<p>Smoke from a laptop in a passenger's carry-on bag forced the evacuation of an American Airlines flight headed to Miami on Friday (Jul&nbsp;12), according to the airline.</p>

<p>The crew of the flight reported smoke in the cabin as the plane was boarding at the gate, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.</p>

<p>“The bag was removed by our crew members and all passengers exited the aircraft,” the airline said.</p>

<p>“We thank our crew members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” they added.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨🇺🇸Breaking an American Airlines at the San Francisco airport had to evacuate the airplane after smoke filled the cabin and peoples started to panic.<br />
<br />
People rushing to the front to get out but we’re stuck. Eventually emergency exits were opened and they slid down the cause of… <a href="https://t.co/fYBSUy9mmZ">pic.twitter.com/fYBSUy9mmZ</a></p>
— Todd Paron🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) <a href="https://twitter.com/tparon/status/1811927926754971711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The passengers panicked and exited the Airbus A321 using emergency slides.</p>

<p>One person got injured while exiting the plane, which required transport to a hospital, the airline said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two other passengers also reported minor injuries, according to the San Francisco Fire Department, which responded to the incident.</p>

<p>The airplane crew reported the smoking laptop as passengers were boarding, the airline said.</p>

<p>It may be mentioned here, that the American Airlines flight 2045 was scheduled to depart San Francisco at 12:15 p.m. for Miami but after the smoke was detected, the flight departed later on Friday.</p>

<p>Steve Kulm, a spokesperson with the Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency will investigate the matter.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bidens-campaign-faces-90m-setback-as-major-donors-freeze-funds-post-debate-740344">Biden's campaign faces $90 million setback as major donors freeze funds after debate against Trump</a></p>

<h2><strong>American Airlines plane suffers tyre blowout on runway</strong></h2>

<p>American Airlines flight at the Tampa International Airport, narrowly averted a major accident on Wednesday (Jul 10) when one of its tyres suffered a blowout during takeoff.</p>

<p>Smoke and flame could be seen billowing out of the plane, prompting emergency services to circle the plane as the pilot aborted the takeoff attempt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the time of the incident, there were 174 passengers and six crew members on the plane but thankfully none of them suffered any injuries. They all disembarked safely and were transported back to the terminal, as per reports.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>American Airlines' funny mix-up</strong></h2>

<p>In a peculiar incident, American Airlines mistook a 101-year-old woman for an infant. How? Well, technology is to blame.</p>

<p>The woman, identified as Patricia by media reports, is a 101-year-old born in 1922. However, the American Airlines system apparently cannot compute her 100-plus years of age and defaults the year of birth to 2022.</p>

<p>Her seat was booked as an adult ticket. However, the staff was expecting an infant.</p>

<p>"The same thing happened last year, and they were also expecting a child and not me," the woman said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Smoke from a laptop in a passenger's carry-on bag forced the evacuation of an American Airlines flight headed to Miami on Friday (Jul 12), according to the airline.

Smoke from a laptop in a passenger's carry-on bag forced the evacuation of an American Airlines flight headed to Miami on Friday (Jul 12), according to the airline. The crew of the flight reported smoke in the cabin as the plane was boarding at the gate, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. “The bag was removed by our crew members and all passengers exited the aircraft,” the airline said. “We thank our crew members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” they added. 🚨🇺🇸Breaking an American Airlines at the San Francisco airport had to evacuate the airplane after smoke filled the cabin and peoples started to panic. People rushing to the front to get out but we’re stuck. Eventually emergency exits were opened and they slid down the cause of… pic.twitter.com/fYBSUy9mmZ — Todd Paron🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) July 13, 2024 × The passengers panicked and exited the Airbus A321 using emergency slides. One person got injured while exiting the plane, which required transport to a hospital, the airline said. Two other passengers also reported minor injuries, according to the San Francisco Fire Department, which responded to the incident. The airplane crew reported the smoking laptop as passengers were boarding, the airline said. It may be mentioned here, that the American Airlines flight 2045 was scheduled to depart San Francisco at 12:15 p.m. for Miami but after the smoke was detected, the flight departed later on Friday. Steve Kulm, a spokesperson with the Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency will investigate the matter. Also Read: Biden's campaign faces $90 million setback as major donors freeze funds after debate against Trump American Airlines plane suffers tyre blowout on runway American Airlines flight at the Tampa International Airport, narrowly averted a major accident on Wednesday (Jul 10) when one of its tyres suffered a blowout during takeoff. Smoke and flame could be seen billowing out of the plane, prompting emergency services to circle the plane as the pilot aborted the takeoff attempt. At the time of the incident, there were 174 passengers and six crew members on the plane but thankfully none of them suffered any injuries. They all disembarked safely and were transported back to the terminal, as per reports. American Airlines' funny mix-up In a peculiar incident, American Airlines mistook a 101-year-old woman for an infant. How? Well, technology is to blame. The woman, identified as Patricia by media reports, is a 101-year-old born in 1922. However, the American Airlines system apparently cannot compute her 100-plus years of age and defaults the year of birth to 2022. Her seat was booked as an adult ticket. However, the staff was expecting an infant. "The same thing happened last year, and they were also expecting a child and not me," the woman said. (With inputs from agencies)

