Meet Bette Nash, 81: World’s oldest and most beloved flight attendant

Regular early morning fliers of American Airlines’ Washington-Boston-Washington route don’t just know Bette Nash, the 81-year-old flight attendant — they love her.

See, Bette Nash is considered the world’s oldest flight attendant. If you’re picturing someone grumpy and burned out from working the same job since the age of 21, scratch it. Bette Nash is beloved by everyone lucky enough to be under her care, with her delightful smile, unparalleled style, impeccable energy, and charisma. She doesn’t just cheer up the passengers, but other members of the flight crew, too, who have taken to calling her shift the “Nash Dash.”

On her 60th anniversary of ruling the skies, Bette Nash reveals she first dreamed of becoming a flight attendant on the very first flight she took with her mother:

“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,” she told the Kicker Daily News.

Probed as to why she still continues to work at an age where most would choose retirement, Bette said she simply enjoys what she does and considers it as her social life. Bette loving what she does has had a good and lasting impression on her regular attendees:

“If Bette’s on the flight, you know everything is going to go well,” said Kenneth Feinberg, a regular passenger who has been flying with the Nash Dash for almost three decades now. “She never gets flustered. No matter how busy she is, she’ll always stop and ask you how you are.”

“She is magnificent,” said another frequent flier named Florence Tate. “She’s my mentor — the cup is always half-filled.”

Disembarkation from the Nash Dash always ends with fliers having a photo op with Bette, giving her a hug, and thanking her for a wonderful flying experience.

Bette truly thrives in her job because she enjoys meeting people. Although flying technology has immensely changed over the course of her career, Bette insists people and their needs haven’t changed a bit:

“There’s nothing like technology that has changed,” Nash said. “The people are exactly the same. Everybody needs a little love”

Bette Nash is truly a living testament that when you give the love around, back around it goes. Thank you for your service, Bette!

What can you say about the world’s oldest flight attendant? Would you like to experience being on the Nash Dash? What would you tell Bette if you ever do? Let us know in the comments section below!