Final Boarding Call For Veteran Flight Attendant

One of American Airlines’ most senior flight attendants has completed her final work trip and is retiring after more than 63 years in the skies.

Eighty-three-year-old Carol Fair flew from CLT to Athens (ATH) on October 23 and returned four days later via London Heathrow (LHR) to CLT on October 27.

The flight-tracking site “Flightradar24” even marked the occasion by renaming AA733 as “FA Carol Fair’s Last Flight."

Her colleagues celebrated the achievement with gate celebrations at both ends of the trip, featuring red and blue balloons, a crown and an “I’m retired” banner. Her inbound aircraft also received a water-cannon salute on the airfield.

Fair began her career at Piedmont Airlines in 1963, when flight attendants were still called stewardesses. (Piedmont later merged with US Air, which rebranded as US Airways and then merged with American Airlines.)

“Well, I grew up very poor, so the money was good. And I didn’t go to college, so I just started flying, and it evolved into a career,” said Fair, who lives in Johnson City, Tenn.

She says she stayed so long because she loved her customers. In retirement, Fair still plans to stay busy and spend time with people.

“I’ve joined a lot of clubs, and I do a lot of work with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the VA, and I do a lot of volunteer work, so I’m going to be busy going to luncheons!”