Woman Is Honored As World’s Longest-Serving Flight Attendant For 65-Year Career
An 86-year-old woman has been recognized by Guinness World Records for being the world’s longest-serving flight attendant.
Bette Nash has been a flight attendant for nearly 65 years, and currently serves with American Airlines.
Most of her career was on the New York-Boston-Washington shuttle, so she could return home on the same night to care for her son with disabilities.
Nash’s career began in November of 1957 with Eastern Air Lines, a year before the Boeing 707 officially entered service for commercial air travel.
Back then, Nash recalls that it was just $12 for a one-way airline ticket and passengers would pay the flight attendants as they boarded. Passengers were also able to purchase life insurance from a vending machine upon arrival, and would receive cigarettes and matches after the on-board food service.
The requirements were also very strict back then.
Women had to be single, and also had to be a certain height and weight. They would weigh you before every flight, and if you gained a few pounds, you would get taken off the payroll.
More than ten decades later, it’s safe to say that a lot has changed in the airline industry, but Nash has enjoyed her job all the same.
She loves talking with her passengers and has no plans of retiring yet.
She still attends flight attendant training, which is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Hear her inspiring story in the video below:
