American Airlines loyalists may already be familiar with Bette Nash, and most of us assumed that she was the longest serving flight attendant out there. This has now been confirmed by the Guinness World Records.
Continue reading: 86-Year-Old Flight Attendant Sets New World Record
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Just 65 more years and she'll have that American Dream everyone keeps going on about!
She not only looks great but she seems to have all of the energy necessary to do the job. Staying employed as a flight attendant is about passing tests some of which involve demonstrating physical strength. Some people know when it is no longer safe for them to fly while others need to be given a little push.
The fact that she cares for someone else at her age and still works is nothing short of amazing.
She has seen nearly all of the jet age so she has seen volumes of aviation history. Maybe someone will get her to sit down long enough to write a book.
My hat is completely off to her!
It's the Turkey Pastrami Sandwiches. I have been telling people they promote longevity, here is your proof.
Good for her and happy that she stayed healthy to take care of her son. Sad for the state of affairs of the richest country on earth that this is required for lack of a care system for her and the son.
what are u taking about??Care is available in every Emergency ROom in the US!!!No insurance questions asked.,,this has been a federal law since the late 70's...also her son has to be on Medicare by now????
I don't understand why more companies don't have mandatory retirement ages. Pilots have to retire by 65 and in the past many companies had similar policies. I don't know if it is need to retain workers or concerns about discriminating against old people but this is frankly ridiculous. IMHO no one should be allowed to work past 70 (at the latest). They can't be as productive as younger employees and are taking the spot of someone that needs to be moved up. A similar case (not in the airline industry is Tony Fauci who is 81 and still taking his government paycheck).
BTW - I am 64 and been retired for over 3 years so it can be done people
These is an absolutely ZERO percentage chance of her dragging passenger's limp bodies out of a burning fuselage.....like they all tell us they routinely do.
Good for her! I like reading a "feel good" airline story now and then, especially about my hometown airline of AA. Congrats!
In many countries her adult child with special needs would have been aborted, given up for adoption, or passed by now. Also you have ZERO idea about her, her son, her life, her financial situation, or what AA has probably stepped up and provided her and her family over the years. So just stop it already with the political preaching on a feel good article about an amazing career achievement on her part.
I'm sure she gives excellent service but an 86 year old should be retired with her feet up.
She must be doing it to spend time with him. I have a special needs child and people with special needs in the US have a broad range of support available including free medical insurance under Medicaid or Medicare , disability cash payments from social security and other home care assistance. With her pension benefits she doesn’t need to work as she has maxed out her pension, and is legible for Medicare and retiree health. She wants to work and spend time with her child. The cracks in our healthcare system are more for working middle class adults where many states refused the expansion of Medicaid benefits offered under the affordable care act and that health out of pocket costs are high for many people but in most cases people with social needs have broad based support.
Was just thinking as well, given that U.S. FA's like to compare themselves to first responders.....(insert response here).
I've been lucky enough to be on a flight with her. She was an absolute delight. Good for her.
You do realize that hospitals are only required to stabilize individuals to the point where their condition will not worsen upon leaving said facility. They aren't obligated to provide any care beyond that.
If you show up without insurance, you do, eventually, get a bill for that stabilization treatment, and you are obligated to pay for said treatment, and it can eventually go to collections, depending on the specific hospital and which state you are in. Some hospitals just write the payment off as a loss, others will definitely send the bill to collections, and investigate if you truly are unable to pay.
It’s great that people can work as long as they want. And as long as they’re capable.
Nowhere in the article did it say that she has to work to provide for her special needs child. It said that she likes to be home at night to care for her special needs child. I’m assuming that she works because she wants to work. Her child most likely receives Social Security disability income, and she very likely receives Social Security. I doubt that money has anything to do with it. She goes home at night because she loves her child.
Contrary to your belief, emergency room care isn’t free in the United States; patients with the means to pay can, should, and will be billed for their care. The only thing the emergency room is required to do under EMTALA is to stabilize you.
