Being a flight attendant was the glamour job back in the 60s and 70s. But haven’t you noticed that they’re getting older and older? A study from the Population Reference Bureau shows that this impression is not wrong. In fact, the age profile of American flight attendants has changed dramatically since 1980.

While flight attendants were younger than the overall US workforce back then, now they are older. Between 1980 and 2007, the median age of all US workers rose by six years, from 35 to 41, but the median age of flight attendants rose by 14 years from 30 to 44. In fact, in 1980, only 2.7% of flight attendants were 55+. Now 21.4% are 55 or over. In 1980 60% of all attendants were between 25 and 34. Nowadays, the figure is about 15%.

There have been other changes. Flight attendants are more ethnically diverse and more male, like many other professions. But they are also much less well paid. After adjusting for inflation, the median hourly wages (in 2007 dollars) dropped by 26% between 1980 and 2007. In contrast, the median hourly wages of all American workers rose by 13% percent.

Is this the future for workers in service industries in greying societies? ~ Population Reference Bureau


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