50 years and counting

[FA Mikey]

This year, Barbara Beckett marked her 50th anniversary as a flight attendant, a career that once would have been ended after a decade by mandatory retirement rules.

The 70-year-old Boynton Beach resident has logged thousands of flights in her career with American Airlines, and has no firm plans to retire.

She has worked through dramatic changes in the perception of flight attendants — from the '60s era of elegance and sophistication to the '70s sex symbol and on through the '80s and '90s, when the profession shed some of its gender bias and discriminating rules.

Today, Beckett averages five trips per month for American, mostly between Miami and London and Miami and Buenos Aires.

"I love the people and the job," Beckett said. "On those airplanes, we're all family."

One of the nicest most gracious flight attendants I ever known or worked with. Congratulations Barbra!

full story here

 

[Hopeful]

Retre already

Just think, when she started, JFK's Al "Blackie" Blackman was already here 18 years!

 

[Ed Norton]

Just think, when she started, JFK's Al "Blackie" Blackman was already here 18 years!

You forget Blackie is a mere mechanic...you know...one those who get asked all the time: "are you cabin service?'

 

[Hopeful]

You forget Blackie is a mere mechanic...you know...one those who get asked all the time: "are you cabin service?'

Yea...so much for wearing different uniforms.

 

[jimntx]

Congratulations to Ms. Beckett! I have no problem with flight attendants working as long as they want if they fly their lines and do their jobs while they are on the airplane. It's the ones that will neither fly nor retire that give me pause. What do they get out of that other than the opportunity to take a jumpseat away from someone who is trying to get to work?

 

[kirkpatrick]

Retre already

Why should she? I think a very high percentage of the older people are excellent FA's, and I've flown with a lot of junior people who simply have no business doing this job.

BTW, in April I'll start my 40th year at age 61.

MK

 

[Duke787]

Congratulations to Ms. Beckett! I have no problem with flight attendants working as long as they want if they fly their lines and do their jobs while they are on the airplane. It's the ones that will neither fly nor retire that give me pause. What do they get out of that other than the opportunity to take a jumpseat away from someone who is trying to get to work?

I agree with you, but I have no sympothy for commuters.............plus she looks great, how many other F/A's do you see half her age bulging out of their uniforms.

 

[damajagua]

Well @ JFK we have a 76 years old that could barely walk up the aisle. I think it's selfish of this person not to retire.

 

[jimntx]

And, that's the company's fault for not making sure at recurrent training every year that every flight attendant should be able to pass minimum physical tests. If we had a single f/a corps where everyone was qualified on everything, there are a number in International that would have to retire. No way could they open a S80 window exit.

It's like with certain legendary f/as--no names but I'm sure you know who I'm talking about--that I was told that no one actually saw either one of them open a door or an exit at recurrent for the last several years of their flying. All other f/as had to leave the trainer when it came their time to do a drill.

 

[galleyguy4u2]

Retre already

All I can say, as a soon returning TWA F/A and I am no where near her age......Your comment was very RUDE. She looks great and can probably run circles around you.

I hope you live and look as good when you turn 70.

 

[galleyguy4u2]

Well @ JFK we have a 76 years old that could barely walk up the aisle. I think it's selfish of this person not to retire.

Well it's her choice not yours. If she can get through EPT's she is good to go.

 

[boston]

Retre already

I just worked LHR with her last Sat-Mon and she is an example of a wonderful person, happy in their life and a hard worker. She is more than well like here in Miami. I hope she stays around as long as she likes, she earned it, it's her seniority and is a pleasure to work with.

 

[Bob Owens]

Well @ JFK we have a 76 years old that could barely walk up the aisle. I think it's selfish of this person not to retire.

Everytime we have a round of layoffs I hear guys complain that Blackie should retire and leave the job for a younger person. At first I agreed with that sentiment. They claim that he is being selfish, however what they fail to realize is that a layoff is temporary, eventually those who are furloughed will be called back and offered employment. Blackie loves to work, if he retires its permanent. As he oftens says "Who will hire me?"So who is being selfish? The younger worker will have relatively little difficulty finding employment to get through the temporary layoff and he can come back someday. Most choose not to come back so their love for the job wasnt as deep as Al's. When someone retires there's no coming back.

When I saw the picture of Ms Becket I was expecting to see a DC-10 in the background, She appears to be very fit and looks very well for 70. Congrats to her on her achievements.

 

[kirkpatrick]

......Your comment was very RUDE. She looks great and can probably run circles around you.

And she can probably spell retre correctly, too.

MK

 

[telebender1956]

Age is not the PRIMARY factor in a persons ability to perform a job task. I have seen 60-70 year olds that can outwork 20 somethings. As a 50 something male I have seen some pretty hot 70 year old women that have taken very good care of themselfs and are in very good health. Age discrimination is not a good thing.