Flight attendants share 20+ quirks about their job that passengers often don’t know

Getting a job as a flight attendant in the best airlines can be considered more difficult than getting into the most prestigious universities in the world. You may be competing with up to 200 people for a vacancy. The rate of candidates called for interviews is 1% — there are many more applicants accepted at Harvard, for example. So what’s so special about this job? And how is the life of a flight attendant who literally works in the clouds?

O awesome.club found some flight attendants who spoke with the greatest good humor about the pros and cons of the work they do, as well as sharing some travel “tricks” that any passenger will be pleased to know (for this reason, we recommend reading until the end). It is worth mentioning that some of these curiosities are valid in certain countries and airlines, and not for others. Follow!

Everyone starts their career differently. Some take private courses at their own expense, and then try to find a job with different airlines. Others prefer to go through the selection of some company and, if they are hired, they take the course later, paid by the company for which they will work. In certain cases, they also receive a scholarship during such courses. After that, however, the future employee will be forced to work for the same company for a few years before he can move to another one. This would be like a “return” of the invested money.

When stewardesses start working, they sign a contract according to which they must undertake not to take maternity leave for the next 3 years.

Payment is per hour, and companies add an extra amount depending on the destination country. Working hours, for example, on a flight from Moscow to Krasnodar (cities in Russia), and another from Frankfurt (Germany) to Sofia (Bulgaria), are calculated differently. It is impossible to choose only high-paying trips: the airline makes a special schedule so that everyone has equal access to the most and least profitable segments.

On average, a flight attendant spends around 90 hours in “heaven” per month. Airlines have different definitions of flight hours: some calculate the time from when the plane’s engines start, in others only when the aircraft enters the runway.

There is a schedule, about 18 days, where you need to be within walking distance of the airport, as you can be called for a flight any minute. Usually these days are allocated on weekends and holidays, when there is a greater flow of passengers. The bright side is that the remaining 12 days of the month are off.

All vaccinations must be taken without delay. It is impossible to start working without them.

It’s not the size that matters, it’s the ability to reach the top shelves. In addition, body mass index (BMI) is also important. Therefore, very thin or overweight people are not hired.

If a flight attendant has problems with frequent seasickness during a flight, he should exercise his vestibular system. For this, you can use a regular wheel chair to do this exercise: 1 minute of turning to one side and 1 minute to the other. Just repeat this practice every day for a month until you notice progress.

On more expensive airlines, flight attendants are not supposed to wear braces, braces, or even mouthguards. In addition, it is recommended to whiten your teeth in order to always delight passengers with a perfect smile. Those who have visible birthmarks on their face may also be rejected.

You do not receive a tip as a flight attendant, but it is possible to receive special bonuses for selling products in the onboard catalogues.

When on the ground, flight attendants are sleeping or studying: they are familiar with new company rules or study documents, work on special simulations, improve their qualifications and pass various tests and exams, as well as the medical commission. There is almost no time for personal life.

The stewards have to wear a watch with a second hand to control the execution time of the pilots’ commands.

Each flight attendant has a different number, which indicates their duties during the flight. For example, let’s say there are 4 flight attendants working. 1L is the most experienced, filling out documents and working with pilots and passengers. The 1R receives and delivers meals, drinks, equipment and also interacts with passengers. 3l receives and delivers first aid kits, blankets, pillows and napkins, and also helps with economy class passengers. And 3R is responsible for onboard purchases and prepares the meal carts, tea and coffee, in addition to serving economy class passengers.

In an emergency situation, a flight attendant must first save himself and then help the passengers.

All flight attendants are excellent swimmers. One of the requirements for the job is to be able to swim between 20 and 50 meters without any help. This is necessary in case of landing on water. They also learn rules of survival in any area, be it the jungle or the snow.

When working on an airplane, you are more easily exposed to radiation. To protect yourself as much as possible, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and be constantly monitored by doctors. It is recommended to take vitamin C and E supplements after each flight, in addition to eating foods rich in vitamins A, P and B.

Modern research shows that time zone changes are quite harmful to health. As a result, circadian rhythms are disturbed, and because of this, you always want to sleep and eat, because the body cannot adapt to a regular rhythm and is always in a state of stress.

Hair and nails on the plane grow faster. This is due to increased absorption of vitamin D during flight, unusual pressure and endorphin release as a result of the euphoric feeling people get on board or after a successful landing.

The metabolism is slowed down and, therefore, it is common for flight attendants to gain a few pounds in the first year of work.

There are several “on board” slang. For example, “briefing” is a crew meeting before and after each flight to give and receive instructions and safety procedures; “bin” is what the compartments at the top of the cabins are called and “inactive” is the 24-hour period in which the crew member stays in the same city. If the flight attendant points a finger at a colleague, he is saying he needs tea. If you point two fingers, he’s ordering coffee.

Passengers get off the plane and rush to collect their luggage so they can finally go home. Commissioners are not so lucky. After ensuring that everyone has exited the plane and that everything has been checked, they head to the debriefing post-flight, in which they evaluate the work carried out and discuss ideas and suggestions. Only after that can they go home.

A flight attendant’s life is 99% controlled. Even on your days off, you need to be in great physical shape, take care of your appearance and even smell good. Even relaxation is possible only during the holidays.

Flight attendants have their own make-up techniques. The face needs to be well hydrated, as the air inside the plane is very dry. Therefore, it is necessary to use cosmetic products that do not dry the skin too much and keep it moist. During the flight, they recommend refreshing your face with thermal water and hydrating masks between breaks. Matte foundation or compact powder are items that are unlikely to be found in the flight attendants’ arsenal.

And what would you like to know about the world of aviation? What question would you ask a flight attendant or stewardess? Share your opinion!