Many people want to join the number of flight attendants. There are interesting angles to becoming a flight attendant. Still there are some problems every flight attendant understands. Here are 20 of them.
1. You had a tough time getting employed as flight attendant
Competition is ferocious and an opening for 1,500 spots could receive as much as 20,000 applications and many times higher. To get into an Ivy League school is far easier than landing a gig as a flight attendant.
2. You are not meant to be too tall or too short
There remains a constraint that you have to be tall enough to grab equipment from the overhead bins and not tall enough to be hitting your heads on the ceiling. So flight attendants understand why they simply have to stay between 5-foot-3 and 6-foot-1, although the exact height depends on the aircraft.
3. You can get yourself fired for a number of reasons
During the first six months newly hired attendants are put on strict probations. During this period anything could get you fired; issues such as calling in sick or dressing inappropriately could get you fired.
4. You get paid for “flight hours only”
There is no such thing as getting paid for flight delays, cancellations or layovers. You only get paid when the craft pushes away from the gate. This means a lot of unpaid waiting time on the ground.
5. You have to be a super crisis manager
During rare occasions when anomalies or situations happen, flight attendants have to handle and manage situations with sensitivity and respect. An example is when a passenger is battling a flu and is about to pass away, the flight attendant should be able to find the best solution to settle the problem, perhaps an unscheduled landing or urging everyone to remain calm or get a doctor to render medical assistance.
6. You have to work with the police
An important part of the job is working with the police to apprehend criminals. Whether it is drug trafficking or human trafficking, the flight attendant presents herself as the first line of defence.
7. You should understand what seniority means
There is hierarchy amongst flight attendants. This could signal benefits in the routes you fly, the days you get to take off, the apartment you share with other attendants, and many more benefits.
8. You tend to be more at risk than a passenger
There are more injuries that affect flight attendants than any passenger on the plane. As far as you are putting on your seatbelt you are safer than the flight attendant who is not putting one on yet.
9. You have to keep every relationship on the plane strictly professional
Although as in any other workplace, people form friendships and bond with people they feel comfortable with, the flight attendant has to maintain a strictly professional relationship with everyone on the plane.
10. You have to be of good manners
The truth is that not everybody gets on the plane in their best mood. The best attitude for the flight attendant is to be of high spirits and understanding enough to manage people’s behaviour.
11. You have to appreciate that every air travel should be memorable
Working with humans and caring for the flight needs of travelers will always be remarkable. As a flight attendant you should love flying, be adventurous and be willing to go the extra mile. Being a flight attendant isn’t just a job, it is a lifestyle.
12. You must be flexible
Airlines operate day and night, and in some cases a flight overseas could take as much as 14 hours or more. Alltogether an attendant could work on holidays and weekends and fly for about 65 to 90 hours per months, with another 50 hours spend preparing and waiting for flights on ground.
13. Passenger safety is your most important duty
Although flight attendants should be able to attain a blend of customer service, a flight attendant’s main focus should be to ensure that every passenger enjoys the comfort and is safe through the duration on a flight.
14. You must be healthy
One of the most important requirements in securing a job as a flight attendant is your mental and physical health. Your health will be checked before you can get a job as a flight attendant.
15. You know that two days will never be alike
While the weather can be inconsistent on ground in one place, it is even more so if you keep traveling from place to place. Every day presents new cabin crew members, pilots and passengers that are heading off to different destinations.
16. You should be knowledgeable about airline procedures
Every flight attendant shows skill in proper use of oxygen masks and safety belts, they know the whereabouts of lifeboats and emergency exits and more. After an attendant enters an aircraft he or she checks whether all the needed equipment is onboard and the flight should proceed.
17. You face exhaustion many times
You should understand that flight attendants are mostly on their feet nearly 100 percent of the time. Their job is also physical and very tasking. This affects their body clocks and their general health.
18. You don’t get the perfect sleep
Most times the airlines are trying to save some money so the flight attendants are not put in the highest quality hotels. Because of the nature of their job, they face sleep deprivation many times.
19. Your job affects your relationships
The job leaves you so exhausted that it becomes difficult to build intimate and cordial relationships whether with your family, friends and loved ones.
20. You have to be mindful of when you drink alcohol
Crew members are not allowed to drink 12 hours before a flight. Although you can drink constantly right up to the point when it it’s not allowed, you have to be mindful of every alcohol you drink. Being a flight attendant can be adventurous and fun yet you have to understand that with such joys there are discomforts and struggles.
Featured photo credit: Stewardess on the airfield. Place for your text. via shutterstock.com
