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.
Hey George,
I've flown with hundreds of pilots and can only recall two who also previously worked as flight attendants, however they both already had their pilot's license before they chose to become cabin crew. In other words, they met all the qualifications to become a commercial pilot (certified and flown a minimum amount of hours) but they were having a hard time getting a job at the airline they were interested in. They each seperately opted to become FAs at the airline just to get their foot in the door in order to network with the intent of eventually getting hired as a pilot internally. One of them also worked as a fueller for the same reason but hated it so much he transferred to the inflight department after a week!
So my bad news to you is that one way or another you'll have to pay for flying lessons and build up your hours, because those qualifications are pre-requisites to becoming a pilot and no amount of networking can get you past that. That said, I work with a handful of flight attendants who take flying lessons, and are slowly working up to their full pilot's license by paying for it over several years. If you have an interest in becoming a Flight Attendant anyway, it's not a bad way to pass the time while you save up for flying lessons. Be warned though, they are two vastly different jobs, and if you don't enjoy customer service you'd be better off getting a job as a ground handler or aircraft caterer if you are determined to get hired in the industry while you work up to becoming a pilot!
As for the stereotypes about male flight attendants, if you plan to work in the commerical airline industry - as a pilot OR an FA - I'd recommend you keep an open mind since people from all walks of life choose to work for airlines and you will be working alongside them. Let go of the stereotypes, don't assume anything about your co-workers, and don't worry about what people might think of you! Don't let other people's uninformed opinions stand in the way of something you want to achieve, or you won't get anywhere!
oh - and I've only ever heard English used on the aircraft radios, regardless of the country we're flying into, so stick with that!
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Well, where would you like to go? It's hard to predict which language an airline will be looking for at any given time, but you can be sure that once you get hired for a second language, you will be scheduled on those routes. It won't do you any good to study French and then realize you hate spending your layovers in France!
If you have your heart set on a particular airline, look at their destinations and perhaps that will influence your choice of language to study. Some airlines will specifically list which languages they are looking for on their careers page of their website, but those positions might fill up before you have a chance to get proficient. There's no right answer for choosing a language (well, maybe there are some wrong answers... Latin won't get you anywhere) so instead pick one that feels manageable, and whose culture interests you, and go from there!
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Of course! Hey, if God put it there, who is an employer to complain? Now if you had a bunch of facial tattoos, that would be another story...
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Yes indeed! You will get a flat rate (I received 4.5 hours pay for each day of training even though the classes were more like 8 hours a day) because a flight attendant's salary is based on working 80hrs/month and it would be too costly for the airline to pay it's new hires the hourly wage for the duration of training, which could add up to 160hrs/month.
You may have some up front expenses like paying for your uniform (some airlines charge the employee, others don't), or paying for a hotel if you do not live in the city where the training takes place (this is not covered by the airline). I just read about an airline that made its employees pay for a portion of the training that was taught by Disney, which is atypical and kind of bizarre.
You won't receive per diems during your training as that's something you only accrue while away from base (ie: on a pairing). I hope that answers your question!
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Certified Nurse Aide
Have you ever seen any 'senior abuse' in your nursing home?
MBA Student
How many years of work experience do you REALLY need before applying?
Peace Corps Volunteer
Are Peace Corps volunteers just a bunch of "hippie freaks?"
Try www.crewgear.com or www.ebags.com. At work we use Travelpro and Samsonite, but there are so many other brands out there to choose from!
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Personally, I say NO. Of all the people I've flown with over the years, I can count the number who studied travel and tourism or went to FA school on one hand - and one of them had to wait years after her graduation before actually getting a job, so there are no guarantees!
If you have work experience that demonstrates your customer service skills that will get you a lot farther than a certificate from any school. Of course post-secondary education is an asset, but don't devote too much money or time on just studying how to be an FA.
All airlines will train you to be the Flight Attendant that they want you to be. Sometimes people tranferring from other airlines have it worse than those of us with no prior experience because they have to "unlearn what they have learned". Announcements and procedures that have been committed to memory suddenly have to be tweaked and adjusted for new verbage or standards. I can see the same thing happening with folks who have studied at a school.
In conclusion, I would say do yourself a favour and just get a job waiting tables - I work with countless servers, I was one myself, and when it comes down to it being a great flight attendant means having good people skills and knowing how to solve customer service issues on the spot. Don't worry about all the safety training because the airline that hires you will tell you all you need to know.
I hope that helps!
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Oh gosh... I'm really not sure! If it were me, I wouldn't mention it unless the application form specifically asked. I was laid off from a previous job and don't remember mentioning it on my application or during my interview. Just be prepared to explain why you were fired in case you do get asked during an interview, because honesty is the best policy. If you were at fault then be ready to explain how you learned from the experience, and if you were wrongfully fired than don't dwell on being the victim. Disclosing that you were fired won't do you any favours on paper, but in person you can put a positive spin on anything, and being open about previous mistakes can demonstrate a lot of maturity and openness to feedback that a potential employer may like.
I'm no recruiter so I'm sorry I don't have a black or white answer for you - my guess is that it will depend on each airline's company policy - but in my opinion that is information that only needs to be given if requested.
Good luck!
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