Tag Archives: Mother’s Day

May 12

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing SkyWest moms and those inspiring mothers who fuel our aviation dreams! This includes the moms highlighted below who have shared their love for aviation and encouraged their kids to join the SkyWest team.

Susan C. & Stacey J.

Susan and her daughter, Stacey, share a love of flying and adventure. Their passion and desire to follow their dreams eventually brought these two DEN-based flight attendants to SkyWest.

Susan got started at SkyWest in 2006 and says it opened the door to the world for her. She continually told Stacey that she should consider a career in the skies too.

In 2022, Stacey decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and join SkyWest Airlines as a flight attendant. Inspired by her mother’s career and driven by her own passion for travel, Stacey eagerly embraced the opportunity to take to the skies.

“My mom had me young, and we are 16 years apart,” said Stacey. “I admire my mom, her spirit, her sense of adventure, and her charming authentic ability to connect with every person she comes into contact with.”

Coincidentally, Susan and Stacey both became SkyWest flight attendants at the age of 52 and both graduated from their initial training classes in the month of October – 16 years apart. Their synchronized paths have deepened their bond as mother and daughter.

“I was honored to be able to attend my daughter’s SkyWest flight attendant graduation and pin her wings on her,” said Susan. “A year and a half later here we are finally working our first trip together. Flying with my daughter by my side was a dream come true.”

Their recent first work trip together was a special moment, symbolizing their shared dream and strength of their close bond.

“To see her wearing the same uniform, with the same passion for service, was a moment I’ll cherish forever,” said Susan. “We can’t wait to fly together again. I am one proud mama!”

Robin and Captain Colten M.

Fresno-based flight attendant Robin came to SkyWest in 2014. The new career was not only a great opportunity for her, but it also reignited the childhood dream of her son, Captain Colten M., to become an airline pilot. “All Colten ever wanted to do was become an airline pilot,” Robin said. “But throughout the years, we were told over and over that the qualifications were out of reach. So, we’d put it to the side.” Once Robin met other SkyWest pilots and learned what it takes to meet the requirements, she immediately got in touch with Colten.

“I was confused by how young the pilots were,” said Robin. “I finished up training, headed home, and said “Let’s reevaluate!”

Captain Colten M. had been in school to get a degree in forestry when he stopped everything and immediately jumped into flight school, knowing he had to make the switch. Even before being hired, he had already forged numerous connections with the Fresno-based crewmembers and felt like a part of the SkyWest family before even taking his first official commercial flight. This sense of belonging and camaraderie further fueled his determination to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot with SkyWest.

“My mom and I have always been very close,” said Captain Colten M.. “I can’t say for sure where I’d be or what career I would’ve gone with, but I’m a Captain here at SkyWest because my mom paved the path. She had my back the entire way and was my first passenger as a private pilot. Now I pretend to be in charge while we work together here at SkyWest.”

May 10

Mother and Son Take Flight Together

“Mom, secure the cabin.”

Trenton Crull’s announcement from the flight deck was a moment a lifetime in the making and a thrill for both him and his mom.

“I’ve had the privilege to fly both my mom and dad while they were passengers on my flight before, but being able to work with my mom as the flight attendant was pretty special,” said Trenton. “Being able to say, ‘Mom secure the cabin’ just made it all that more meaningful.”

Trenton is a SkyWest CRJ captain based in Colorado Springs, Colorado (COS) and Melodee Crull is a flight attendant based in Minneapolis, Minnesota (MSP), so the opportunity to work flight 4037 between Minneapolis and Bismarck, North Dakota together earlier this year was a rare treat.

“I told my passengers they were part of a very unique flight, as my son was one of the pilots and we were working our first flight together. ‘Mom, secure the cabin’ definitely brought laughter from the passengers,” said Melodee. “As I sat in the jumpseat upon takeoff, it was hard not to tear up thinking about my son flying the plane that I was working as a flight attendant. It’s not often that so many dreams come true in one day!”

Mother and son have crossed paths a few times since Trenton’s early days at SkyWest when he was stationed in Detroit, Michigan (DTW). Once Trenton moved to COS, their schedules got more difficult to coordinate.

“I have wanted to do this since I found out Trenton was joining me at SkyWest in November of 2017. Believe me, we’ve tried several times to get things to work out,” said Melodee.

“Luckily I had three weeks off waiting for my captain Initial Operating Experience and I found a trip to pick up in MSP,” added Trenton. “There was already a flight attendant on it, but my mom messaged her and worked it out to get on that trip.”

Melodee attributes her love of airplanes to her father, who worked at Cessna and Boeing in Wichita, Kansas when she was young. Being a flight attendant was always her dream, but for several years she filled her life with caring for a family. In 2017, the perfect opportunity came for Melodee to revive her childhood dream and she interviewed with SkyWest.

“I love my crews. I have made so many great friends and anyone who has flown with me knows, I am a bit of a comedian and love to joke around and have fun. I also love interacting with my passengers! I have so much fun kidding around with them,” said Melodee. “I love that SkyWest has provided the opportunity to visit places I would otherwise never have got to visit.”

