Qatar Airways Chairman and CEO Akbar Al Baker has waded into a contentious controversy: the age-old FA age debate.
You can listen to his remarks in context below, but he stated–
Wide seats, plenty of legroom, as well as award winning service from our international cabin crew. By the way, the average age of my cabin crew is only 26 years, so there is no need for you to travel on this crap American carriers.
Let’s stop for a moment.
His first comment is technically correct (though I found service and legroom poor on the Qatar A350 inaugural flight in economy class). I’ll give him this as well–I DO find service to be on-average tremendous on Qatar and go out of my way to fly the Doha-based carrier.
And I’ll go even one step further. Qatar crews are often beautiful.
But beauty is not limited to youthfulness and counting up what Qatar does well then saying “so there is need for you to travel on this crap American carriers” represents a blatant non-sequitur.
Feeding off of the audience’s applause, Akbar could not help himself and added one more line–
You know you are always being served by grandmothers at American carriers.
Yes, as matter of fact he is right. Many of the U.S. FAs I know are grandmothers.
In fact, nothing he says is untrue. Yet he still misses the point. By a long-shot.
Young ≠ Good
If you’re a long-time reader to this blog you know that I have argued on many occasions that there is no correlation between age and good service. For example, when writing about my bachelor party flight to Hawaii I wrote–
Working our cabin was a wonderful team of Barbara and Boise. Boise had been with United for four decades and still loved his job and Barbara wasn’t far behind him. What an amazing duo and a testament to the fact that age and great service are not at all correlated.
I also wrote about the amazing veteran crew on a Frankfurt to San Francisco first class flight. The ladies were pushing 70+ and yet I count the service on that flight as one of the best of my life.
We all age and while the beauty of youth passes, the beauty of kindness, warmth, and empathy can make even the most shriveled prune stunningly gorgeous. I mean that. Many people become more beautiful over time as they abide in love. Many American FAs fall into that category.
Why Do People Prefer Gulf Carriers?
I’ll tell you a story. I recently flew a transatlantic flight on United with a Houston-based crew. I was seated in economy class near a galley. From the very start of the flight, the crew could be heard bickering about having to serve meals and how much they hated working “these” flights (presumably overnight transatlantic flights). Average age of the crew? Probably around 35. There were many young FAs working the flight. This attitude spilled off into the way passengers were treated during the flight and even the lack of water runs that should be standard on longhaul economy class flights. Note: one of the young FAs stuffed two 2L bottles of water into her purse in front of passengers after the flight.
One passenger seated across from me was wearing a Harvard sweatshirt and had earphones on. During the flight the purser (International Service Manager as the ex-Contiental folks refer to themselves as) came through the cabin with landing cards. He attempted to hand one to the girl in the Harvard sweatshirt but she did not notice. She was looking out the window and listening to music.
The purser lost his temper, yelled at her and even stated, “Are you really a Harvard student? I doubt it!” before hurling the landing card at her, shaking his head and walking away.
I’ll be honest–I go out of my way to avoid connecting in Houston. I have had a string of bad experiences with Houston crews. It has nothing to do with age.
And now you can be honest–you know something similar to what I shared above would never happen on Qatar. It just would not.
If you want to condemn Qatar and say that’s because their indentured servants are too afraid, be careful: too afraid to what? Treat customers like crap? Steal? Akbar is so right and yet so wrong at the same time.
CONCLUSION
Some of the best FAs in the world are old. Some of the best FAs in the world are grandmothers. But some of the worst FAs in the world work for U.S. airlines. My 1.5 million miles on United, American, Delta, and Alaska give me the right to make that observation. Thus, all else equal, I will fly Qatar, especially if in a premium cabin.
But once more, I stress that age is just a number and that some of the best FAs in the world are grandmothers or senior citizens. Akbar’s joke ultimately falls flat.
image courtesy: Travelextra Ireland
One comment to add. The absolute best FA that I’ve had was a middle aged woman from AA (maybe around early 50’s). To me, there is nothing better than that homey american grandma feel. But unfortunately, 80% of all other older FAs are downright grumpy and mean. I much prefer young FAs that are new to the job. To me, they actually try to provide customer service.
I’d be willing to bet the average age of US3 FA’s > ME3. ME3 Service>>> US3 Service. Is this a confounding variable or not, who know and frankly who cares.
While what he said wasn’t politically correct it often mirrors my experiences. Of course there will always be exceptions as you have pointed out.
At the end of the day ME3 FA’s worry more about their employment status then US3 FA’s do.
Respect the elders. Would you bother your grandma for a cup of water while she was chatting with her friends? Would you ask you grandma to retrieve your cabin luggage because you are too short to reach it?
You (subconciously) didn’t dare to ask and they rarely offered to help.
