Provide personal services to ensure the safety, security, and comfort of airline passengers during flight. Greet passengers, verify tickets, explain use of safety equipment, and serve food or beverages.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are listed for Flight Attendants.
Knowledge:
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits. English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Skills:
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people. Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Abilities:
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Aircraft escape or ejection systems - Emergency exit doors and windows, Evacuation slides, Slideraft packs, Window exit escape ropes Aircraft oxygen equipment - Chemical oxygen generators, Portable oxygen equipment, Protective breathing equipment, Supplemental oxygen systems Cool containers - Refreshment carts, Refrigeration units, Storage compartments Life vests or preservers - Flotation seat cushions, Life preservers Lifeboats or liferafts - Emergency rafts, Sliderafts
Technology:
Calendar and scheduling software - AD OPT Altitude, Arkitektia Flight Itinerary, Bid Assistant, SBS International Maestro Suite, ValtamTech Flight Crew Log Computer based training software - IBM Lotus LearningSpace
Career Cast has listed flight attendant as the tenth worst job in America. You can read their article “here” to find out what other careers made the list. I would love to know how they compiled their information and if they actually talked to any flight attendants. I also found it interesting that there wasn’t one career on their best list that I would choose for myself. Dental Hygienist, Actuary and Software Engineer are a few. Not that there’s anything wrong with those choices but, we’re all different right? So, how do you compile a list like this? Here is the short paragraph about the flight attendant career you’ll find on their site:
“High stress, low pay and a shrinking job market all contribute to flight attendant’s inclusion among the worst jobs of 2013. The BLS projects virtually no change in job prospects, as airlines continue to consolidate and reduce staff.”
High stress: I can agree that there is stress involved with being a flight attendant or any other customer service job for that matter. The flight attendant lifestyle is not for everyone. There can be long hours, spent away from home and loved ones missed. I think most find out whether it’s the job for them or not within the first year. This is one of the main reasons I wrote my book, The Flying Pinto’s Flight Attendant Survival Guide. It’s a guide to help new hire flight attendants navigate through their first few years in the sky or those who are interested in knowing more about becoming a flight attendant.
Low Pay: This is a touchy subject for me. I am tired of everyone thinking that every flight attendant is at poverty level, which is one of the reasons I wrote, “Seven Surprising Reasons to be a Flight Attendant“. Yes, the first few years are tight, but if you do your research and choose your airline carefully being a flight attendant can be a pretty great gig financially. Am I rich? Yes, in terms of freedom and lifestyle. How many people can build their own schedule and work as little or as much as they want or need to? I still have a full time job, yet I am home for every school activity or family event I need to be home for. How’s my actual pay check? As good as, the higher end of a nurse’s salary. Not impressed? How about if I tell you that I accomplish that in eight to twelve days of flying a month. And, that doesn’t factor in that I usually don’t check in until the evening of my first trip. I have many flight attendant friends that make six figures a year. Yes, they fly a lot, but who doesn’t work a lot to make that kind of money? The median income ($37,000) of a flight attendant is always skewed because most US airlines let their flight attendants drop all their trips and fly next to nothing every month or fly as much as they like. Another great advantage when life happens and you’re caring for aging parents, raising small children or any number of things that most people don’t have the luxury of taking a few months or a year off. The pay generally gets better after your fifth year of flying with yearly raises until your twelfth to fifteenth year depending on what airline you are with. I’m topped out and still have over twenty years of flying left before I retire.
Shrinking job market: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: “Employment of flight attendants is projected to experience little or no change from 2010 to 2020. Job prospects should be best for applicants with a college degree and experience in customer service.”
All major US airlines have been actively hiring the past couple of years, so I am not sure where they got their information from.
I didn’t even mention the great layovers in Maui and Paris or the views from my office window! Want to know more about being a flight attendant? Check out my new book available on iBooks, amazon, Nook and Vook! It was a true labor of love as I love being a flight attendant and want to pass on what I know to those interested in pursuing an airline career! I could be wrong, but I imagine it’s more fun than being an actuary, the number one career on Careercast.coms list.
It seems as though the flying public has become a bit fascinated with the role of a flight attendant. In years past it was a glamorous position, which nurses held to attend to the needs of the elite who could afford to fly, and as the years flew by changes to the position developed. On board service was cut by the airlines to save money, flight crews were tasked not only with looking after on-board safety but now also security, and the airlines were deregulated setting off fare wars and the fight for customers.
In recent years we've witnessed flight attendants blow emergency slides and quit (ala Steven Slater), flight attendant's have nervous break-downs on board and rant over the public address system and we're about to see an airline dress their cabin crew as maids and butlers as a marketing ploy, so where am I going with all of this? CareerCast just released a "study" of the worst jobs for 2013 and being a flight attendant is number 10.
Now the evidence would suggest that a flight attendant losing it and blowing a slide and ranting over the PA is stressed and overworked... and at some airlines they are! Each airline operates differently with their own policy and procedures based on the foundation of what the FAA regulates.
Say What? Overheard on the Plane... Submitted by Diane L – Dallas (DFW) to Houston (IAH) Flight Flight Attendant:Sandwiches, candy, and snacks are now available. Buy one, get the second for the same price!.
Submitted by Kevin One Liners Courtesy of OHNY – LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK
Flight Attendant (LGA):Well, everybody, sorry for that delay, the plane was late coming in from California. On the other hand, I have some good news: I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance.
Flight Attendant (JFK):Thank you for listening to the safety announcement for this service to Buenos Aires… Go to sleep. Go to sleep. You don’t want any beverages. Close your eyes and sleep…
Flight Attendant (LGA):Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention I would very much appreciate it. My parents paid thousands of dollars to put me through college for a theater arts and communications degree, and since this is the only time the airline ever puts a microphone in my hand, I’m sure they would really appreciate it, too.
Pilot (LGA on the crowded runway):Welcome to the parking lot known as LaGuardia Airport.
TSA Official (LGA):Okay, people, have your boarding passes out! If you don’t have your boarding passes out, I’m sending you to Amtrak!
Passport Agent (JFK):Everyone with a US passport, up against that wall, line-up! Arriving Passenger– Wow, have things changed that much?
Say What? Overheard on the Plane... Submitted by Hank W – United Flight San Francisco (SFO) to Denver (DEN) Child sees uniformed man walking down aisle to bathroom. Child Passenger: Who is that? Mother:That’s the pilot. Child Passenger: Oh. (Silence.). OH MY GOD! WHO’S FLYING THE PLANE??
Submitted by Eric D – United Flight to Boston (BOS) several years ago Flight Attendant (upon landing):Thank you for choosing United. We know you have a choice in various bankrupt airlines, so we appreciate your choice in flying with us today. Have a nice day.
Submitted by Kevin One Liners Courtesy of OHNY – LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK Pilot (LGA):In just a few minutes our flight attendants will be starting beverage and snack service, including Coca Cola products and five snack options. Please listen carefully, as FAA regulations strictly prohibit our flight attendants from repeating these options.
United Gate Agent (LGA): Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to use the last-one-on-is-a-rotten-egg method of boarding here.
Flight Attendant (JFK): Please turn off your cell phones, iPhones, iPods, laptops… Basically, anything that is bringing you joy right now, just turn it off.
Pilot (LGA) as the seatbelt sign goes off:All rise.
Once again I am sorry!, A flight attendants most common words.
We’re sorry we have no pillows. We’re sorry we’re out of blankets. We’re sorry the airplane is too cold. We’re sorry the airplane is too hot. We’re sorry the overhead bins are full. We’re sorry we have no closet space for your oversized bag. We’re sorry that’s not the seat you wanted. We’re sorry there’s a restless toddler/overweight/offensive smelling passenger seated next to you. We’re sorry the plane is full and there’s no other seats available. We’re sorry you didn’t get your upgrade. We’re sorry that guy makes you uncomfortable because he “looks like a terrorist”. We’re sorry there’s a thunderstorm and we can’t take off. We’re sorry we don’t know when it will stop. We’re sorry you’re crammed into a space so small that if you were an animal PETA would protest. We’re sorry that this plane 80 has no music or video entertainment for your 3 hour flight. We’re sorry we ran out of your favorite soda. We’re sorry there’s no more sandwiches. We’re sorry that Budweiser costs $5.00. We’re sorry we don’t have diapers for your baby. We’re sorry we don’t have milk for same baby. We’re sorry you can’t hang out by the cockpit door waiting to use the bathroom. We’re sorry you can’t hang out at the back of the airplane. We’re sorry you have to sit down and fasten your seatbelt. We’re sorry you have to put your seat up for landing. We’re sorry we don’t know when we’re going to land. We’re sorry we don’t know whether your plane to (substitute any city in the world) will be waiting for you when we land. We’re sorry we’ve been diverted because we ran out of gas waiting to land.
We’re sorry for these 20 and so many other things that we have absolutely no control over but which we are held accountable for EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Please understand. Flight attendants are not the enemy. We share your space. More than anyone – we want to have a nice, pleasant travel experience.. There is a reason behind everything we ask you to do. It may be a FAA Directive. It may be security related. It may be a company procedure. We don’t frickin just make this stuff up. We don’t spend 8 weeks at the flight academy learning how to pour a Pepsi. There are many things that flight attendants are watching for constantly on every flight FOR YOUR SAFETY. It’s not because we’re bored or so controlling that we just enjoy telling people what to do. I for one would like to have one flight where I didn’t have to repeatedly tell people to put their seats up for landing. Seriously. Can’t you just do what we ask sometimes? Without the glares, eye rolling and disdain? For the record – putting your seat up for landing may not seem that important to your personal safety. However, it is very important for the person sitting BEHIND YOU. If you have ever tried to get out of a row where someone has their seat back you know it can be a challenge. Try grabbing your ankles (emergency brace position) or getting out that row quickly with smoke in the cabin. Understand a little better now?
Many of the things we ask passengers to comply with are FAA directives. Like carry-on bag stowage and exit row requirements. When we can serve drinks (in the air) and when we can’t (after the aircraft door is closed or on an active taxi-way). We are only allowed to move about the cabin during taxi out for safety related duties. We can’t get you blankets then, or hang coats, or get you drinks. It’s not because we don’t want to. It’s because we are held personally responsible if we fail to comply with FAA directives. Meaning that the FAA can fine us personally up to $10,000 if we fail to comply or enforce an FAA Directive. Like no bags at the bulkhead. No children in the exit row. No one moving around the cabin during taxi. Perhaps now you know why flight attendants get a little testy when people move about the cabin when they’re not supposed to. It’s not the company that gets in trouble for that. It’s us.
Personally I wish the airlines would show worst case scenario safety videos. Like what happens if you walk through the cabin during turbulence. There could be a guy who has just fallen and smacked his face on the metal armrest and now has a bloody, gushing broken nose. Or an elderly lady who now has a broken arm because someone walking to the bathroom fell on her. Maybe a passenger with a broken neck because somebody opened an overhead bin during turbulence and a suitcase fell out and onto the person sitting beneath it. These things can easily happen in a fast moving, unstable air environment.
Please just trust that we are looking out for your best interest and stop fighting with us about everything we ask you to do. It is exhausting.
Finally, please, please direct your hostility and frustrations in the direction where they will be most effective: The customer service department. They are the ones equipped to handle your complaint and implement procedures for CHANGE. Think about it. Complaining to the flight crew about all your negative travel experiences is about the same as complaining to the office janitor because your computer isn’t working. It may make you feel better to vent about it – but it really won’t fix anything. More than anybody we are already aware of the lack of amenities, food, service and comfort on the aircraft. Please share your concerns with the people in the cubi cles at corporate who need that information to make better decisions for the flying public. .
It’s frustrating that so many people are in denial about what the travel industry is about now. The glory days of pillows, blankets, magazines and a hot meal for everyone are long gone. Our job is to get you from point A to point B safely and at the cheapest possible cost to you and the company. So be prepared. If you are hungry – get a sandwich before you get on the plane. If it’s a 3 hour flight, anticipate that you may get hungry and bring some snacks. If you are cold natured – bring a wrap. Think for yourself and think ahead. Otherwise, don’t complain when you have to pay $3.00 for a can of Pringles and are left with a crusty blanket to keep you warm.
We hear often that the service just isn’t what is used to be. Well the SERVICE we provide now isn’t what it used to be. When I was hired, my job was to serve drinks , meals, ensure that safety requirements were met and tend to in-flight medical issues. Since 9/11 my primary job is to ensure that my airplane will not be compromised by a terrorist. 9/11 may be a distant memory now to many, but be assured that EVER DAY a flight attendant reports to work he or she is constantly thinking about 9/11. We feel a personal responsibility to ensure that something like that never happens again. We can never relax. We can never not be suspicious about someone’s intentions. It is difficult to be vigilant and gregarious at the same time. Especially when most of us are working 12 hour days after layovers that only allow 5-6 hours of sleep. Not because we were out partying and having a grand time on the layover – but because the delays that you experience as a passe nger also affect us as a crew, so that what was a 10 hour layover is now 8 hours which doesn’t leave a lot of time to recover from what has become an increasingly stressful occupation.
Despite everything I still enjoy being a flight attendant. I am writing this letter because I do still care about my profession and about the public perception of flight attendants. In the increasingly challenging travel wor ld it is becoming more imperative than ever for people to just be decent to each other. I can go through an entire day without one person saying anything remotely civil. I will stand at the aircraft door and say hello to everyone who enters and maybe 50% will even look at me and even less will say hello back. I will try to serve someone a meal who can’t be bothered to take their headsets off long enough for me to ask them what they want. Most of the time the only conversation a passenger has with me is when they are complaining. Is it any wonder why flight attendants have shut down a bit? After suffering the disdain of hundreds of passengers a day it’s difficult sometimes to even smile, much less interact. We are human and many working at 40% pay cut thanks to bankrupcy. We appreciate the same respect and courtesy that passengers do.
The next time you fly, try treating the flight attendants the way you would like to be treated. You may be surprised how friendly your flight crew is when they are treated like people. Ok thanks I feel better now.
10 Types Of People Who Will Always Be On Your Flight Winona Dimeo-EdigerFebruary 25, 2013
A few weeks ago, I was flying home from a blissful vacation, trying to ignore a screaming baby a few rows ahead of me and cringing at the cacophony of phlegm-y coughs coming from the seat behind me, when I realized that every flight is exactly the same. Looking around me, it was as though I’d been dropped smack dab in the middle of a roster of characters that work together to make air travel the uniquely strange, gross, frustrating experience it is. Who are these people that seem to be present on every flight, ever? Let’s break it down in list form…
1. Patient Zero. This person is always sitting a couple rows behind you. They usually remain silent until you’ve reached cruising altitude, when they take a deep, rattling breath and release an onslaught of mucus-flinging, seat-shaking, dangerously contagious-sounding coughs. You will attempt to hold your breath to avoid ingesting all the germs they’re hacking into the stale airplane air, but your efforts will prove worthless, and two days later, you’ll wake up with the same damn cough.
2. The Gassy Gus. This is pretty self-explanatory, right? This person got a little too excited about the in-flight beef stroganoff and now their digestive system is rebelling–and the rest of the passengers are suffering dearly.
3. The Fearful Flyer. I know this person well, because I was this person for many years. You’ll find them either having a full-blown freakout, crying, digging their fingernails into the person sitting next to them, and whispering “We’re all going to die” at any sign of light turbulence, or so bombed on anti-anxiety meds that they’re slumped over in their seat mumbling gibberish (once I tried to convince everyone on the plane to join the circus with me).
4. The Spoiled Toddler. They’re running up and down the aisles throwing crackers and having random screaming fits and generally ruining everyone’s life. Their parents seem to think this behavior is adorable. This toddler will grow up and get a job on Wall Street and cause the next massive collapse of our financial system. 5. The Traumatized Parents. Their toddler is also having a fit, but they definitely don’t think it’s adorable. In fact, they’re mortified, and spend the entire flight desperately mouthing “Sorry!” to everyone who makes eye contact with them.
6. The Guy Who Still Thinks It’s 1963. Back in the day, airlines hired young, leggy, single ladies as stewardesses and encouraged them to flirt with their passengers, who were mostly men flying on business. Even in 2013, there’s always at least one boorish oaf who’s trying to turn a noon flight to Denver into the swingin’ sex club he remembers from his misogynist glory days. He’s slapping the flight attendants’ asses and wolf-whistling during the safety demonstration. He’s the worst.
7. The World’s Most Obvious Tourist. Fanny pack. Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt. Severe sunburn. Socks with sandals. You know the drill.
8. The Chatty Seatmate. You’ve been traveling for 11 hours. You’re exhausted. You can’t wait to pop in your headphones and try to nap for the last leg of your long journey home. You’re so close. But then…. “Hi! Where are you from? Ready to go back to reality? Did you see this week’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’? I just love that show!” Alas, you’re sitting next to a chatty seatmate. Sometimes this can lead to a really fascinating conversation, but usually it involves spending hours nodding your head and wishing you’d learned how to sleep with your eyes open. 9. The Feuding Couple. Travel can be hard on a relationship. Want proof? Listen to the couple duking it out a few rows in front of you. “Seinfeld” captured this couple perfectly in Elaine and Puddy, who broke up and got back together multiple times during the course of an international flight. Just pray you don’t meet the same fate as Vegetable Lasagna and somehow get seated between two angry lovers.