Smoking laptop prompts evacuation on American Airlines flight | Video

<p>An American Airlines flight at the Tampa International Airport, narrowly averted a major accident on Wednesday (Jul 10) when one of its tyres suffered a blowout during takeoff. Smoke and flame could be seen billowing out of the plane, prompting emergency services to circle the plane as the pilot aborted the takeoff attempt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the airline company, flight 590, a Boeing 737-900 aircraft,&nbsp;bound for Phoenix developed a 'mechanical problem' prior to leaving the ground and immediately after it had taxied onto the runway tarmac.&nbsp;The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating after the pilots mentioned experiencing "multiple blown tyres".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The flight was headed to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information," read the statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the time of the incident, there were 174 passengers and six crew members on the plane but thankfully none of them suffered any injuries. They all disembarked safely and were transported back to the terminal, per reports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Captain Steven Markovich captured the video showing the incident. He could be heard saying that the plane blew an engine before clearing that it had blown a tyre.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch the video of the incident below:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: American Airlines flight 590 out of Tampa, Florida narrowly avoids disaster after multiple tires blow out during takeoff.<br />
<br />
As the plane was picking up speed and seconds away from liftoff, the tires blew out.<br />
<br />
The pilot slammed on the brakes as the plane barreled towards… <a href="https://t.co/P5kZ3N6pUO">pic.twitter.com/P5kZ3N6pUO</a></p>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1811182823220576527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Recorded by Captain Steven Markovich, an American Airlines Boeing 737-823 aircraft (N908AN) operating Flight 590 to Phoenix (PHX) aborted its takeoff on runway 19R of Tampa International Airport (TPA) around 7:50 a.m. local time on Wednesday, July 10 due to a blown tire.<br />
<br />
The… <a href="https://t.co/wXNPpAdnZl">pic.twitter.com/wXNPpAdnZl</a></p>
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) <a href="https://twitter.com/fl360aero/status/1811134780915990718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/american-airlines-flight-attendants-reject-latest-contract-proposal-729329"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;American Airlines flight attendants reject latest contract proposal</strong></a></p>

<p>American Airlines issued a statement in the aftermath, informing that the passengers were safely rerouted to their destinations.</p>

<p>"Customers safely deplaned and were bussed to the terminal. We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-three-black-passengers-sue-american-airlines-for-racial-discrimination-727233"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Three black passengers sue American airlines for racial discrimination</strong></a></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-three-black-passengers-sue-american-airlines-for-racial-discrimination-727233/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"Just before 8 am&nbsp;on Wednesday, Tampa International Airport dispatched first responders to American Airlines Flight 590, which required an emergency response on the airfield at Taxiway W. The aircraft’s passengers and crew exited the plane and were transported by bus to Airside F. Other flight operations at TPA are not impacted," Tampa Airport was quoted as saying by FOX 13.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


An American Airlines flight at the Tampa International Airport, narrowly averted a major accident on Wednesday (Jul 10) when one of its tyres suffered a blowout during takeoff.