Experience, yes. Plenty of it. In times of emergency, do you help your grandma or ask her for help.
Seniority in terms of age (not seniority by performance) comes with its own power. Getting used to it, you’ll be demanding it when you feel you didn’t get enough. Either from peers or customers/passengers.
Surely some of old FAs are the best there is with excellent attitude in service industry. Especially in premium cabins. Qatar’s CEO maybe wrong. But the opposite is not 100% right either. Tough the general audience may consider it as a joke, or an honest complaint they are afraid to voiced since it would politically incorrect no matter how full the truth it contained.
Fair points, all of them.
Thanks. Instead of judging the opinion of Al Baker, I tried to understand why he comes to such conclusion.
Being defensive is not always helpful if we want to move forward.
I agree, its a fair point. I can tell they were well thought out, and you took a great amount of time to think about this, and I, and I’m sure other readers, really appreciate it and welcome it. That said, there’s a huge distinction between my grandma and a grandma-aged flight attendant. I’m not paying good money for her to be my Grandma. She’s an elderly woman who I have a place in my heart for, and deserves my love. I do respect the elderly flight attendants and if am able will go out of my way to help them because I feel that is the right thing to do. That said I will not make it my responsibility. It could be a 27-year-old or an 87-year-old, I don’t care. I ultimately care about one thing: I’m the customer, and she’s the flight attendant. If you cannot help me during an emergency while I am the paying customer than you do not have the capacity to work onboard anymore and should go retire. That is no insult to these people, they have likely done so much for the airline and every single person who was touched by these people should never go unnoticed. It just means that their time is up, and maybe if they can’t put a luggage bag in the overhead bin, they should have their family do that for them at home instead of onboard a commercial aircraft full of people who paid good money for their help.
Thank you. I agree with you. In short, retirement age is there for a reason, right?
Retirement age is indeed there for a reason. That said, a 60-year-old should not expect a passenger to do his/her work for him/her no matter his/her physical capacity. If you can’t do the job then leave. I wish there was a nicer way to put it but there really isn’t.
Alan, you’ve got to be kidding me! First of all, the airlines do not allow us flight attendants to be lifting passengers bags up and down for them. The reason why we’re not allowed to is because of the increasing amount of on the job injuries (OJI’s) that flight attendants have been getting, regardless of age. Personally, I help when a passenger needs it but honestly, if your bag is too heavy for you to lift, then that bag should be checked in down below.
In regards to the one thing you “ultimately care about”,
I have good news for you. After December 2004, in order to qualify as a flight attendant each year, you must hold a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency that is issued by the FAA. And in order to obtain one, every flight attendant (after initial training) must attend recurrent training every year and succcessfully pass. At recurrent, we are tested again on our agility, emergency and evacuation procedures, flight regulations, first aid, safety equipment use and knowledge, CPR, self-defense and protecting the cockpit door, etc. If you don’t pass, then you can’t fly. And I’ve seen a few people not pass. Ironically, they were all young girls in their 20’s.
And if that’s truly all you really care about, then my advice is to just listen, pay attention, and watch your flight attendants during the safety demo regardless of how many times you’ve flown, or have heard it before. It doesn’t matter, not only is every plane different but something new may be added since your last flight. Besides, the more you see something or go over something in your mind, the better you will be at acting quickly and successfully. During every single take off and landing (critical phases of flight), every flight attendant is performing a silent review in their jumpseat. We say our evacuation commands over and over in our heads (I don’t think I could forget those commands if I even tried) and are constantly listening for any unfamiliar/strange sounds. But before all of that, we’ve already picked out who we would select as our able-bodied persons to help during an evacuation (2 assist at bottom of slide and 1 is told “go far away, call people toward you”). We are focused and we are prepared.
Based on the amount of training we receive, and from what I’ve personally seen from some of the more experienced flight attendants , I’d be willing to bet that some of these “grandma” flight attendants would shock you with their abilities. I’d even go as far as saying they could probably kick most of your asses if they had to. A 65 year old today is simply nothing at all like a 65 year old was 30 years ago. People are taking care of themselves a lot more both physically and mentally. And they look younger than they used to.
With all due respect, Jack, I question some of the things you have said. First and formost, what an insulting way to speak to us passengers. You have no right to tell us that flight attendants could “kick our asses.” It might be true, but the attitude you, and some of the other flight attendants who comment on this blog, is sad. Even if its correct, which in some cases I’m sure it is, you’re not making the “welcome aboard” comment you folks make at the beginning of the flight seem genuine. Flight attendants should know that actions speak louder than words, and to say “welcome aboard” doesn’t mean very much to me unless flight attendants have a good attitude. There are also weight restrictions for our bags. If it meets the bag restrictions, and trained gate agents determine it is OK to bring onboard, then I am not going to check it down below whether or not I can carry it into the overhead bin or place it in the appropriate way in the exact compartment of a bulkhead seat because I can’t even empty one little measley thing out of it and put it in the bulkhead seat pocket. Also, I’m curious, who do you draw from your able’bodied people to assist in an emergency? Please don’t tell me its passengers (except exit row passengers) or I’ll wish you were fired.
