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 flight attendant schedule works out to be about half the month off. In Canada it's a requirement to be scheduled at least 13 days off a month, but usually I'll get a few more than that. So really, we're home more often than not, and we get more days off than the average 9 to 5-er, but we may end up working all weekends one month which makes it feel like we don't see friends as often. Most FAs I work with who are parents agree that they spend more time with their kids now than they did at their previous job, whether it was an office job or other shift work. You just have to be prepared to have your days off in chunks, so you may not see your spouse or kids for a week, but then you could have 9 days off in a row! It's unpredictable, but I still prefer it to the alternative!
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Congratulations on getting hired!
So many people have jobs on the side in this business it's hard to remember them all. I considered keeping my waitressing job from before I became an FA, but the lure of having extra days off won me over in the end. The key is finding a job that has flexible hours, since you'll be flying during business hours and some weekends.
A lot of cabin crew bartend or wait tables, and catering companies are also handy places to look for serving gigs since they usually don't require a long-term commitment.
I've noticed that many FAs have obtained their real estate licence in their down time, another job that lets you build your own hours.
There are also a lot of small business owners among my co-workers, who are their own boss: wedding planners, personal trainers, actors, musicians, photographers, landlords, dance teachers, people who sell stuff on etsy... there are no boundaries really. That's not to mention all the FAs who are going to school on the side, in case you want to switch careers later in life.
I just would advise against committing to any kind of set-in-stone schedule since it's not always easy to get the days off you need in the airline business, or to trade shifts. Try to find something with variable hours and that you really enjoy!
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Ok, you're forcing me to admit that I bend the rules once in a while. I really have no problem with people taking photos or videos during take-off and landing because it's the most exciting part of the entire flight. Technically though, anything that can connect to the internet should be turned off completely for that portion of the flight (since there have been incidents of electronics interfering with aircraft systems), and most people nowadays use smartphones to take photos, and even cameras have wi-fi suddenly, so it's not really allowed. Please don't tell on me.
I have a far lower tolerance for people who happen to film or take a photo of me! Not that I'm anything special, but I have clever co-workers who make jokes on the PA during the safety demonstration (which I'll be acting out) and on occasion they get filmed and then posted on YouTube. *shudder* Fortunately I haven't gained online notoriety as "that embarrassed blonde flight attendant" yet, but I have seen a video on YouTube starring two of my friends doing the safety demo. Fortunately they both love it!
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Variety is the spice of life, and I love that each day I go to work is different from the last. Never the same passengers, on the same plane, with the same crew, going to the same place. I'm not big on routine, so for me, having a few early mornings here and there, with the occasional red-eye flight is no big deal. Some days are 14 hours long, some are only 3. It keeps me on my toes!
The travel is the big draw for me though. I might be just as happy on a train or boat, but planes are fast and fun! I thrive on seeing new places, it just makes me so happy, and while I do miss my bed and love coming home, I also enjoy exploring foreign cities and turning the unknown into the known.
In terms of a career, I'll be honest, there isn't a lot of opportunities or even much ambition involved. If I wanted to move into an airline office position there could be some options for me, but I'm happy on the plane and that's probably where I'll stay until I leave the industry. I've never had much of a career plan, and I didn't grow up dreaming of this job, but for now it keeps me interested and I can feel good about helping people get from point A to point B and hopefully they'll even enjoy it a little!
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Yes and no. If it's free for the passengers, it's free for us too, so coffee, juice, pop, cookies, etc.
If it's not free for the passengers, we have to pay too - the only exception is if the flight is almost done and there are leftover items that will be thrown out anyway. Then we can rummage through and see if there's something we want, but honestly, serving the same snacks all the time renders them pretty unappetizing, to me at least.
Once in awhile I'll work a catered flight which includes meals and the caterer will set aside some for the crew. That's kind of fun, but it's like any classic "airplane food" tray - some stuff will be scrumptious and others will be unrecognizable.
Generally I just grab a crew water (1.5 litre bottles, you really gotta stay hydrated!) and only dip into the plane snacks and drinks in moments of desperation where I don't have time to sit down and open my much healthier, home-packed lunch bag!
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Apart from the wonderful benefits of bypassing security line-ups at the airport and bossing around businesmen to turn off their phone and buckle up their seat belts, FAs at my airline also get limitless cheap standby tickets for themselves and their "plus one". The exact travel privilages vary from airline to airline but at least during the work day you'll get to see some new cities!
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Haha, good guess but no. It does have a compass direction in the name though! That's my only hint. Oh, and it's not Southwest, although our business strategy closely mirrors theirs. In fact, if you're in the US I would recommend checking them out since they seem to prioritize taking good care of their employees and may not use seniority either. But if you're in Canada... come check us out!
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