American Flight Attendants
 

I can't help but notice that every time i fly with a US Airline the age range of the cabin crew seems to be huge whereas with every other airline i've flown with the crew have mainly been young. eg.

USA = 21-60
Rest = 18-40 tops

does anyone know why this is?

interested, have you flown on BA???

On the crew I am with right now, we have the youngest crew member, around 25 to the oldest around 50. I have to say that the majority of the 15 crew members are over the 40ish mark:)

Old is gold!

Old is depressing.

American Hosties
 

Its quite sad the answer to the question, but American flight attendants are so old because their retirement schemes are so bad, and unfortunatly they have to carry on working well past their sell by dates. Thats what happens when big airlines decide to make cut backs. Also, basic pay for new entrant cabin crew is extremely low so not many people can afford to fly, AND with seniority, when you have crew who have been flying 60 years, to get onto any long haul flying will take decades!

How old?
 

I believe some of the oldest flight attendants were/are still flying for some US airlines in their 80's.Anybody any idea who is currently the most senior crew member still flying?

Iris Peterson born in 1921, recently retired, began her career in 1946 with UAL.

Northwest's number one is 84 now and has no intention of giving up.

I should learn to read.

Actually, old isn't depressing at all...I used to think like that, but now that I'm the wrong side of fifty, I've changed my views! Just a few reasons why......
I like having a nice house with a small mortgage and it's nice to have a couple of cars in the household which are paid for, and even though they are quite sporty, they don't cost a fortune to insure. I like never paying interest on my credit cards. I like it now that my children are grown up and I can go out with my husband without having to worry about a baby-sitter. I like the fact that I can work as cabin-crew and night-stop without wondering if my nanny is caring for the children properly. I like being a grandmother and handing my baby granddaughter back to her parents when I've had my play and cuddle with her. I'm pleased not to be, as most young people seem to be, constantly attached to a mobile 'phone, and I'm pleased to have had the kind of education which left me with the ability to punctuate and spell correctly. (I'm afraid I abhor text-speak.)The same education ,(grammar school, free), which now allows me to be able to tot up my grocery bill in my head before I get to the check-out. I'm not botherered about which celebrity is divorcing whom, and I couldn't care less about big brother. I have never 'done' drugs, and I'm not tempted to try to be part of the 'in' crowd. I was a mini-skirt wearing teenager in the sixties when everyone seemed to know how far they could go to stay within the law, when ASBOs hadn't been invented and binge drinking was for the whinos in cardboard city at Waterloo Station.
I'm an elderly cabin crew member, it's a fact. Thank goodness!!

Daisy1
 

Here Here Landlady! I agree with everything you say and we don't panic onboard if anything happens, maybe because we've seen it all before....:D

Well said, Landlady! Even though I'm a young whippersnapper (38 years old, to be precise), I can certainly understand many of your sentiments.

:ok:

Land Lady - by any chance do you live in Chiswick! :)

Cheers to the Old School. May aviation one day become Civil again.

shady side of 40
 

Interesting article on the psychology involved in this business
http://www.counsellingatwork.org.uk/journal_pdf/acw_spring07_b.pdf

I'm not so good at 'big business' - when I did try out life in a business consultancy I was miserable and lived on my nerves and frayed patience - so went back to the planes a.s.a.p.
But I do know people, untuitively. I'm on the shady side of 40 so hot on the heals of LandLady who sounds to me like an airlines ideal choice...
I have every intention of succeeding in a new venture and plan to get involved as operational crew in the recruitment events.
I would like to see a revolutionary change in the way crew are selected and how the lifestyle is managed.

Not Chiswick, down in deepest 'ampshire!

When I re-read my post I thought of a hundred other reasons why I like being the age I am..... I think every new year brings it's advantages, and although I'm not one of those people who wishes to be young again, I do enjoy the company of younger people. Oh, and I still like to party ! (A lot!)

Older Flight Attendants
 

In the US a company (airline or other) cannot discriminate based on age and other factors. If a 60 year old is competitive in the interview process then they will get hired. Once you are over 50 you are protected against age discrimination by the EEOC. The older f/a's in the US can certainly teach the young new hires a lot. Average age on international at a major US carrier is probably 50!

*Poof* DUST:} i can't see myself flying with someone who has amnesia and arthritis thats just dangerous half way through briefing she forgot everything:= !!! thats not good for safety specially if we need to make a speedy evacuation: No Granma Sue forgot how to operate the door oh she hasn't even made it to the door yet (she's 102):rolleyes:

Landlady you are awesome :)

Makes you more aware of discrimination
 

What is interesting about this whole debate is that you only realize how deeply age discrimination pervades your own culture when you go somewhere else and you are surprised to see older people working.

If you think about it there is no reason why a flight attendant should not carry on working as long as he/she wants provided they pass the medical (or whatever). They are not there for decoration or for marrying the passengers.

I am sure that if the airline lets someone carry on flying they are confident that they can carry out all the duties safely, whether that is remembering to close the door before takeoff, flinging a 100lb emergency door over the wing or hogtieing a drunk passenger.

But what beats me is how some of these people can get into their eighties on a diet of airplane food. I suppose they bring sandwiches.

the ethichs of aviation
 

some employers can be cruel, i must admit i have no problem working with older people as all the people i work with now are way older than me, i think you can learn a lot from old people and i get on with older people more

maybe some british airlines could take a leaf out of their books.

something i was wondering, i thought US cabin crew got far more than british crew did, or if they dont their money goes further,

and good old iris peterson, now thats someone who enjoys their job:)

well done Iris!