Flight attendants are the first people passengers meet when entering an airplane. They are welcoming the passengers just like hosts welcome their guests. They take care of the safety of every passenger during the flight and accompany people from one place to the other.
Flight attendants fulfil different roles on a daily basis, whether it’s welcoming the passengers on board, explaining emergency actions or always having an open ear for the worries of every individual who needs it. In order to get a deeper insight into the life of a flight attendant, I spoke to Carina Schein who works for the German airline Lufthansa. She explained the importance of the cabin crew and told me what is required in order to be a good flight attendant and why it is more than just a job for her. Have a listen!
Up to today, a lot of people underestimate the value of having the cabin crew on board during the flight. One one the major issues in people’s perception of that job field is sexism. Going back 30 years, it has always been the young pilot who was surrounded by a group of young stewardesses in tight uniforms, high heels, a specific hairstyle and with way too much make-up on.
Most airlines have changed their attitudes towards the physical appearance of their cabin crew, making it possible for their employees to wear different combinations of their uniforms. Moreover, gender roles have been loosened looking at the jobs up in the air. On a recent flight from Germany to Ireland with RyanAir, almost all the flight attendants were men, which I personally found very refreshing. Looking at the numbers, there is still space for development. While more men are becoming interested in being crew members, only 16 % of the air hosts are male.
There are many different scenarios on board where air hosts decide to be there for the passengers. On most occasions, fear is the reason why a passenger might need someone to talk to. AviationJobsMe recently tweeted the picture below, portraying a member of the cabin interacting with one of the passengers, being open and attentive.
While a flight would not take place without the cabin crew on board, there are dozens of misconceptions about flight attendants. Misskaykrizz is a blogger on YouTube who shares her way of becoming a flight attendant with her audience. In the following interview, she speaks with an employee of Flight High Manila about the 5 biggest misconceptions.
The value of flight attendants is often underestimated these days. They are perceived as waiters and waitresses while they are actually in charge of making sure that every person on board is safe throughout the trip. Flying has to be a passion for every flight attendant, allowing them to discover different places on every long journey.
