After more than 66 years in the air, the industry’s longest-serving flight attendant prepares to retire | CNN

Being a stewardess always had a certain glamour for Joan Prince Crandall. It opened doors to new experiences and gave her a chance to fly all over the world and learn new things. She remembers the days of high heels and fashion while flying – much of which is absent today. After more than 66 years, the memory of that glamour is why she’s still flying. Her employer, Delta Air Lines, believes she is the industry’s longest serving flight attendant – the title which replaced “stewardess” decades ago. “That has been my career – from stewardess to flight attendant,” she told CNN in an interview. Young Prince Crandall began her career at Pacific Airlines in 1959, which flew propeller planes like the Martin 404 and the Fairchild F-27. The first plane she worked on was a Douglas DC-3, a 24-passenger aircraft. “The airlines wanted young women who had a glamourous look,” she said. However, as technology has evolved, so has the profession: from the early days of fashion choices like go-go boots and emphasis on service, to a job critical to the safety of commercial airlines. Flight attendants, while still dressed appropriately and serving drinks and food to fliers, are als

May 30, 2026 → May 30, 2026