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.
Of course! I've worked with plenty. The requirements vary a little bit from airline to airline but the basics are the same:
a high school education or equivalent
a valid passport
the ability to work and live in the country in which you're applying
a criminal background check of the previous 5 years for airport security clearance
a height or "reach" requirement
some customer service experience
This web page http://www.flightattendantcareer.com/faq.htm goes into a lot more detail, specifically about applying for jobs in the US, but you can also find out the requirements by checking out the Careers page on any airline's website. Just remember that you don't need a special course from a school or anything to become a flight attendant, the airline will give you all the training you need once you get hired. Happy hunting!
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Ooh boy is it ever hard! I've gotten better, learning to ask the right questions to someone who is upset; "what's the problem?", "is there anything I can do for you right here and now to solve it", "these are the options I can offer you, which works best for you?" etc., and usually people will come around.
But it's also important to know when someone is just being unreasonable. I try to listen, understand what they're saying, apologize, and then work on a solution, but if someone is being angry and just not accepting my help it comes to a point where I just tell them I have to get on with my job and care for a hundred other guests and if they aren't going to work with me they can call our Customer Care team on the ground.
I confess I have felt my blood start to boil more than once - it's impossible not to if someone is yelling in my face - and I've had to step back and ask another FA to take over before I say something unprofessional! If someone is pissed off and swearing though we can deny them boarding (the Captain will always support our decision) or, if it happens midflight, we will have local authorities meet the aircraft upon arrival.
We undergo training each year to learn how to deal with unruly and upset guests but unfortunately it's really something you have to experience firsthand multiple times before you become confident in how to respond. I still get wired up when it happens to me!
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Haha, oh man I have to do this alllll the time and I hate it! I used to get annoyed that people refuse to put their phones down because we're all so addicted to them but it happens too often to lose my cool over it.
So I say, "Sir, just make sure you have your phone off and stowed for take-off". I emphasize "stowed" because I'm so tired of arguing with people about Airplane Mode and whether or not it's ok (it is during the flight but for take-off and landing your electronics do need to be OFF), and that way the guest will usually just tuck it in the seat pocket or in their jacket so I don't have to see it. If people keep jabbering into their phone or texting I have no problem saying, "you're now holding up a hundred other people because we can't close the door until you put that away", and then smile and say "thank you!" as sweet as pie because sometimes it's fun to be nice when people are crabby!
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Yes and no. If it's free for the passengers, it's free for us too, so coffee, juice, pop, cookies, etc.
If it's not free for the passengers, we have to pay too - the only exception is if the flight is almost done and there are leftover items that will be thrown out anyway. Then we can rummage through and see if there's something we want, but honestly, serving the same snacks all the time renders them pretty unappetizing, to me at least.
Once in awhile I'll work a catered flight which includes meals and the caterer will set aside some for the crew. That's kind of fun, but it's like any classic "airplane food" tray - some stuff will be scrumptious and others will be unrecognizable.
Generally I just grab a crew water (1.5 litre bottles, you really gotta stay hydrated!) and only dip into the plane snacks and drinks in moments of desperation where I don't have time to sit down and open my much healthier, home-packed lunch bag!
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Chef
Is it true that the "specials" are usually the stuff that's been sitting around awhile?
Police Officer
Have you ever been shot or seriously injured on the job?
Call Center Employee (Retail)
Which cable company do you think has the absolute worst customer service?
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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If the restaurant where you waitress is ok with it, I would recommend holding onto that gig! It's so easy to pick up a shift here and there, around your flying schedule. I sometimes think I should have kept my serving job as well, but when push comes to shove I'll always pick days off over money!
I answered a similar question in a bit more detail above:
"I just got hired as a FA and i have not yet started training. I have been reading a lot of blogs and it looks like other FA aren't able to pick up as much hours as they want. My question is : what types of side jobs can we do to make ends meet?"
Check it out!
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It is SO easy to get dehydrated on a plane, so I totally get it! I have no problem filling water bottles for guests provided we have enough water on board to complete service. What you can also do is bring an empty bottle through security and fill it up at a water fountain in the airport, or buy one in an airport store right before you board. We even sell bottles of water on the plane for people who know they'll want more than just one glass, but whatever you choose please don't feel bad for asking for water! If you ask politely for an extra glass, or to have your bottle filled, I can't see why the crew would say no.
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