10. The Heavy Drinker. You’re on a 6AM flight. The flight attendant comes around and takes drink orders. The woman next to you orders a double vodka and coke, then continues flipping through her People magazine. An hour later she orders another one. Is she a functioning alcoholic, or is it 5 PM in whatever time zone she’s coming from? You’ll probably never know. Cheers!
April 23rd, 2013 Airline to dress Flight Attendants as Maids & Butlers
A Chinese budget carrier is planning to dress its female flight attendants as maids and their male cabin crew as butlers. It’s true! This is not a joke!
Spring Airlines said it would be the first domestic Chinese airline to have crew members dressed in such a fashion. Passengers on some flights from Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport this week will be the first to experience the new look.
The airline says they plan to offer several flights with a permeant ”theme,” such as your crew dressed in costume, in an effort to drive traffic. One blogger wrote: “The airline should respect their crew members because flight attendants are still quite different from maids and butlers.”
So what we the pilots going to wear? The Spring Airlines spokesman said the male crew members who would be dressed as butlers would include the pilots, with their outfit featuring a long black apron as well as a tie.
What do you think? Is this a slap in the face to the job the flight attendants do? Or is this an amazing marketing plan to sell tickets?
Flight Attendant Confesses Ups And Downs Of Job by Libby Zay (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd 2012
An anonymous woman who said she is a 22-year-old flight attendant for a major airline urged Reddit users to ask her anything in an open forum over the weekend. The candid Q&A session turned into a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a flight attendant, including a tell all on the weird things passengers ask for, a discussion on how many people really try to join the mile high club and a confession about the kind of shenanigans that really happen between lonely crew members at outposts. Keep reading to learn more about the ups and downs of the job, including why you should be nice while on board a plane. Just be warned this post is most definitely NSFW (not safe for work).
Q: What is the most crazy request you have been asked by a passenger? A: Crazy? Goodness.
A bag to spit in. I had to confirm several times the word spit A lady with a neck brace "I need soft food I will have rice" (The menu items did not include rice even after explaining she kept ordering things that just didn't exist) Hot fried chips Nappies Ice cream My number On a Lagos flight a passenger told me he wanted to masturbate. I directed him to the on board toilet.
If it exists a passenger has asked me for it. They ask for EVERYTHING.
Q: What is the best thing about being a flight attendant? A: Best thing? I feel obvious but new destinations, I get a small taste of EVERYTHING I love it so much, I get to see smell and taste so much. I meet friends all over the world and party like a rockstar everywhere I go because I know I wont be there for long.
Q: What is the pay like? Besides being able to travel all over the world, are there any other benefits, either monetary or otherwise? A: About 38k US a year, free rent transport and bills, all I pay is internet and taxi. 90% off tickets.
Q: Are there as many people joining the mile high club in the bathroom as television portrays it? A: Yes people try to join the mile high club. Let me tell you something, those toilets are FILTHY. Absolute FILTH. People shit in the sinks. Moving on, I caught a lesbian couple in the toilets we had to get three crew to bang open the door and make them come out. She responded with[,] "We were trying to piss[.]"
A crew was fired for getting drunk while she was a passenger flying somewhere and joining a gentleman in the lavatory.
A women had TWO men going at it on a flight from Manchester. Crew opened the door on them and the female tried to assault the crew. When the men went to their connecting flight they were arrested. Not sure what happened to them!
Q: Do people really get bumped to first class if there is a conflict with another passenger? A: With the question of bumping people yes we move people but generally not for conflict. A month ago on one of my flights economy was full and this gentleman had changed seats several times to accommodate couples, families etc who needed to change seats. He didnt care where he sat and was so gracious. So we moved him to business class. Lesson, be nice!
If you are ill (severely) you will usually be moved to business or first if there aren't many people in those cabins to recuperate and lie down at the discretion of the seniors.
Q: What's something a passenger has done that you've really appreciated, or was just really nice? A: I've had passengers write comment cards about me, they get given to me via emails from my manager, which is so nice ... i love them[.]
Q: When do you plan on settling down? This job doesn't seem like the type where you can keep a stable relationship. A: I know :( I hope it's around 25 ... I am 22 now and I love the job so I think two or so more years before I move back home and find love ... I will never find a stable relationship in the industry, it is unstable. I want a stable relationship but I wont find it here[.]
Q: Since you fly so much, do you happen to have any sexual urges while in a different country? Do you get off to hooking up with passengers or do you go somewhere to get some? A: Yep! I um see friends in outstations. I have had some encounters in Hong Kong and I have a few 'friends' in Dubai. It's really hard and you get really lonely so you look for any guy to meet you after flights. All the crew sleep with each other in outstation. It's a big problem, the cabin crew are desperate to sleep with pilots and senior crew. You have crew call you in the middle of the night in your room, especially pilots!
Q: How long do you stay in each city? A: Usually 24-72 hours[.]
Q: What's your favourite city in the world? A: I cannot name one but I will try to do it region wise 1) Hong Kong (The most fun) 2) Vienna (Amazing food, people, scenery) 3) Moscow (Fascinating, so closed for so long) 4) Melbourne, Australia (Diverse, charming filled with character) I find some redeeming quality in every city I visit.
Q: What are your thoughts on flight etiquette (e.g. when it's okay to put your seat all the way back). Is there a classic faux pas we should know about? A: Seat back if your legs are too long and when not eating. During the meal seats up and if you're short, it's not really necessarily. But otherwise seats up for everyone when eating, you can do whatever you want after service.
Q: I'd like to be a flight attendant to see what it's like to travel and interact. Would I have to go through an exorbitant amount of training before I can work? A: I did 7 weeks! So worth it... I felt so ready. The training is hard but it paid [off] for me[.]
Q: How do you adjust being in the air so often, and with different time zones and all that? When I fly from the US to Singapore, by the time of the end of the trip I want to actually throw up. Air gets so thin, and the airline food is pretty bad even on Singapore Airlines. I literally need to have a can of sprite when flying on long flights next to me once every hour, slowly sipping until the soda is done to keep sane. A: You never really adjust. I just did three middle of the night flights and I can't stay awake in the day, so I have been nocturnal for a week. Some things that I do to keep myself sane is as soon as I get on board I get a bottle of 1.5L water and make myself drink it all. Then I brew a big pot of mint tea after the service and make myself drink that throughout the flight too. Keeping hydrated is valuable to my sanity and mood. We have one trip that is four days long and you have 24 hours in each port but the whole flights are nighttime only. It is TORTURE. Key points 1) Stay hydrated 2) Stay rested (sleep whenever you are tired) 3) Eat smart (this means no business class cheese boards or first class caviar, stick to fresh food only) For me eating right is the hardest, you're so tired you just want to SHOVE chocolate in your mouth. If I follow the above I am totally fine on board. On flights over 10 hours or so we get rest (sleep) in the crew bunks[.] Q: What airline/flight benefits or perks do you get as a result of your job? A: 90% [Off] Flights Hotel discounts Event discounts Free tickets to events
For more adventures in the sky, be sure to follow our resident flight attendant, Heather Poole, in her "Galley Gossip" column.
Heather Poole, a veteran flight attendant for a majorU.S. airline, has seen her share of passengers acting out on flights, though she says the misbehavior has changed over the years.
“Today, passengers are more likely to get aggressive with us than touchy feely in a sexual way. Not to say it doesn’t happen,” said Poole, author of “Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet.”
“Recently, a female passenger hit me on the butt hard as I was passing by. She (was) angry because I stepped on her toe.”
A male passenger once asked Poole if he could lick her, she said. “The answer was no. No written warning was issued.”
When confronted with a flier who seems to have amorous intentions, Poole says she stops serving alcohol and removes herself from the situation by sending in another flight attendant to deal with the passenger. Most of the time that’s all it takes, she said.
“Trust me, there are some passengers who might live a lot longer if they keep their hands off certain flight attendants,” Poole added.
Passenger accused of groping Spirit Airlines flight attendant A. Pawlowski NBC News contributor April 9, 2013 at 3:39 PM ET
A passenger who allegedly groped a flight attendant on a plane and boasted that he could show her “a better time than work” is grounded for the near future and facing serious charges.
The incident happened on Friday on board a Spirit Airlines flight en route from Las Vegas to Denver.
The passenger, Evan Nathaniel Castle of Thornton, Colo., has denied causing any trouble but witnesses said he began screaming obscenities after having a few drinks, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday in U.S District Court.
A flight attendant then asked him to stop and quiet down, but he refused and told her, “You should give me your number” and “I should date you,” court documents say.
The passenger then allegedly told another flight attendant, “You’re (expletive) beautiful”, “I can show you a better time than work,” and “Blow off work and come with me.”
The crew member ignored the comments, but as she passed Castle’s seat while making a final check of the cabin before landing he “grabbed the right cheek of her buttocks and said, ‘Oh sexy,’” according to the criminal complaint.
The flight attendant later told the FBI agent who showed up to meet the plane that she felt violated and disgusted.
For his part, Castle, 24, denied making a pass at either of the flight attendants, according to the criminal complaint. This was his first time flying, he told authorities, adding that he is married and has children.
Castle said he was served four shooters of Tanqueray gin on the plane, but didn’t get drunk. He never touched the flight attendant who complained, he said, according to court documents.
Castle was arrested when the plane landed at Denver International Airport and held in custody over the weekend. He was released on a personal recognizance bond Monday, but is not allowed to drink alcohol or fly while his case is pending, said Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver.
Castle is accused of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft. If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He is next due in court on May 6 for a preliminary hearing.
Heather Poole, a veteran flight attendant for a major U.S. airline, has seen her share of passengers acting out on flights, though she says the misbehavior has changed over the years.
“Today, passengers are more likely to get aggressive with us than touchy feely in a sexual way. Not to say it doesn't happen,” said Poole, author of “Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet.”
“Recently, a female passenger hit me on the butt hard as I was passing by. She (was) angry because I stepped on her toe.”
A male passenger once asked Poole if he could lick her, she said. “The answer was no. No written warning was issued.”
When confronted with a flier who seems to have amorous intentions, Poole says she stops serving alcohol and removes herself from the situation by sending in another flight attendant to deal with the passenger. Most of the time that's all it takes, she said.
“Trust me, there are some passengers who might live a lot longer if they keep their hands off certain flight attendants,” Poole added.
If for some reason you have never read the subtitle to my blog, I was a police officer back in the day. So yes, I am very anal about this shit (yes, I said anal). So yeah – here are my security tips for flight crew. Use them so you don’t get raped and/or murdered. I don’t want any of you bastards to wake up dead on an overnight.
Social Media:
For the love of God, whilst on an overnight please do NOT check into your hotel on Foursquare, Facebook or Twitter. Not only are you advertizing exactly where you are to potential “strangers”, but also that you will be there all alone for the evening. If you’re a lucky whore and not alone, fuck–go for it.
If you MUST check-in please consider using the privacy features that give you the ability to edit people into different “groups”, and only publish your location to those on your trusted list.
Checking into airports is safe, in my opinion. I do it to meet up with fellow crewmembers if I am on a long sit. There are thousands of people there at any given time, so I’m cool with that.
Hotel:
If you are checking-in to your room and the clerk loudly announces your room number in a crowded lobby, kindly ask for another room. They will pick up what you’re putting down, as they are aware that they are not supposed to do such.
Use only initials and last name when signing in to your hotel. Make certain the hotel personnel stows away the sign-in information before you leave the area. Also, write down the room numbers of your crew and notify them if you change your room.
I once worked on a teeny Barbie jet where I was the only stew, so it was just me and two pilots. They were very protective of me! If you aren’t lucky enough to have a Captain or FO that will make sure you get to your room safely, please do the following:
When you arrive to your room prop the door fully open with your rollerboard rollaboard. Walk in, turn on the lights and check every room, behind doors, closets, bathroom, shower, behind curtains and drapes, under the bed, etc. to make sure that no one is there. Yes, I actually do this. Every single time. Unfortunately many a stew has been raped or worse because they were unaware that someone was hiding in their room. Taking the 60 seconds to do a quick check could potentially save your life.
Once you are safely locked in your room and kicking it, do not answer the door unless it is a (yummy) crewmember. If a hotel employee/repairman/etc. knocks on your door, call the front desk and verify what they are there for. If it is a housekeeper I typically just speak to them through the door (“GTFO”). Also, if you must open the door, you can always use the safety lock that prevents the door from fully opening.
During Flight:
JFC! DO NOT EVER TELL A PASSENGER WHERE WE STAY! I have been on many a flight where FAs actually tell random people the name and location of our hotel. WHAT. THE. FUCK.
Of course people ask me all the time, but I NEVER tell them. I mean if you want to get raped that’s all good – but I’m not down for that shit, yo.
My standby answer (as to not be rude) is usually something like: “Ohhhh, I am not sure, the Captain hasn’t mentioned it yet.” In most cases they’re none the wiser, and in the meantime I don’t look like an asshole insinuating that they will rape and/or murder me if I tell them.
Do not discuss your hotel, overnight plans, etc. in front of passengers.
Note: *Please disregard all previous advice if it is a super-hot guy*
If You Have the Nerve to Use These Noxious Items During a Flight, You’re an Asshole.
OK, but seriously…who would think that it is remotely acceptable to use such items inside of an enclosed metal tube with recirculated air?!
Nail Polish. For the love of God, do NOT paint your nails during a flight. Everyone will hate you and a stew may punch you in the throat. By the by, you’re not the ONLY person on the plane. Kthx.
Markers. One is fine, 48 Sharpies = Not Fucking Cool.
Bad Gas. Kindly refrain from eating for 24 hours prior to flight.
Hairspray. Take it easy, Tammy Faye.
Nail Polish Remover. Please see # 1, asshole.
Cheap-Ass Perfume. Ladies here’s a little tip for you, take a bath and thoroughly wash your ‘Bermuda Triangle’. There ain’t no covering up that nastiness if your biznatch isn’t clean.
Strong Cheap Cologne. Example: Axe Body Spray. Just no. Women do NOT like that shit. It will more than likely repel any female over the age of 16 (free dating tip, you’re welcome).
Compound W. Yes, this actually happened on one of my flights. Some asshole was TREATING HIS WARTS ON THE PLANE!
It's been said that becoming a flight attendant isn't just a job, but a lifestyle. How true! Every day brings a new airplane, a new set of passengers and a new destination.
I've been a flight attendant for five years, working for a regional, a legacy, and now, a low-cost airline. Though each airline flew different airplanes to different destinations, the life of a flight attendant is generally the same industry-wide.
See average salaries for a flight attendant, pilot and baggage handler.
In the United States, seniority is everything. Your seniority position within your airline dictates everything from the routes you fly to how much you get paid. New-hire flight attendants are at the bottom of the seniority list; they fly on "reserve" status, meaning they are always "on call" in case a more senior crew member calls in sick or, due to weather, the airline needs to re-staff a particular flight. As your seniority grows, you eventually reach the level of "line holder," where you can hold a monthly schedule of flying assignments, rather than on-call status. "Becoming a line holder is what every flight attendant dreams of," said Sara Keagle, a flight attendant at a legacy U.S. airline. "It finally gives you the flexibility to plan your life outside of work."
Being a flight attendant is adventurous: No two days are ever the same, and you never know whom you might meet.
"When he boarded the plane I wasn't sure if it was him or not, so I had to walk past him a few times," Anne Galvez, a flight attendant at a domestic low-cost carrier, recalled about meeting her celebrity crush Val Kilmer on a flight. "Of all the days this could have happened, I had minimum makeup on; so I ran into the restroom, pulled myself together and got to take a photo with him."
Aside from celebrities, everyday people can also make your day all the more interesting.
I recall a flight from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. when an elderly lady boarded the aircraft with a note that read: "I'm traveling to Washington D.C. to visit my son and I am blind and deaf. For my comfort I would like to request an aisle seat, a pillow and a blanket, and milk to drink." I quickly walked her over to her seat, sat her down and buckled her in. I treated her like I would my own grandmother in this situation, taking into account the fact that she couldn't hear or see me.
A few hours into the flight, the fasten-seat-belt sign came on just as she stood up to make her way to the restroom. I quickly ran to guide her back to her seat. As I took her by the hand, she turned to me and said, "where are you taking me?" I jumped back, shocked that she spoke to me. I asked if she could hear me and she replied, "Yes, why wouldn't I be able to?" I laughed and told her that the note she handed me stated that she was deaf.
She then said with a chuckle: "My son wrote that note and told me to show it to anyone I met while traveling. I didn't even read it, but he said that it would take care of me getting on and off the plane first, and something to eat."
And there are dozens more stories like this one! Thus, a flight attendant needs to possess poise, patience, flexibility, and a big sense of humor and adventure.
Galley Gossip: Flight attendant interview - The pros and cons of speaking a second language and how it affects reserve by Heather Poole (RSS feed) on Sep 30th 2011 at 9:30AM
Dear Heather, I am hoping to become a flight attendant soon (have a face to face interview next week!) and have a question about reserve status. I speak Japanese fluently and was wondering how different things are for flight attendants who speak a different language. Are they on reserve for the same amount of time? Is anything different? -Natasha
For the first time in history being a flight attendant is considered a profession, not just a job. Fewer flight attendants are quitting, turnover is not as high as it once was, and competition to become a flight attendant has gotten fierce. Ninety-six percent of people who apply to become a flight attendant do not get a call back. In December of 2010 Delta Airlines received more than 100,000 applications after announcing they had an opening for 1,000 flight attendants. Even though it is not a requirement to have a college degree, only the most qualified applicants are hired. Being able to speak a second language will greatly improve your chance!