An American Airlines flight at the Tampa International Airport, narrowly averted a major accident on Wednesday (Jul 10) when one of its tyres suffered a blowout during takeoff. Smoke and flame could be seen billowing out of the plane, prompting emergency services to circle the plane as the pilot aborted the takeoff attempt. According to the airline company, flight 590, a Boeing 737-900 aircraft, bound for Phoenix developed a 'mechanical problem' prior to leaving the ground and immediately after it had taxied onto the runway tarmac. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating after the pilots mentioned experiencing "multiple blown tyres". "The flight was headed to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline for additional information," read the statement. At the time of the incident, there were 174 passengers and six crew members on the plane but thankfully none of them suffered any injuries. They all disembarked safely and were transported back to the terminal, per reports. Captain Steven Markovich captured the video showing the incident. He could be heard saying that the plane blew an engine before clearing that it had blown a tyre. Watch the video of the incident below: JUST IN: American Airlines flight 590 out of Tampa, Florida narrowly avoids disaster after multiple tires blow out during takeoff. As the plane was picking up speed and seconds away from liftoff, the tires blew out. The pilot slammed on the brakes as the plane barreled towards… pic.twitter.com/P5kZ3N6pUO — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 10, 2024 × Recorded by Captain Steven Markovich, an American Airlines Boeing 737-823 aircraft (N908AN) operating Flight 590 to Phoenix (PHX) aborted its takeoff on runway 19R of Tampa International Airport (TPA) around 7:50 a.m. local time on Wednesday, July 10 due to a blown tire. The… pic.twitter.com/wXNPpAdnZl — FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 10, 2024 × Also read | American Airlines flight attendants reject latest contract proposal American Airlines issued a statement in the aftermath, informing that the passengers were safely rerouted to their destinations. "Customers safely deplaned and were bussed to the terminal. We never want to disrupt our customers' travel plans and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused." Watch | Gravitas: Three black passengers sue American airlines for racial discrimination × "Just before 8 am on Wednesday, Tampa International Airport dispatched first responders to American Airlines Flight 590, which required an emergency response on the airfield at Taxiway W. The aircraft’s passengers and crew exited the plane and were transported by bus to Airside F. Other flight operations at TPA are not impacted," Tampa Airport was quoted as saying by FOX 13. (With inputs from agencies)

WATCH | American Airlines plane suffers tyre blowout on runway, pilot does this next...

<p>A woman from New York has sued American Airlines after her 14-year-old son died following a medical emergency on a flight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the lawsuit the aircraft's defibrillator was not working and that the flight crew was not properly trained to use it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the New York Post, 14-year-old Kevin Greenidge was flying home to New York City with his family from a summer vacation in Honduras. While being in midair, he suddenly lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/man-spends-93-days-under-atlantic-sea-becomes-10-years-younger-723145">Man spends 93 days under Atlantic Sea, becomes ‘10 years younger’</a></p>

<p>The teen's mother claims the flight crew didn't respond quickly to her calls for assistance and faced difficulties using the defibrillator. The plane was diverted to Cancun, Mexico, where the teen was taken to a hospital, but unfortunately, he was pronounced dead.</p>

<p>Greenidge suffered from asthma and type 2 diabetes. His primary cause of death was listed as myocardial infarction.</p>

<p>The lawsuit states that his death was caused only because of the carelessness, recklessness, and negligence of the defendant.</p>

<p>The lawsuit further stated, when crewmembers eventually attempted to use the plane's automated external defibrillator (AED), they were unable to properly operate the machine or the machine did not function accurately.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-giant-meteor-turns-night-sky-over-portugal-and-spain-into-breathtaking-blue-723071">WATCH: Giant meteor turns dark night sky over Portugal and Spain into breathtaking blue</a></p>

<p>According to eyewitnesses, every time the AED gave a clear warning for people to step back from Greenidge's body so that a shock could be administered, but a shock was not delivered.</p>

<p>Instead, the machine simply kept advising that CPR should be continued.</p>

<p>The lawsuit further alleges that the airline violated its own policy by withholding a $113,100 advance payment due to the mother following the passenger's onboard death.</p>

<p>''After my son died, I never heard from American Airlines. It made me feel hopeless. I want answers from American Airlines. I want American Airlines to take full responsibility for Kevin's death. I never want this to happen to a child or family again,'' the teen's mother Melissa Arzu said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/the-great-khali-lands-in-trouble-after-lifting-worlds-shortest-woman-with-his-hands-video-723319">The Great Khali lands in trouble after lifting world's shortest woman with his hands: Video</a></p>

<p>It is worth mentioning that, flight attendants working for US-based airlines should be trained in CPR and in use of the automatic external defibrillator.&nbsp;</p>

<p>American Airlines declined to comment over the litigation, but said their thoughts are with Mr. Greenidge's loved ones.</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A woman from New York has sued American Airlines after her 14-year-old son died following a medical emergency on a flight. According to the lawsuit the aircraft's defibrillator was not working and that the flight crew was not properly trained to use it.

