Atlantic Xpat

Conversely on a recent AC flight back across the pond I was talking to the Service Director who told me he was younger than the plane. Which was 28 years old. That's a rarity on AC where, on long haul at least, the cabin staff are, well on the mature side. And I say that as someone enjoying the very last year of being in his 40's....

scrubbedexpat091

In the US atleast flight attendants cannot be forced to retire due to age.

As long as they can perform their duties and pass annual recurrent training they can keep on working.


We get a couple A320s in each week that were built and entered service when I was in 5th grade. That said the passenger cabin has been redone and looks new inside.

Airlines in US and Canada and elsewhere in the world plan on a 20 to 30 year life when planning their fleets.

Souvy

Nothing wrong with that. I have long maintained that the best cabin crew a passenger can hope for comprises older women and very gay men.

dbd33

I don't think old women people make good flight attendants (I doubt old men would either but the history of sexism in the industry makes that generally moot). Aside from conflicting with the images convey in their advertising, they tend to be too wide for the aisles and not nimble enough to dance around customers and their children and companion animals. Very gay men, otoh, tend to thinness and a talent for hip swiveling that suits the role.

Souvy

I disagree. The two best flight attendants I have come across were on UA feeders/puddle jumpers. Just the one attendant per fight. They were mature birds. Their announcements had the passengers in stitches.

"Jesus Christ it's cold!" is probably not standard text.

dbd33

Most fun announcer was on a short flight from a hub to Buffalo (announcer's age unknown). She was a fresh off the boat scouse; a fabulously incongruous sound. Had I not been accompanied by a translator, I wouldn't have had a scooby what she was on about.

Souvy

I can beat that. A flight from Montreal down south (WJ, Sunwing or AC).

The French announcement was unusual. A franco guy sitting near me made the comment: "I'm franco and I have no idea what that guy just said".

BristolUK

A clip from one of Pedro Almodovar's movies.

Pizzawheel

So, on the subject of flights, what's your favourite price comparison websites these days?

I just tried Expedia and found $2,500 for the 3 of us on AC. WJ was competitive outbound but not on return.

bats

I never understand the announcements and without my hearing gadgets I don't even know that there is an announcement which shows how useful they are.

I put a search in Google or go to the airlibe websites and makes notes using a pencil and paper. Sometimes pen but I do like a nice pencil.

BritInParis

https://www.google.co.uk/flights

Pizzawheel

Ha! Me too- nice soft pencil!

My best attendants were on an Air Botswana hop from Gabs to Jo'burg. When the pilot introduced them as Minky and Pinky I turned to my boss and said "You couldn't make that up, could you".

scrubbedexpat091

I generally use expedia to get an idea then go to the airlines website which is almost always within the same price range.

Breaking down the fares on the dates I have been looking the bulk of the cost is taxes of various levels. 50% of the cost is just taxes and govt fees.

Dorothy

Skyscanner. https://www.skyscanner.com.au If you put in $CDN you will get Canadian prices. There's also a UK version.

Flossie and Jim

Kayak is also a good one - if you are flexible with dates you can select +/- 3 days either side and it shows you a matrix of prices and you can slice and dice by airline, airports, flight times, number of stops, etc.

https://www.ca.kayak.com

Oh and I did both WJ 767 and AC 777 the same year and the legroom on WJ was much better than AC (my knees touched the seat in front on AC and I'm 5'6").