Air New Zealand's longest serving flight attendant retires from the skies

Air New Zealand’s Ron Twine is set to put on his cabin crew uniform for one last time and retire after a staggering 53 years of flying internationally with the airline.

The 74-year-old is the longest serving flight attendant in Air New Zealand’s history, having started his career in 1970 when he was just 21.

Now he’s off on his last tour of duty, yesterday heading to Canada to work his very last flight, NZ23 from Vancouver to Auckland, which touches down Monday 19 June.

“Being a flight attendant isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle and something I have absolutely relished for 53 years. I’m going to find it really hard not to be with my friends and flying family after next week,” he says. 

Ron has worked as an international flight attendant his entire career and has welcomed millions of passengers onboard, including countless celebrities including the likes of George Harrison from the Beatles, Cliff Richard, Brooke Shields, and Bill Haley and His Comets.

Over the years, he’s helped train and mentor his fellow cabin crew colleagues and has made lifelong friends with many of his passengers.

“For me it’s what this job’s been about, it’s the people, the passengers and crew, they have become real family and friends. Some came to our wedding, my wife and I have been on holiday with others and we visit them wherever we go.”

He says one of the highlights of his career was the day he met his now wife Nikki onboard.

“It was her first day as an international flight attendant for the airline when we met waiting for our luggage at Los Angeles Airport. I made a joke about Nikki’s suitcase being old and out of fashion, when my own was the exact same make and was held together with duct-tape”.

The pair have been inseparable ever since and married for nearly three decades.

Ron’s decision to take to the skies came when he was working at a hotel in Tahiti in 1970 and met a group of Air New Zealand pilots and crew overnighting there.

“It just sounded like the most incredible life, and it has been. My career has been absolutely amazing, I look back and I wonder where the time has gone. It only seems like yesterday I put my uniform on for the first time, it really does.”

Ron will be officially retiring on June 23 when he will be swapping the skies for the golf course – a hobby he’s always enjoyed.

He encourages anyone who loves to travel and has a passion for people to consider a career flying.

“As a flight attendant you wear so many hats, you take on the role of counsellor, nurse, babysitter, entertainer and the best part is you get to help people. It’s so very rewarding, you’ll never look back.”

Air New Zealand’s General Manager Cabin Crew, Viv Vincent, says Ron has served as an inspiration for his cabin crew colleagues and will be missed.

“Ron is somewhat of a legend here in our cabin crew whānau. He is known for going above and beyond in his role, going that extra mile to help our customers, whether it’s comforting customers with a fear of flying or consoling crying children, he’s amazing at what he does.”

To work with us for over half a century is such a milestone and he deserves to be celebrated.”