Airline hostess...glamour job or glorified skivvy?
Discussion
0000 said:
My brother in law is a pilot for Virgin. He moans they all stay in the hotel and don't want to go out for dinner or drinks because they get paid bugger all and even though they get an expenses allowance there's some incentive for them to not spend it as they get it regardless. Plus he does maybe two or three flights in a busy month whereas they just don't see anything like the same time off.
Travelling the world on a noisy plane and seeing little of it sounds a bit miserable, but I imagine there's worse jobs.
My flatmate is Virgin crew and that description is absolutely bang on the money. They do get their expenses regardless of whether they spend any cash, and they get paid sTravelling the world on a noisy plane and seeing little of it sounds a bit miserable, but I imagine there's worse jobs.
te all really so rely on the allowances to top up their wages. Unfortunately this means that if they end up stuck somewhere for longer than expected they can actually end up out of pocket as I understand it as they don't get any extra allowances.
Brother D said:
Erm.... you get to fly an incredible piece of engineering into the sky - I can't imagine that ever gets boring especially the start and end bits (even the bit in the middle you have the best office view ever). Even the oldest most jaded pilots must get a twinge of excitment on take off and landing. I'm not sure Joe Bloggs has the same feelings coming into the office in Slough for the day to look at a PC screen for 8 hours.
Best office view ever? Really? At least from my office I could pop out for a walk, go and have a coffee, wander round some shops or the park. If I wanted to go home early I could just leave....bit difficult to do any of those if you're flying a plane!
Chat to different colleagues, have a nice lunch, order stuff on line, pop out to the gym if I feel i need to get a bit more energised...I can think of loads of reasons why I would not want to spend 12 hours stuck in a tiny cockpit.
My view is that the job cant be that bad.
I base this on the fact that the vast majority of flight attendants that I speak to or am waited on by seem to be happy in their work.
I also have to say, very professional as well. I've been on a number of flights where a health emergency has occurred. They certainly change gear when stuff like that happens.
The Wife of a work colleague died on a flight when heading home from their holidays in South Africa.
Later, after he had got over the heaviest of his grief, he told me how the cabin crew had done everything they could. He only had praise for their professionalism. It was all so very sad, she was only 26 years old
I fly intercontinental over 20 times per year, have been for many years now and although it can be tiring (last Sundays economy class Sydney to Delhi was a killer), I still very much enjoy it and the occasional chat with the cabin crew and pilots.
I've very rarely experienced the low life behavior described by one or two on here.
As far as it being boring for the pilots, one Captain I spoke to told me "BORING is good sir, its EXCITING that's bad"
I base this on the fact that the vast majority of flight attendants that I speak to or am waited on by seem to be happy in their work.
I also have to say, very professional as well. I've been on a number of flights where a health emergency has occurred. They certainly change gear when stuff like that happens.
The Wife of a work colleague died on a flight when heading home from their holidays in South Africa.
Later, after he had got over the heaviest of his grief, he told me how the cabin crew had done everything they could. He only had praise for their professionalism. It was all so very sad, she was only 26 years old
I fly intercontinental over 20 times per year, have been for many years now and although it can be tiring (last Sundays economy class Sydney to Delhi was a killer), I still very much enjoy it and the occasional chat with the cabin crew and pilots.
I've very rarely experienced the low life behavior described by one or two on here.
As far as it being boring for the pilots, one Captain I spoke to told me "BORING is good sir, its EXCITING that's bad"
jonah35 said:
Long haul is still great
3 trips per month, a week at either end - expensed, nice hotel etc etc
Which airline still provides this? Emirates don't according to a colleagues Mrs who works with them.3 trips per month, a week at either end - expensed, nice hotel etc etc
I can't see how a week either end would be cost effective as a business model. 48 hours tops would be an expected turn around time I'd have thought.
And for the previous poster who said the crew are there for 1 reason only and that is safety is talking complete s
te. On an A380 they are there for 1 reason only which is to serve me my drinks at the bar 
(That last comment may be slightly tongue in cheek for those who are easily offended/can't understand a joke)
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 27th May 07:07
I used to date a Virgin hostie...sorry flight attendant. She, like most of them, was a recent graduate who wanted to see something of the world and she enjoyed it. It was however a tough job with unsociable hours and not something she intended to do long-term.
She thought of it as a glorified waitress job.
It was quite interesting to hear inside information about the airline business and particularly that particular airline. Including the routine groping of hosties by a certain bearded character at the firm.
austinsmirk said:
it's waitressing, with too much make up. Also the waitresses are getting far fatter than they used to be.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool...
Feel free to post up your job for scrutiny.
