The age limit for becoming a flight attendant may vary from airline to airline.
It is often assumed that most airlines require flight attendants to be at least 21 years old while the maximum age limit is set to the late 50s to early 60s.
However, this isn't the case for everyone. An article in The Telegraph describes the journey taken by Peter Wanless, a UK man who had spent four decades in the police force before he decided to become a flight attendant in his mid-60s.
Wanless is a member of Easyjet's cabin crew. Easyjet is a low-cost airline based in London, UK. The airline recently launched a recruitment campaign for empty nesters. The airline noted that it had seen a 27% increase in cabin crew over the age of 45.
Wanless may be older but he isn't the oldest flight attendant.
That record is held by Bette Nash, an American flight attendant who began her career in 1957 with Eastern Airlines. Nash was 86 years old in 2022 and was reported to be still working as a senior flight attendant at American Airlines.
Nash has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the longest-serving flight attendant and the oldest. She was recognized for her 65 years of service in 2022.
Flight attendants are trained in a comprehensive program that covers a wide range of topics such as safety and emergency procedures, customer service and communication skills, in-flight sales, and revenue generation, cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness, and health and safety regulations.
The length of time it takes to train as a flight attendant can vary depending on the airline and the specific training program. On average, flight attendant training can take anywhere from several weeks to several months.
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