The only thing that affects reserve status is company seniority (class hire date). Seniority is assigned by date of birth within each training class. This means the oldest classmate will become the most senior flight attendant in your class. Seniority is everything at an airline, and I mean everything! It determines whether you'll work holidays, weekends and when, if ever, you'll be off reserve. So it's important to accept the earliest training date offered.
While speaking another language doesn't affect how long you'll serve reserve, it will have an impact on your flying career.
PROS
1. MORE MONEY. "Speakers" earn more per hour than non-speakers. Unfortunately it's only a few dollars on top of what a regular flight attendant is paid. Remember most flight attendants make between fourteen to eighteen thousand a year the first year on the job, so every dollar counts.
2. GOOD TRIPS. Speakers on reserve are assigned trips to foreign countries where people speak their language. No offense to cities like Phoenix, Pittsburgh or Portland, but a layover in Paris is just a tad bit more desirable. Not just because it's a foreign city with exciting things to do and see, but because international routes pay more per hour (on top of speaker pay).
3. DAYS OFF. An international flight usually ranges between eight to fourteen hours, while domestic flights rarely go over six hours. Because flight attendants are paid for flight hours only - all that time we spend on the ground is not considered flying time, which means the flight attendant greeting you at the boarding door is not being paid - it takes domestic flight attendants a lot longer to get in their hours each month. Flight attendants who work international routes work what is considered "high-time" trips and high-time trips equate to more days off.
CONS
4. BAD TRIPS. Speakers get what is called "bid denied". What this means is they get stuck working the same trip until they have enough seniority to hold something else. I know a number of speakers who became so tired of working the same route week after week, month after month, year after year, they chose to drop their language qualification altogether. In the beginning of ones flying career, a thirty-six hour layover in Paris might sound great, but even Paris gets old after awhile.
5. LESS FLEXIBILITY: The best thing about being a flight attendant is the flexible lifestyle. Because we're paid only for the hours we work, we're free to manipulate our schedules however we like. We can work high-time one month and not at all the next month. We can also "back up" our trips. Most flight attendants are scheduled a few days off between each trip. By trading trips we're able to adjust our schedules so that we can fly several trips in a row in order to get a big chunk of days off to go on vacation or just hang out at home. Speakers have a harder time doing this because they can only trade, drop, and swap with another speaker that has the same qualifications.
6. PROBLEM FLIGHTS: On domestic routes problem passengers have no trouble letting us know what's wrong. At my airline international routes are only required to be staffed with one speaker per cabin. If we don't speak the language, we have no idea there's a problem or if we do know there's a problem, we have no idea what the problem is, and the flight goes on as peacefully as it had been. Unfortunately those who do speak the language get stuck handling all the problems.
By Harry R. Weber Associated Press Published: Saturday, Oct. 11 2003
ATLANTA — Some Delta Air Lines flight attendants are worried that new work rules that blend their base and overtime pay will mean less money and lower pension benefits. But the nation's third-largest airline says the changes will allow workers to earn more and save the company $40 million a year through increased productivity.
Delta, which operates a hub at Salt Lake City International Airport, has roughly 14,000 flight attendants who receive a base salary for the first 50 hours of work a month and an overtime rate for hours worked above that, with a maximum of 90 hours total.
New rules that go into effect next summer mean flight attendants will receive one pay rate for all hours worked, but the cap on the total hours they can work will be eliminated.
The changes mean an employee working 70 hours a month under the current system could work one hour less under the new system and make the same amount, Delta said. However, an employee working 80 hours now would have to work one hour more to make the same amount, the company said.
Pension benefits are based on the amount of yearly earnings for three consecutive years during the last 10 years of a flight attendant's service. Flight attendants could earn higher benefits by working longer hours, but if they kept their schedule the same in their later years their benefits might be less.
"That's the law of averages. The trade-off is they have the choice," said Joan Vincenz, the airline's director of in-flight service operations and planning.
Depending on seniority and hours worked, Delta flight attendants currently earn $30,000 to $60,000 a year. Vincenz said the cap on hours worked prevents ambitious flight attendants from increasing their pay. Others prefer to work fewer hours, she said, so there will be plenty of overtime available.
Andrea Taylor, a Delta flight attendant from New York, said the new rules outlined to employees this week were done so without much say from workers. Flight attendants were surveyed by the company in June, but Taylor said most were against any plan that could cut their pay.
In her case, she said she receives $43.02 an hour for the first 50 hours a month and $60.23 above that. Under the new rules, she said she will receive $48.76 for all hours worked.
"If I work more for less money, what else is this other than a pay cut?" Taylor said.
Taylor said the new rules could spark interest in forming a flight attendants union, though a union drive last year only received 30 percent support. Delta's pilots, at odds with the company for months over a request for wage concessions, are part of a union.
The work rule changes include plans for increased automation and eliminating things that cost Delta money, like its reserve program.
Under the reserve program, the company guarantees 20 percent of flight attendants compensation for being on call 18 to 20 days a month, whether they work or not. Under the new system, those workers will be on call only three to nine days a month. The rest of the time they will be on pre-plotted trips, Vincenz said.
Delta, which lost $1.2 billion last year, has laid off 16,000 employees since the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Although commercial airline pilots are usually regarded as glamorous, professional and sublimely skillful and regularly lauded for their bravery, the role and efforts of flight attendants are unfortunately regularly under rated and underexposed. At first glance, a flight attendant might seem to the uninitiated eye to be adopting the role of professional host or air hostess; dispensing drinks, food and charming repartee, but this aspect of the job belies a much more serious and essential function. Flight attendants are responsible for the safety as well as the comfort of their passengers and over the years, many attendants have provided professional examples of selfless courage, fortitude and dedication that are more commonly associated with military combat situations than commercial air travel.
Here follow five outstanding examples of heroism that will lie to rest the stereotypical image of flight attendants being known as ‘trolley dollies’.
BOAC Flight 712, 8thApril, 1968
This Boeing 707-465 had just left Heathrow bound for Sydney, Australia via Zurich and Singapore when an engine failure during take-off led to a terrible fire and the engine in question fell from the aircraft in mid-air, landing in a gravel pit where some children were playing in nearby Thorpe, miraculously causing no injuries. However, despite a successful emergency landing being made, 5 people on board perished. Amongst the dead was 22-year-old flight attendant Barbara Jane Harrison, who remained at her post at the rear starboard door encouraging passengers to jump to safety; ultimately sacrificing her life because she refused to abandon her post until everyone had been evacuated. Her body was found next to that of a disabled passenger who she had been attempting to rescue. She was awarded a posthumous George Cross for her actions and this remains the only such medal awarded to a female during peacetime
British Airtours Flight 28M, 22nd August 1985
As this international passenger flight rested on Manchester International Airport’s Runway 24 in preparation to ferry passengers to Corfu, Captain Peter Terrington and First Officer Brian Love heard a loud thumping noise and thought a tire had burst. They abandoned take off and engaged the thrust reverses, gradually braking until the plane was positioned in a taxiway to the right of the runway. However, the crew soon discovered that the source of the problem was actually an intense fire in engine No.1. Tragically, the blaze soon spread into the deaths of 53 passengers and 2 cabin crew, most of whom died of smoke inhalation. The two rear cabin crew who met their deaths bravely in the line of duty whilst opening the rear doors were Jacqui Ubanski and Sharon Ford and both were posthumously awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Meanwhile, the two forward flight attendants, Arthur Brad bury and Joanna Toff, returned time and time again to the blazing cabin to drag passengers to safety and both were awarded the same honor as their sadly deceased colleagues.
Pan Am Flight 73, September 5th 1986
This Boeing 747-121 was hijacked by four armed members of the Abu Nidal Organisation whilst on the ground at Karachi, Pakistan. Of the360 on board the craft, twenty passengers were killed by the hijackers; 7 from the United States and 13 from India. During the stand-off, flight attendants were ordered to collect the passports of passengers. Senior Purser Neerja Bhanot, fearing that US citizens on board would be singled out for execution, hid some of the US passports under a seat, whilst the rest were disposed of in a waste chute. At the climax of the incident as the hijackers threw a grenade and began randomly opening fire upon passengers, Neerja Bhanot deployed an escape chute from an emergency door which passengers had managed to open and assisted several to escape. She was killed whilst heroically protecting three children from the gunfire. Just 22 at the time of her death, the Government of India posthumously awarded her the Ashoka Chakra; the highest civilian award for bravery, whilst the United States Department of Justice posthumously awarded her the Special Courage Award.
Aloha Airlines Flight 243, April 28th, 1988
This Boeing 732-297 was traveling between Hilo and Honolulu in Hawaii when it suffered a major explosive decompression during flight. It was able to land safely at Kahului Airport on Maui with no fatalities except flight attendant C. B.
I.Lansing, who was blown out of the aircraft to meet her tragic demise. Flight Attendant Michelle Honda suffered serious injuries when she was thrown to the floor during the decompression; with the result that she was unable to walk. Nevertheless, she bravely crawled up and down the aisles reassuring and assisting passengers
British Airways Flight 5390, 10thJune, 1990
This flight from Birmingham to Malaga had only been in the air for around 15 minutes when the left cockpit windscreen suffered a nightmarish failure and caused Captain Lancaster to be violently sucked out of the window with only his legs, which has caught on flight controls, providing any purchase. Flight attendant Nigel Ogden managed to hold on to the pilot throughout the emergency descent and eventual landing at Southampton, suffering bruising and frostbite for his efforts. Captain Lancaster has been presumed dead by the crew but they held onto him desperately in order to avoid his body flying into the aircraft engine. In fact, despite suffering severe injuries and shock, he was very much alive, and returned to work five months later. Nigel Ogden suffered a dislocated shoulder and severe frostbite to his face and eye. His actions, and those of the two flight attendant colleagues who relieved him shortly before landing, saved the life of the pilot and ensured that there were no fatalities whatsoever.
The May 26 article “Many flight attendants dangerously exhausted” examined an issue that Delta Air Lines takes very seriously. We work closely with our flight attendants to help ensure they have adequate rest opportunities.
We believe the vast majority of our flight attendant professionals, who take great pride in their training, customer service and good judgment, would take offense at the assertion that they would choose to fly routes where they would not have the opportunity for adequate rest.
A few key points the article overlooked:
• Delta’s rules for flight attendant rest, which exceed Federal Aviation Administration requirements, offer great flexibility for attendants to choose the length and duration of trips they work, and they have the ability to manage their schedules to ensure adequate rest.
• Of all the trips our flight attendants can choose, the long-haul, international flights described in the article are among the most sought-after.
• Delta provides a broad slate of tools to combat fatigue, including rest facilities and opportunities on aircraft and at airports, and hotels that are well-suited for a restful sleep.
• Our flight attendants also are provided a wealth of information on fatigue management and strategies for ensuring adequate rest.
It’s unfortunate that the article highlighted a tiny number of flight attendants who have had unusual issues in this area, or who may have a hidden agenda.
The vast majority of our flight attendants, who are the best in the world, work hard every day to ensure a safe work environment at all times for themselves, their coworkers and their customers. Joanne Smith
Heinrich Kubis became the world’s first flight attendant in March, 1912, when he began caring for passengers and serving food aboard the DELAG zeppelin LZ-10 Schwaben.
Kubis served as chief steward on all the German passenger zeppelins that followed, including LZ-120 Bodensee (which made regularly scheduled flights between Berlin and Southern Germany in 1919), LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin, and LZ-129 Hindenburg.
Kubis worked alone on the early zeppelins, but there was an assistant steward and cook aboard the 20-passenger Graf Zeppelin, and a team of 10-15 cooks and stewards aboard the 72-passenger Hindenburg.
Kubis was in Hindenburg’s dining room when the ship burst into flame at Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6, 1937. When the Hindenburg sank close enough to the ground, Kubis encouraged passengers and crew to jump from the windows and jumped to safety himself. Kubis landed without injury and was not hurt in the disaster.
Kubis testified at the inquiry into the Hindenburg disaster and then returned to Germany, where he lived until his death in the 1970s.
Years before heavier-than-air commercial airliners were large enough to accommodate stewards, and 18 years before Ellen Church of United Airlines became the world’s first stewardess, Heinrich Kubis was earning his living in the air as the world’s first flight attendant.
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What to pack in your suitcase!
Sometimes the airline will provide you with a crew bag and suitcase or sometimes you may have to provide your own and these will also have to fit into ‘uniform standards’ so you may have to buy a certain colour and brand.
Please bear in mind that your luggage will be thrown around a lot during transit and take a lot of wear, so try and buy good quality, hard-wearing suitcases. You may just have a small ‘wheelie bag’ and crew bag or if you are flying long haul, as well as your crew bag and wheelie, you will also have a large suitcase that will go into the hold during your flight.
What you pack in your cabin crew suitcase is very much down to you - and remember you will have to pull it around or lift it! Of course, the clothing you take will be dependent on where you are going and for how long - a 3 day trip to Moscow is going to be pretty different to a night stop in Nice or a week in the Caribbean (we can only dream…) So, pack wisely and as you get used to knowing what to pack - you will probably have your ‘night stop clothes’ ready packed in your suitcase each trip.
EXTRA CLOTHES YOU MAY NEED
Remember, you are still representing the airline, even if you are off duty - so don’t wear anything too outrageous that will draw too much attention to you. You may also want to take your swimwear and gym clothes and you must pack spare uniform items - or that will be the day a passenger spills red wine over your white shirt! You will need your toiletries bag of course, full of miniature bottles of products such as shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste etc. You can decant the products you normally use at home into smaller travel bottles too - really you don’t want to be taking full size items around with you!
USEFUL EXTRAS
You may want to carry a small first aid kit for all those little emergencies and any prescription tablets you may need to take. Sunscreen and mosquito repellant may be a good idea for some destinations. You may want to take your laptop/iPad with you, for watching movies in your room and keeping in contact with family and friends, so it is also a good idea to pack a multi-plug adapter for use in different countries and if you will use your mobile phone you should pack the charger too.
As you travel more, you will learn what to pack and what works for you. Not everyone needs loads of clothes or make up or the latest iPad or iPod. Some crew don’t want to go out or maybe they want to do their own thing and will pack accordingly. Many crew like to shop for bargains, so it’s always wise to leave a little space for those unexpected purchases. HOME COMFORTS
Being cabin crew is definitely a ‘lifestyle’ and you have to make it work for you. Sometimes crew can be away for a long time and need a few home comforts, it can get lonely sometimes - photos of loved ones, scented candles etc. can make a hotel room a bit more homely. A laptop can almost be an essential item to keep in touch with friends and family on Skype, you can play your own music and watch movies or play games - whatever you like to do.
Once you get home, just take out your clothes and do the laundry – replace items in your suitcase and voilá – you are ready for your next trip with minimum fuss!
Day In The Life of a Charter Flight Attendant Aviation International News » July 2013
by Anonymous and Susan Friedenberg
July 4, 2013, 2:25 AM
A good few years ago I was a flight attendant on a charter trip out of Boca Raton,and we had a body to transport north of the border. The deceased man and his familywere Jewish, and under Jewish religious law you have to be buried within 24 hours. Still in shock, the family was making these arrangements swiftly to get their loved one’s body back to Canada for burial.
The family would betraveling on the Gulfstream with the body, we were told. The morticians from the funeral home showed uptwo hours before departure with the bodyin the coffin. No matter how hard they tried, they could not get the coffin to fit in the baggage compartment.
So they decided to take the body out of the coffin and put it in the baggage compartment,inthe body bag, laid flat on the floor in front of the mesh restraints. There were manysuitcases, and theywere stowed behind the meshrestraints.The baggage compartmentalso had storage space and compartments for stockand galley items,so before we took off I brought forward what I would needso as not to have to go back there in flight.
They loaded the body, and I must say this freaked me out a tad. It was done in a kind, respectfuland gentle manner, but it was nevertheless strange to have a dead man lying in a body bag beneath where my garment bag was hanging.
The morticians asked me not to let anyone in the family go back there in flight because they were not telling them that their dad/husband/grandfather/brother was laid out in the back, out of the coffin.
Thenthe family showed up–the grown kids, the grandchildren and the elderly wife. The kids immediately started drinking heavily and were telling stories of the deceased. He sounded like a cool guy! Then his widow asked, “Susan, where are the bags? I have to get my knitting needles out of a suitcase.” I said they are in the back, pointing to the aft of the aircraft, and she started out of her seat. “ Oh no, Mrs. – ,” I said. “The luggagecompartment is packed solid, and it is highly unlikely you will be able to find the bag. It might be under other bags.” She gentlypushed past me and headed aft. Freaking out, I blocked her–all 110 pounds of me–and would not let her pass. “Please, Mrs. – , describe the bag and I’ll find it for you.” So she did, and I went aft and locked the lav door behind me. There I am, alone with the deceased lying in the body bag there at my feet. I was quiet and respectful and even said a prayer in Hebrew for the mourning whilelooking at the bag. I was thinking, this is so weird.
Then I reached over him to open the mesh between me and the bags, and the body sat almost upright from rigor mortis. I lost it. I screamed, jumped up and hit my head hardon the garment-bag pole. Then I started asking him questions: “How could you scare me like that? Why did you die over the holidays? How could you leave these lovely people?” I was laughing and crying at the same time.
