Careers: Flight Attendants' Workdays Are Unpredictable

Daily job routine can become mundane. According to the flight attendants I spoke with, that's not a problem in their profession.

Not So Typical Days
Betty Thesky, long time flight attendant and author of "Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase" tells me there is no such thing as a 'predictable' day for a flight attendant. Betty is based in Los Angeles and is halfway up the seniority list. Her average shift consists of an 'Atlanta turn', meaning she flies across the country and back again in one day. Those with less seniority generally fly three day trips, working four flights a day.

Off the Clock
Flight attendant Betty signs in for her workday at 5:10 a.m., so she needs to be up at 2:45 a.m. She drives to the airport, waits for the employee bus to the terminal, and then has to go through security (yes, she has to take her shoes off too!) There is a flight attendant briefing with the gate agent and the pilot, preparation and security check of the plane's galley, and a meeting with the caterers. The boarding process begins only after emergency equipment has been inspected. Any flight attendant will tell you, with the exception of medical emergencies, the most stressful part of an attendant's job is the boarding process. There is a general need to hurry passengers so the flight departs on time. The process seldom goes without a hitch. Once the 300 patrons are on board, luggage is stowed, electronic devices are off, and emergency exit passengers are briefed, the boarding door closes. At that point, flight attendants actually begin to get paid. Betty's flight to Atlanta is three and half hours. There is an hour and a half on the ground in Atlanta, followed by a four and a half hour flight home. Including car travel time, it's a twelve hour day of work, barring unforeseen circumstances. Oh yeah...remember to smile, smile, smile!

Eccentric Episodes
Betty was serving a flight to L.A. That particular plane had extremely strong suction in the lavatory toilet. A passenger spilled a drink on her red silk wrap-around dress, so went into the bathroom to clean it off. She took off the dress and laid it next to the toilet. She used the facilities and when she flushed, a piece of the dress was hanging close enough to the toilet that it got sucked in. The poor woman was left in nothing but her underwear. When Betty knocked and insisted she come out of the lavatory for landing, the woman opened the door a tiny crack and explained. She and her ex-dress were the same shade of red at that point.

Diane Welch flew for Eastern Airlines. She tells me she had been working as a flight attendant for only six weeks when a man fell out of the lavatory and literally dropped dead of a heart attack at her feet. There was quite a commotion, but the flight from Puerto Rico to New York continued, where an investigation found the man had died of natural causes.
An interesting part of Diane's job when on Trump's Shuttle was rubbing elbows with well-known personalities. Among the group were Ivanna (of course), Linda Carter, Lady Bird Johnson, President Nixon, and Ollie North.

Lisa Lent was serving as a flight attendant on international flights out of London several years ago. She was working in First Class when a noticeable flash lit up the cabin. Shortly afterward, the captain announced the plane had been struck by lightening. The passengers and crew were in shock, but were assured all was okay. Upon landing, a prominent exit point was discovered where the lightning had gone through the nose of the plane. Lisa said it looked like a large cigarette burn.
Since she is a world traveler, Lisa created a line of health supplements to complement the lifestyle of flight attendants and travelers.

Lynn Hartz worked in the 1960s when flight attendants were still called "stewardesses". She recalls that security was not a concern. Passengers were allowed to visit the cockpit. Children were particularly impressed. Posted security guards didn't exist. Talk about change.

These flight attendants agree they still feel safest in the air. They work long days, but get plenty of time off. Betty says, "The travel benefits are out of this world!" Her favorite part of being a flight attendant is that the job is never boring...and the flying public always surprises her.

You might also enjoy "Come Fly with Me: A Humorous Look at Today's Air Travel"

Sources: (Interviews February, 2010)
Betty Thesky; http://betty.libsyn.com/
Lisa Lent; http://www.vitalah.com/aboutvitalah.php
Lynn Hartz
Diane Welch