Age and Trust in Flight Attendants: A Comparison Between Two Countries

It is important for passengers to trust their flight attendants, especially in case of an emergency. There is ongoing debate in India regarding trust and the lowering of retirement age, which is currently mandatory at 58 years in flight attendants. Some believe this is in order to acquire younger, more attractive flight attendants. The current study asked 384 Indians and Americans to rate their trust in flight attendants based on an emergency situation. Results showed that Indians trusted the younger flight attendants (25 years old) more than their older counterparts (55 years old). These findings have theoretical and practical implications in the ongoing debate. A future intention of the researchers is to conduct a mediation analysis to determine if affect is a possible mediator.