A woman from New York has sued American Airlines after her 14-year-old son died following a medical emergency on a flight. According to the lawsuit the aircraft's defibrillator was not working and that the flight crew was not properly trained to use it. As per the New York Post, 14-year-old Kevin Greenidge was flying home to New York City with his family from a summer vacation in Honduras. While being in midair, he suddenly lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest. Also read: Man spends 93 days under Atlantic Sea, becomes ‘10 years younger’ The teen's mother claims the flight crew didn't respond quickly to her calls for assistance and faced difficulties using the defibrillator. The plane was diverted to Cancun, Mexico, where the teen was taken to a hospital, but unfortunately, he was pronounced dead. Greenidge suffered from asthma and type 2 diabetes. His primary cause of death was listed as myocardial infarction. The lawsuit states that his death was caused only because of the carelessness, recklessness, and negligence of the defendant. The lawsuit further stated, when crewmembers eventually attempted to use the plane's automated external defibrillator (AED), they were unable to properly operate the machine or the machine did not function accurately. WATCH: Giant meteor turns dark night sky over Portugal and Spain into breathtaking blue According to eyewitnesses, every time the AED gave a clear warning for people to step back from Greenidge's body so that a shock could be administered, but a shock was not delivered. Instead, the machine simply kept advising that CPR should be continued. The lawsuit further alleges that the airline violated its own policy by withholding a $113,100 advance payment due to the mother following the passenger's onboard death. ''After my son died, I never heard from American Airlines. It made me feel hopeless. I want answers from American Airlines. I want American Airlines to take full responsibility for Kevin's death. I never want this to happen to a child or family again,'' the teen's mother Melissa Arzu said. Also read: The Great Khali lands in trouble after lifting world's shortest woman with his hands: Video It is worth mentioning that, flight attendants working for US-based airlines should be trained in CPR and in use of the automatic external defibrillator. American Airlines declined to comment over the litigation, but said their thoughts are with Mr. Greenidge's loved ones. (With inputs from agencies)

Mother sues American Airlines after son's death on flight

<p>A passenger on American Airlines was duct-taped to her seat after she flouted several mid-air rules, putting everyone’s lives in danger.</p>

<p>The woman, who is described to be in her 30s and sported green hair, was seen bolting to the airplane’s door.</p>

<p>As per reports, the woman started telling her co-passenger who was sitting right next to her that she does not want the plane to "fly up anymore".</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">American Airlines passenger was duct taped to her seat after she tried to open the plane door, then bit a flight attendant. <a href="https://t.co/nDsu3GWnOP">pic.twitter.com/nDsu3GWnOP</a></p>
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSington/status/1414169376543047682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>After this, she quickly jumped out of her seat and ran towards the door to open it. As soon as the attendants saw this incident, they rushed to tackle the 'odd woman'. However, one of the attendants was bit by the passenger while she was moving the passenger away from the door.</p>

<p>She "started getting more and more agitated and very loud, and the man sitting next to her, along with the flight attendants, kindly tried to console her and calm her, but nothing worked,"&nbsp;a passenger told local media.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KyR5wB5sbAc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In order to control the woman, the flight attendants had to tie her to the chair by using duct tape and her limbs were restrained using zip ties.</p>

<p>American Airlines claimed that the woman had physically assaulted their crew and bit an attendant. "For the safety and security of other customers and our crew, the individual was restrained until the flight landed at [Charlotte] and could be met by law enforcement and emergency personnel. We applaud our crew for their professionalism and quick effort to protect those on board," a statement from the airlines read.</p>


A passenger on American Airlines was duct-taped to her seat after she flouted several mid-air rules, putting everyone’s lives in danger. The woman, who is described to be in her 30s and sported green hair, was seen bolting to the airplane’s door.