ETA: I don't hear many crew referring to themselves as Flight Attendants in the UK, it's crew or cabin crew. I think the Flight Attendant name comes from the USA or is sometimes used if 'cabin crew' gets confused for working on a ship. Air Hostess is still used more than FA in my experience.
Edited by pushthebutton on Friday 27th May 09:04
Airlines have no trouble recruiting for flight attendant roles at least in terms of quantity. There are a hell of a lot more apply than needed so ergo it must appeal.
If you are long haul then you are going to stay over in a decent hotel all expenses paid.
With regard to the pay and work conditions/hours you have to compare it to other jobs the applicants might apply for, on that basis it's pretty glamorous i think.
If you are long haul then you are going to stay over in a decent hotel all expenses paid.
With regard to the pay and work conditions/hours you have to compare it to other jobs the applicants might apply for, on that basis it's pretty glamorous i think.
Two friends are/have been flight attendents. One did BA Short haul for a bit and although initially liked it she fell out of love with it and quit after 6months.
The other does long haul for Virgin and loves it. Often flying to US, South Africa on a regular basis and seems to like the lifestyle. Money is not so much of an issue as her boyfriend earns a good wage.
The other does long haul for Virgin and loves it. Often flying to US, South Africa on a regular basis and seems to like the lifestyle. Money is not so much of an issue as her boyfriend earns a good wage.
Thankyou4calling said:
With regard to the pay and work conditions/hours you have to compare it to other jobs the applicants might apply for, on that basis it's pretty glamorous i think.
You do, but the role and responsibilities attached to each job, at that level of pay, aren't the same. The employers have placed the role in that pay bracket, but the role, performed correctly, may require something more. You could argue that a cabin crew member straight out of school will care as much about their flying job as they would an equivalently paid job in another industry. We'll only find out whether the training was successful and the person was of the right caliber when the st hits the fan; that happens so rarely that the training may never be tested.Cabin crew annual checking and recurrent training is very in-depth, but it also relies on an large element of self-study and preparation to refresh knowledge in your own time. Where's the motivation when the Ts&Cs, in my opinion, attract school leavers who are looking to travel, whilst getting paid, before settling into a more long term career.
In most flight crew jobs - pilots and cabin crew - you're not paid for what you do, you're paid for what you can do. The reality is that new cabin crew Ts&Cs are now based on what they do, not what they could potentially be asked to do in an emergency.
DoubleTime said:
Which airline still provides this? Emirates don't according to a colleagues Mrs who works with them.
I can't see how a week either end would be cost effective as a business model. 48 hours tops would be an expected turn around time I'd have thought.
The length of trip is dictated usually by the frequency of flights to that location. Plenty of airlines have week long trips. My friend at Thomson goes to Mauritius and Thailand for a week at a time, he used to also go to the Maldives for a week, he also does loads of 4 and 5 day trips. Basically most airlines that only go somewhere once a week will leave the crew there for the return leg. If he doesn't want to be away for a week he just bids for shorter trips, plenty of airlines are doing more than 48 hour turnarounds.. As I said it depends on the destination. I can't see how a week either end would be cost effective as a business model. 48 hours tops would be an expected turn around time I'd have thought.
My sister had a BA flight attendant as a lodger for a while ,she did Heathrow to USA ,met loads of stars ,she seemed pleasant ,attractive and professional to those she met .
The other side of her was something different.
She had very dubious morals in private and was asked to leave the house once these surfaced .
The other side of her was something different.
She had very dubious morals in private and was asked to leave the house once these surfaced .
jshell said:
I've seen the Virgin long haul girls party...like a rugby team on tour!
I used to live with some virgin cabin crew. They were always having to change hotels because their behaviour was so bad down route that the hotels didn't want their business. One of them was always in trouble at work, I had to keep driving her to their HQ in Crawley to get told off all the time as she'd been banned for drink driving. They were like a younger version of absolutely fabulous. I couldn't take living there for more than a year.
Sure their pay was crap but they absolutely loved their job. I doubt they were jealous of any of you PH misogynists and your much more glamorous and exciting jobs.
GG89 said:
ChocolateFrog said:
jonah35 said:
souper said:
I've often thought about how Glamorous is was but in 50's-80's but nowadays the reality of early late shifts soon ruin that.
Same goes for a long haul pilot I suspect that is the dream of a newly qualified officer, but surely getting up at 3am to spend 12+ hours flying further from home must grate, I suspect many would eventually settle for short-haul and be home the same day.
Long haul is still greatSame goes for a long haul pilot I suspect that is the dream of a newly qualified officer, but surely getting up at 3am to spend 12+ hours flying further from home must grate, I suspect many would eventually settle for short-haul and be home the same day.
3 trips per month, a week at either end - expensed, nice hotel etc etc
It strikes me as a pretty s
tty job if I'm honest. tty job. FFS.
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