The Role of a Flight Attendant -
An Interview of a
Professional and
an Overview of the Position
By: Faith Eversole
Traveling. Seeing the sites. Meeting people from all over
the county. Always being on the go. To many people, a job that entails these
things would be a dream come true. The position of the flight attendant may be
just the thing. It's not just pointing out the Exits or throwing peanuts at
people. There's more to it than what you might think.
I've interviewed a flight attendant who was willing to
answer many questions and explain what a typical day is like from the beginning
to the end in this position. To protect her and the airline with which she is
employed, we will simply call her "Molly".
Why be a flight attendant?
"Ever since childhood, I've been infatuated with
airplanes and the concept of lift so naturally any position that got me closer
to these machines the happier I was. It's really neat to meet so many different
people from so many different places. It's fun to see how they differ in
lifestyle simply due to their location."
Qualifying to be a flight attendant is tough work!
Getting a job as a flight attendant, or any position working
in the air field isn't easy. Intense training is involved and meticulous
background checks. Molly explains it as, "A rigorous five weeks of stress,
studying, medical training and physical strain."
She explains that it was a lot tougher than balancing sodas
on a tray. "It was over a month's worth of screaming door drills, cabin
preps, CPR training, emergency scenarios, testing every other day, and
emotional stress when a classmate would fail and have to leave."
Think being a flight attendant is all fun and games? Think
again!
As glamorous as it may seem to dress in a cute little
uniform, be the center of attention at the beginning and ending of a flight,
and to be able to visit a number of places across the country, the job has its
bad sides. Many people in the field are based in different cities than where
they live; for most it's a different state. Molly resides in Florida but is
based out of Boston, Massachusetts. "I try to get on the last flight out
of Florida the night before I have to work a trip. Then I sleep in the crew
lounge or the cheap hotel that most of us use."
And the day begins!
The beginning of the shift starts about an hour before take
off. The crew meets and discusses safety measures and goes through general
introductions. With the pilots already on the plane, the rest of the crew joins
them. "This is when we all do our security checks such as checking the
medical equipment, intercom systems, lavatories smoke detector, oxygen, life
vests, and overhead bins for any suspicious items. I always test the cockpit
door in emergency entry mode. The captain will then brief us with expected
weather, turbulence, flight times, etc."
Only then are they cleared to board. Once boarded, the
Ground Security Coordinator and the flight attendant go over any security
issues and secure the cabin doors. "Once the cabin doors are closed, it's
all fun and games for me.
"I make the necessary announcements required by the FAA
but I give them my own little twists. Then we do our safety demonstration which
I like to make humorous. Compliance Checks are checking seatbelts, making sure
bags are completely under the seats, no pets are out of their containers, and
car seats are only at the window seats. By this time the plane has pushed back
from the gate and is taxiing out. After our Compliance Check, I dim the lights
and turn on the customers' televisions.
Once our aircraft reaches the front of
the line the Captain or first officer will use the intercom to tell we have
been cleared for takeoff. Then we buckle in to our assigned jump seats and use
our brace positions until we hear the double ding that indicates we have hit
10, 000 feet."
At this point, only the flight crew is authorized to be out
of their seats.
Peanuts! Get your fresh roasted peanuts!
Beverages and snacks are served shortly after this period.
Snacks varying from chips and crackers to nuts and cookies are offered. On this
particular airline, beverage carts are not utilized as it is unsafe to block
the isles. Flight attendants, instead carry trays to display various snack and
beverage options.
After Beverage and Snack Service is finished, Molly and the
other flight attendants walk through several times cleaning up any trash and
keeping the galleys clear.
Everyone's got to go!
Special care has to be taken to allow the pilots out of
their cabin. A simple restroom break can prove to be quite the ordeal.
"We set up the front galley to let the pilots out. This
involves clearing the front galley of any customers, setting up a soda cart to
block the isle, and dimming the lights so as not to draw attention to front of
the plane. I knock on the cockpit door and one pilot comes out while I go into
the cockpit, locking the door behind me - there has to be two people in the
cockpit at all times. Then the same goes for the other pilot - one comes back
in, the other one goes out while I stay in the cockpit until they are finished.
Once I come back out we lock the door and remove the cart."
Cleared for landing!
During the descent, the flight attendants walk through one
last time checking for trash, making sure tray tables are up and customers are
securely in their seats. When cleared for landing, they buckle up and secure
themselves.
Customers unload from the plane and the crew has about
thirty minutes to completely clean up and get ready to do it all over again.
Flights don't always run smoothly.
Molly states that not all flights are as perfect as one
would hope. "I've had customers with everything from anxiety attacks to
heart attacks. I've even had some cases that are too horrible to mention."
How much does a flight attendant make?
Depending on the airline, salaries can vary. The higher end
of the scale is typically around $50,000 per year. Some airlines will even pay for
housing. Some smaller airlines generally pay $20 - $30 per hour with some
variations when it comes to holiday pay and seniority. Additional pay is
typically awarded if one is called in on their day off!
So what does it take to be a flight attendant?
"You have to have a sense of humor and be extremely
tolerant towards all kinds of people from every background. If you're easily
jaded, it's not for you. Being away so much of the time is what most people
find infatuating about this job, and for me it's the best part. I have found
however, that many people try it for a while and realize it's not for them. You
have to be a free spirit with no commitments."
Being a flight attendant is tough work. While traveling is
often one reason why many people are interested in the position, it can also be
disappointing. Many times the flight crew doesn't even get off the plane at
their destination and are unable to explore the sights.
But flight attendants such as Molly love their jobs; they
enjoy interacting with customers from all walks of life and enjoy being
"free spirits." It takes a special kind of person with a certain
lifestyle to pull it off. If you've ever flown before, you'll understand how
easy it is to spot the ones who enjoy this routine and take pleasure in being a
flight attendant.
