United FA - 63 years of flying

Mr Akana a FA for United -63 years Flying, from Glamour to Days of Gray.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/us...3&pagewanted=1

I think most people have a built in switch inside them that tells them its time to hang it up, and do something else or just plain out retire. I believe this man has no such built in switch to tell him so, or the switch is defective. Do the math. How old is this guy? Must be in his 80's.

Mr Akana is 83, applied to work for United in 1949, his aircraft the Boeing Stratocruiser.

Quite interesting, but a telling tale of cost cutting... - $109000 a year for 3 trips a month??

Good for Mr. Akana!. I hope I still have that sort of energy when I approach my 83rd birthday. With all the craziness in this business I wonder if I will even make it to my 50th birthday working at the airlines.

Regards,

Chepos

I wish ALL fa's were required to be in water in their uniforms and climb INTO a life raft. I've seen some aisle donkeys and buffalo b***s who can hardly touch their toes. And a few that were so delicate, they might break. He looks like he's in good shape, but can he lift the 30+# door and toss it out?
I certainly don't begrudge him his SS--he's required to take that. Don't know about how he gets pension and paycheck, tho?

Nope, on the classics and the A320 series, on the overwing hatches, you have to remove them, as in pick them up and put them somewhere.

Can you tell I'm in love with comma's?? :)

Ron,
enjoy life, that is Patti Boyer who flew with you. I have lost my eye sight and now retired to a boat, RV, Colorado, Orange county.
Aloha - Patti

Welcome aboard Patti, there’s a seat for you right down front. I’ve deleted your e-mail address and phone number from your post, wouldn’t want you spammed and you never want to post your phone number on a public board.


Just looking out for you.


Mig

On a similar note, I think that people may actually pay attention to the safety announcements a tiny bit more if they'd cut some of the ridiculously obvious things. I think most of us know how to put on a seatbelt, not to smoke, and not to tamper with the smoke detector in the lav.

That smoking part you talk about...... you are showing your age. I remember smoking flights. I doubt a cigarette ever put put down an airplane. Stupid things like oxygen canisters going off in the cargo area, or faulty capton wiring were the culprits here. The seatbelt thing? Really? Just think. You land going 150 MPH and suddenly you slam into a wall. If you got your seatbelt on, you get instantly cut in two. Your intesines would all come out your mouth, and the other half from somewhere else. I can see putting them on during turbulence like if you slam into some tough windshear that suddenly drops the plane down real fast.

Oh ye of little faith regarding the acuity of many airline passengers!! How many pax have you seen get up on the10K, when seat belt sign is on, head to the lav or go to the overhead bins. Have you never heard FA's repeat half the safety announcements when that happens? People don't pay attention. I just want EVERY FA to be PHYSICALLY able to handle an evacuation--particularly IF my husband has to be last one to deplane after all souls on board are OFF.
I did have an FA explain to me about the spring loaded exit doors on one flight--since then I always look at the safety card to check. Many of the regional aircraft I fly have toss-outs--or whatever you call them. I stand by my conviction that any crew member who cannot physically get back into a life raft from the water should not be flying.

We were on a DL connex. flite DTW/JFK, the fa could barely waddle up and down the aisle, sad. Not sure she could do much in an emergency..thank you quota system.
We remember when there would be two cigs in a box on dinner flites.

I think police officers should be in shape like professional athletes. What's going on there?

Pago--we call that "crabbing" they have to go sideways thru the aisles. Then there's the square dance: one/two side steps, rotate 180, repeat zig zag down the aisle. So every few pax get the hiney shining.