I haven’t seen her for a year or two, but one of the FAs working UA’s flights between SFO and LHR could have been a great-grandmother. She looked in her late 70s if not older. But that doesn’t matter – what matters is whether she could do her job. Sadly, she could not. She had to get others to push or pull the trolley and she struggled even to walk without her stick (we’re talking in Business Class here). In short, the other FAs had to carry out pretty well all her duties – she made the announcements but her elocution left a lot to be desired.
I’m not against old FAs but I am against those who don’t pull their weight.
To even entertain that this gentleman speaks the truth is absurd. This is not totally about age, it’s also about sex, no mention of grandfathers. Qatar only hires females from 21-35 http://careers.qatarairways.com/qatarairways/VacancyDetail.aspx?VacancyID=54184 . Very easy to have young, attractive females when you live in a male dominated culture that openly permits discrimination. Exactly where are the grandmothers put out to pasture? It’s a backward culture and is just one of the reasons I will never fly this airline.
Qataris culture and yours maybe different. Doesn’t mean yours absolutely better than them. To each their own values.
I can’t help to wonder tough, if your views are the better one, why nobody openly mocked Akbar Al Baker during his speech? Instead they seems to agree with him. Maybe your views are the wrong one, no matter how hard you to accept that.
Oh well…
I am 70 and a grandfather, so I am not an ageist. I have seen plenty of older FAs who were great and fit. But I have also seen plenty who would be a real handicap in an emergency because they could not perform with the physicality required to evacuate a plane. If the airlines were serious about FAs being there for passenger safety, they would have rigorous simulations of emergencies. Those FAs who couldn’t perform should then be retired. How could unions argue against that? How many 70 year old cops or firemen do you know? Or for that matter, pilots?
Being there primarily for passenger’s safety surely in the eyes of FA. Otherwise airline won’t put the call button on each seat.
You need a glass of water, go to the galley yourself. You need extra blanket? Go pick it up from the back.
Its just a play of words to justify laziness in the name of safety.
Mr. Al Baker would have to explain why nations that have adopted the Women’s Liberation Movement principle of valuing women for their brains have prospered. Furthermore, he would have to present scientific studies proving his opinion that older women cause airlines to fail in service standards and become unable to generate profits.
Unfortunately, we live in a youth oriented society. When I was a teenager, and even in my 20’s, there were times when I had to show proof of age (they wanted a draft card, or other id), to go to a movie, or to buy a product. Also, they would call me “kid”, fella”, “boy”, “young man”, etc. Rarely, would they call me “Mister”, or “Sir”.; now that I am a senior citizen, it is even worse, as younger people at times treat older people in a condescending manner. They assume that we can’t hear, so they will intentionally speak to us in a loud manner, which hurts my ears. When I tell them to speak lower, several things may occur. They will get angry, and continue to speak louder, they will apologize, and either speak lower for a minute, and then speak louder again, they will apologize and speak lower, or they will storm out of a room. Also, I hate the condescending term “young man”. When I was a “kid”, and they used that term, I didn’t like it then. Now, it is used, not as a sign of respect, but as a sign of putting someone down, because they are older. I remember when some loudmouth gate attendant at Midway did that a few months ago, when she stated loudly “Thank you, young man”. I felt like replying “You’re welcome, loudmouth”.
Air Canada has a budget subsidiary Rouge. The FAs are all young and pretty, both male and female. They’ve been Disney-trained (seriously, that’s a thing) and they smile a lot but also don’t seem to know anything. When things go wrong they can’t offer much help. But they smile a lot.
My wife was on a much-delayed Rouge flight, after an aircraft switch, full of upset people as the minutes had turned to hours. When it finally got into the air, one of the rectangular coffee makers or whatever came loose and crashed onto the cabin floor. Incredible rookie mistake not to have secured it.
I was on a Rouge flight in LAS that was stuck on the tarmac on a brutally hot sunny day, waiting to take off. Staffed by young pretties. I got the attention of the seemingly most on-the-ball FA and told him, “You should have everyone close their window shades, it will help keep the plane cool.” His eyes widened. “Good idea!” he says. Within a few minutes, an announcement was made.
Anyway, the whole world loves young pretties who are nice to you. At the better mid-east and asian airlines, the young pretties, all female, seem to actually know stuff. At legacy NA airlines, if you want FAs who are competent (and I do–if there is ever a serious incident!) they probably will not be young pretties. So it goes.