It was like a Saturday Night Live skit. I composed myself, put him back flat, found the knitting needles and returned to the cabin. The family was wasted by this time and, trust me, I really needed a cocktail. We landed. The family went into the FBO. The morticians showed up and discreetly put the deceased back into a coffin and offloaded him. What a day!
Indian airline GoAir to hire female-only cabin crew in bid to cut fuel bill Low-cost airline says move could save £330,000 a year because women are 20kg lighter on average than men
Angela Monaghan guardian.co.uk, Thursday 4 July 2013
Budget airlines are constantly on the lookout for ways to cut their fuel bills and India's GoAir is no different.
Its latest idea is to hire female-only cabin crew, refusing applications from their heavier male counterparts in a bid to limit fuel burn.
The low-cost airline has calculated that the move will save up to 30m rupees (£330,000) a year, because women 20kg lighter on average.
Around 130, or 40%, of GoAir's existing crew members are male, and they will keep their jobs. But men will miss out in the future, as the airline presses ahead with ambitious expansion plans for 80 new aircraft by 2020 and around 2,000 cabin crew and pilots. It currently has a fleet of 15 aircraft.
The chief executive, Giorgio De Roni, said the decision was driven by the rupee's sharp fall against the dollar over the past year.
"The rupee's fall has hurt the industry badly. All major expenses – aircraft leasing, spare parts and fuel costs – are linked to the dollar," he told the Times of India.
"We are looking at every possible way of cost-cutting to remain profitable."
As operating costs rise, GoAir has taken other measures to reduce the weight on board its aircraft and limit fuel burn. Its in-flight magazines have been shrunk, and water tanks are not being filled to capacity.
Aircraft are also using a single engine to taxi in order to save fuel.
"Our new aircraft will have sharklets [wingtip devices] that will help in reducing fuel burn by 5%. From next year onwards, we will have sharklets installed in five of our existing planes, while the remaining 10 will be phased out to have a young fleet," De Roni said.
Sir Richard Branson Applauds Airline Complaint Letter
by Libby Zay (RSS feed) on Jul 2nd 2013 at 3:00PM
Sir Richard Branson, the self-made billionaire of Virgin fame, must have some spare time these days. The business mogul has taken it upon himself to applaud a humorous airline complaint letter that went viral. Written by tennis pro Arthur Hicks, the sarcastic letter thanks Caribbean carrier LIAT for taking him on a tour of the islands.
Dear LIAT,
May I say how considerate it is of you to enable your passengers such an in-depth and thorough tour of the Caribbean.
Most other airlines I have travelled on would simply wish to take me from point A to B in rather a hurry. I was intrigued that we were allowed to stop at not a lowly one or two but a magnificent six airports yesterday. And who wants to fly on the same airplane the entire time? We got to change and refuel every step of the way!
I particularly enjoyed sampling the security scanners at each and every airport. I find it preposterous that people imagine them all to be the same. And as for being patted down by a variety of islanders, well, I feel as if I've been hugged by most of the Caribbean already.
I also found it unique that this was all done on "island time," because I do like to have time to absorb the atmosphere of the various departure lounges. As for our arrival, well, who wants to have to take a ferry at the end of all that flying anyway? I'm glad the boat was long gone by the time we arrived into Tortola last night - and that all those noisy bars and restaurants were closed.
So thank you, LIAT. I now truly understand why you are "The Caribbean Airline."
P.S. Keep the bag. I never liked it anyway.
Branson himself is no stranger to airline grievances. He once received what many regard as the world's most epic complaint letter, a detailed account of a passenger's "culinary journey of hell" when faced with a spongy biscuit during an in-flight meal. But as the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad publicity -- even in the case of funny airline complaints.
Lee yoon-Hye, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 flight attendant and cabin manager (AP)
10:45 AM, Jul 8, 2013 Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY
Asiana Airlines attendants are being lauded as heroes for their role in helping passengers to safety after the crash-landing of Flight 214 at San Francisco on Saturday.
Lee Yoon-hye, described by The Associated Pressas the "cabin manger" who was "apparently the last person to leave the burning plane," was among those being called out for her efforts to lead fliers to safety.
Speaking to AP, Lee described evacuation in the moments after the crash-landing, in which 305 of 307 people onboard the flight survived.
She tells the news agency that one of her colleagues carried a frightened elementary school-aged boy on her back off the plane and down the emergency exit slide.
MORE: Evacuating a plane quickly comes from training FULL COVERAGE: The crash of Asiana Flight 214 AP: Asiana attendant describes dramatic evacuation
AP adds "Lee herself worked to put out fires and usher passengers to safety despite a broken tailbone that kept her standing throughout a news briefing with mostly South Korean reporters at a San Francisco hotel. She said she didn't know how badly she was hurt until a doctor at a San Francisco hospital later treated her."
San Francisco fire chief Joanne Hayes-White praised Lee, whom she talked to just after the evacuation, according to AP.
"She was so composed I thought she had come from the terminal," Hayes-White is quoted as saying to reporters in a clip posted to YouTube. "She wanted to make sure that everyone was off. ... She was a hero."
Passenger Eugene Anthony Rah, who was sitting in business class on Asiana Flight 214, echoed a similar theme in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
He describes a chaotic post-landing scene, telling the newspaper he saw an attendant helping passengers to the exit slides.
"She was a hero," Rah says to the Journal. "This tiny, little girl was carrying people piggyback, running everywhere, with tears running down her face. She was crying, but she was still so calm and helping people."
The speed of the evacuation of Asiana Flight 214 ... suggested to observers a textbook example of how to get more than 300 people off a plane after a crash and before it burns.
"It's incredible to see what these flight attendants were able to accomplish - with half the doors," Leslie Mayo, a flight attendant for American Airlines on 777s and national communications coordinator for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, says to USA TODAY.
The Journal also picks up on that theme in its story, writing "such quick-thinking heroics in the minutes after the plane's spectacular crash at San Francisco International Airport, combined with technological enhancements in recent years that have made jetliner accidents more survivable, likely prevented Saturday's disaster from being far more deadly, experts said."
As for flight attendant Lee, the 40-year-old who has been with Asiana for nearly 20 years says she sensed something was wrong with Flight 214 as it neared the runway.
"Right before touchdown, I felt like the plane was trying to take off. I was thinking, 'What's happening?' and then I felt a bang," Lee is quoted as saying by AP. "That bang felt harder than a normal landing. It was a very big shock. Afterward, there was another shock and the plane swayed to the right and to the left."
Then the captain ordered the evacuation of the aircraft, and Lee says she instinctively jumped to action.
"I wasn't really thinking, but my body started carrying out the steps needed for an evacuation," Lee says, according to AP. "I was only thinking about rescuing the next passenger."
And when she noticed flames, she adds: "I was only thinking that I should put it out quickly. I didn't have time to feel that this fire was going to hurt me."
An open Letter to All Airline Passangers... before you treat a flight attendant badly.take a moment and know that she may save your life before saving her own! Hope Asiana Crash teaches all those fuss makers a lesson!
An Open Letter to Airline Passengers:
Many of you ignore us. And by us, I mean your flight crew – you know, those pesky, perky folks in polyester that pour Cokes. Flight Attendants, contrary to popular belief, are highly skilled and it’s not in the art of delivering beverages and snacks. Instead, we’re safety professionals initially taught for weeks, some of us a couple months, on delivering babies, putting out fires, administering first aid and, of course, evacuating an aircraft… which means getting you off and to safety along with perhaps hundreds more in ninety seconds or less. We are required by the FAA to maintain these skills through annual recurrent training.
In an incredible show of just how capable Flight Attendants are at their job, our colleagues at Asiana Airlines evacuated a full Boeing 777 before it was engulfed in flames after crash-landing in San Francisco. Kudos to them for sure… Among our industry, we hold them in awe, partly because we are thankful it wasn’t us on that plane. We can do it and perhaps must one day, but no one wants to be faced with the danger, with death.
But, you, Passenger, have to make a phone call. Send that text. Play with your iProduct. Ignore the safety demonstration. Do you recall where your exit was? The plane is on fire; the door near you is blocked. The overhead bin is now in your lap. Smoke has filled the cabin and you cannot see. Wires and oxygen masks hang in your face. Who are you gonna look for now?
Oh, it’s the Flight Attendant! The one who said hello to you during boarding but to whom you could not utter a word because you were too busy to notice.
We appreciate your flying; we genuinely do. We enjoy hearing about your world, where you’re heading for business or vacation. Without your business, we wouldn’t feed ourselves much less our families. We couldn’t pay our car payments or afford to educate ourselves higher than the degrees many already possess. We also wouldn’t jet off to exotic locales courtesy of the company we work for and enjoy a lifestyle unlike any other. We really do enjoy serving you.
What we don’t enjoy is being taken for granted. We are trained to react for both anticipated and unanticipated emergencies. The Asiana crew had no clue what was about to befall them. This would be an unanticipated emergency. After an almost eleven hour flight, the crew likely had discussed what they’d enjoy on their layover in San Francisco, one of my favorites. Without a doubt, though, the crew – like all of us – silently/mentally prepare for just what happened. Who would have thought that the landing gear would be sheared off by the sea wall and the tail of the aircraft ripped apart? Thank God the plane didn’t catapult down the runway…
When we sit on that jump seat for takeoff and landing, we are recalling our training. Where is my emergency equipment? What are my evacuation commands? If we land in the water, which exits are usable? What should I take with me to use until first responders arrive? The Asiana crew was en pointe.
And that is where we need you to be, Mister and Mrs. Important Passenger. We need you to turn off your damned electronics and listen to us. Debate the specifics of whether it interferes with aircraft navigation guides with someone else. We need you to hear us and not just for your sake. While you’re being caught up to speed on the very important details other passengers are comprehending, you’re cutting into the ninety seconds we’re trained to get you off the aircraft, namely because that’s approximately the time it takes for it to become engulfed in flames. It’s not just you we’re tasked with saving… it’s everyone on board, and then ourselves.
You can thank us later… after you say hello. And, leave your damned belongings behind like we told you. No one needs luggage during an evacuation. And, if you puncture the slide on one of our only usable exits, we’re not going to be as happy as we were when we were pouring you that Diet Coke.
Think it cannot happen to you: You can’t ask those two teens that died but ask the hundreds who walked away.
For regular flyers, it's all too easy to zone out during the requisite flight attendant safety speech. But have you ever sat back in your cramped airline seat to wonder why it's so important to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, or why airlines dim the lights upon landing? George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com helps us read between the lines -- advice that is all the more relevant as we're all thinking about Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash at San Francisco Airport over the weekend.
Own Mask First Safety demos never go into why it's so important to put on your own mask before helping those around you. According to Hobica, here's the details:
You might only have 15 or 20 seconds in the event of a cabin decompression, during which all oxygen would be sucked out of the plane (and your lungs), before you'd experience confusion and a euphoric "stoned" state... In 30 to 45 seconds you'd probably pass out. So it's important to act quickly.
Dimmed Lights Upon Landing If you're wondering why airlines dim the cabin lights before takeoffs and landings, here's the scoop from Hobica:
You guessed it: to help adjust your eyes to the dark (either inside a smoke filled cabin or on a darkened runway).
Shoes On Upon Landing Some airlines ask that passengers keep shoes on when landing -- except for high heels, which can tear the emergency slide. Hobica explains why:
Because the runway might be burning hot after you jump down the slide.
The Proper Brace Position Those safety cards in the seat back pocket that all flight attendants ask you to read detail the proper position to brace yourself in if a crash should occur. Look closely and notice each drawing shows one hand over the other. Here's why:
Should something fall on you during a crash landing, you want to protect at least one hand (preferably the one you write with) because you'll need it to unbuckle your seat belt when it's safe to do so. Your other hand is in that position to provide some protection to your "strong" hand, which will be doing the unbuckling.
Hobica came up with the tips with some help from a Flight Safety Awareness Course by British Airways. While it's not likely these details will be added to safety speeches (we'll thank the flight attendants for keeping things succinct), it's clear that a lot of thought has actually gone behind making each of the safety tips short but sweet.
Asiana flight attendants hailed as heroes By Madison Park, CNN July 10, 2013
Hong Kong (CNN) -- Veteran flight attendant Lee Yoon Hye sensed something was awry as Flight 214 neared the San Francisco International Airport runway.
As the plane was supposed to land, it rose briefly as if it was trying to lift off again.
Lee had worked 18 years with Asiana Airlines and on Saturday, her skills were tested.
The plane slammed down with "great impact," said Lee, who sat in the front.
Then boom -- the plane hit again.
"It was even more than a hard landing," Lee, 40, said. The plane teetered left and right.
After striking the edge of the runway at San Francisco International Airport, the Boeing 777 tumbled into the ground, igniting flames and a trail of smoke. Its tail splintered off and parts of the plane peeled off as it skidded into the earth.
When the aircraft finally stopped, she noticed that the emergency inflatable slide located at the right side of the front door had deployed inside the plane. Witnesses say the overhead bins dropped open.
Hailed as a hero who ushered passengers out of the Asiana plane, Lee was one of the 12 flight attendants on Flight 214.
Two other flight attendants were not in their seats at the rear of the aircraft when the plane finally ground to a halt, because they were ejected as the aircraft broke up. They were later found near the runway, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Lee calmly described the chaotic minutes of the Asiana plane crash. Dressed in her airline uniform, her name tag pinned to her jacket and her hair in the airline's trademark bun, she addressed Korean journalists gathered in San Francisco earlier this week.
According to the airline, flight attendants helped passengers get off the plane safely. They opened doors, deployed slides and helped passengers escape, according to JoongAng Daily, a South Korean newspaper.
As soon as the plane stopped, Lee knocked on the cockpit door to make sure the pilots were OK.
The captain opened the door.
"Are you OK, Captain?" she asked.
"Yes, I am OK," he replied.
"Should I perform the evacuation?" she asked. He told her to wait, she recalled.
Lee made an announcement to assure increasingly agitated passengers, telling them that the plane had come to a complete stop.
Once evacuation began, Lee said she had a plan.
"I was not thinking, but acting," she said. "As soon as I heard 'emergency escape,' I conducted the evacuation."
"When there was a fire, I was just thinking to extinguish it, not thinking that it's too dangerous or 'What am I going to do?'"
Asiana flight attendants undergo three months of training including emergencies and terrorist training before their first flight.
Did passengers ignore safety messages?
Lee said she saw her colleagues jump into action to help passengers and injured crew even as a fire burned in the back of the airplane. They popped the first emergency slide that had deployed inside with an ax to free a crew member who was struggling to breathe underneath its weight. Another emergency slide in the back trapped another crew member and was deflated with a kitchen knife, Lee said according to South Korean news station YTN.
One shaken elementary school-aged boy was afraid to go down the emergency slide, but one of the flight attendants lifted him on her back and escaped with him, Lee said.
Earlier this week, Eugene Rah, who was flying his 173rd flight on Asiana Air, told CNN that he saw a 100-pound flight attendant carrying the injured on her back.
Joanne Hayes-White, the San Francisco Fire Chief also praised the flight attendant for being "so composed."
"She was not concerned for her safety, but everyone else's," she said.
Lee said she was the last to leave the plane. And she glanced back.
"The ceiling was coming down and I felt like something was dragging the plane. Behind me I couldn't see, because it looked like there was a wall."
She had no idea the tail had snapped off or how the plane would be nearly engulfed in flames moments after they had escaped.
Two teenagers, both 16, died in the crash. The rest who were on board escaped: 305 of them.
To meet strong growth in demand, China’s Spring Airlines is on a drive to hire new flight attendants, a profession that’s highly sought-after in the nation for the glamour and travel opportunities.
But there’s a catch: Spring Air, China’s biggest budget carrier, will give preference to married women with kids.
These unusual requirements to hire what the airline calls ‘flight aunties’ come as the Shanghai-based airline seeks to diversify the profile of its 600-strong flight attendant workforce.
It’s also a huge departure from what’s done at China’s big state-owned carriers, which place heavy emphasis on beauty and youth. Chinese airlines are known to host pageant-style competitions to choose new flight attendants, attracting thousands of applications from young women. Airlines also employ male flight attendants, though females remain the vast majority.
In its latest recruitment campaign, Spring Air says it’s seeking college-educated females aged between 25 and 45, adding that those who are married with children are given top consideration.
The airline says it’s beneficial to have a wider age profile among flight attendants, because they could provide different service advantages and skills. It notes that younger flight attendants are more enthusiastic, while older ones are more mature and reliable.
Spring Air says its decision to raise the age limit for flight attendants to 45 follows the results of a recent survey on Weibo indicating that 72% of internet users polled prefer to be served by experienced flight attendants. The previous age cap for new hires was 35.
“We believe many women have a dream to work in the aviation industry, no matter how old they are,” the airline said.
Are you one of those travelers that struggle with what to put in their hand luggage because you have limited space, think you might forget something important and are afraid you might pack a ‘wrong item’ which security will throw out as you check-in?
