Ron Akana,83, has just entered the Guinness World Records book after spending 63 years in flight as a flight attendant.
He worked his last United Airlines flight from Denver to Kauai, and ended his career. He lives in Boulder, Colorado where he moved in 2002 to be closer to his grandchildren.
Akana joined United Airlines in 1949 when he was a student at the University of Hawaii after a friend saw the job in a newspaper ad. He said to The Huffington Post, "We didn't even know what a flight steward was. But it meant getting to the mainland, which was a huge deal in those days. It seemed pretty exciting and it proved to be more than that."
When he was drafted in the Korean War in 1951 he took a hiatus from being a flight attendant. He mentioned seeing how the industry changed and rubbing elbows with celebrities like Frank Sinatra were memorable moments. He saw the planes go from propeller planes to jets which cut travel time in half.
A lot has changed since 1949. Everything from no smoking on plane laws to in flight movies and better meal service and high security after the September 11 terrorist attacks-were all things that he has seen evolve over the years.
Guinness World Records called him a few months ago and sent him a plaque recognizing him as the world's longest-serving flight attendant.
Akana says that his wife will now be able to join him during retirement on future flights. "I got terrific travel privileges," he said, adding: "There's a lot to be seen," he added.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