Her happiness at SkyWest influenced Trenton’s decision to come to SkyWest as well.

Melodee remembers her son aspired to be a pilot as early as the 2nd grade. A local pilot in the Crull’s hometown would take kids up on a flight as a reward for completing a school reading program every year and Trenton got to fly with him a few times.

“After that first flight I was hooked. I loved flying, but I didn’t know how to make it a career,” said Trenton. “It wasn’t until after I graduated high school that I started looking at how to pursue aviation as a career.”

Trenton completed flight training at the University of Central Missouri. He taught there for about a year after earning his certifications and then took a job flying private jets in St. Louis. When he earned the flight hours and experience to move to a regional airline, and with some urging from his mom, he applied at SkyWest.

“I remember texting him and saying, ‘YOU HAVE TO APPLY WITH SKYWEST! This company is amazing,’” recalled Melodee.

“She talked highly of SkyWest as a company and how fun the crews were and it was then that I started looking more in-depth at it,” said Trenton. “She was a big factor in my decision to come to SkyWest.”

“Trenton has recently finished his upgrade to captain and I couldn’t be more proud,” said Melodee. “He is a great person, with compassion for people and he truly loves his career, that’s what makes him a great pilot. I would be honored to fly with this captain any day.”

Thank you to all the moms like Melodee who inspire us to pursue our dreams in the aviation industry.

May 08

Families that Fly Together: Thanks Mom!

For some, being a flight attendant at SkyWest runs in the family! We tracked down just a few of our InFlight families to give them a chance to say “Thanks, Mom”.

This last month, MSP based Flight Attendant Casey Buchanan was able to have a unique experience with her mother Maureen Buchanan – Flight Attendant, LAX when they flew their first trip together!

“We had been trying for months to work together, since we’re in different bases, and it finally happened!” Casey said. “We both learned for each other, which was fun for us.”

Maureen started at SkyWest five years ago, and from the beginning she talked to Casey about joining the company.

“My mom always wanted to be a flight attendant, as did I. We both love adventure and meeting new people. She had always put things on hold so she could be at home with us girls. It was her time to do something for her, that she always wanted,” Casey said. “Watching her go after a lifelong dream of being a flight attendant when I was 19 was very inspiring. She not only went after her dream, but has accomplished it and grown from the experience. She is funny, hardworking, easy to talk to and doesn’t give up. As flight attendants we have brutal days, as a mother you have brutal years – especially raising three daughters – and she never gave up on us or on her dreams.”

Maureen was able to pin on Casey’s wings this past September and as Casey explained, has been her rock during her first year as a flight attendant.

“She would text me every morning to say good luck and she sat up with me some nights during training and my first few months when things got hard. I wouldn’t have been able to make it through without her, once again, being my cheerleader,” Casey said. “She’s the best mom I could ever ask for and I am so happy to be following in her footsteps here at SkyWest!”

“We both love to work with people and give excellent service. We also love to travel and are very spontaneous,” added Maureen. “We love working for SkyWest. SkyWest is family and so are we and we feel this is our home.”

One mother-daughter team that loves to fly together is Jessica Henline – director of InFlight training and her mom, Kaye Manrique – Flight Attendant, SLC.

“When we fly together it’s like a mini-vacation!” Jessica said. “It’s so much fun! My mom is not only an amazing person and mother but she is the best flight attendant I have ever flown with!

Kaye came to SkyWest in 1990 and has been a flight attendant (and held many positions in the InFlight department) for 26 years!

“I was raised with my mom being a flight attendant and grew up with the SkyWest family. People say aviation gets in your blood and I certainly agree with that!” said Jessica. “The career is like no other career in the world.“

Jessica explained that both her and her mom love being around people and making a positive impression on their day, so that is ultimately why they love their jobs. Jessica went on to praise her mom saying, “My mom’s caring and giving heart is what makes her a great mother and flight attendant. She truly cares about the passengers and people in general and having her as an example in my life is part of what has made me the person, mother and flight attendant I am today.”

And just a few days ago, Jennifer Wilson – Flight Attendant, LAX celebrated her fifth year with SkyWest and there to surprise her and present her with her five-year anniversary wings was her son Julian Jenkins, Manager of InFlight Services.

“Presenting her with her wings was a cool experience. She pinned my wings when I graduated from training and I was grateful for the opportunity to return the favor,” Julian said. “She started as a flight attendant a little over a year before she inspired me to do the same.”

While Julian and Jennifer haven’t had the chance to fly a trip together, they have traded planes with one another and enjoyed being able to meet up on breaks.

“Anyone who flies with her can attest that she is always a cheerful worker. She talks and smiles and connects with her crew and customers. She makes an excellent flight attendant because she has a passion for serving others and acts accordingly,” said Julian. “She’s a great mom because, among other things, she gave her best to her three boys and provided us with luxuries that she did not have while growing up. We have excelled because of her love, and we honor her for her dedication.”

Come join the SkyWest family! You can find information about SkyWest careers here.