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