The life of travel isn’t always so glamorous
With their impeccable balance mid-air, confidence, and fresh appearance after an 8-hour flight, I’m sure we’ve all admired flight attendants on the job at least once. We see them as a crew of good looking men and women who pleasantly greet us as we board and deplane, who serve us on flights, and for some, those who live the life of a world traveler.
But little do we know, there is so much more than what meets the eye. We spoke to real life flight attendants about a couple things they wish passengers knew about their job - and here’s what they have to say:
1. They are there, first and foremost, for your safety and security
While they do attend to our needs and help us have a comfortable and enjoyable flight experience, the main reason they are there is to make sure we are safe throughout the journey.
2. Some of them have college degrees in law and medicine
While it’s easy to assume flight attendants pursued a degree in hospitality, there are actually a number of flight attendants who are licensed lawyers and medical practitioners who instead pursued their dreams of becoming part of a cabin crew.
3. They are not your nannies in the skies
Of the 50 flight attendants we surveyed, about ⅓ of them said they wish passengers knew they aren’t their nannies, waiters, or just servers during flights. They are there to ensure everyone safely reaches their destination.
One of them even said, “Not all like children and infant passengers,” because they can get a handful when the parents don’t properly take care of them.
4. They know who you really are with just one look -- most of the time!
One flight attendant said, “We "profile" each and every passenger the moment they step inside the aircraft (suspicious/drunk/hiding something/nice one/grumpy...etc.) and 90% of the time, we are right.” So the next time you attempt to hide a check-in only item, remember this!
5. They’re not always traveling around
Since flying can be physically taxing, especially long haul journeys, many flight attendants would actually much prefer to just stay in their accommodations and get some rest instead of sightseeing.
6. They all undergo first-aid training
The next time you think that our friendly flight attendants are on board to be of service to us, remember that they have first-aid training and could be our lifeline while in the air.
7. They are trained to evacuate an aircraft within 90 seconds
In case you’re in doubt about how physically and mentally draining being a flight attendant can be, remember that they are trained to evacuate an aircraft, with a full seating capacity, within 90 seconds and get everyone to safety.
8. It can get lonely
Seeing the world is one of the best perks of being a flight attendant, but that also means you are almost always away from home.
One flight attendant said, “It can get lonely. You’re always away from loved ones and always in constant luggage packing. Yes, we meet a lot of people but those people are only temporary, they remain as strangers so it can be hard to build relationships. Then eventually, you just get used to it.”
9. They aren’t paid while the aircraft door is still open
We found out their flight pay starts only from departure up until the aircraft is parked. Most surprisingly, we learned that they also don’t get paid when there are delays - which means that the passengers aren’t alone in their frustrations towards delays and cancellations!
10. Their work starts even before they step into the aircraft
While their pay only starts once the aircraft doors close, their work actually starts before the flight. One flight attendant listed it down for us: from the collection of documents, preparation of the cabin, meal counting, down to safety and security checks.
