Ron Akana
Ron Akana (born 1928 in Honolulu[1]) is a former US-American Flight attendant, who spent 63 years working as cabin crew for United Airlines and who logged an estimated 200 million airmiles.[2] He was the world's longest serving flight attendant and was admitted to the The Guinness Book of Records.[3][4][5]
Career
Akana applied due to a local newspaper ad in 1949 aged 21 with United Airlines for a steward position. His reason to apply as a flight steward was that "[…] it meant getting to the mainland, which was a huge deal in those days." At this time Akana was still a student at the University of Hawaii. After joining UA he started flying to the mainland on Boeing Stratocruiser.[1] His time working for UA was only interrupted by a two-year conscription, where he served in the Korean War.[6] In August 2012, after 63 years of service, Akana retired after a flight from Denver to Kauai. By this time he had accumulated 200 million airmiles.[1]
Trivia
Akana's wife was also a flight attendant, but had to quit after marriage.[1] Their daughter Jean also pursued a career as flight attendant.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Michelle Higgins (2012-03-17). "63 Years Flying, From Glamour to Days of Gray". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ "Longest career as a Flight attendant: Ron Akana sets world record". worldrecordacademy.com. 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ "Flugbegleiter stellt mit 63 Berufsjahren Rekord auf". Die Welt (in German). 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ Laura Frommberg (2012-08-30). "63 Jahre über den Wolken". aerotelegraph.com (in German). Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ "Flight Attendant Ron Akana enters Guinness Book of World Records for 63 Years of Flight Service". travelerstoday.com. 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
- ↑ Jennifer Sinco Kelleher (2012-08-28). "Ron Akana, 83-Year-Old Flight Attendant, Lands In Guinness Book Of World Records". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2014-03-05.