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.
I confess I did a double take when I first read this question, I thought it was sarcasm at first but then it really gave me some food for thought!
The quick answer is yes, that is, sight and hearing are very important to the job and will be tested before you can proceed with training. Every FA must undergo medical screening, and though the methods vary from doctor to doctor, an eye exam and hearing test will be included. My own screening wasn't very stressful - the hearing test consisted of the doctor moving from one corner of the room to another, whispering the names of different cities in our flight network, and I had to repeat them back to her. It felt kinda silly.
The ironic thing is that FAs who have been flying a long time, especially on turbo-prop planes that are extremely loud, have terrible hearing from all the ambient noise bombarding their ears day in and day out. Just sayin'.
I've never worked with someone sporting hearing aids, but I did just work with a flight attendant who was born blind in one eye yet still had the doctor's approval to fly. The standards are definitely not as strict as they are for pilots (for example, you can be colour blind and still be an FA) but you do need to pass basic tests for sight and hearing.
Smell is important too, in fact last week a flight I was on had to turn around and head back to the departure city because of an acrid burnt-plastic smell that manifested in the cabin. We use our senses all the time to alert us to a potential emergency situation. Happily, we landed and all got home safely!
I hope this answered your question!
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Wow, that's a mighty broad question... I'm not sure if you mean the most common, or most horrible, or something else entirely, so I'll just tell you my top 5 things I dread having to deal with at work.
#5 - Having a problem with a crew member. If you've ever been a manager, or even just had to have a Conversation with a capital C with a co-worker because they were being a jerk, or not pulling their weight, or doing their job incorrectly, you'll get why this is a major difficulty. Add to that the fact that you might have to spend the next 5 days straight with them and you'll be ready to pull your hair out.
#4 - Running out of stock. This happens so often. Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball to show us what's going to be popular at lunch on any given day so sometimes we just don't pack enough of a particular item. Most often it's cheese plates that we run out of (people love their cheese and I don't blame them), but even types of beer, or random items like tomato juice will become really hot commodities on a flight and before you know it I have to make my don't-shoot-the-messenger face (a cringe/defensive pose in case they strike) and say, "sorry, we're all out of that, can I tempt you with some tepid coffee instead?"
#3 - Delays. The angry looks and crying children and stressed out parents, argh! I hate it. It just makes everyone miserable, including the crew who got out of bed early for nothing, and we aren't getting paid for those extra hours of languishing in the airport while passengers give us the stink-eye.
#2 - Aircraft malfunctions. Maybe this should be my number one, but usually it's the pilots turn to stress in these situations and, in my experience, the passengers are typically calm, obedient, and patient. Plus, any mechanical hiccup that happened to me while mid-flight has always turned out 100% ok, (knock on wood) so it's not AS scary as my number one...
#1 - Medicals. At the very least, it means delays, mild stress and paperwork. At the very worst it means a life or death situation and that is just not what I hope to deal with when I get ready for work in the morning. I will be very happy if I can reach the end of my flight attendant career without ever having to use my first aid skills!
So there you have it. Now, as I read over my list, I realize I forgot Unruly Guests which should probably be #3 so let's just call this a Top 6 List and call it a day. All this talk of difficulties is stressing me out! :)
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Ah, drunk passengers. The very thought of them can make my blood boil. We try really hard to not overserve in the air, and the most common way that passengers get out of hand is when they smuggle their own alcohol (usually duty-free booze purchased at the airport - take note, it's ILLEGAL to crack open your own alcohol on a plane!) and consume it without us knowing. The thing is, drunk people may think they're sneaky, but they're actually about as subtle as an elephant. So, if people are drinking their own booze and honestly didn't realize they weren't supposed to, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and let them off with a warning. However, if they think they can pull the wool over my eyes and act like they're sipping water instead of vodka, I might ask the Captain to have local authorities meet the aircraft when we land. Either way, that alcohol is being confiscated and going down the drain.
I always try to lead off with the nice approach because it can be frustrating and embarrassing to be cut-off, but I have so little patience for people who argue with me. I'm sure they're charming when they're sober but when drunk they just prevent me from serving the hundred or so other guests on the plane, and unfortunately, unlike the bar, we can't just have a bouncer kick them out! Really bad drunks will be removed from the flight (if they are drunk when boarding), or met by cops when we land, with the possibility that they'll be banned from flying with the airline again. So, go ahead, have a drink, but know your limits and the flight attendants will love you!
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Hi there!