Worry no more. The British Airways Cabin Crew has put together their top tips for hand luggage to help make your travel experience more comfortable and stress free. Their tips are:
- Always roll your clothes, it really helps save space in your bag and prevents clothes creasing. - Use all available space by stuffing things like shoes with socks or underwear – it will also help maintain their shape. - Re-use plastic bags by using them to separate different items. In particular ensure any liquids and dirty items like shoes are wrapped in bags to prevent staining other contents. - Pop a few sheets of ‘Bounce’ tumble dryer sheets in between your clothes to keep them smelling fresh. - Don’t wear lots of loose items when traveling, you will be asked to remove belts, jewellery, jackets and shoes through security so to save time, keep these items to a minimum. - Remember not to carry any sharps in your hand luggage. Lots of people make this mistake with nail scissors and then have them removed. - Put your money and your address details in a separate compartment or near the top of your bag so that you can reach it easily without unpacking items. - Have your boarding pass to hand (or know the flight number) if you plan to head to the shops before your flight as you will be asked for it. Having a bag with a zip pocket to store this is really useful. - Decant liquids in to 100ml bottles and seal them in a clear bag to save time at security. Cabin crew also often carry a small shoe horn in their hand baggage to enable them to get shoes on and off through security as quickly as possible. - Ensure you check the hand baggage guidelines for the airline you are traveling with before you depart. Some airlines (like British Airways) have a more generous luggage allowance. Be aware of the charges if you go over the allowance. You can buy cheap hand-held scales to weigh bags which are a good way to check before you leave. - If you know you might have to pay for excess luggage at the airport, ensure you have cash with you. Some airlines insist you pay additional charges in cash at the airport and if you’re in a rush, this can cause you real problems. - If you’re packing all your luggage in a carry-on bag, go for something with wheels. You can buy very small bags with wheels now and even with a small amount of luggage you will appreciate having something you can pull if you’ve got a long walk to the gate!
The British Airways Cabin Crew take up to 450 flights a year so they are always looking for ways to make travel easier for their passengers. Most of these tips are really simple but they can make a big difference to your journey!
For those of us who consider pets members of the family, leaving them behind when we travel often isn't an option, especially if they're a certified companion or therapy animal. Sometimes, however, we just want to bring our furry friends along. Fortunately, the travel industry has cottoned on to this fact (we hate to give Paris Hilton credit for anything, but she probably did help to facilitate this one), and an increasing number of hotels, airlines, bars, and even restaurants are cool with guests bringing along an animal.
If you're thinking of hitting the road (or skies) with your dog, cat, or even rabbit (don't laugh; the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel has a lot of guests from Asia who travel with their bunny buddies), here's some tips on making the journey easier for everyone involved:
Do your research Don't waste your precious holiday time trying to find a hotel last-minute that accepts pets. Book rooms beforehand, and be sure to ask about pet deposits. CNN posted an article today on the 12 of the world's dog-friendliest hotels. Many properties go to great lengths to ensure your loved one (no, we're not talking about your spouse or partner) is comfortable, well-fed, and walked regularly, even if you're busy enjoying other activities. The same book-ahead/ask questions before, not after, approach should apply with regard to airlines and other forms of public transportation.
Assess your pet's attitude The cardinal sin of traveling with a pet is toting along an animal with behavioral issues. This is especially true if you're flying or taking another form of public transit. No one is going to sympathize with you if your cat is yowling or your dog isn't housebroken. Hotels also don't appreciate pet damage. We get it, it's your baby. But be honest with yourself (better yet, ask someone unbiased, like your vet) about your pet's behavior, and whether or not they'll make a good travel companion.
Get to the vet You should always take your pet to the vet for a physical before a big trip, or if you know they're an anxious traveler. Sedatives can reduce their stress, (and in the process, that of seatmates and guests in neighboring rooms), and you also want to rule out any health issues. Try to avoid traveling with baby animals, especially those that haven't had all of their immunizations.
If you're traveling overseas or even out-of-state, certain documents such as rabies certificates will likely be required. A pet passport will also be required for certain countries, and will make traveling with your animal easier. Quarantine is also required for certain species traveling to and from specific destinations, including Hawaii (which doesn't have rabies, and they'd like to keep it that way, thanks). A clean bill of health from your veterinarian is also commonly required.
Flying the furry skies Airline policies vary, so be prepared to make a lot of calls. Pet Airlines is a handy aggregate site that directs you to the pet policies of various airlines and hotels. If at all possible, have your pet travel with you in coach. Airline travel is stressful for pets regardless, but in cargo, the temperature can reach dangerous levels (be it heat or cold), and once in a blue moon, mistakes do occur with regard to transfers or baggage handling. It's worth the extra dollars to keep an eye on your pet; you may also want to consider pet insurance.
Try to stick to a schedule As previously mentioned, travel can be stressful for pets. It's important that you stick to regular feeding times (if there's a major time change, you'll have to slowly adjust it) and your usual pet food; changing an animal's diet suddenly can result in gastrointestinal upsets. Exercise and playtime are also critical. While you're at it, suss out the nearest 24-hour emergency vet clinic.
Stupid, Crazy, or Both? By Kara On August 5, 2013 · Add Comment · In Advice, Destinations To Discover, Edinburgh, Escapades in Europe, FAQ, Flight Attendant Job, Flight Attendant Stories, Flight Attendant Travel, Humor, My Life Is Crazy, The UK, Travel
Stupid, Crazy, or Both. I’m describing those that choose to fly standby. Yup. Legitimately nuts. Ultimately, I’m describing myself. Traveling standby is how I travel so frequently, which is awesome, but behind the glamour, there has been scenes of me; crying, stressed, alone, cause all of the flights are full, and I can’t get home. If you are unfamiliar with the term standby, basically it means flying on a flight without a prior reservation for that flight. There are a couple of situations when regular paying customers travel this way, but this post focuses on The Flight Attendant Life and standby travel.
Many don’t understand or realize the inside rules and world of airline employees. Part of that world includes free or discounted travel. How it generally works is that an airline employee; pilot, flight attendant, or ground agent, can fly on their airline, or other airlines, when not working, for free, or at a discount, if there are seats available, that have not been purchased by other paying customers. Depending on which airline the flight attendant, pilot, or agent works for determines which carriers the individual may travel on, and the cost associated (if there is one). Wikipedia shares a definition to explain stand-by travel, which can also be referred to as non-revving, non-rev travel, or space available.
If you are looking for adventure, spontaneity, and want to experience travel like a flight attendant, travel stand-by. It’s the way that I travel most of the time. Well, sometimes travel, but more realistically stress, often waiting at airports, watching plane after plane take-off without me. In January, I was at Boston Logan International Airport, and I overheard a group of gentleman, one of which said, quite loudly, “I need to marry a flight attendant so I can travel for free.” Uniform and all, I sighed, and quietly laughed to myself. I’ll continue to let him live in his fantasy, because I had clearly woken up from mine. The reality is that I have spent sleepless nights, in so many airports, or had to drop lots of dollars to cover transportation to and from an airport, book last-minute hotels, or purchase exorbitantly priced flights to make my work trip and not get fired. Being a flight attendant doesn’t always get me anywhere very quickly.
Behind the glamour of being able to fly anywhere that I want to, whenever I want to, lies that ugly truth that it’s not often that way. Standby is a double edge sword of heaven and hell. I mean yes, I have gotten to see the world, and I have some great travel stories because of this spontaneous type of travel. Like the few times I’ve been lucky to fly first class for free, or when I decided, the day before, to fly to Iceland, or changed my mind about flying to Dublin, which led me to meeting Sweden in Copenhagen. There are definitely upsides to being a flight attendant.
Also, roughly calculated, I’ve probably already racked up the equivalent of $40,000 worth of airline tickets if I had been required to actually pay for my seats on flights. That’s significant. My salary is poverty line, but with my frequent use of my travel benefit, I think I make up for the monetary downsides of my career. Can one really put a dollar value on life experiences? Research shows the happiest individuals are the ones that spend on memories as opposed to buying things. I’ve possibly taken buying experiences to the extreme, but my choices to not buy a new car or to have my own address, have allowed for me to be able to see the world, meet people, and learn in a hands-on, in-the-moment way.
I am so happy with my travel life, but that hell aspect of standby travel is very real, and it does exist. It’s the side that causes stress, anxiety, loss of sleep, and all things exhausting. Planning is mostly futile when traveling like a flight attendant, because expecting leads to disappointment, and booking beforehand leads to lost deposits or missed hotel stays. And then there is the mad scramble to find someone to cover that work trip. Yes, it’s crazy.
I experienced the hell of standby travel this past week, and all I kept thinking was, “I must be stupid, crazy, or both to think that it was a good idea, to fly, without a ticket, in the middle of summer, to popular European destinations.” I scolded myself, saying I should know better, but really, I can’t predict the future. In life, it’s essential to take a reasonable amount of risk. If I chose to play it safe, most of my travel experiences over the course of my flying career would not have not happened. Last year, I had my heart set on seeing Tallinn, Estonia, and dreams came true when the airline of that small country let me ride in the flight deck, on the extra jump seat, for a short hour and a half flight (which, not legal for US based carriers, but sometimes allowed, although still rare, for international based airlines). I wouldn’t have gone to Croatia or experienced Oktoberfest with Emily. I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends in the whole world. I wouldn’t be who I am right now.
All that being said, would I recommend traveling standby? Absolutely not. You want to stay cool, calm, and collected, have a seamlessly smooth vacation, and know where you will end up? Answer yes, and don’t do it. Answer you want an adventure, still question your judgment in traveling standby. If you really have to be somewhere, buy your ticket, or be willing to fork out a bunch of money if everything goes to (excuse my french) shit. Having someone available to catch you when you fall apart helps too, and another word of advice is wait to fall apart till after you have solved the problem of being stuck. Getting back to Hawaii after my recent adventure to The UK turned into an absolute impossible puzzle that had me flying to Amsterdam, hoping to get from there to Los Angeles, and if that didn’t work, my last ditch plan was attempting to get to Reykjavik, Iceland, Then to Seattle. Then to Honolulu. All in the same day. Hell of a commute. Oh yes. Ridiculous.
Stand-by travel is subject to so many variables, it’s not a predictable art or science. JFK has been a hell on a random Wednesday, in January, but I got out of there right before a hurricane hit, so go figure. I often make flights I think I have no chance of getting a seat on, and miss flights that I thought was not going to be a problem. Stand-by, starting out free or cheap, can become an expensive game, of last minute hotels, unintended extensions to vacations, missed work days, and an all-around stressed out hell.
If you really hate someone, and you are an airline crew member, share one of your ‘buddy passes’ with them. Stand-by travel can be the sweetest revenge. Make sure you list them for a flight, for a date in the middle of summer, on a Sunday of a Friday. Send them to somewhere in Europe or Tel Aviv. Oh and tell them, that there is a possibility to fly first class. Their eyes will glimmer as you talk up all the places and tell the stories about that one time you just decided to fly to Paris for lunch. Send them on their vacation and see what happens. You probably won’t see them for weeks past their desired return date.
I do think that I am stupid for making standby travel such a big part of my life, crazy for thinking it will work, and a whole other level of nuts for finding some glee in all of it. I love surprises and standby can yield the sweetest spontaneity. I spent the last two weeks in The UK, and because I got stuck, missing so many flights, the extra days in Edinburgh allowed me to experience a little more of Fringe Festival. The only reason that I went to Amsterdam was because I thought I had a better chance of getting to the states through The Netherlands. It has been years since I walked along the canal streets and envied those riding the Dutchie Bikes, and because my plan didn’t work exactly great, I got one night to enjoy a nice dinner by the canal and walk the streets.
Standby teaches me faith and that miracles happen in the little things. It teaches me to hold on to peace when most of life is out of my control. There was a point in my life when I wanted to control everything, and for me, to embrace traveling, destination unknown, with fascination and excitement, is a miracle in itself.
Standby is crazy. It’s stupid, but throw in a little bit of beautiful, for it is that too.
Stupid, Crazy, or Both? By Kara On August 5, 2013 · Add Comment · In Advice, Destinations To Discover, Edinburgh, Escapades in Europe, FAQ, Flight Attendant Job, Flight Attendant Stories, Flight Attendant Travel, Humor, My Life Is Crazy, The UK, Trave
Вот как раз для Деда Щукаря Всё про желающих воспользоваться положенным и пощекотать себе нервы
Отправлено: 19.08.13 20:58. Заголовок: ну да.. так и есть) ..
ну да.. так и есть) всегда вырубали бессмысленные правила и еще больше те, кто считает что они должны неукоснительно соблюдаться и при этом не в состоянии хоть как-нибудь объяснить их смысл.. и тем более грустнее если это инструктор или сб.. ps из той же оперы - не снимайте меня, вы не имеете права! - я не вас снимаю, вы просто в кадр попали.. - все равно не имеете права! - а где это написано? - в журнале афл, в конце - но там этого нет.. только запрещено пользоваться тем и тем во время взлета-посадки, но сейчас же на эшелоне летим.. - я не хочу чтобы вы меня снимали и все тут.. это нарушение моих гражданских прав! - а о каких правах именно вы говорите? и тд и тп ясно что не всем нравится когда их снимают, но если говоришь что-то в роде "это запрещено" или "вы не имеете права" будь готов сослаться на конкретный норму/закон/правило, а не выдумывать их.. вариант 2: - выключите пожалуйста телефон на время взлета - ok, я перевел его в режим полета - я понимаю, но все электронные устройства должны быть выключены во время ... тра-ля-ля - но ведь производитель специально предусмотрел летный режим для использования устройства на борту самолета.. - согласно правилам все электронные... тра-ля-ля - /чел сдался и переводит тел. в ждущий режим, по сути просто включает блокировку экрана../ - спасибо! результат - чел в аффекте от уровня интеллекта бортпроводника, а у бортпроводника - катарсис, благодаря своей бессмысленной, но в то же время исключительной исполнительности в вопросе соблюдения "норм безопасности". Телефон же как был включен так и остался
Отправлено: 20.08.13 00:05. Заголовок: ух ты, сколько инфор..
ух ты, сколько информации особенно круто описаны всякие инциденты из-за PED'ов в стиле
цитата:
FLT CREW OF MD80 EXPERIENCE MISALIGNED HEADING INFO ON FMS DISPLAY. SUSPECT PAX OPERATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ACN: 597486 (36 of 50)
цитата:
A B757-200′S L FUEL GAUGE BLANKED AFTER TKOF AND BECAME OPERABLE PRIOR TO LNDG. CREW SUSPECTS POSSIBLE PED INTERFERENCE. ACN: 673795 (21 of 50)
и тп понятно почему здравомыслие в конечном итоге побеждает. хотя я больше склоняюсь к вмешательству инопланетян. Впрочем, интересно что как раз к нашему разговору, после того как наконец с 2006 года, когда хоть что-то по делу признали (в оправдание "раз не знаем лучше запретим")
цитата:
Нет доказательств, что электронные приборы могут повлиять на работу самолета, однако мы не можем утверждать и то, что они однозначно не могут, заявил Лес Дорр (Les Dorr), представитель Федерального управления гражданской авиации США.
Исследования, проведенные управлением в 2006 году совместно с Радиотехнической комиссией по аэронавтике (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) подтвердили эту позицию.
они все ж таки начали делать какие-то реальные шаги в правильном направлении. Странно что еще так долго сопротивлялись. и хоть споры все идут.. но сдвигаются качели в сторону здравомыслия уже с прошлого года, даже вот наш бОльший брат в лице дельты воюет на стороне света.. того гляди, уже в этом месяце обещали какие подвижки. А лед тронется, лет через 5 гляди и у нас будут перенимать "передовой американский опыт"
by Rob Annis (RSS feed) on Aug 16th 2013 at 2:00PM
Few things are as frustrating to travelers as a huge bank of frequent-flier points and not being able to use them. With fewer seats and routes available, airlines are making it more difficult to trade miles for free flights, knowing they can sell more tickets at a premium price. They're gambling that customers with large banks of points will stay continue to stay loyal for fear of losing the miles they've worked so hard to accumulate.
So if you can't cash in your points for flights, what can you do with them?
Donate Them At a former job years ago, a colleague needed to fly home for a family emergency but didn't have the money. A few employees quickly pooled frequent-flier points that allowed him to make the trip. Another time, some extended family members used their combined miles to send a cousin and her new husband on a honeymoon.
If you don't have a needy co-worker or family member, you can always give them to an organization that will use them to help others. The Fisher House Foundation's "Hero Miles" program has provided more than 40,000 tickets to wounded, injured and ill service members and their families over the years, while Mercy Medical Airlift provided almost 10,000 free airline tickets to patients in need, thanks to generous mileage donations. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has need of more than 2.5 billion miles in order to send kids and their families to their desired destinations around the world.
Trade Them On Points.com, you can either trade your miles from one airline for another carrier's points or even exchange them all together for various products or gift cards from retailers like Amazon or Starbucks. But the exchange rates for miles are fairly high in many cases, and should only be used if you have a large block of miles that are going to expire soon. My friend Tim Wozniak exchanges expiring miles for magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Use Them For Other Travel Needs The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney posted an excellent piece this week on redeeming airline miles for hotel rooms, rental cars and more. Not surprisingly, the elite-level traveler is going to score much better deals than your average flier -- the amount of American Airlines miles needed for hotel stays and car rentals is 40 percent less for platinum-level frequent fliers than the rank-and-file. A penny per mile is the typical exchange for domestic flights, car rentals and hotels for most higher-level loyalty programs. One travel expert McCartney spoke to believes mileage programs will eventually evolve into package deals, encompassing flights, hotels, cars and travel insurance.
Getting arrested is probably far down the list of most people's travel concerns. After all, we're usually focused on checking museums and monuments off our bucket list -- not engaging in illicit activity. But seemingly innocuous behavior can get you into trouble in many parts of the world, including things like wearing bikinis and chewing gum.
