US citizen Bette Nash, known for her 70-year career as a flight attendant and holding the Guinness World Record for longest-serving flight attendant, has passed away at the age of 88.
American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants paid tribute to her remarkable career, announcing her death on social media.
“We mourn the passing of Bette Nash, who spent nearly seven decades warmly caring for our customers in the air. She started in 1957 and held the Guinness World Record for longest-serving flight attendant. Bette inspired generations of flight attendants. Fly high, Bette,” American Airlines said in a statement shared on X.
Bette Nash inspired generations of flight attendants
“Bette’s remarkable career spanned over six decades, during which she touched countless lives with her warmth, dedication, and unparalleled service. Her passion for flying and her commitment to her passengers were truly inspiring. Bette’s legacy will forever be remembered in the aviation community and by all who had the privilege of knowing her,” the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the union representing flight attendants in the United States said in a Facebook post.
Nash began her career on November 4, 1957, and once told broadcaster CNN that the romance and glamour of flying attracted her to the role.
“I wanted to be a flight attendant from the time I got on the first airplane – I was 16 years old, I was sitting with my mother on a green leather couch at Washington [Reagan National Airport], and this crew came up from TWA. The pilot and the flight attendant walked across the hall and I thought, ‘Oh my God,’ and I said that was for me,” she told the broadcaster in 2016 when she was 80 years old. According to broadcaster ABC News, Nash never officially retired from her role with American Airlines and passed away on May 17 in hospice care. She was awarded the Guinness World Record for having the longest career as a flight attendant in 2022.