Actually there is no weight restriction at most, if any, North American airlines - I don't think they can legally prevent someone from getting hired for that reason. However, FAs do need to pass a medical exam before they can begin training, and that covers hearing, vision, as well as basic fitness and mobility - lifting the weight of the average suitcase for example (40-50lbs).
Our Boeing aircraft that we fly at my airline require us to bend over to arm our doors which is something that can be difficult if a flight attendant is extremely heavy. I work with people who are all shapes and sizes though, and at the end of the day an airline is looking for people who have great customer service skills, and who take safety seriously. If you look cute too, well, that's just a bonus :)
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Sure I have! It can be a bit unnerving, depending on what the situation is, but having good communication between the pilots and the cabin crew can really put you, and the guests, at ease.
A couple years ago I had a flight where a "mechanical difficulty" happened in the flight deck. Forgive my lack of technical knowledge, but basically it was a heater that kept the front window a specific temperature so that it didn't fog, and also gives it a malleable consistency so it doesn't crack during a birdstrike. We were en route from Montego Bay to Toronto and ended up diverting to Florida to get the piece replaced.
I was pretty tense when the Captain first notified us of the problem since we FA's weren't sure how serious it was, but I've worked with a lot of great pilots who explain situations clearly and without panicking passengers. We secured the cabin for arrival and prepared for a normal landing but with heightened awareness - the plane was heavy with extra fuel to get us to our final destination. Once we landed it was just a matter of keeping the guests happy until we could take off once more and continue the flight.
In a more severe situation, when the plane has to prepare for an emergency landing, FAs use an Emergency Landing Checklist that helps us to prepare the cabin for a hard landing, either on land or water, and possibly evacuate afterward. Thankfully I have never had to resort to that during any of my flights, and although I know crew who have had an engine failure during the flight or landing gear that didn't retract, they too just prepared for a "non-normal landing" rather than an emergency. (those flights landed safely without incident)
I will add that when there have been unusual situations that arise from mechanical difficulties mid-flight, I have been really impressed with the passengers and how calm and patient they were. It makes a big difference to your crew!
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Unfortunately, as of yet, I don't think you can wear a turban while on duty. I can only speak for the airline I work for, but I've also never seen an FA - or a pilot for that matter - wearing a turban during my travels in other corners of the world.
Airline uniform standards are strict at the best of times and any articles that deviate from the standard, whether they are representative of a faith or not, need to be removed or hidden from sight while at work. That means cross necklaces, tattoos, some piercings, and I'm afraid, turbans, to name a few. While on layovers all bets are off and you are welcome to wear whatever you please of course!
There's another factor at work here - safety regulations. One of the inflight safety tools is a smoke hood which is worn over the head to provide oxygen and protection if, heaven forbid, you need to fight a fire. While I'm grateful we have them onboard, it's in part because of them that we have such strict grooming standards; we need to be ready to pull one over our head at the drop of a hat, so for girls that means hair must be pinned back out of the face and earrings can't be too long. For guys, it means that facial hair must be limited and closely trimmed - a beard can interfere with the seal the smoke hood makes around your nose and mouth to supply oxygen. I'm sure my airline would cite that darn smoke hood as a reason to deny you your turban as well. They may also add that it presents a security problem since we aren't allowed to have anything covering our head or face when accessing the airline crew security bypass point.
Don't be discouraged! If becoming a flight attendant is something you're really passionate about I would suggest you investigate airlines worldwide to see if there are any exceptions that allow turbans. I don't take cultural and religious traditions lightly, so I hope you're able to find a great employer or else a comprimise that you're happy with. I will add that I have seen plenty of airport employees and government employees at the security checkpoints who wear turbans!
Good luck!
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Yes, we are given basic first aid training and prepped on how to handle an emergency, but most often our role is to ensure the sick passenger is comfortable and, if possible, has some privacy, and then get them into the hands of a medical professional. That can mean paging for medical assistance, relaying information to the doctors we have available via satellite phone, or communicating to the Captain the status of the ill passenger, and ensuring EMS (paramedics) meet the aircraft - typically we'll do all three.
It's not very often that we get down and dirty ourselves and have to rely on our own limited training to help a sick person. More likely an FA will assist any volunteer medical professionals on board (I've never paged for help and NOT had either a doctor, nurse, paramedic or firefighter on board who leapt up to save the day) by bringing medicine, blankets, water, etc to the scene and writing down vital information, and the other FAs will work to keep the pilots informed and the rest of the cabin in order. We owe SO much to the medical professionals who come to the rescue when we call on them, and we do our best to get their information after the emergency has passed so that they can get a thank-you travel credit for their assistance.
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