The British Foreign Office has released a warning about strange foreign laws after a report revealed that nearly a third of Britons seeking consular assistance were arrested or detained abroad. They say many travelers don't realize that activities that are perfectly legal at home could get you locked up or fined in another country.
A few of the unusual foreign laws they highlighted include:
Venice: It's illegal to feed pigeons here.
Nigeria: Taking mineral water into the country could land you in hot water.
Singapore: Chewing gum on public transit is a big no-no.
Japan: Watch out if you have allergies. A lot of nasal sprays are on this country's black list.
Wondering what other laws could get you locked up abroad? Here are a few more we rounded up:
Dubai: Kissing in public could land you in jail in this conservative country.
Thailand: Stepping on the local currency -- which bears the image of the king -- is seen as disrespecting the monarch and could get you arrested.
Greece: Wearing stilettos at archaeological sites in Greece will get you into trouble. The pointy shoes are banned because of the damage they cause to the historic monuments.
Germany: It's against the law to run out of gas on the autobahn. Stopping unnecessarily on this fast-paced high way is illegal, and that includes those who forget to fill up their tank.
by Sean McLachlan (RSS feed) on Sep 4th 2013 at 10:30AM squat toiletsSean McLachlan Chances are your morning glory isn't good for you.
In the Western world we're second place when it comes to doing Number Two. A growing number of medical experts agree that our seat toilets aren't nearly as good as squat toilets, which are what's used on the majority of places in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
It all comes down to positioning.
The medical textbook Gastroenterology, the definitive reference to the subject and written by three MDs, states, "The ideal posture for defecation is the squatting position, with the thighs flexed upon the abdomen. In this way the capacity of the abdominal cavity is greatly diminished and intra-abdominal pressure increased, thus encouraging expulsion ..."
In plain English, squatting releases pressure on your rectum and makes it easier to poop. Sitting in a Western style toilet is means you're pushing against your own muscles. Many doctors say that using squat toilets reduce the chances of constipation, hemorrhoids, even bowel cancer.
Neuroscientist Daniel Lametti writes that wile there haven't been any smoking gun statistics for cancer, it makes intuitive sense that people would be less constipated if they squat and less likely to put strain on their anus that would cause hemorrhoids.
Having spent a great deal of time in countries where squat toilets were the only option, I can testify that squatting is easier on the bum, if not the thighs. You get through your business quicker, and it does feel easier and more natural. It's how we're built, after all. Interested in learning more? Check out this article on how to use squat toilets.
Flight Attendant~ “To the Flying Public, We’re Sorry”- author unknown August 22, 2010 By Martha's Whirled News
To the Flying Public: We’re sorry
We’re sorry we have no pillows.
We’re sorry we’re out of blankets.
We’re sorry the airplane is too cold.
We’re sorry the airplane is too hot.
We’re sorry the overhead bins are full.
We’re sorry we have no closet space for your oversized bag.
We’re sorry that’s not the seat you wanted.
We’re sorry there’s a restless toddler/overweight/offensive smelling passenger seated next to you.
We’re sorry the plane is full and there are no other seats available.
We’re sorry you didn’t get your upgrade.
We’re sorry that guy makes you uncomfortable because he “looks like a terrorist”.
We’re sorry there’s a thunderstorm and we can’t take off.
We’re sorry we don’t know when it will stop.
We’re sorry you’re crammed into a space so small that if you were an animal PETA would protest.
We’re sorry our plane has no music or video entertainment for your 3 hour flight.
We’re sorry we ran out of your favorite soda.
We’re sorry there are no more sandwiches.
We’re sorry that Budweiser costs $6.
We’re sorry we don’t have diapers for your baby.
We’re sorry we don’t have milk for same baby.
We’re sorry you can’t hang out by the cockpit door waiting to use the bathroom.
We’re sorry you can’t hang out at the back of the airplane.
We’re sorry you have to sit down and fasten your seatbelt.
We’re sorry you have to put your seat up for landing.
We’re sorry we don’t know when we’re going to land.
We’re sorry we don’t know whether your plane to (substitute any city in the world) will be waiting for you when we land.
We’re sorry we’ve been diverted because we ran out of gas waiting to land.
We’re sorry for these and so many other things that we have absolutely no control over but which we are held accountable for EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Please understand. Flight attendants are not the enemy. We share your space. More than anyone – we want to have a nice, pleasant travel experience.
There is a reason behind everything we ask you to do. It may be a FAA directive. It may be security related. It may be a company procedure.
We don’t just make stuff up. We don’t spend 8 weeks at the flight academy learning how to pour a Coke. There are many things that flight attendants are watching for constantly on every flight FOR YOUR SAFETY. It’s not because we’re bored or so controlling that we just enjoy telling people what to do. I, for one, would like to have one flight where I didn’t have to repeatedly tell people to put their seats up for landing. Seriously. Can’t you just do what we ask sometimes? Without the glares, eye rolling and disdain? For the record – putting your seat up for landing may not seem that important to your personal safety. However, it is very important for the person sitting BEHIND YOU. If you have ever tried to get out of a row where someone has their seat back you know it can be a challenge. Try grabbing your ankles (emergency brace position) or getting out of that row quickly with smoke in the cabin.
Understand a little better now?
Many of the things we ask passengers to comply with are FAA directives. Like carry-on bag stowage and exit row requirements. When we can serve drinks (in the air) and when we can’t (after the aircraft door is closed or on an active taxi-way). We are only allowed to move about the cabin during taxi out for safety related duties. We can’t get you blankets, or hang coats, or get you drinks. It’s not because we don’t want to. It’s because we are held personally responsible if we fail to comply with FAA directives. Meaning that the FAA can fine us personally up to $10,000 if we fail to comply or enforce an FAA Directive.
Like no bags at the bulkhead. No children in the exit row. No one moving around the cabin during taxi. Perhaps now you know why flight attendants get a little testy when people move about the cabin when they’re not supposed to. It’s not the company that gets in trouble for that. It’s us.
Personally, I wish the airlines would show worst case scenario safety videos. Like what happens if you walk through the cabin during turbulence. There could be a guy who has just fallen and smacked his face on the metal armrest and now has a bloody, gushing broken nose. Or an elderly lady who now has a broken arm because someone walking to the bathroom fell on her.
Maybe a passenger with a broken neck becaus e somebody opened an overhead bin during turbulence and a suitcase fell out and onto the person sitting beneath it. These things can easily happen in a fast moving, unstable air environment.
Please just trust that we are looking out for your best interest and stop fighting with us about everything we ask you to do. It is exhausting.
Finally, please, please direct your hostility and frustrations in the direction where they will be most effective: The customer service department. They are the ones equipped to handle your complaint and implement procedures for CHANGE.
Think about it. Complaining to the flight crew about all your negative travel experiences is about the same as complaining to the office janitor because your computer isn’t working. It may make you feel better to vent about it – but it really won’t fix anything. More than anybody we are already aware of the lack of amenities, food, service and comfort on the aircraft. Please share your concerns with the people in the cubicles at corporate who need that information to make better decisions for the flying public.
It’s frustrating that so many people are in denial about what the travel industry is about now. The glory days of pillows, blankets, magazines and a hot meal for everyone are long gone. Our job is to get you from point A to point B safely and at the cheapest possible cost to you and the company. So be prepared. If you are hungry – get a sandwich before you get on the plane.
If it’s a 3 hour flight, anticipate that you may get hungry and bring some snacks. If you are cold natured – bring a wrap. Think for yourself and think ahead. Otherwise, don’t complain when you have to pay $3 for a cookie and are left with a crusty blanket to keep you warm.
We hear often that the service just isn’t what is used to be. Well, the SERVICE we provide now isn’t what it used to be. When I was hired, my job was to serve drinks, meals, ensure that safety requirements were met and tend to in-flight medical issues.
Since 9/11 my primary job is to ensure that my airplane will not be compromised by a terrorist. 9/11 may be a distant memory now to many, but be assured that EVERY DAY a flight attendant reports to work he or she is constantly thinking about 9/11. We feel a personal responsibility to ensure that something like that never happens again. We can never relax. We can never not be suspicious about someone’s intentions.
It is difficult to be vigilant and gregarious at the same time. Especially when most of us are working 12 hour days after layovers that only allow 5-6 hours of sleep. Not because we were out partying and having a grand time on the layover – but because the delays that you experience as a passenger also affect us as a crew, so that what was a 10 hour layover is now 8 hours which doesn’t leave a lot of time to recover from what has become an increasingly stressful occupation.
Despite everything, I still enjoy being a flight attendant.
I am writing this letter because I do still care about my profession and about the public perception of flight attendants. In the increasingly challenging travel world it is becoming more imperative than ever for people to just be decent to each other. I can go through an entire day without one person saying anything remotely civil. I will stand at the aircraft door and say hello to everyone who enters and maybe 50% will even look at me and even less will say hello back.
I will try to serve someone a meal who can’t be bothered to take their headsets off long enough for me to ask them what they want. Most of the time the only conversation a passenger has with me is when they are complaining.
Is it any wonder why flight attendants have shut down a bit? After suffering the disdain of hundreds of passengers a day it’s difficult sometimes to even smile, much less interact. We are human. We appreciate the same respect and courtesy that passengers do.
The next time you fly, try treating the flight attendants the way you would like to be treated. You may be surprised how friendly your flight crew is when they are treated like people.
A new tool for processing meal orders is flying at Delta Air Lines. The transactions are conducted by flight attendants using a Windows Phone connected to Microsoft Dynamics for Retail. This week, the airline announced that its more than 19,000 flight attendants will be using Nokia Lumia 820 handsets running Windows Phone 8, connected via Wi-Fi and AT&T's 4G LTE network to the Dynamics for Retail mobile point-of-sale platform . The solution was jointly developed by Microsoft, Avanade, AT&T and Nokia.
The system utilizes the Connected Stores Solution from global business technology and managed services provider Avanade, which enables mobile devices to conduct in-store sales and provides advanced analytics to assess performance by employees.
Avanade Mobile Airline Platform
The system, which began testing in June, is based on a customized-for-Delta version of the Avanade Mobile Airline Platform, an end-to-end retail platform developed with Accenture, Avanade's parent company, for Microsoft Dynamics for Retail software . Avanade was founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft.
Avanade integrated the solution into Delta's operational structure, and, for the next three years, will provide ongoing support, maintenance and solution enhancements. By the end of this month, Nokia Lumia 820s will have been distributed to all Delta flight attendants.
Dan O' Hara, Avanade's mobility vice president, said in a statement that "companies in all industries need to enable an end-to-end customer experience across multiple channels." He added that Delta, in particular, wanted to "enable its employees with new ways of working that can drive greater productivity and better engagement with customers."
In addition to handling customer orders on board the aircraft, the system also handles passenger manifests, frequent flyer information, updates about connecting gates, scheduling updates for flight attendants and other dynamic information. The Live Tiles interface offers local weather information and flight tracking data from Delta's Fly application.
Seating Upgrades, E-Receipts
The solution can process credit cards at near real-time speeds for on-board purchases, which can also include upgrades in seating. E-receipts can be sent via e-mail to customers, and the airline plans to add the ability to read coupons displayed on a customer's mobile device. The faster operational times available through the mobile-enabled system are expected to allow more transactions by attendants and more time to attend to passengers' needs.
Additionally, Delta said it will roll out the ability for flight attendants to view customer-specific information, enabling a greater personalization of service. The airline is also expecting to adapt the system for the newest Nokia devices.
Delta has been busy developing technology for customers and employees. Last year, it released the Fly Delta travel app for the iPad, and it launched the new Delta.com in December, 2012. Self-service kiosks, rebuilt for better customer service and expanded capability, were also unveiled last fall.
A vacation is supposed to be your time away from the crazy. Remind me never to travel to any of the same vacation spots these people have booked. I'll take that upgrade and trade you a bus tour of "OH MY GOD THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!"
--
These are actual complaints received from dissatisfied customers by Thomas Cook Vacations (based on a Thomas Cook/ABTA survey):
1. "I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."
2. "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallarta to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time -- this should be banned."
3. "On my holiday to Goa in India , I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."
4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price."
5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room."
6. "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow."
7. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax."
8. "No one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared."
9. "Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers."
10. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish."
11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun."
12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair."
13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller."
14. "The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the resort'. We're trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service."
15. "There were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners."
16. "We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning."
17. "It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."
18. "I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes."
19. "My fiance and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."
By cabincrew.com on Monday 14th Oct, 2013 at 16:37
By Patricia Green
It’s an unpleasant thought, but cabin crew can sometimes be seen as a target by criminals around the world. It does not happen often, but the more you are aware, the safer you will be.
From the airport
While in uniform when you are at the airport, always watch your luggage and crew bag, as someone may steal something from them. This could happen at the airport or at the hotel, so keep an eye on those bags. Always stay with your crew at the airport and don’t wander off. This is not just for security but also the ‘uniform standard’. In some countries, there maybe necessary measures taken to stay safe during your journey on the crew bus from the airport to the hotel - this may mean closing all window curtains so no-one can see who is on the bus and sometimes having an armed guard onboard!
At the hotel
Once you are at the hotel and go to your room, prop the door open with your suitcase make sure there is no one behind you and check your room - make sure there is no-one hiding there. Check under the bed, the wardrobe and in the bathroom/shower. If a stranger gets into your room with a key card report it immediately to reception. One way to prevent this is to buy a small plastic door wedge that will stop the door opening – but remember you must be able to find it to get out in an emergency! Use all door locks whilst you are sleeping. Do take a look to see where you nearest emergency exit is, in case of fire and any special instructions for example, what to do in an earthquake. Luckily, in most hotels cabin crew stay in rooms next to each other, so it is much safer for everyone and you should never feel isolated. At reception, take the hotel room numbers of a few of your crew members, so you can stay in touch and report any issues - some hotels will provide you with a crew list and room numbers.
Out and About
Even when you are out and about - locals will know that you are crew even if you are not in uniform! They will see a bunch of people of the same nationality and accents and probably in the same places… they will often know what days crew will be there and what time… and this is not always a good thing. From personal experience, I was talking to a market trader in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul - a market that thousands of people pass through every day. He said he thought we had more money and could afford a higher price for the items. I asked him why, he said ‘Because you are with..... airline!’ ‘How do you know?’ I asked. He explained that about the same time of day, almost every day 3 or 4 girls would be together looking for gifts and they always had the same earrings, even though the faces were different… And of course he was right about the airline - but not that we were rich like he thought!
Taxis can be a problem is some countries so always set a price before you leave or if it is metered (these can be fixed though) ask for a price he thinks it will be. If possible try not to travel alone in a taxi, unless you are confident about it.
Sometimes, they may say the meter is not working or something and try and charge you extra. Another scam is that he will change a note in his hand and insist you gave him a smaller note, so watch what money you are handing over.
Finally, many crew do like to go out and have a few drinks after their flight - again in some places we become recognizable as crew and may become a target for drink spiking, so do watch your drinks and if you don’t feel well, tell the crew immediately and they will get you back to the hotel. This is essential, as it can be reported to all crew that maybe they should not go to xxx bar as this has taken place.
Now, you know what to look out for - stay safe and have fun!
About the author:
Patricia Green has been Cabin Crew for major airlines in the UK and Middle East for seven years and also an SCCM. She has also worked as a VIP Flight Attendant working for very high profile clients and world leaders on their private jets. Recently Patricia moved to flying on a freelance basis in order to concentrate on working as a freelance instructor as well as setting up as a Cabin Crew Consultant.
She advises potential crew how to get their dream job and helps experienced crew move from commercial to corporate flying. In response to many requests from fellow crew and students, Patricia has written a series of E-books to help guide new crew with lots of insider advice and useful hints and tips.
For more information please visit www.cabincrewconsultant.weebly.com
Browse cabin crew jobs on www.cabincrew.com today.
The company’s standard hiring contract also mandates that women tell a supervisor if they become pregnant and gives the airline the right to fire them upon the discovery.
he International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which represents around 4.5 million transport workers in 150 countries, released a report Tuesday alleging that Qatar Airways violates the basic labor rights of its 70,000+ employees. The organization is in Canada to lobby the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to take action on the “flagrant abuses of aviation workers’ labor rights” by carriers based in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
“More than 90 percent of their employees are non-UAE/Qatari nationals – all of whom have to rely on obtaining temporary work visas under a sponsorship program,” the ITF said in a press release. “Although these foreign workers are vital to the success of the airlines, they do not enjoy the basic labour rights (including freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining) which apply in their home countries.”
Female Qatar Airways employees are held to particularly strict standards. ITF released these extracts of what it claims are part of the terms and conditions of a standard hiring contract for female workers:
“You are required to obtain prior permission from the company, in case you wish to change your marital status and get married.
The employee shall notify the employer in case of pregnancy from the date of her knowledge of its occurrence… Failure of employee to notify the employer or the concealment of the occurrence shall be considered a breach of contract.
The employer shall have the right to terminate the contract of employment from the date of notification of the pregnancy.
In addition, laws in Qatar forbid employees from forming trade unions or collectively bargaining for better wages or conditions, a practice that Qatar Airways’ boss defends. “If you did not have unions you wouldn’t have this jobless problem in the Western word,” CEO Akbar Al Baker said in a June interview. “It is caused by unions making companies and institutions uncompetitive and bringing them to a position of not being efficient.”
