| I have a sister of whom I am very proud. After | | | | an occupational hazard for flight attendants. |
| the kids were grown she found herself divorced | | | | Though airline passengers tend to think of flight |
| after years of unhappy marraige. So she went | | | | attendants as waiters, in actual fact, the flight |
| back to work. She found the job market brutal | | | | attendant's primary responsibility is to the safety |
| after all those years as a housewife, but she | | | | of the passengers. My sister told me she spent |
| stuck with it, and got a ticketing job with | | | | several days practicing getting people out of the |
| Continental Airlines. She allowed herself to dream | | | | aircraft safely, and she showed me the bruises |
| about returning to the flight attendant's job she'd | | | | she got from sliding repeatedly down that |
| given up when she got married, and thanks to a | | | | inflatable ramp you see on the little safety card in |
| 1968 court ruling which struck down the | | | | the seat back in front of you. Other standard |
| mandatory resignation ages and to the fact that | | | | safety training includes basic first-aid, CPR, and |
| my sister is still in great shape, today she is flying | | | | fire-fighting. |
| again. And she loves it! | | | | Here are a few things to consider if you want to |
| The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries has | | | | be a flight attendant: |
| posted the following statistics regarding travel in | | | | * You may be away 4-10 days at a time. |
| 2000: 26,853,000 Americans traveled to foreign | | | | * Starting salaries are quite low, but increase |
| destinations, while a record 50.9 million international | | | | handsomely with seniority. |
| travelers visited the United States, which means | | | | * Attendants may be scheduled for up to 16 |
| lots of international air travel. Add to that | | | | hours at a time on some long haul flights. (My |
| domestic air travel and you can see that there | | | | sister says she doesn't sit down forthe whole trip |
| are a lot of jobs out there. Post September 11, | | | | on a 10 hour trans-Atlantic flight.) |
| 2001 figures have not yet been released, but we | | | | * Depending on whether you work for a small or |
| hear news of financial troubles with the airlines on | | | | large airline, you could be a crew of 1 or 18, who |
| a daily basis. So, are the flight attendants' jobs | | | | serve up to 400 passengers. |
| secure? I've had a look around to try and get a | | | | * Some flight attendants see nothing but the |
| feel for the industry as it stands today, and | | | | same two cities day in and day out as they fly |
| though there have been some layoffs among | | | | back and forth between them, while others enjoy |
| smaller airlines, particularly charter companies, | | | | layovers in the worlds most exotic locations. |
| many companies are also hiring. In the U.S. | | | | Shoparound before you commit to an airline. |
| Southwest Airlines and Continental both appear to | | | | * Carriers look for candidates with good |
| be weathering the storm well. | | | | communication skills,adaptability, and who work |
| Glamorous as it sounds, working for the airlines is | | | | well without supervision. |
| not all sweetness and light. The constant threat of | | | | * For international flights, bi-lingual and tri-lingual |
| lay-offs notwithstanding, it can be as repetitive as | | | | applicants are preferred. |
| any other job in a service industry, with long | | | | * Attendants should have a minimum of a high |
| hours and downright abusive passengers to look | | | | school education or GED, and most have at least |
| after. The plus side is that you get paid to travel. | | | | some college. |
| I was nosy and read some online discussions | | | | * Flight attendants receive 4 - 6 weeks arduous |
| betweenflight attendants ( and discovered that | | | | training from the airline that hires them, whether |
| difficulties aside, these people really LOVE what | | | | or not they have had any previous experience or |
| they do. | | | | training. |
| Here are some of the reasons why: | | | | * Regarding lay offs in the currently troubled |
| With practice and seniority, flight attendants are | | | | airline industry, here are some quotes I gleaned |
| often able to group their flights together is such a | | | | from a flight attendants online forum at (If you |
| way that they have 1 - 2 weeks off every | | | | really want to hear what FA's are saying, go read |
| month. | | | | these discussions, they are very enlightening): |
| There is a lot more variety than in a "normal" 9 - | | | | Here's the pro: "The airline industry is in trouble |
| 5 job. You get to fly to different cities, work with | | | | but it isn't going to hell just yet. I've been working |
| different crews, and move your schedule around | | | | as a FA for about 3 years and believe that my |
| so you never have to get bored. | | | | job is secure. I do work for a regional but haven't |
| Airline employees usually get 2 paid weeks off | | | | seen a lot of people come from other airlines to |
| after the 1st year with a maximum of 5 weeks | | | | us because of layoffs. We suspended hiring in |
| per year after 20 years of service. They fly for | | | | September until the beginning of the new year |
| nearly free and get discounts on hotel | | | | and plan to start again in the spring. In the fall |
| accommodations and car rentals. Close relatives | | | | there is usually less flying overall than in the other |
| are entitled to super cheap passes as well. The | | | | months so it made sense to stop hiring. The first |
| only stipulation is that people traveling on "buddy | | | | year the money is really funny and that's when a |
| passes" must fly standby. So if the flight fills up | | | | lot of people leave. At (blanked by Kim) we start |
| with regular passengers, everyone with buddy | | | | at $16.69 an hour with an 80 hour guarantee |
| passes will get bumped and have to wait for the | | | | (Monthly), there is no max but it would be hard (if |
| next flight, (not a good way to travel with | | | | not impossible) to fly more than 100 hours in |
| children!) | | | | thebest and busiest of months. Right now most |
| Plus most airlines also make interline agreements | | | | people are getting pretty close to 85 hours. Per |
| with other carriers so that employees can fly | | | | diem is $1.40 an hour from check in to 15 minutes |
| free or nearly free to just about any place that | | | | after block in. There is no talk of layoff or the |
| has an airport. If you visit flightattendants.org | | | | company trying to ask for concessions." - |
| interline.htm you will find a long list of interline | | | | skywaiter |
| companies which offer package holidays, tours, | | | | And here's the con: "The airline industry, especially |
| and cruises exclusively to airline employees and | | | | the charter industry, is very much a seasonal |
| their accompanying family members and traveling | | | | operation. Though airlines fly year round there are |
| companions. | | | | more flights in the winter and summer than in the |
| Though the majority of them are women, the | | | | spring and fall. So for the first few years of |
| job is now open to men and women between the | | | | employment with a charter carrier it is common |
| ages of 18 and 60. Most airlines set height | | | | to be laid off during the slower seasons. (This |
| requirements for flight attendants between 5' and | | | | from a Canadian FA, with more dramatic seasonal |
| 6' since taller people have trouble moving around | | | | traffic fluctuations than in the States.) Newer |
| the cabin of the aircraft, and shorter ones have | | | | crew members go through layoffs, being on and |
| trouble reaching the overhead lockers. Being in | | | | off of reserve. Eventually, though, if you stick it |
| good physical condition is important, since the job | | | | out you get enough seniority to fly year round. |
| demands it, but the old weight restrictions have | | | | Not everyone can wait around and suffer the ups |
| relaxed. Today airlines say "weight must be in | | | | and downs of the industry, which helps others |
| proportion to height". And thankfully, a court ruling | | | | hold their jobs year round. You won't always be |
| in 1990 banned smoking on all domestic flights, | | | | at the bottom of the list and it only gets better. |
| thus eliminating second-hand smoke inhalation as | | | | |