A passenger on American Airlines was duct-taped to her seat after she flouted several mid-air rules, putting everyone’s lives in danger. The woman, who is described to be in her 30s and sported green hair, was seen bolting to the airplane’s door. As per reports, the woman started telling her co-passenger who was sitting right next to her that she does not want the plane to "fly up anymore". American Airlines passenger was duct taped to her seat after she tried to open the plane door, then bit a flight attendant. pic.twitter.com/nDsu3GWnOP — Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 11, 2021 × After this, she quickly jumped out of her seat and ran towards the door to open it. As soon as the attendants saw this incident, they rushed to tackle the 'odd woman'. However, one of the attendants was bit by the passenger while she was moving the passenger away from the door. She "started getting more and more agitated and very loud, and the man sitting next to her, along with the flight attendants, kindly tried to console her and calm her, but nothing worked," a passenger told local media. × In order to control the woman, the flight attendants had to tie her to the chair by using duct tape and her limbs were restrained using zip ties. American Airlines claimed that the woman had physically assaulted their crew and bit an attendant. "For the safety and security of other customers and our crew, the individual was restrained until the flight landed at [Charlotte] and could be met by law enforcement and emergency personnel. We applaud our crew for their professionalism and quick effort to protect those on board," a statement from the airlines read.

WATCH | Passenger on airlines duct-taped to seat after she tried to open plane door and bit attendant

<p>American Airlines Flight 2160 from Boston has just arrived in Washington, D.C., and Bette Nash, 81, helps the passengers disembark. They embrace her, take photos, and express their thanks. It&#39;s always like this. After six decades crossing the skies as a flight attendant, Nash still has impeccable style, incredible energy and a constant smile. She has lost only one thing: her anonymity.</p>

<p>Kendra Taylor, a passenger, beams after taking a selfie with the octogenarian, whom she had hoped to meet.</p>

<p>&quot;When I saw her I was like, &#39;Oh my gosh.&#39; I just saw her on TV last week!&quot; In a dark suit accented by a coloured scarf, with her hair in a bun, Nash lends herself to accolades and plays with the compliments. She is the undisputed star of the Airbus jet, rather than the captain, Mike Margiotta, who emerges from the flight deck. &quot;Very professional,&quot; he says of his model hostess. &quot;She&#39;s got that old-school way of doing things.&quot;</p>

<p>In the United States, pilots must retire at 65 but there is no such restriction on commercial flight attendants, of whom Bette Nash is probably the world&#39;s most senior. See her gliding through the terminal concourse, pulling her suitcase, and it&#39;s hard not to be taken by the admiring words one hears about her.</p>

<p>&quot;I start my day at 2:10 in the morning. I have two alarm clocks and when they go off I don&#39;t lie there, I get up,&quot; Nash says. At her home in Virginia, bordering Washington, Nash prepares food for her only son, who is disabled, and who will be waiting for her return to solid ground.<br />
<br />
Primped, and fueled by &quot;a couple of eggs,&quot; she arrives before sunrise at Ronald Reagan National Airport.</p>

<p>Nash prefers the Washington-Boston-Washington route, on which she gets priority because of her incomparable seniority. She was 21 years young and Dwight Eisenhower was president when Eastern Air Lines recruited her as a &quot;stewardess,&quot; a word which -- like Eastern itself -- has disappeared from use.<br />
<br />
At that time, travel by air was the preserve of a certain elite. &quot;There were a lot of men because they were doing business, and women came on with their fur coats, and their finery and their hats and everything.</p>

<p>You didn&#39;t have... the flip-flops and the sneakers and things you do today,&quot; Nash says. Her own uniforms ranged, through the years, from conservative to elegant, and &quot;wild.&quot;<br />
<br />
&quot;When (president) John Kennedy came into office and everything, things started opening up, so we wore crazy uniforms.</p>

<p>We even had hot pants for a brief period, and these boots,&quot; she remembers. In those earlier times, which seem almost prehistoric, there were no plastic meal trays. Hostesses cooked lobster and duck a l&#39;orange equally well, and carved the meat. In the first class, passengers dined with silverware and porcelain.</p>

<p>&quot;We had five carts: we&#39;d start with a beverage cart, then we&#39;d have an hors-d&#39;oeuvre cart, then we&#39;d have the entrees cart.&quot; Desserts followed, and then finally came &quot;a cordial cart.&quot; There was no mixing of classes. Flights were either all first class or &quot;tourist&quot; class.<br />
<br />
In the less-opulent class, &quot;we sold sandwiches and milk. Sandwiches were 50 cents and milk was 15 cents,&quot; Nash says.</p>

<p>&quot;We just had coffee, tea, hot chocolate and bouillon.&quot; Strikes, mergers, buyouts, Nash has gone through all the somersaults of the US aviation industry. She even worked for Trump Shuttle, an airline briefly owned by current President Donald Trump in the early 90s.<br />
<br />
During one unforgettable approach to Washington, her plane was hit by turbulence so violent that part of a toilet separated, and it seemed as though a wing hit the ground.</p>

