I changed careers at 55 to rotate into a escape attendant. I didn't anticipate my age to be specified an advantage.

This narrative is according to an discussion alongside Craig Celek, 56, a escape attendant from Brooklyn. It has been edited for dimension and clarity.

In February 2026, I embarked on what I call "act three" of my career.

Right out of college, I worked for a publishing business in Hong Kong for 15 years before becoming a shop director at New Balance, and afterward taking a guidance function at Saks Off 5th.

My 15 years in retailing were amazing, but I started to get itchy feet. I started looking for my next opportunity, and a job on an transporter was appealing to me.

Friends my age are escape attendants

I have a lot of allies my in their delayed 40s and 50s who have turned their second or third act into becoming flight attendants. They encouraged me to use in November 2025.

I knew that the chief US airlines — American, United, and Delta — were open to hiring older people, particularly those alongside a backdrop in client service.

Each offered me a job, but I was most impressed alongside Delta's discussion process. It felt reassuring that fractional of my tryout collection was complete 45. One was 62.

So I took the training in first February. I'm certain my period in retailing was the most crucial factor. Still, I think among the reasons Delta hires Gen Xers is since we cognize how to work.

Age frequently comes alongside patience and wisdom

We have existence experience, which translates into the capability to comprehend people's needs and react in emergency situations.

I came into the endeavor seasoned, and I leaned into listening archetypal fairly than reacting. Age comes alongside patience and wisdom.

The skills I developed during several of the most difficult days in retailing have helped me all day in my new job. If the client finds item not up to standard, your archetypal idea is, "How do I get them to anywhere they are happy?"

I was formerly on a escape that was expected to be lone from Atlanta to LaGuardia, which should have taken no additional than two hours. Some awful climate came in, and the journey was 11 hours altogether.

My squad and I managed to keep 250 passengers blessed throughout. Not many group can assertion to do that.

One of the secrets is, to citation the late, awesome Dolly Parton, "A small sugar is better."

At Delta, we activity all classes, and they're all fun. What I affection concerning the two high classes is that you can provision distinct levels of service. The customers are open to talking and having a really fine time.

I'm getting to cognize new places

Then there are the destinations, the two family and international. I've traveled a lot in the past, but going location as squad is different.

My favorite layover is Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which has a cool, imaginative vibe. I awareness the identical way concerning Colorado Springs and Bozeman, Montana.

I'm getting to cognize the American West. The towns and cities all appear acquainted now. I'm big into learning concerning the food and art scene.

It's the identical alongside earth capitals specified as Lisbon, Rome, London, and Athens.

Schedules are flexible, but we mostly get blocks of three days off. My begetter is 92, motionless extremely critical and healthy, and can fly alongside me liberated of charge.

We lately went to Dublin and Paris. Nothing makes an employee awareness additional appreciated than seeing their dad in archetypal category dining an ice lotion sundae.

The basis pay is lone part of your earnings package. It's risen by boarding and reroute pay. During the hiring process, they said, depending on your shifts and hours, you could acquire up to $80,000 in your archetypal twelvemonth of service.

Since April, I've flown 209 flights, 29 of which were long-haul. I can honestly say that I'm having the period of my life.

I power be in my mid-50s, but I relish alter and the adventure of it all.