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.
The day-to-day responsibilities of an FA are very different from the worst-case-scenario responsibilities for which we train. Thankfully, on a daily basis my job is just to make sure the plane is tidy and safe to board, help people get settled in, and then bring them coffee and cookies once we're in the air. It's a pretty simple gig, the hardest part might be cutting off someone who's had too much to drink, or cleaning up after someone is sick. On paper however, an FA's duties are a lot more serious. We have to be prepared to fight fires in the cabin, perform CPR if needed, evacuate aircrafts, haul life rafts out of the overhead bins, react promptly during a decompression, and calm panicked passengers just to name a few. Ultimately we are there to keep passengers safe, and manage the cabin in case of an emergency. But since they rarely occur, we are mostly performing our secondary duties which are related to inflight service. Consider us the airline version of Clark Kents and Bruce Waynes just waiting for duty to call!
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On a regular day, FAs spend the time during flight setting up carts for service, completing that service (what we offer will vary from route to route, and depend on the flight time), then we restock, clean up, and if there's any time leftover we have lunch and flip through a couple gossip rags! We also do seatbelt checks if there's turbulence, hand out customs cards, and do cabin walkthroughs a few times each hour to make sure all the passengers are comfortable and happy. The work itself is very routine, but because the crew and customers are always new it keeps life interesting!
Security checks are something that we do on flights to and/or from specific countries because there is a greater risk of someone wanting to transport an illegal or dangerous substance to that country (ie: malicious intent or smuggling), or because the airport security in a city does not meet the international standards (for example, some airports are so small that they do not have security checkpoints to scan carry-on items). On these flights, the crew must literally tear the cabin apart and search every nook and cranny that passengers hypothetically could have had accessed, and search for suspicious items. It's a total drag, and we don't get paid to do it, but it's for our own safety so we grin and bear it!
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I love to be here, and I love that you love this! Thanks Jobstr Boys!
*group hug*
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Relocating is a reality in the airline industry, so it's great that you're preparing for it. Ideally you'll have enough notice to arrange a living situation before the moving date but if you don't, you have a couple options.
- commute! I don't live in the city in which my airline is based, so sometimes I have to fly 4 hours to start my shift. It sucks, but a lot of flight crew do the same thing. When you consider that you could realistically only have 4 shifts in a month (each lasting 4-5 days) you'll only be doing that commute 8 times. Depending on how far away you live, that could work out to being fewer hours than a typical drive-in commute for an office worker. Also, the cost of the flights should be pretty low if your airline offers travel benefits, or even covered entirely by the company depending on where you live.
- get a crash pad. Ask around at work - there are probably fellow employees who live close to the airport who have spare rooms that they offer to commuters for a nightly or monthly rate. Or, some commuters chip in and rent an apartment or house together as an alternative to hotels. If you're willing to have a roommate, you can check crew rooms for ads or on the company's internal website to see who else is in the same boat. For my training in another city, another FA and I rented rooms in a Captain's house - who worked so often that I literally saw him once during my entire stay.
- hotels. Not the greatest option considering how quickly it will add up, but if you do find yourself in a position where you have to spend a couple weeks in a hotel, ask around for crew rates. There will probably be a list of hotels that the airline has agreements with posted on the airline's internal website, but cold calling hotels in the area will also yield some deals (I recommend calling the front desk directly, and not the chain-wide 1-800 number). Most hotels will give crew discounts if you show your work ID at check-in, and I've had as low as $60 a night. Still not very sustainable for the long term, but better than full price!
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Sorry Jackieblue, as far as I know they don't, not even Bed & Breakfasts are considered because they're just too small. There are so many criteria a hotel must meet to be considered for an airline contract that it would be a rare house indeed that could meet them all!
For example, crews require safe and reliable transport between the airport and the hotel 24/7, rooms above the ground floor, safes, nearby access to restaurants and/or grocery stores, fridges and microwaves in each room are a plus for crew that pack their own lunches on the road, and a block of rooms always ready and available. If you have all that then Wow. I need some real estate tips from you!
I hope you don't mind I answered on here in case other people were wondering too! Thanks!
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I wish it did! Unfortunately no, I'm guessing that even rudimentary knowledge would be way beyond the capacity of many flight attendants. Add to that the fact that we will (hopefully!) never put that knowledge into practice and consequently we'll forget it pretty quick. There are so many controls and dials and buttons up in the flight deck that I bet we would do more damage than good if we sat in the Captain's seat. The responsibilities and areas of expertise of the flight crew and flight attendants are very exclusive. Just watch a pilot step into the galley and fumble around looking for the sugar for their coffee and you'll get a sense of how little our knowledge overlaps!
I have worked with a couple pilots that make a habit of showing their crews how to shut off the engines while on the ground, or to turn on the radio while in flight, for example, so there are some pilots out there who agree with you that we should know at least a couple basics.
I've even flown with FAs who have their piloting license which is a great card to pull out of your hat if both pilots conk out. But... if you're flying with me? Sorry I guess we're all doomed!
Happy Flying!
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Hmm that's not suspicious at all... what on earth are you trying to transport? A Commodore 64? A suitcase of Smartphones? Robocop? I'm not sure that there is a limit but you'll have to be a bit more specific. Some electronics are considered dangerous goods and therefore are prohibited on all passenger aircraft.
The value of the electronics is irrelevant unless you are a) concerned about potential damage and want it insured or b) are leaving the country and passing through customs - but neither of those issues are dealt with through the airline.
Weight restrictions for all luggage, whether checked or carry on, will vary from airline to airline, and should be posted on their website.
Sorry I can't help you further but I'd need more details!
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