<p>&quot;It was just terrible,&quot; Nash said, recalling lightning that &quot;kept on coming in and I think we even flew over the White House that night, which was really illegal.&quot; The plane had to return to New York.<br />
<br />
Ten years ago, for her 50th anniversary on the job, Nash&#39;s plane was welcomed on the tarmac by sprays of water from fire engines -- an honour normally reserved for veteran pilots or the baptism of a new plane.</p>

<p>Who imagined that Nash would still be there. &quot;I am not going to work until I am 90,&quot; she says, before adding on the subject of retirement: &quot;I don&#39;t want to think about it!&quot; Bette Nash will celebrate her 82nd birthday on December 31.</p>


In the US, pilots must retire at 65 but there is no such restriction on commercial flight attendants

American Airlines Flight 2160 from Boston has just arrived in Washington, D.C., and Bette Nash, 81, helps the passengers disembark. They embrace her, take photos, and express their thanks. It's always like this. After six decades crossing the skies as a flight attendant, Nash still has impeccable style, incredible energy and a constant smile. She has lost only one thing: her anonymity. Kendra Taylor, a passenger, beams after taking a selfie with the octogenarian, whom she had hoped to meet. "When I saw her I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' I just saw her on TV last week!" In a dark suit accented by a coloured scarf, with her hair in a bun, Nash lends herself to accolades and plays with the compliments. She is the undisputed star of the Airbus jet, rather than the captain, Mike Margiotta, who emerges from the flight deck. "Very professional," he says of his model hostess. "She's got that old-school way of doing things." In the United States, pilots must retire at 65 but there is no such restriction on commercial flight attendants, of whom Bette Nash is probably the world's most senior. See her gliding through the terminal concourse, pulling her suitcase, and it's hard not to be taken by the admiring words one hears about her. "I start my day at 2:10 in the morning. I have two alarm clocks and when they go off I don't lie there, I get up," Nash says. At her home in Virginia, bordering Washington, Nash prepares food for her only son, who is disabled, and who will be waiting for her return to solid ground. Primped, and fueled by "a couple of eggs," she arrives before sunrise at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Nash prefers the Washington-Boston-Washington route, on which she gets priority because of her incomparable seniority. She was 21 years young and Dwight Eisenhower was president when Eastern Air Lines recruited her as a "stewardess," a word which -- like Eastern itself -- has disappeared from use. At that time, travel by air was the preserve of a certain elite. "There were a lot of men because they were doing business, and women came on with their fur coats, and their finery and their hats and everything. You didn't have... the flip-flops and the sneakers and things you do today," Nash says. Her own uniforms ranged, through the years, from conservative to elegant, and "wild." "When (president) John Kennedy came into office and everything, things started opening up, so we wore crazy uniforms. We even had hot pants for a brief period, and these boots," she remembers. In those earlier times, which seem almost prehistoric, there were no plastic meal trays. Hostesses cooked lobster and duck a l'orange equally well, and carved the meat. In the first class, passengers dined with silverware and porcelain. "We had five carts: we'd start with a beverage cart, then we'd have an hors-d'oeuvre cart, then we'd have the entrees cart." Desserts followed, and then finally came "a cordial cart." There was no mixing of classes. Flights were either all first class or "tourist" class. In the less-opulent class, "we sold sandwiches and milk. Sandwiches were 50 cents and milk was 15 cents," Nash says. "We just had coffee, tea, hot chocolate and bouillon." Strikes, mergers, buyouts, Nash has gone through all the somersaults of the US aviation industry. She even worked for Trump Shuttle, an airline briefly owned by current President Donald Trump in the early 90s. During one unforgettable approach to Washington, her plane was hit by turbulence so violent that part of a toilet separated, and it seemed as though a wing hit the ground. "It was just terrible," Nash said, recalling lightning that "kept on coming in and I think we even flew over the White House that night, which was really illegal." The plane had to return to New York. Ten years ago, for her 50th anniversary on the job, Nash's plane was welcomed on the tarmac by sprays of water from fire engines -- an honour normally reserved for veteran pilots or the baptism of a new plane. Who imagined that Nash would still be there. "I am not going to work until I am 90," she says, before adding on the subject of retirement: "I don't want to think about it!" Bette Nash will celebrate her 82nd birthday on December 31.

Meet 81-year-old air hostess who rules the skies