After finishing her career as a special education teacher, Michelle found herself an empty-nester at age 56, wondering what the next chapter of her life might entail. That is, until Linda Williamson Kirby (‘83), a former Zeta sorority sister and 35- year veteran flight attendant with Southwest Airlines, suggested she should apply. Michelle laughed off the opportunity initially, but said she might be interested when the application process opened. The airline only accepts applicants once every few years, and when the time came, Michelle threw her hat in the ring.
“I thought, ‘oh that’s fun,’” Michelle said. “I can do that. So I submitted my name.”
She may have applied to the exclusive program on a whim, but did not hear back for almost a year and a half.
One day out of the blue, the phone rang.
“They said, ‘Are you still interested?’”
She took the next step towards interviewing with the airline, and was soon offered a spot in the rigorous training program. Her kids were both surprised and excited when she told them she had accepted a job as a flight attendant.
“My older daughter was totally in shock,” Michelle said. “I didn’t even want to say anything because she would just laugh. But she’s very excited. My younger daughter has been the same way.”
Michelle learned quickly that flight attendants have a long list of responsibilities that far outweigh serving food and drinks. Safety of passengers is the primary concern.
Her training was focused on how to react in unexpected situations, including medical emergencies, flight safety measures, and how to manage individuals who may present complications on the flight. Michelle described the training program as “intense. It’s a ton of memorization, and all about safety.”
She was also surprised at how many of the people in her training group were around her age. But after going through the material she understood why that might be a benefit. Because attendants are expected to be calm under duress, airlines often view older flight attendants as an advantage. They have lived more life and are less likely to be rattled in tense situations.
“You just have to be a mom. Maybe we can use some of those mom skills to keep people happy on the plane.”
Though she is always prepared, her favorite part of the job is meeting new people who are traveling all over the world.
“Everything on the flight goes by really fast,” Michelle said. “I like meeting all the people, hearing their stories, and knowing what they’re doing. That’s the fun part.”
Even though Michelle and her husband live in Dallas, she technically works out of the Oakland airport. That makes for a long commute to the office. She works out of the Oakland airport for three days at a time, usually taking three flights per day.
“I’ve always loved flying. I just didn’t ever think I’d do it as a career,” she said. “This is kind of a fun new life. It’s much harder than it looks. It’s much more physical than I ever thought it would be, but I love it. I guess you can always take a chance on something.”
Michelle comes from a long line of Baylor grads. Her parents met at Baylor, and her grandfather was one of the founding members of the NoZe Brotherhood.
She playfully describes the family legacy as “a long line of trouble.” Their love for Baylor extends to the love of Baylor sports, and may partially explain some of her husband Kevin’s enthusiasm for her new role. As a perk, flight attendants and their spouses can fly for free.
Michelle said, “My husband loves it. He’s excited, and very proud of me for doing it. We were already tailgating and going to every home game, and now he can go to the out of town games.”
