The Lives They Live

Ex-air stewardess still cannot shake off the travel bug

While the pioneer leaders were the original architects of Singapore, everyday heroes helped build society here. This is another story about such people in the series The Lives They Live.

Madam Lye wore a special kebaya with gold details when the crew served the Sultan of Brunei on a flight in 1964. Madam Susan Lye holding a photo of her days as an air stewardess with the former Malayan Airways, which was later rebranded as Malaysia-S
Madam Susan Lye holding a photo of her days as an air stewardess with the former Malayan Airways, which was later rebranded as Malaysia-Singapore Airlines in the mid-1960s. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG
Madam Lye wore a special kebaya with gold details when the crew served the Sultan of Brunei on a flight in 1964. Madam Susan Lye holding a photo of her days as an air stewardess with the former Malayan Airways, which was later rebranded as Malaysia-S
Madam Susan Lye celebrating her 80th birthday on board a Singapore Airlines flight to Manchester last November. PHOTO: SELENA HUYNH
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When a Malayan Airways plane landed at Paya Lebar Airport in 1964, air stewardess Susan Lye thought her duty was almost over.

She then looked through the first-class cabin window and saw a thick plume of smoke.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 30, 2018, with the headline Ex-air stewardess still cannot shake off the travel bug. Subscribe