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.
Hmm... it could depend on the airline, but in my experience health benefits don't come into effect until one has been an employee for 3 months and passed a 'probationary' period. For me, that was all it took for me to be considered a full time employee, even though I still have to hold reserve on occasion. Other airlines only hire flight attendants seasonally and require them to hold reserve exclusively for the duration of their employment before being laid-off at the end of the season. As far as I know from speaking to former FAs of those airlines, they don't receive either flight or medical benefits, unfortunately. It ultimately doesn't matter so much about whether or not you're assigned reserve vs. scheduled pairings, but how long the company has hired you for. I would recommend inquiring at the particular airline you're interested in!
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Phew! Thank you for not publicly denouncing me :) I've been flying a fraction of that amount of time so it's encouraging to know I'm not totally off base with my answers! Try following the Contact link at the bottom of the page to send the Jobster admin your contact info and they can forward it to me. I'd appreciate getting a second opinion on things from time to time!
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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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Well I don't know anyone personally who has worked at Emirates, but I can share with you the tidbits I've picked up about them here and there since working in the industry. Obviously they have an impressive product - that's maybe what attracted you to them in the first place - they are among the top luxury airlines out there today, offering crazy amenities like onboard showers and probably 20 course meals! But what does that mean for the flight attendants?
Emirates openly recruits from other countries and, like many companies operating out of Dubai, lures employees over with the promise of lots of tax savings to pad your bank account. That said, I'm not sure how competitive their actual wages are, but you can be sure you'll enjoy the tax breaks of living overseas. I think they have a fairly high turnover rate, simply because living in Dubai isn't for everyone. Even people I know who have enjoyed working in Dubai didn't stay past two years. Depending on where you're from, it can be a big culture shock, and you'll be required to live in shared accommodations arranged by the airline, with fellow flight attendants - which could be fantastic, especially for young workers like yourself, or it could be a challenge.
Finally, what I've heard about the work is that it's extremely demanding because their high quality of service requires a high tolerance for their rules. The uniform standards are quite strict (down to the shade of lipstick), and the customer is always, always right, so you might have to bite your tongue a bit.
Now that all sounds like I'm not a fan, but believe me, they are world-renowned for a reason and they must be doing something right! I think 21 is the perfect time to give it a shot and go for an adventure! You'll be working and living alongside like-minded people and you'll be paid to see parts of the world so many people never get a chance to visit. I just had a co-worker leave our airline for a similar situation in Abu Dhabi and she's always posting lust-worthy photos of white sand beaches and fancy hotels and expensive clubs so I take from that that she's having a blast.
If nothing else, try it for a year or two... and let me know how it goes!
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Chick-fil-A General Manager
How often do you have to fire someone, and does it ever get ugly?
Election Inspector
Do most poll staffers agree that the ballots are REALLY confusing?
Private Detective
What do you think is the most corrupt industry, city, and State in the country?
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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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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Ok, you're forcing me to admit that I bend the rules once in a while. I really have no problem with people taking photos or videos during take-off and landing because it's the most exciting part of the entire flight. Technically though, anything that can connect to the internet should be turned off completely for that portion of the flight (since there have been incidents of electronics interfering with aircraft systems), and most people nowadays use smartphones to take photos, and even cameras have wi-fi suddenly, so it's not really allowed. Please don't tell on me.
I have a far lower tolerance for people who happen to film or take a photo of me! Not that I'm anything special, but I have clever co-workers who make jokes on the PA during the safety demonstration (which I'll be acting out) and on occasion they get filmed and then posted on YouTube. *shudder* Fortunately I haven't gained online notoriety as "that embarrassed blonde flight attendant" yet, but I have seen a video on YouTube starring two of my friends doing the safety demo. Fortunately they both love it!
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