants.
A few days ago I had a conversation with a good friend who is a Euro based trans con purser. We were talking about the possibility of cuts that have been
in the news in September , she felt it was going to be ok as she is in the 7200's out of approx 25000 UA FA's .....and she has 30 years ! so around 30% have
30 or more years (apologies for all the 30's) which surprised me given how many have left the industry for different reasons in the past 10/12 years.