“If you go and ask the politicians in most of the countries in the Western world they would love to have the system we have: where the workers have rights through the law but they do not have rights through striking and undermining successful institutions that provide jobs.”
Putting your oxygen mask on first is a great lesson you probably learned from a flight attendant. I know I've learned many life lessons from my colleagues over the years. Airline crews are away from home and family sometimes half the year or more. Staying safe on the road is a priority. Here are the tips I've learned along the way that may benefit you as a traveler as well!
Buckle up! You may have heard this announcement from a flight attendant at the end of a flight, "Now that the safest part of your journey is over be sure to buckle up and drive safely!" Whether your in a rental car or a hotel van be safe, don't text and buckle your seat belt. Well, I guess you can text in the van!
Never talk about your plans or where you are staying while on the plane or anywhere in the airport. Especially if you're traveling solo. You never know who is listening. This means paying attention if you're talking on your phone sometimes you can forget that there are others around listening. Same holds true when you arrive where you are staying. Don't announce your room number to your fellow travelers. Instead write it on a piece of paper and hand it to them.
Prop your bags against the door of your hotel room and inspect it before closing the heavy door behind you. Thankfully, I have never encountered a stranger in my room but, I know flight attendants who have.
Use the deadbolt! I have walked in on people sleeping because the hotel inadvertently gave me a key to a room already occupied. This will also stop housekeeping from coming in while you're in the shower should you forget the do not disturb sign.
Knock at the door, but you didn't order room service or call for anything? Do not open the door for anyone you're not sure of. Call the front desk when in doubt.
Have plans? Leave your television on when you leave your room. A thief is less likely to enter if they think the room is occupied.
Also, leave a note on the night stand when you head out with a description of yourself and your plans. This way if something did happen the police have something to go on.
Know your exits! Leave a travel flashlight and a room key on the floor close to the door. In case of a fire grab both on your way out. A frequent flier friend had this great tip. If you encounter thick smoke or fire down the hall at least you can re-enter your room and call for help.
Taking these simple steps and staying aware of your surroundings will go a long way in keeping you safe! What are your safety tips? Did I miss anything? Let us know in the comment section.
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Отправлено: 08.11.13 12:01. Заголовок: You've been a fl..
You've been a flight attendant too long if....
1. You can eat a 4 course meal standing at the kitchen counter. 2. You search for a button to flush the toilet . 3. You look for the "crew line" at the grocery store. 4. You can pack for a 2 week trip to Europe in 1 roll-aboard. 5. All of your pens have different hotel names on them 6. You NEVER unpack 7. You can recognize pilots by the backs of their heads-but not by their faces 8. You can tell from 70 yards away if a piece of luggage will fit in the overhead bin 9. You care about the local news in a city three states away 10. You can tie a neck scarf 36 ways 11. You know at least 25 uses for air sickness bags-none of which pertain to vomit 12. You understand and actually use the 24-hour clock 13. You own 2 sets of uniforms: fat and thin 14. You don't think in "months"-you think in "bid sheets" 15. You always point with two fingers 16. You get a little too excited by certain types of ice 17. You stand at the front door and politely say "Buh-bye, thanks, have a nice day" when someone leaves your home 18. You can make a sentence using all of the following phrases: "At this time, " "For your safety, " "Feel free, " and "As a reminder" 19. You know what's on the cover of the current issues of In Touch, Star, and People magazines 20. You stop and inspect every fire extinguisher you pass, just to make sure the "gauge is in the green" 21. Your thighs are covered in bruises from armrests and elbows 22. You wake up and have to look at the hotel stationery to figure out where you are 23. You refer to cities by their airport codes 24. Every time the doorbell rings you look at the ceiling. 25. You actually understand every item on this list
Want to be an awesome airline passenger and have the flight attendants fawning all over your awesomeness? Discover your inner Up In The Air by following my awesome tips.
1. Acknowledge the crew’s existence.
When you board the aircraft and a smiling flight attendant kindly greets you, reciprocating the pleasantry is all it takes to start your trip off on an awesome foot. While I’m aware that this sounds incredibly rudimentary and a matter of basic manners, it isn’t uncommon for passengers to completely ignore the crew during boarding. We truly make an effort to ensure that you feel welcomed and sincerely want you to enjoy the flight. When we say “Hello”, “Welcome aboard” or the like, and get zilch in return – it gets old. Quickly. Sometimes it can even make my head want to spontaneously explode.
If a passenger is kind enough to make eye contact, I can at least use that simple act to confirm to myself that I am in fact not an apparition living in some sort or parallel universe. So hey, thanks in advance if you give me a quick glance. It may not seem like much but I will take anything I can get on days when every other person is ignoring me, plus it potentially saves me truckloads of money on crazy pills.
2. Pay Attention.
I can promise you that we do not make announcements just to listen to ourselves speak. Okay, full disclosure here, some FAs might, and we all hate working with them. It’s embarrassing and we’re stuck listening to them along with you. Not for nothing, by the end of a trip I can barely stand the sound of my own voice (let alone most times), but I digress.
As most of you are already aware, the safety demonstration is something mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration; and with this it is required to take place prior to every flight. So, you say that you travel a lot and have watched our little safety dance more times than you care to count? We totally get it, however, we do ask for a little graciousness. Be awesome by setting an awesome example for future awesome passengers. If that 3 minutes of fake-watching is an impossibility for you – at the very least kindly sit quietly and give your fellow (awesome) passengers the opportunity to watch and listen if they wish to do so.
And to those passengers who think it’s cute to blurt out “if we crash we’re all gonna die anyway” during the middle of me doing my thing – stop it. It isn’t cute, funny or remotely accurate. Out of the collective 53,487 people involved in plane crashes in the U.S. from 1983 to 2000, 51,207 survived. That is a 96% survival rate. Yes. NINETY. SIX. PERCENT.
Other important announcements will be made throughout your flight including those regarding beverage and meal options. If you’re jamming to some tunes on your iPhone and out of the corner of your eye you notice a flight attendant standing in the the aisle with their hands on a large metal beverage cart – I can pretty much guarantee that they aren’t stopping at each row to inquire what everyone’s favorite movie or color is.
Kindly remove your earbuds when addressing or responding to said flight attendant. Also that look of bewilderment (as to why we’re there as we hand out drinks to all of your neighbors) confuses and annoys us. This is a huge pet peeve of crewmembers.
And on the same “pay attention” tip – this is the part of the article where I beg you to listen to the announcement and/or read the Inflight Magazine/Menu. This will help to prevent us from saying “Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sprite, Diet Sprite, Sprite Zero, Ginger Ale, Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Cranapple Juice, Tomato Juice, Spicy Tomato Juice, Club Soda, Seltzer Water, Tonic Water” 150 times to people sitting within earshot of our reply to “What do you have?” from their neighbors. This tip will also assist you in getting your favorite drink in a more timely manner. So here I am begging you. BEGGING. Have a heart, fellow human beings.
3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Please don’t touch, poke, pinch, tap, or pull at our clothing. Yes this actually happens. Flailing your arms in the air, yelling, snapping your fingers (oh HELL no!) or shaking the ice in your empty cup will not work either. A simple “excuse me miss/sir” works wonders.
As far as feet go, please keep them off of the bulkheads, tray tables, and the seats and armrests of fellow travelers. It is rude and inconsiderate. While we do expect you to get comfortable, purchasing a ticket does not entitle you to treat the cabin like your home. It is a multi-million dollar piece of equipment that we would like to keep awesome for as long as possible. Plus, feet.
Also please keep in mind that the aisle of the aircraft is not an extension of your seat, or the area designated to read your USA Today. It is the workspace of your hardworking flight attendants. We don’t want to fall on our face after tripping over your foot, nor do we want to cause a compound tib/fib fracture after accidentally running into your leg with that 250-lb cart we’re schlepping around.
4. Recognize that you are not the only person on the plane.
When placing requests with the flight attendants kindly keep in mind that you are not the only person on the airplane. If it takes a few minutes to have your request met, it could very well be that while on our walk to the galley 38 people stopped us to ask for a refill, snack, pillow, etc.
On all commercial carriers there is 1:50 flight attendant to passenger ratio.
5. Wear socks.
Flying commercially is a method of public transportation. The keyword here being public. The airplane isn’t your living room. Please don’t be these people.
6. Keep it moving.
We’ve all been stuck behind “that guy”. You know, the one who plops their suitcase down in the middle of the aisle, unzips it, then riffles through its contents searching for any possible item they think could be of use during their flight. Not only can that behavior cause a delay in leaving the gate, but it will also make you not awesome (and an enemy of your fellow fliers).
Trust me, no one expects you to get completely situated in a matter of seconds, however a minute’s worth of pre-planning can save the day for all involved. If you know that you will be using your sweater, book, iPad, etc., prior to boarding place them in an exterior, easily accessible pocket of you bag. Once you reach your row, pull out said items and throw them onto your seat, then quickly stow your luggage in the overhead bin. Hey! Look at you, you’re practically a travel expert now!
7. Be aware of your surroundings.
If you see sweaty crewmembers frantically running up and down the aisles whilst carrying medical equipment and asking if there is a physician on board, more than likely they are unable to get you that refill on your Coke right away.
Moreover if you happen upon one of us performing CPR on a fellow passenger, you’re on your own locating a pillow.
8. If you are traveling with a small child, don’t change their diaper at your seat or on a tray table.
Most plane’s lavatories are equipped with fold-down changing tables. If you are unsure about your specific aircraft, just ask.
Yes, it may be close quarters – however do the rest of the passengers a solid (!!) by not forcing them to inhale human excrement fumes while attempting to consume their meal. It’s an enclosed cabin with recirculated air. Meals are served inside of said cabin on said tray tables. Do the math, folks.
BONUS TIP: Please dispose of diapers properly. Hint: the seatback pocket is not considered proper disposal.
9. Flush the toilet.
For the love of all things holy, please do this. Also if you could close the door behind you that would be awesome too.
10. Go with the flow.
We can’t do anything about the weather, running out of your first meal choice mid-flight or excessive air traffic.
While we totally understand being frustrated; there is nothing that a flight attendant at 35,000 feet can do to rectify your seat pitch, available legroom or the pop-up thunderstorm the pilots are attempting to avoid. While I appreciate that some passengers feel we are powerful enough to control the weather, airplane configuration and air traffic, unfortunately we are not.
Hang tight and go with the flow. Ultimately we all have the same goal in mind – to arrive at our destination safely.
BONUS: Give thanks.
A sincere “thank you” from a kind traveler can truly make a difference. And trust me when I say this – we are incredibly thankful to have awesome passengers like you on board!
While I am not by any means suggesting that the following is compulsory, I receive numerous requests from thoughtful passengers who ask me what they can bring to express their gratitude to flight crews. At the request of stews across the globe I would like to share this information. I have posed the aforementioned question to my Facebook followers on many occasions, and it always seems to produce the same few responses from both the passengers who bring gifts and the flight attendants who love receiving them. They include, but are not limited to: Chocolates of any kind, Starbucks gift cards (many a frequent flier stated they bring $5 cards to hand out to crewmembers), and healthy snacks such as fresh veggies and/or fruits.
Just to reiterate, passengers should never feel obligated to bring gifts and they will not be treated any differently for not doing so. When the occasional gift is received. it is only an added bonus for already doing a job that most flight attendants truly enjoy.
EXTRA CREDIT: Make us laugh. We could really use a good one.
Shawn Kathleen (better known as “The Sassy Stew”) is a self-proclaimed travel expert, freelance writer and know-it-all that served time in the air by doing the flight attendant thing. You can read more about her exploits at the popular website Rants of a Sassy Stew, in her own column on Zooey Deschanel’s website HelloGiggles, or by following her on Twitter.
By Brent Wittmeier, Edmonton Journal December 12, 2013
EDMONTON - A man is lucky to be alive after flight crews at the Edmonton International Airport used a defibrillator to restart his heart. The incident happened early Wednesday evening when an arriving passenger collapsed behind a U.S. security checkpoint, said Heather Hamilton, spokeswoman for the Edmonton International Airport.
“WestJet crew grabbed one of the defibrillators off the wall, used it, shocked the patient once,” Hamilton said, adding that United Airlines crew members also helped. “Fire crews were on site within a couple of minutes, and he was already able to sit up and talk to them.” Since 2009, Edmonton International Airport has installed more than 60 automatic external defibrillators with the goal of having one no more than a minute away. Chances of survival increase by roughly 75 per cent when an AED is used within three minutes, along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and dialing 911, the Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates.
The airport’s AED devices are essentially foolproof. They give audible instructions. And since the machine checks for a heartbeat, it’s impossible to shock someone who doesn’t need it. If there isn’t a pulse, the patient is essentially dead, Hamilton said, so there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. It wasn’t the first life-saving incident in that area of the airport. Airport defibrillators have saved at least three other lives. Last year, an RCMP officer and an off-duty firefighter revived a man behind the U.S. customs area using a nearby AED, shocking the man’s heart four or five times. Hamilton says she’s glad the man’s family won’t have to “cope with a really, really different Christmas.” But she also wonders if the message about the power of AEDs is getting out. It was crew members, not passengers, who stepped in. Hamilton hopes that incidents like this one will embolden others to act when necessary. While the machine automatically sets off an alarm, passengers shouldn’t be afraid to grab and use it. After all, a life might be at stake. “You’re not going to get in trouble at all,” Hamilton said. “You want the alarm to go off, the alarm is what’s bringing help to you.”
Whenever airlines advertise openings for flight attendants, the applications gush in. Southwest Airlines (LUV) recently received 10,000 applications for 750 attendant positions—in about two hours. A year ago, 114,000 people sought 2,500 flight attendant spots at the airline, known for its laid-back work environment. It’s the same at other carriers: US Airways (AAL) had 16,500 applicants this past January for 450 spots, and Delta Air Lines (DAL) got 22,000 for 300 to 400 positions a year ago.
Why such interest?
“In the job market the way it is right now, who wouldn’t want to get paid to travel?” says Leslie Mayo, a 27-year flight attendant at American Airlines (AAL), who lives in San Diego. The schedule is flexible, and “a day off is a day off—you don’t take your job home with you,” she says, preparing for a trip to Zurich the next day.
The opportunity to fly for free is a big part of the industry’s allure, even though most airline employees fly as “nonrevenue” standby passengers, waiting for an unsold empty (often middle) seat. At American, employees can get an open seat in first class for $150; coach is a third that price.
The salary is just OK. Few people ever get rich corralling a drinks cart, but a veteran flight attendant can make more than $50,000 annually—though no new hire will approach that amount, even at Southwest, which is noted for its relative generosity. To start, $25,000 per year is typical. Still, there are also many days per month on which flight crews stay home, another major perk of the job.
Southwest is a little unusual in that it calculates salary based on a flight’s distance and time. After their first year, Southwest’s flight attendants are guaranteed at least 80 flight segments per month, which are based on $22.36 for each trip up to 243 miles and 55 minutes or less. For example, a usual five-hour flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles counts as 6.2 trips, or $138.63. But that trip count could rise, based on whether the flight is longer because of head winds or air traffic delays.
Southwest is hiring flight attendants to help staff the larger Boeing (BA) 737-800 airplanes it’s added to its fleet, which require four attendants, one more than Southwest’s smaller 737s. For those who get hired, Mayo offers one piece of advice: Focus on the travel and health insurance benefits, not the paycheck. “You’re not doing it for the money.”
Southwest Airlines is hiring 750 flight attendants for its national fleet, and it has a large pool of applicants from which to choose.
Bloomberg reports that Southwest, the largest carrier at Raleigh-Durham International Airport by passenger count, received 10,000 applications for 750 open flight attendant positions. For those doing the math at home, that's a rate of 80 per minute.
This is the first time that the Dallas, Texas-based airline has hired flight attendants from outside the company since 2011, according to the report. Dan Landson, a spokesman for Southwest, told Bloomberg that new hires at Southwest will earn about $24.39 an hour and work a minimum of 66 hours a month, and that hiring will be completed in the next year.
Landson added that Southwest is bolstering its staff as it anticipates the arrival of 55 Boeing Co. 737-800 jets in addition to the 44 it already flies.
Southwest (NYSE: LUV) shares were trading up by 0.2 percent as of mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
Air travel hasn’t quite lost all its romance. Mark Gerchick Dec 22 2013, 9:25 PM ET
Only true aviation geeks are likely to celebrate, or even notice, the milestone being celebrated this year in the history of aviation: the debut, a century ago, of the autopilot. In June 1914, at a historic aeronautical-safety competition in Paris, a 21-year-old American daredevil pilot-inventor named Lawrence Burst Sperry stunned the aviation world by using the instrument to keep a biplane flying straight and level along the Seine. According to his biographer, William Wyatt Davenport, Sperry stood on a wing as the plane, in effect, flew itself—a feat that won him the event’s $10,000 prize.
