Trolley dolly, air mattress, sky waiters, all these names have been used to describe flight attendants. A laughing stock to a few, an envious career to many. All in all, the respect level towards flight attendants are at an all time low.
In recent weeks Canadian news has been flooded with constant threats of a strike from different unions in a major airline. The general public doesn’t seem to favour these unionized employee’s nor does the government. In my history of basically reading, it’s the first time I’ve heard of people siding with the government against workers.
Why is that? Why do people seem to have such a dislike for flight attendants. I’m going to give my personal opinion as to why. Just remember it’s my opinion, doesn’t mean that it’s right.
The glamorous days of sexy flight attendants travelling around the globe with lavish layovers on exotic beaches are long gone. The general public henceforth known as the GPs assume that shopping in Paris for a week, or sunbathing in Brazil is a common occurrence for flight attendants (FAs). I know many FAs and unless they’ve been flying for an obscene amount of years the sunny beaches of Edmonton, the lush valleys of Ottawa, and the warm embrace of Deerlake are as fancy as it gets.
Yes, international flights are common as well, but after 15hours of flying to Hong Kong, what can you possibly do in your 24 hour layover that would warrant your life to be so amazing?
Lets not forget the 15 hours back. As a passenger you’re so tired from sitting that you need a few days of relaxation to adjust to the time change, let alone day change. They’re expected to go 12 hours into the future then come back within 2 days. Not an easy procedure.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’d prefer to go to Hong Kong then sit behind a desk in an office. But I don’t think 30 hours of flying is worth 24 hours of a foreign stay. Not worth my time. So the layovers are not as incredible as we think.
I have plenty of friends who work 9 to 5 or even 9 to 9. Those are tiring hours, rest assure though that those hours are paid for. From my old swinging days I’ve met a few FAs and have come to realize that
a 13 hour day of flying does not equal 13 hours of pay. Doesn’t make sense. Growing up I always assumed if you put in the time then you would be rewarded. However, that doesn’t really work for FAs. I remember my ex would go to work at 6am to finish at 7pm but only received around 6 hours of pay. Makes no sense to me, nor did it to him. But then who am I to say anything, he gets to party in Winnipeg…(green with envy).
FAs have so many days off while the GP gets weekends and holidays. That is incredibly not fair. In a heartbeat I would totally give up all the holidays, weekends, anniversaries, and birthdays just so I can get those energy filled Mondays off, cause lord knows, Tuesday is party time!
I’ve even heard of an FA not being able to spend the last 3 days of her mother’s life because her company wouldn’t allow it.
Work first, grieve later is that company’s motto. Not really providing the FA with moral support, is it? Yet, she was still supposed to meet and greet and make sure the passengers around her were pleased while her mother was dying.
Why would anyone choose this life?
Perhaps we’re all misled on how this job can be so rewarding. The advantages of this job are but just one…travel. The ability to travel anywhere in the world. The GP hates this fact and totally takes advantage of an FA if possible.
RING THE ALARM!!!
Some of the prettiest and loneliest people I’ve met are FAs. No one wants a partner who always travels and the stigma from the 60′s of FAs having partners in every city hovers around their head. By the way, its ok if business men do it, but not FAs. That would make them sluts, but the business men, well, they’re lonely.
Every job has its benefits. I’ve worked at hospitals and never really had to wait in emergency. I know club promoters who get free food, drinks and tickets. Retail gives you percentages off clothing or whatever you sell. Lawyers always have a colleague willing to sign gratis, which comes in handy for mortgages. Bankers get reduced charges and rates. Why can’t the FA get a reduction in what they do…fly? Why shouldn’t they be given a first class seat if its available? They deal with every individual’s problem and on their day off they’re placed in the middle of 2 fat people by the toilets?
These people are not simply just flying city to city. Its not a job, its a life they have chosen. They’ve chosen a life of insecurity, instability, and exhaustion. They don’t know what day it is as their months are not calendar months. They’ve given up freedom in order to make sure we arrive safely. None of them have a regular life as it takes an extraordinary person to be in a relationship with a FA. Its hard on a partner when they don’t know where their lover is or when they’ll see their lover next.
The FA has given up any ‘normal’ life, why should they not get the rights to fly for cheap?
The GP is shocked at how much money some FAs make. What’s shocking is 10 FAs in one apartment that should house 2, to make ends meet. What’s shocking is lawyers who make 6 figures when most of what they learned was opened book, while people who save lives Dr.’s, nurses, and yes, FAs don’t.
What’s shocking is the fact they’re only paid for when their plane moves, omitting all their personal time taken away from them for free. The fact that I’ve seen FAs lying down at 1am on airport floors for 4 hours cause their company won’t give them a hotel let alone a room to rest.
The loneliest job on the planet? Somewhat. No one understands the life of an FA. I’ve sat around the table with my ex and his FA friends and didn’t quite understand their lingo. The only thing I understood was that in every turn they were somehow being screwed by either their company or the inefficiency of their union. The fact that the maximum day an FA can work is 13 hours but they have to fight to get their legal rest is problematic. The fact that passengers and their respective company weigh them down with guilt for not working the thankless surplus of hours at their own risk is saddening. I would prefer a well rested FA over a tired one any day.
I’m tired of my asian friends that state North American FAs are old and haggard. They want something nice to look at. It’s a shame when people are seen as pieces of meat. I want safety, I don’t care if a person is pretty or not. Get me there safely. If I wanted looks I would order a hooker. I tell them that the passengers are in worse condition and that the FAs have a right to have better looking passengers as well.
Its bad enough when FAs are pretty, passengers feel free to touch them as again, their respect level is nil. Yes, FAs still get touched and not by an angel.
The asian airlines have small, petite, and dainty little creatures ‘serving’ you. With their “Hello Kitty’ trinkets on their phone, tons of make up (as they were trained to wear), and their weekly manicures. Regular little dolls. So much emphasis on how to please you visually. But how are they in case of emergency? I’ve been on flights with several airlines and have witnessed many times the ‘thinking bulb’ blinking on top of their heads as they wonder if the proper arming and disarming technique was used. Boy, do I feel safe.
An FA’s role is not service. Yes, they always serve us drinks and food but their primary role is safety and security. They’re our last hope if anything happens. People forget that time and time again. When the plane landed on the Hudson River, the pilot got all the praise, though most of it was automated. What about the FAs who managed to get 100+ passengers off the aircraft in the middle of a river to safety, without one loss of life.
My friend who was the sweetest person and outgoing after 3 years of flying has become claustrophobic and introverted. Prefers to stay home resting until the next day of work.
On my routine flights around the world I’ve seen FAs save lives, incur injuries, wrestle with drunkards, babysit, console and encourage…and all this can be one flight. Yet, they’re seen as spoiled lushes who shop and sex everyday. I’m ashamed at Hollywood, media and airline companies as how FAs are portrayed. Where’s their reality show?
So the next time you’re on a flight and you see an old haggard flight attendant that you find oh so unattractive; think of how many years of training she has under her belt. How many lives she’s saved, how many intimate family gatherings she sacrificed so you can pub crawl with your buddies. She has feelings and despite how much you don’t like her, she has feelings for you and would try to save you if needed.
Think about this, cause lord knows, if I was in her shoes, I’d walk right by you.
*This post was submitted by an anonymous author and is posted under yourKloset’s staff account. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of yourKloset management.
