There are many myths and stereotypes about the profession of flight attendants. But often, passengers have no idea what a flight attendant’s job really is.
The job of a flight attendant, or rather a flight attendant, has been and remains a predominantly female profession. And travelers often only see smiling girls with a perfect shape, providing a comfortable flight from point A to point B. Meanwhile, there are many secrets in this profession, which Insider tells by interviewing five former and still working flight attendants.
They honestly explained why they didn’t accept tips and why they were in such a hurry to get all the passengers in their seats. And about how seriously they prepare for their job, which at first glance seems simple and romantic.
1. Senior flight attendants find the best routes
Some people are fascinated by being flight attendants as they hope it will enable them to travel the world. Ryan Williams, who worked as a flight attendant for two years before leaving to start his own production company, also counted on that. But the best routes go to senior flight attendants.
“As a result, I only had local flights, and I almost did not take international flights,” the girl admitted.
2. Payment usually doesn’t start until the doors close.
Although the stewardesses arrive at their workplace long before the plane actually takes off, the job is not paid until the boarding is complete and the doors are closed.
“This is why the guards and stewardesses are always in a rush to get a seat. So when you try to sneak to the bathroom, you might get a rough backlash or slow the boarding process because you’re too slow. Put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if you worked for free?” states Williams.
3. Flight attendants sometimes live together in rental apartments.
This is true for the United States, but it is likely to exist in other countries as well. Flight attendants literally don’t have a home. Together they rent a kind of hostel near the airport with only basic amenities and a bed, usually a bunk bed.
A flight attendant said she moved to a hostel when she realized she was only spending 11 nights a month in a rented flat.
4. You cannot become a hostess overnight.
Unlike some jobs where you can submit your CV, get minimal training and get started right away, becoming a flight attendant takes a very long time.
Jonathan Johnson, a certified flight attendant with 11 years of experience, said trainee flight attendants spend more than 30 hours preparing for work and more than 160 hours in a variety of training settings just to become certified. There are not only written exams, but also training.
“During these exercises, trainees must demonstrate proficiency in commanding, evacuating the cockpit, and using emergency equipment appropriately,” Johnson said.
Trainees also learn to provide first aid, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use a defibrillator. They are taught how to deal with many emergencies that may occur during flight. And they must pass annual and quarterly exams to remain certified flight attendants.
Flight attendants may also: apply tourniquets in case of aircraft injury; surviving harsh conditions at sea and on land in emergencies; detecting early signs of hypoxia among passengers and crew members; Look for signs of human trafficking.
5. Working as a flight attendant makes you an experienced traveler.
When you consider who one of the top travel experts is, you may not realize that flight attendants are trained to know almost everything about how to be resourceful and comfortable in a cramped environment.
Hilary Clark, a flight attendant for over a decade, said that when you work as a flight attendant, you get used to working with limited space and resources.
Clarke said she learned to travel by the rules during her time as a flight attendant: always use translation apps, never tell anyone your hotel room number, always carry dry shampoo and a charging adapter. And looking good costs very few resources. And most importantly, always choose comfortable shoes. Many airlines require flight attendants to wear high heels, but these rules change as soon as the plane takes off.
6. Uniformed flight attendants must behave in a certain way.
When flight attendants wear uniforms or badges, they must abide by the airline’s rules, even if they are not boarding the plane.
Flight attendant Josephine Remo, who has worked for Scandinavian Airlines for seven years, said she was representing the company while wearing the uniform. This means that he cannot drink alcohol or relax in a bar.
“You don’t want airline staff to drink alcohol while on duty, and when they see a uniformed stewardess they don’t know if you’re done or if you’re about to board a plane,” said the uniformed stewardesses. Do not go shopping and do not complain.
“The airline believes we are in shape, we represent the company. This means that any conflict will automatically be associated with the airline,” he said.
7. Flight attendants cannot receive food and beverages.
You might think the advantage of being a flight attendant is that you can fill your pockets with bottles of alcohol and endless snacks, but that’s not the case.
Sarah McWilliams-Guerra, who worked as a flight attendant for seven years before launching her own travel site Airplane Mode, said the former airline did not allow flight attendants to stock up on anything but a bottle of water on international flights.
“Although I noticed that flight attendants often took bottles of alcohol, I also saw how they got fired for it. It’s not worth it,” the woman said.
8. Flight attendants cannot accept tips or transfer passengers.
If the situation gets out of control, passengers will of course be transferred to other seats. But you can’t pay a flight attendant and be in first class. No concessions will be made even for airline employees and flight attendants.
According to Sarah, “Passengers offer flight attendants $100 or more for the best seat. But if this is noticed, the flight attendant will have to negotiate with their manager”, only employees standing at the boarding gate can upgrade passengers. best places
remember before Focus wrote earlier what the job of flight attendants is. They were forbidden to marry, forced to act in offensive commercials and fend off lascivious travelers.
Source: Focus
Mary Moore is an accomplished author and journalist known for her engaging and informative writing on trending topics. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a keen interest in current events and a talent for finding the human angle in stories, Mary’s writing is always engaging, insightful and informative.