By eliminating the need for taxing “hand flying” on long journeys, and thereby reducing pilot fatigue, Sperry’s autopilot ultimately made flying much safer. But it had another, less obvious benefit. It freed up pilots to do other things with their hands—and bodies. The brilliant young Sperry himself soon grasped the possibilities. Legend has it that in late November 1916, while piloting a Curtiss Flying Boat C‑2 some 500 feet above the coast of Long Island, he used his instrument to administer a novel kind of flying lesson to one Cynthia Polk (whose husband was driving an ambulance in war-torn France). During their airborne antics, however, the two unwittingly managed to bump and disengage the autopilot, sending their plane into Great South Bay, where they were rescued, both stark naked, by duck hunters. A gallant Sperry explained that the force of the crash had stripped both fliers of all their clothing, but that didn’t stop a skeptical New York tabloid from running the famous headline “Aerial Petting Ends in Wetting.” For his caper, Sperry is generally considered the founder of the Mile High Club, a cohort that loosely includes all those who have ever “done it” in flight (though precisely what constitutes “it” remains a lurking definitional issue).
“Flying,” the 1930s stunt pilot Pancho Barnes is often quoted as saying, “makes me feel like a sex maniac in a whorehouse with a stack of $20 bills.” Today’s overcrowded, underfed, overstressed airline passengers, consigned to travel in “just a bloody bus with wings” as Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary puts it, are unlikely to share that enthusiasm. It’s all the more remarkable, then, that airborne sex remains on the bucket list of plenty of passengers, at least male ones. A “Sex Census” published in 2011 by the condom maker Trojan found that 33 percent of American men aspire to have sex on an airplane. (The top locale for women: a beach.) Similarly, nearly a third of the Brits who responded to a 2010 TripAdvisor poll said they wanted to try in-flight sex.
A lot of U.S. fliers may have already acted out that fantasy. In a global survey of more than 300,000 adults conducted in 2005 by the condom maker Durex, 2 percent of respondents worldwide (and 4 percent of American respondents) claimed to have had sex on an airplane. A 2010 survey commissioned by Sensis Condoms (when did condom makers become avid pollsters?) found a similar incidence of in-flight sex (3 percent) among its respondents. Assuming that about 100 million Americans have traveled by air, and discounting for lying braggarts, if even only 1 percent of them have indulged, then that’s a million or so Mile Highers.
Less-than-scientific anecdotes abound too. When Virgin Atlantic installed diaper-changing tables aboard its new Airbus A340-600 long-haul jets, in 2002, it wasn’t just mothers and children who found them useful. Within weeks, according to the airline, the tables were destroyed by “those determined to join the Mile High Club.” That said, the airline’s founder, the billionaire bad boy Sir Richard Branson, has waxed nostalgic about a tryst he had at age 19 in a Laker Airways lavatory (“It was every man’s dream”). Almost 20 years ago, Singapore Airlines, for its part, reported that a third of its cases of “unruly behavior” involved in-flight sex.
For the airlines, the “sexy skies” are all about marketing the fantasy. Actual in-flight sex is the last thing they want to deal with, especially since 9/11, when the preferred cabin ambience has become no-fun, no-drama—a shift more self-protective than puritanical. Is it just love, or is that couple huddled together in their seats trying to ignite explosive-filled sneakers? Even a visit to the bathroom can trigger a full-bore fighter-jet scramble, as it did on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, when a pair of F‑16s shadowed a Frontier flight until it landed in Detroit after two passengers made for the lavatory at the same time. Cabin crews working chock-full flights now also have no time, much less the inclination, to play chaperone.
Almost perversely, as the reality of today’s air travel for the ordinary coach passenger moves from bearable to downright nasty, reviving the lost “romance” of flying makes marketing sense. Branson, the master marketer, beckons passengers to “get lucky” when they fly Virgin America jets outfitted with seat-back touch screens that let you send “an in-flight cocktail to that friendly stranger in seat 4A.” After all, if you’re busy punching your video screen to chat up some “friendly stranger,” you’re not griping about an airline’s $7.50 snack pack. And when Singapore Airlines proudly unveiled for global media its super-jumbo double-decker Airbus A380 jet, the hype was all about the glories of its 12 ultra-costly first-class “suites.” Combine two of the private pods (about $10,000 each for the round trip from New York to Frankfurt), and you can share a legit double bed, shown in publicity photos strewn with rose petals, alongside a gold tray holding an open bottle of Dom Pérignon and two half-full champagne flutes. What are you supposed to think? Then there’s Air New Zealand’s “Skycouch” (three adjacent coach seats that can be transformed into a flat, bed-like surface), popularly known as “cuddle class.” It comes with the coy admonition to “just keep your clothes on thanks!”
“Flying,” said the 1930s stunt pilot Pancho Barnes, “makes me feel like a sex maniac in a whorehouse with a stack of $20 bills.”
Could we return to the good old days when travelers were “mad men” and flight attendants were “sexy stews,” when the “sex sells seats” mantra drove some carriers to adorn “trolley dollies” in hot pants and go-go boots and to offer “executive” (men-only) flights between Chicago and New York? Not likely, at least in the United States, where women constitute more than 40 percent of frequent fliers and half of international air travelers, and make most travel-buying decisions. How many of these women are really looking to “get lucky” on their next flight? Being hit on by an unseen stranger while buckled into a seat at 35,000 feet, online commenters have complained, is at best “a little creepy” and at worst like being trapped in a “mile high stalker club.”
For those moved by the marketing, or otherwise compelled to act out the mile-high fantasy (Freud posited that the fantasy of flight itself has “infantile erotic roots”), there’s a better solution than flying commercial: your own plane. Think Playboy’s Big Bunny, a 1970s-era DC‑9 jet outfitted as a “party pit,” complete with a fur-covered oval bed, a shower, and a discotheque, all presided over by flight attendants (“Jet Bunnies”) in black-leather mini-jumpsuits: “Imagine Studio 54 with wings,” enthused a Playboy feature. That particular icon supposedly now resides, dismantled, in a small city in Mexico, but some air-charter services offer hour-long jaunts for adventurous couples wanting to live out the dream, or at least spice up their relationships. These outfits come and go, with names like Erotic Airways and Flamingo Air, but typically they equip their small Pipers or Cessnas with a mattress (in lieu of the customary four or six seats), overfly scenic spots like Cincinnati or western Georgia, and throw in a bottle of not-quite-vintage bubbly, all for about $500.
The sheets—no joke—are yours to take home as souvenirs.
“If there’s one thing that pretty much everyone agrees on it’s that flying these days sucks.
The litany of complaints about how horrible and degrading it is to fly is unending, as is the nostalgia for the days when flying was a classy and elegant way to travel.
But it’s time for everyone who whines about how lousy flying is to at least acknowledge one thing:
The reason flying is the way it is is because that’s exactly what today’s fliers want.
Specifically, fliers want:
Safe, rapid travel between two cities The lowest possible price
Oh, sure, people who fly won’t say that they’re getting what they want — because then they would reveal themselves to be cheap bastards who care mostly about price.
But price is exactly what they care about most.
How do we know that?
Because, again and again, fliers choose their airlines based primarily on one selection criterion:
Price.
Don’t believe it?
Think that an airline that differentiated itself based on service and quality of experience would immediately distance itself from the pack?
Think again.
Airlines that spend more to set themselves apart based on service often do worse than airlines that focus on price. In fact, they often go bust.
Virgin Atlantic, for example, is going through a very rough time financially, even though it goes to great lengths to try to set itself apart.
If fliers really wanted what Virgin was selling, Virgin would be in excellent financial health.
But they don’t.
They want the lowest possible price.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting the lowest-possible price. Walmart has built an excellent global business based on that value proposition.
But you don’t hear Walmart customers whining about how they’re not getting Nordstrom-level service.
The level of whining about today’s Walmart-style flying experience, meanwhile, is so deafening that it almost drowns out the jet engine noise.
Time to quit whining, fliers.
If you want better service, pay up for it.
Otherwise, enjoy your extremely cheap trip and shut up about the flying experience.”
* Jenny Lauren, 41, was arrested in Shannon, Ireland * Niece of Ralph Lauren forced airplane to divert from its route from Barcelona to New York * She told one female cabin crew member that she was 'f*****g ugly' * Lauren warned another that she was about to go ballistic, a trial heard * When a pilot intervened Lauren turned on him and called him an 'a*****e * The plane was delayed two hours and the diversion cost Delta Airlines £26,000 * Lauren's lawyer told the court that her client's behavior was out of character
By Sara Malm and Jill Reilly and Gordon Deegan and Daniel Bates and Ted Thornhill PUBLISHED: 09:33 EST, 8 January 2014 | UPDATED: 14:52 EST, 8 January 2014
A 41-year old niece of fashion icon Ralph Lauren was fined 2,000 Euro (£1,650) in relation to an air rage incident on board a New York-bound flight on Monday. At a hearing on Wednesday Judge Patrick Durcan imposed the fine on Jenny Lauren after hearing that on a cocktail of alcohol and prescribed medicines, she launched a foul-mouthed tirade against cabin crew on board the Delta Airlines flight. She also pushed one member of staff up the against the aircraft wall.
Ms Lauren pleaded guilty to causing a breach of the peace on board the Barcelona-JFK flight and being intoxicated. A third related air rage charge was withdrawn by the State in court.
Lauren bit her lip and looked to the ground in the dock as Garda Inspector Tom Kennedy told the judge air crew were left frightened by the attack. He said the flight had been in the air for two hours when an air hostess noticed the defendant crying in her seat, 21G, which would not recline properly. He revealed Lauren told stewardess Constance Topping to ‘get the f*** out of my face’ as she tried to help, and when told to calm down she became more abusive.
The court heard Ms Topping went to brief her supervisor Jennifer Simpson at the top of the plane and Lauren, who was not a first-class passenger, nevertheless followed her through first class and in to the galley ‘at speed’ where she ranted, roared and shouted incoherently. Insp Kennedy said: 'Passengers were getting concerned and standing up out of their seats. She told the air hostess she was going to go ballistic and pushed the air hostess hard and she hit her back against the wall of the aircraft.'
He revealed her frightening experience continued with Lauren calling Ms Topping a ‘f****** ugly, blonde b***h’ and Ms Simpson a ‘fat ugly, unhappy, blonde b***h’. When a pilot on a rest break in the cabin intervened he was told ‘you're an a*****e’ by the defendant, Mr Kennedy added.
The flight had to be diverted almost 400 miles back to Shannon Airport, with the abuse continuing for more than an hour until touchdown when Lauren was arrested by gardai. Lauren, dressed in a black jumper, burgundy velvet skirt and boots, did not speak during the hearing and looked back to her friends for reassurance as the details were outlined to the packed courtroom. On touchdown officers noted she was incoherent and smelt of alcohol, despite airline crew stating she drank little or no alcohol on board.
When arrested under caution at the airport she replied: 'Can you say that in English please?' She later claimed she thought she had landed in Spain. More than 200 passengers and crew were on board the flight when the air rage incident took place. The diversion cost Delta 43,158 US dollars (31,770 euros/£26,269).
Ms Lauren's solicitor, Sharon Curley, said that her actions on the aircraft were ‘bizarre’ and completely out of character. She said Lauren has little memory of the incident despite only consuming three alcoholic drinks. 'My client is extremely embarrassed and extremely upset by her actions,' Ms Curley said, offering her apologies to the airline crew, passengers and gardai. She said when the 'stimulants' wore off and Lauren 'returned to herself' she was unable to believe what happened. Ms Curley revealed Lauren - a fine arts graduate with an unblemished record and no other convictions - has previously suffered from anorexia and written a book on her experience and won awards from eating disorder charities for her work.
The Delta Airlines plane was diverted to Shannon Airport, Country Clare, on Monday afternoon
While the first flight attendants were male and many early airlines had a ban on hiring women, flight attending would eventually become a quintessentially female occupation. Airline marketers exploited the presence of these female flight attendants. Based on my reading — especially Phil Tiemeyer‘s Plane Queer and Kathleen Barry’s history of flight attendants’ labor activism – there seem to have been three stages.
First, there was the domestication of the cabin. As air travel became more comfortable (e.g., pressurized cabins and quieter rides), airlines were looking to increase their customer base. Female “stewardesses” in the ’40s and ’50s were an opportunity to argue that an airplane was just like a comfortable living room, equally safe for women, children, and men alike. Marketing at the time presented the flight attendant as if she were a mother or wife:
Twenty years later, air travel was no longer scary, so airlines switched their tactics. They sexualized their flight attendants in order to appeal to businessmen, who still made up a majority of their customers. Here’s a ten-second Southwest commercial touting the fact that their stewardesses wear “hot pants”:
The intersection of the labor movement and women’s liberation in the ’60s and ’70s inspired women to fight for workplace rights. Flight attendants were among the first female workers to organize on behalf of their occupation and among the most successful to do so. Their work won both practical and symbolic victories, like the discursive move from “stewardess” to “flight attendant” that transformed women in the occupation from sex objects to workers. A quick Google Image search shows that the association — stewardess/sex object vs. flight attendant/worker — still applies. Notice that the search for “stewardess” includes more sexualized images, while the one for “flight attendant” shows more images of people actually working.
“Stewardess”:
“Flight attendant”:
My impression is that today’s marketing tends to feature flight attendants in all three roles — domestic, sex object, worker — echoing each stage of the transformation of the occupation in the public imagination.
Cross-posted at The Huffington Post. Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
Star Alliance is pleased to announce that Air India will join as our 27th member airline from 11th July Delhi time. Air India will add 400 daily flights and 35 new destinations in India to our network and means we are the first alliance to have a member airline in the Indian sub-continent. Please join us in welcoming Air India to the network!
I would like to ask flight attendants around the world to please join me in congratulating the world's most senior flight attendant, Bob Reardon, on his retirement from a career that span 63 years. Bob holds two Guinness world records, one for being the world’s oldest active flight attendant and the other for the longest career as a flight attendant. On Saturday his flying career, which began in 1951 with Northwest Orient, which became Northwest Airlines and finally merged with Delta Air Lines, came to a close. According to one report, the retirement was not his choice as he had said he would never retire.
Dear Colleagues, Friends and Family of Robert “Bob” Reardon, August 26, 2014 at 11:52pm
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Dear Colleagues, Friends and Family of Robert “Bob” Reardon,
Yesterday, the Company announced the retirement of Robert Reardon effective August 30,2014. Rather than a date to celebrate, it marks the end of a 62 year, 8 month career marred by a seven-month stressful and unfortunate ordeal. Robert’s pending retirement was not of his choosing.
Robert has made it very clear that he does NOT want any “celebrations,” “parties,” or “events,” planned or hosted by the Company. They would be inappropriate and insincere.
Instead, a gathering of friends, family and supporters will be held to honor and reminisce with Robert when he is ready to do so. Please be assured that when decisions are made, you will be advised of the details,with sufficient advance notice so you may plan/bid accordingly.
For now, we have set up a Facebook page so everyone may post messages, stories and pictures acknowledging Robert’s career, dabbled with his incredible memory, humor and wit. The world will most likely never have another “Robert-like” icon.
Please understand that Robert needs time to sort out and reflect upon the events preceding his retirement. We invite everyone to share Robert’s Facebook page with friends around the globe, as the Company announcement, via email sent yesterday, was addressed only to Minneapolis/St. Paul based flight attendants.
On behalf of“OUR BOB”, the current holder of TWO Guinness World Records, thank you for your support on his past journeys and into the future after the end of a life-defining career. As Robert has closed his notes, letters and commentaries thousand times, “Otherwise, all is lovely and serene. As ever, Robert.”
Thanks for taking us along for the ride.
Friend and colleague, Bruce Retrum Flight Attendant, MSP
A Fly Guy reveals 6 things flight attendants wished you knew, but don’t have time to tell you
1. Our sleep bank has a negative balance - Don’t let the big eyes, wide smiles and manicured appearances fool you; we’re tired… always. It’s not uncommon for cabin crew to show up for a 12-hour flight after only sleeping three or four hours. This could explain why some flight attendants don’t seem friendly.
2.You said with milk right? – Fruit flies have attention spans of only a few seconds. Well, give us fruit and watch us fly, because so do your crew. Our rapid memory loss is probably due to lack of sleep… but in any case, don’t be surprised if your flight attendant asks you to repeat your order seconds after you gave it. Cabin Crew enjoying time spent with their passengers
3. We like you, we really like you – We have a lot of things to do and often a short time in which to do them. Being busy often makes us look unapproachable and, as a result, the only interactions we usually have with our guests are requests. Most of us took this job because we love people, so, when we have time, we enjoy a friendly chat with our passengers.
4. Rude passengers aren’t the only pains in our necks - Name an injury and a flight attendant will probably have it. Broken bones, ruptured discs and pulled muscles are all reasons most flight attendants have a chiropractor or physical therapist on speed dial. According to data collected from Occupational Information Network in the USA, the role of flight attendant is considered the third most demanding job on your health.
5. Lonely, we’re so lonely - It’s hard to believe that someone who spends most of his or her days surrounded by a lot of people in a small tube could feel so alone. But the truth is, when the buh-byes are finished, we are by ourselves and away from our homes. The special life moments of those we love are often observed on Facebook instead of face to face.
6. We visit exotic cities and… sleep – Our job might sound like a vacation, but at the end of the day it’s our job. Occasionally we sacrifice days off in great places to recharge our batteries and stay behind that do-not-disturb sign.
The Inflight Institute.com has worked hard for over a decade to provide our airlines with top quality, well-trained Cabin Crew.
Flight Attendant, Purser, Stewardess, Cabin Crew, Air Hostess or Cabin Attendant… Regardless of what this career is called in your part of the world, the Inflight Institute has the training programs for you. Being part of this global career has unlimited possibilities…
So prepare to fly at the worlds best online Flight Attendant school … The world renowned Inflight Institute.com!
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