Bette Nash
 

The world’s oldest flight attendant has died. Bette Nash, aged 88, passed away on 17 May 2024 in hospice, after challenges associated with a recent cancer diagnosis. 

Ms. Nash worked for nearly 70 years since her first flight at the age of 21 when she was first hired in late 1957 and continued to work her entire life, up until recently, although Ms. Nash never fully retired.

Flight Attendant Career

Bette Nash began her career young and agile, operating the daily shuttle from Washington, DC, to Boston, MA, operated by Eastern Airlines. This was her preferred flight schedule as it allowed her to be at home every night, barring unforeseen circumstances such as canceled flights. The schedule was essential to Nash as her son needed care throughout his childhood from a disability of Down Syndrome.

Although she had intended to move on after a couple of years, she stayed with the airline for many more years until the shuttle was transferred to the Trump Shuttle in 1989, where she moved and stayed. 

The years of airline mergers continued, as in 1990, the company suffered financial hardship and was acquired by US Airways. During this time, Ms. Nash continued to work the shuttle along the East Coast of the United States.

Bette Nash Flight Attendant Career in American Airlines

Eventually, Nash found herself working for American Airlines in 2015, when the airline merged with her previous employer, US Airways.

She was such an icon on the shuttle flights from Washington, DC, to Boston, MA, that the company started calling the Nash-Dash route, jokingly reminding themselves of her commitment to the route and her fame. 

Flight Attendant Bette Nash in the Guinness Book of World Records,

Bette Nash not only still holds the title of the Longest Serving Flight Attendant and featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, but she also represents a role model for inflight service. Nash has been described as a warm, friendly person eager to provide the service that customers wish for.