I just had the pleasure of flying on one of Bette Nash's trips from Washington, DC to Portland Maine. She was delightful and her cheeriness was reflected in the rest of the cabin crew, who were also "senior" flight attendants. It was a very enjoyable flight.
It is true that no insurance or payment is required of anyone as a condition of treatment in Emergency Rooms in the United States. But this does not mean an ER visit will be free. First that emergency care is limited to stabilizing a patient suffering from an acute, life-threatening condition, so you won't get treatment for chronic conditions, like cancer. After this initial care is provided, and your life is no longer in immediate danger, you will be presented with a bill for all the services rendered. The patient is always on the hook to pay for ER cares, the only thing is that no upfront payment can demanded. Afterwards, however, the hospital and their collection agencies will come after you for every cent.
What a lovely inspiring story about a beautiful amazing lady, i imagine working as a junior learning from her would be a great experience, my friend is 75 and still works as a nurse on night duty and is a great inspiration to me as i am only 64 still working as a nurse on day duty.
Only in the USA ! !. Personally I find it very sad that a lady of some 86 years old has to still work to live and care for her special needs son. It would be better if the airlines retired their FA,s at the normal retirement age of 65 as their job can be both physical and very stressful dealing with a often very ignorant and extremely rude public. Personal experience on long haul from Australia to USA most do very little and leave virtually all of the work to the younger crew members, to their chagrin.
How does this affect my points and miles strategy?
After all, I thought this was the primary point of this blog.
I'm friends with few 80+ years old that don't work but are strong mentally and physically and they feel so useless without working, and if they complain, it's they have too much time on their hands to think about dying, especially because peers their age pass away on the yearly or more often bases. Betty has saved herself from it and is an inspiration for others besides that.
Life is good. The rich life is also about sharing positive, encouraging news. Not only concentrating on personal, economic gains.
Right, @BenjaminGuttery, no "political preaching" or conjecturing in your response at all...
Congrats Betty u go live your life to the fullest and u take care of your son that's what woman and mother's do who runs the world be safe and God bless everyone
It's one of those stories that USAmericans think are heartwarming, and the rest of us look with utter disgust at a society where an 86 year old woman has to keep working a high intensity job in order to survive, and to support her special needs son. And then she is paraded as if it's anything to celebrate. Yikes!!!
who ever said she HAS TO work? Did it occur to you that she contiues to work because she WANTS TO and does her job well.
She said she works flights in the NE BECAUSE she wants to come home for her son, not that she works because she needs to do so for her special needs son.
Don't project your interpretation of her situation into what she did not say.
Congrats to a trooper who shows that age IS just a number. She is extremely special, and I wish I had the chance to meet her.
As a recently retired sales rep, I can tell you that it is not always about the money. Most times it's the enjoyment and fulfillment of the job that keeps you working. My last job of 6 years was one of great success until the last couple of years. Covid and new management made it no fun anymore. So I retired, but will be consulting. I always said "I will work as long as I continue to have fun and succeed in selling. Once that wasn't the case I would retire." BTW, I'm 74 and still enjoying life.
Do you realize people like to work? Not everyone wants to sit on their butts and eat bonbons!
Bette is my aunt, although I have never been on a flight with her despite being a million-miler on AA.
I congratulate her on her long career with the airline. But I wonder god forbid if there is an emergency situation flight attendants are suppose assist other passengers with whatever is needed and some involves strength. How will she handle those situations?
I Was A Stewardess With American Airlines Back In 1956 To 1960, And I Remember Signing That Paper That Said, Once You Got Married Or Reached 32 Years Old That Was The End Of Your FLYING CAREER , You Could Then Appy To Other Non Flying Positions With American. WOW, How Times Have Changed Regarding All The Rules And Regulations We Had Back In The Good Old Days Of Flying. Those 4 Years Of My Life Were Some Of The BEST. ❤️✈️❤️