Who is the oldest cabin crew?

Bette Nash (December 31, 1935 – Present) Bette Nash is currently the oldest active flight attendant in the world at 84 years of age. Nash's story has been featured all over the internet in recent years as she continues to work and shows no signs of slowing down.



The record for the oldest active cabin crew member was famously held by Bette Nash, who served as a flight attendant for American Airlines until her passing in May 2024 at the age of 88. She started her career in 1957 with Eastern Air Lines and set the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving flight attendant, with 67 years of continuous service. As of 2026, the title of oldest active crew member typically shifts between senior flight attendants in the United States, where there is no mandatory retirement age for the role. Several veteran attendants at Delta and American Airlines are currently in their late 70s and early 80s, continuing a legacy of professional service. These "seniority queens" often choose specific short-haul routes—like the "Nash Dash" between D.C. and Boston—allowing them to maintain their social lives and professional passion while returning home every night.

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There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

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At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

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Pam Clark, 73, based at Luton Airport, joined the EasyJet cabin crew 20 years ago, believing her age meant she had something really valuable to offer. Also known as Nana Pam, Ms Clark is a recruitment ambassador for over-45s.

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How much does a Senior Flight Attendant make? As of Sep 24, 2023, the average annual pay for a Senior Flight Attendant in the United States is $84,000 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $40.38 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,615/week or $7,000/month.

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What Has Led to so Many Older American Flight Attendants? Like so many things in life, there isn't a single answer. Changes to civil rights laws in North America during the 1960s started to change the hiring practices of airlines, moving away from them preferentially hiring young women.

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Vesna Vulovic, 23, made the Guinness World Record book for longest fall ever survived. Here's her story. Vesna Vulovic, 23, the stewardess who was the sole survivor of a Yugoslavian Jetliner which crashed in January 1972, smiles from her hospital bed in Prague, Czechoslovakia, on March 2, 1972.

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At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

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Average Flight Attendant Pay vs. Flight Attendants earned an average salary of $62,280 in 2021.

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Aspiring cabin crew is also subjected to drug tests and sometimes alcohol tests to discover any substance abuse issues. Speech defects are not accepted. Any candidate with anemia, epilepsy, diabetes or such will not be considered fit to fly.

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They often work nights, weekends, and holidays because airlines operate every day and have overnight flights. They may spend several nights per week or per month away from home. In most cases, a contract between the airline and the flight attendant union determines the total daily and monthly workable hours.

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They can expect to spend 65-90 hours in the air, and an additional 50 hours preparing the airplane, processing passengers during boarding and performing post-flight procedures. Typically, flight attendants work 12-14 days and log 65-85 flight hours each month, not including overtime.

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New flight attendants typically work a reserve schedule and must be close to the airport, or sometimes wait at the airport for a call to duty. Senior flight attendants enjoy more flexibility in their schedule and choice of destinations. Both roles enjoy the same travel benefits with about 12 days off per month.

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You may be wondering, is it hard to become a flight attendant? Yes, becoming a flight attendant is difficult. The biggest reason it is hard to get a job as a flight attendant is that there are TONS of people applying for just a few openings. Literally thousands of people will apply for 20 open spots.

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Until 1968, when civil rights litigation halted the airline practice of firing women flight attendants at age 32 or if they married, the average tenure on the job in most airlines was two years (Appel 1965). The ensuing women's movement then encouraged women not to quit if they married or had children.

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Which airlines pays flight attendants the most
  • JetBlue and Southwest Airlines pay flight attendants the most, starting at $32,000 and $30,000 each.
  • For experienced flight attendants seeking higher earnings, JetBlue and Alaskan Airlines offer top salaries.
  • The airlines pay an average salary between $103,000-$113,000.


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Is there a weight limit for Delta stewardess? Delta does not have a specific weight requirement for flight attendants. However, flight attendants must be able to meet the physical demands of the job, which include being able to fit comfortably in an aircraft jump seat without a seatbelt extension.

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For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.

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Can you make a living as a flight attendant? Yes, you can make a decent living as a flight attendant. The median salary is $61,640 per year and there are many opportunities to make more than that based on your experience level, the airline you work for and even your geographic location.

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For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.

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