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.
Sometimes I think airplane food has such a bad rep that it can never redeem itself, though I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a lost cause. It can be pretty disastrous though, so why is that? Well, for one thing, there are endless variables that determine what gets offered on your flight. Does the product have a long shelf life? How much does it weigh and how much galley/bin space does it require? Is it available at all our bases? How can we maintain food safety guidelines at 40,000 ft? The multi-million dollar question is how much will it cost, and will it be worth it? If a ticket on one airline costs $50 more than the competitor,... Read More +
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Myself and whomever I designate my lucky companion get to fly anywhere the company flies essentially for free provided we go standby. Unfortunately we're not immune to airport fees and taxes so we do pay a little something for each ticket. My parents also get a discount (not as fantastic as mine, but good), and i'm able to fly standby on other partner airlines for a much cheaper fare - with the small chance that I may even get bumped to first class if the gods of silverware and infinite leg-room are smiling down on me.
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When I retire I won't collect a pension or retain my medical and dental benefits but you'd better believe I'll be clinging onto those cheap flights until I die or the airline goes under - whichever comes first! So though I may be penniless and sickly, I'll still be collecting stamps in my passport. I'll be like a wandering hobo who jumps on airplanes instead of empty train cars. I imagine policies differ from airline to airline, but at the one I work for an employee is eligible for retirement once the sum of age and their years of service equal 60... so I still got some time to put in. If you quit you give up all your benefits and standby... Read More +
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This would be a great time for me to mention that I work for Virgin! Except that I don't. In fact I've never even had the pleasure of stepping onto their aircraft, so you may be more of an expert in this area than myself, but just yesterday I worked with a former Virgin FA so I picked her brain. While she couldn't say that they openly discriminate against less attractive women, she did mention that they include height and weight measurements in their initial medical screening, the range of their uniform sizes is quite restricted, and their grooming standards are as high as their heels. (hair elastics must be concealed with hair or ribbon,... Read More +
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Security / Bodyguard
Have you ever had to disarm an attacker?
Birthday Party Clown
What's the meanest thing a kid ever said to you during a party?
Bowling Alley Attendant
What do bowling alleys do to keep those nasty shoes clean/sanitary?
Wow, you're my favourite type of traveler! You hit the nail on the head, FAs love all those things (even the ones who claim to be on a diet can't resist a free bag of M&Ms!). When I travel on other airlines I bring treats too, something that can be easily shared so that it can be divvied up amongst the cabin and flight deck. If you really want to butter up your crew you can give magazines too - the trashier the better! Cosmo, Hello, weekly gossip mags, etc. They're the perfect thing to flip through between services and even the male flight attendants like them - though they might try to deny it. Maybe you're just doing it out of... Read More +
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Nope! The airport codes are handy to know but that just comes with time. For my training we had online courses we needed to complete before our in class training began, and there were some exercises included to quiz you on your airport codes knowledge, but they were open book and mostly for fun. I freely confess that when I get my monthly schedule I have to google where I'm flying sometimes!
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I'd like to know the same thing!
The exams used during initial training and recurrent training vary from airline to airline and year to year, not to mention that some aviation rules differ depending on the country in which you work. Generally, flight attendants are tested on their knowledge of emergency equipment and procedures. You'll be required to know the proper stowage compartment and operation of each tool on board, such as fire extinguishers and life rafts. Each aircraft is configured differently so the amount and location of these items will change.
The airline industry is built on procedures. ... Read More +
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