Jordan
Toronto, ON
Female, 28
Space Waitress, Trolley Dolly, Stewardess...everyone has their own term for us. We are the baby-sitters, life-savers, servers, cleaners and all-around problem solvers for any and every in-flight issue. Sometimes we get a bad rep for being apathetic and miserable despite having what looks like a glamorous job, so here's a peek into the gritty details beneath the shiny surface to explain why the job - though incredible in lots of ways - is more than just snappy uniforms and matching luggage.
Let me tell you, I still get it wrong sometimes. Just last month I was with a crew on what was originally a 2-day pairing, but our crew scheduling department was in a bind and needed a crew to operate down to Barbados and spend 2 days there before working the flight home. Well twist my arm, I guess I'll get paid to go suntan on the beach! Anyway, all of us only had one outfit with us (thankfully I had my bikini, never leave home without it!) and by the end of the four days we were all so sick of looking at each other and our recycled outfits that I still haven't taken that dress out of the closet since I got home.
The point is, you never know where you might end up during a last minute schedule change. In the summer it's not too problematic, a pair of flip flops, some shorts and a T and sunglasses will pretty much be appropriate no matter where you end up. In the winter though, you just learn to pack more or suffer the consequences. I bought a pair of ankle boots that can easily transition from city streets to snowy sidewalks, and I have been known to bring a larger suitcase just so I could have my long, down winter coat with me in New Brunswick (and was the envy of all my shivering crewmates in their work coat)!
Thankfully crew are, for the most part, exempt from the liquids and gels ban that so many governments have adopted so we can freely transport our makeup, and lotions and potions (and booze!) wherever we please. We don't have to check our luggage either, although I have seen crews from other airlines with longer pairings check additional suitcases. FAs at my airline typically bring three bags - a lunch kit (like a mini cooler bag), a suitcase, and a "flight bag", which can carry laptops and our manual.
Here are my neccessities:
swimsuit (such a pain to buy if you forget it and then end up spending the night in Cancun unexpectedly!)
pyjamas (I used to sleep in the buff but how am I gonna feel if the hotel fire alarm goes off in the middle of the night? Huddling in the nude with my co-workers and a hundred other strangers? No thanks.)
make-up (I'm not high-maintenance but c'mon)
phone + charger
at least one comfy change of clothes, ie: yoga pants and a long-sleeved T or jeans and a sweater so that at the very least I can join the crew for dinner in the hotel restaurant
flip flops and, in the summer, a sundress
If you forget some of the essentials you can usually ask the front desk for things like a charger or toothpaste. I've even borrowed clothes from another FA who I had met about 2 hours earlier. It's trial and error, but usually I get it right!
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Sure! You have a few options:
- use some vacation days. At my airline vacation blocks are usually requested and assigned a year in advance, so people hired throughout the year are forced to choose from whichever time slots are leftover. It may not be what you were hoping for, but you can also trade with someone else who may suddenly need the vacation block that you have.
- request those days off in your monthly bid. It's not unusual for me to have 5 days off in a row even if I haven't asked for it because FAs get about 13-16 days off each month. A lot of people I work with who commute from other countries (yes it happens - I think they're crazy but they make it work!) will request all their days off at the end of one month, and at the beginning of the next month. This creates a 4 weeks on, 4 weeks off schedule that would make me sick but totally works for some!
- drop or trade shifts over the weeks that you are interested in getting off, and make up the time either the prior month, or the month after. Dropping too many shifts and never making up the time might get you noticed, but doing it here and there is no big deal.
Airlines that create schedules based on seniority make trading shifts and getting days off a bit harder, but getting two weeks off should not be impossible.
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Well I hate to say this but... I have no idea what an IOD exam is! I asked some co-workers and they were as perplexed as I am. Give me a hint and I'll see if I can dig up any answers for you :)
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Well, the airlines won't thank me for saying so, but sure! It's a great experience to try and say that you've done it. But don't blame me if you say you'll stay for a year and end up staying ten. I see it All the time. It's just an addictive lifestyle!
Just be prepared that it can be quite a drawn out ordeal to get hired (sometimes 3 interviews and, in my case, a 7 month wait until a training slot became available) and the training is no joke. It's about a month long with a huge amount of information being thrown at you, and roughly 1/3 of that month will start with a pop quiz first thing in the morning. It might be hard to be motivated to get through training if you only plan to stay for a year and you're not that passionate about it. But like I said, you may end up liking it more than you expected, in which case it's a great investment of your time!
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Debate Coach
Are presidential debates actually "debates", by the traditional definition?
Air Traffic Controller
When would you order fighter jets to be scrambled?
Claims Adjuster
What happens when NEITHER driver is at fault?
Well, if there was a rule that we all had to have a perfect track record before applying there would certainly be a shortage of flight attendants out there! You will need to submit to a medical before you can proceed to training, at which time you may need to disclose any medication you're taking. As long as you are diligent in taking that medication at the right times and in the right amounts, I don't see why that would prevent you from getting a job as a flight attendant, provided you have the skills they're looking for, like an empathetic demeanour, a flexible outlook, and a good work ethic to name a few.
I work with a number of people who have had to get help for various emotional or mental illnesses, so it's not unheard of. In fact, sometimes companies can be surprisingly accommodating and offer avenues for assistance, whether it means putting employees on modified duties until they feel recovered enough to return to their original work, providing insurance to cover prescriptions, or offering confidential counselling.
I can't give you any guarantees, but if you don't give it a shot you'll never know, right? There are claustrophobic FAs, bi-polar FAs, and those of us (like me) that are petrified of heights, but we find a way to work despite those things. So if it's something you really want to try you just have to go for it!
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Well, getting away from the hotel and crew is one thing, but accepting an invite to dinner is something else entirely. It's not uncommon for crews to split up, particularly in places where there's lots to do so it's easy to make plans in advance (for example, Las Vegas - some FAs go for the shopping, others for the gambling, some for buffets and some for clubs. Getting the whole crew to agree on a game plan is nearly impossible there). So yes, definitely flight attendants welcome the chance to get out of the hotel, get some fresh air (after all, they've been on a metal tube all day!) and grab a bite to eat.
I think it's really nice of you to want to take someone out and show them the city, especially since having a local as your guide is the best way to explore a new place. I think whether or not they accept will depend on
a) your approach - if you're open to hanging out with the crew as a group that'll be 'safer', also don't pry into which hotel they're staying at. Let the FA divulge that information if and when they want to.
b) the personality of the FA - if they're single and ready to mingle they're more likely to say, "sure, why not?", and
c) the location. Some destinations airlines fly to are at a higher risk for crime so crews tend to stick together and not leave the hotel as often in those places.
If you want to go for it I give you my blessing! I myself have never (intentionally) met up with a passenger after a flight but I know others who have. I hope it works out for you!
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The flight attendant schedule works out to be about half the month off. In Canada it's a requirement to be scheduled at least 13 days off a month, but usually I'll get a few more than that. So really, we're home more often than not, and we get more days off than the average 9 to 5-er, but we may end up working all weekends one month which makes it feel like we don't see friends as often. Most FAs I work with who are parents agree that they spend more time with their kids now than they did at their previous job, whether it was an office job or other shift work. You just have to be prepared to have your days off in chunks, so you may not see your spouse or kids for a week, but then you could have 9 days off in a row! It's unpredictable, but I still prefer it to the alternative!
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