• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
World’s longest serving flight attendant Bette Nash has sadly died

Home> News> World News

Updated 13:36 27 May 2024 GMT+1Published 13:31 27 May 2024 GMT+1

World’s longest serving flight attendant Bette Nash has sadly died

Bette Nash was awarded the Guinness World Record for being the world's longest-serving flight attendant

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

The world's longest serving flight attendant who spent nearly seven decades jetting around the skies has sadly passed away at the age of 88.

American Airlines' most beloved cabin crew member Bette Nash died on 17 May.

The airline and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) both announced the tragic news in statements which paid tribute to the Guinness World Record holder's years of dedication to the job she loved.

Advert

In a post shared on X, American Airlines said: "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."

Bette Nash has passed away aged 88 (Dina Rudick/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Bette Nash has passed away aged 88 (Dina Rudick/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

APFA shared its own tribute to Bette on Facebook, which applauded her for 'touching countless lives with her warmth, dedication and unparalleled service' since she began her carer on 4 November 1957.

It continued: "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."

Advert

The long-standing flight attendant, from Virginia, landed a job with Eastern Airlines as a fresh-faced 21-year-old a whopping 67 years ago - at a time when tickets were hand written, schedules were shown on blackboards, and you could get yourself a seat on the plane for just $12.

Even when times changed and technology came to the forefront of travel, she refused to give up her role for retirement and realised that she had to 'evolve' as the airline did.

She was crowned the world's longest serving flight attendant by the Guinness World Records. (James M. Thresher/The The Washington Post via Getty Images)
She was crowned the world's longest serving flight attendant by the Guinness World Records. (James M. Thresher/The The Washington Post via Getty Images)

"I wanted to be a flight attendant from the first moment I got on an airplane," Bette told CNN in 2016 as she approached 60 years on the job. "I was 16 years old and the flight attendant walked across the hall and I said, 'That's for me'."

In those days, you didn't need a reservation in advance to fly, while attendants like Bette would hand out cigarettes to passengers.

Advert

Even before she was awarded the Guinness World Record for longest-serving flight attendant, Bette was something of a celebrity in the skies due to her charm.

Speaking of what her role meant to her, she said: "It’s just been the perfect career path. It’s given my love of people an outlet, and I like to think I’ve given good service to others.

"I thoroughly enjoy my three-minute conversations onboard. And I’m often amazed at the interesting work, travels and lives people have."

Bette spent nearly seven decades working in the skies. (ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Bette spent nearly seven decades working in the skies. (ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Having flown for so many years, Bette had her pick of routes and notably favoured the New York-Boston-Washington DC journeys so that she could be back in time to say goodnight to her son, who is disabled.

Advert

Sticking to the same route also allowed her to run into passengers she had previously met.

"I love my people. I love being on the same flight all the time because I know my customers," she told CNN.

Throughout her time in the skies, Bette said a highlight was flying with former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, while in 2017 she was recognised by American's Chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, for her decades of service.

Bette never officially retired from her role with American Airlines and was pretty much part of the furniture, so she leaves a huge hole in the company and will certainly be missed be many.

Rest in peace, Bette.

Featured Image Credit: James M. Thresher/The The Washington Post via Getty Images/James M. Thresher/The The Washington Post via Getty Images

Topics: News, Travel, World News, US News, Guinness World Record, Cancer

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

X

@livburke_

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • 86-Year-Old Becomes World’s Longest-Serving Flight Attendant
  • Flight attendant reveals the gross reason you should always wear your shoes on a flight
  • True cost of world’s longest cruise that lasts for nine months straight and what it gets you
  • Flight attendant reveals morbid reason why rules changed if someone dies on board

Choose your content:

13 hours ago
15 hours ago
  • 13 hours ago

    Psychotherapist says there are 10 key signs that someone in your life is a narcissist

    Psychotherapist Alishia Portas has explained traits that narcissists tend to exhibit

    News
  • 13 hours ago

    Scientists warn that thousands of mini black holes could be hidden in your house

    Scientists believe that black holes could be moving through our bodies, and we don't even notice

    News
  • 15 hours ago

    Incredible find was made at house of ‘stubborn’ family who rejected £25 million to sell property

    The Zammit family have turned down multiple million-dollar offers to stay put

    News
  • 15 hours ago

    ‘Disc-shaped UFO’ captured by US military flying through sky in never-before-seen footage

    'Ufologist celebrity' Jeremy Corbell leaked the video and said it has 'implications that are huge'

    News