Q&A: Cabin Crew, everything you were afraid to ask...

Hi all, I thought I'd do something fun for you guys. My reader Yuko Tan has asked me to talk about working as an air stewardess (something I had never done). I had actually briefly contemplated it as a career choice given that it was one area where they are looking for multilingual staff (I speak several languages) but decided against it eventually (because the money wasn't great). My friend Cassandra (who is based in London) has been working as cabin crew for quite a while and I caught up with her to do a Q&A about her career choice. I hope you will find this interview useful.

Do you have a desire to fly?

Limpeh: Hi Cas, could we begin by talking about how long you have worked as cabin crew?

Cas: I have been doing this since I had left school about 12 years ago.

Limpeh: What attracted you to the job in the first place Cas?

Cas: Well it was clear that I wasn't cut out to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer, I didn't want to waste time and money going to some third rate crappy university with a degree not worth the paper it was printed on. And it was something I had thought about as a child since I came from a fairly poor family - we couldn't afford foreign holidays often and I remember going to France by bus when I was a teenager and that took forever. I knew there was this girl at school who would fly to see her family in America all the time. I felt so insanely jealous because she could just get on a plane and go to America like that. There was a part of me that wanted to go traveling, to see the world and this was probably the only way I could have ever done that. My mother worked in some dead end job in a local shop where we lived and her world was so small - her world was confined to our home ,the shop and the local supermarket; she barely ever ventured off the local high street. I didn't want to become my mother. She wasn't happy doing what she did and I didn't want to end up unhappy like her, I wanted to make the most of my life, have an interesting job and just be happy...

What kind of job would you like?

Limpeh: What was the recruitment and training process like?

Cas: Oh it was so long ago I can't recall the details. I remember applying, then getting through the interview and I can't even remember the questions they asked me. What helped me get through was the fact that I do speak Spanish fairly well, so they were happy to get someone who was bilingual. I did Spanish at school, I lived next door to a Spanish family growing up so I was always exposed to Spanish from a young age, like you know, my sister and I would play with the neighbours' kids from a young age and they taught us Spanish. Amazing isn't it? All those years at school, studying for exams and the one thing that got me a job was something I had learnt from playing with the kids next door. We would often just go over and hang out with them because my parents were busy working. Mrs Gonzales was a housewife and could keep an eye on us. They were a lovely family and yeah, they taught me how to speak Spanish.

The cabin crew training process is surprisingly short - it was about three weeks. They focused on safety equipment and procedures, first aid and what to do in an emergency. A lot of the things you will simply have to learn on the job, from your more senior colleagues It's amazing how quickly they put you to work - after all, the longer they keep you on training, the more money they spend paying to train you. The first few weeks were difficult, I nearly quit but I am glad I somehow managed to hang on. I made some very good friends at work and that was what made all the difference.

Limpeh: I am tempted to ask you what airlines you flew for but I know you said...

Cas: I could get into trouble if I said anything bad about my employers. So I would rather not mention them.

Limpeh: Fair enough. Can I ask you, is the money good? Is this a job that pays well?

Cas: (Laughs) No. The money is not good at all. The pilots are much better paid! Some airlines pay a bit more than others, but the starting salaries are generally quite low and they do increase the longer you stay with the airline, as you become more senior. You get additional allowances for nights spent away from home and I got a little extra for speaking Spanish. I had a little Spanish flag on my name tag to let the passengers know that I can speak Spanish. If a flight is delayed or canceled and you end up working much longer, you will get overtime compensation. It is not the kind of job that you do because it will make you rich - you do it because you will enjoy it and the lifestyle that goes with it. My sister works in a primary school and she makes more money than me as a primary school teacher - a lot more. But I think I have the easier job, I have more fun whilst she is very stressed. I'm very realistic: I'm not a graduate and I was barely trained a few weeks for this job - so really, I can't command a salary like a doctor or engineer, can I?

Limpeh: Which aspects of the job do you enjoy?

Cas: Traveling. I wanted to travel and I did - flying long haul was a thrill for me, I have been to so many different countries, something I would have never done otherwise and whenever possible, I will try to do a bit of sightseeing and be a tourist. And the airlines are reasonable enough - if you've just done a 12 hour flight to somwhere like Tokyo, they're not going to expect you to get back on that plane immediately and continue working. You get put up in a hotel to get some sleep and that's when you have the chance to explore the city. I can get some free short haul flights and heavily discounted international flights as cabin crew, so I have always taken advantage of that.

Limpeh: What are the downsides of the job?

Cas: I don't think I can do this job if I had a family. I am always at the mercy of my duty rota. My sister who works as a primary school teacher is able to come home from work and be there for her children - who is going to take care of my kids if I have to fly off to America for a few days? I don't earn enough to afford expensive childcare, it is simply not going to work. We're talking about irregular and unsociable hours that just makes it really hard for me to have relationships outside work. I can be affected by the jet lag after a long flight but I still have to work. There is also the lack of career progression: you simply become a more senior cabin crew member. They call it a purser or chief purser but it's just the same job at the end of the day, You just deal with first and business class passengers instead of economy. Yes you get a bit more money, but it's not like you can eventually move into management, no. You just give out glasses of champagne in first class instead of cheap wine in plastic cups in economy. But I'm not the kind of person who can sit at a desk in an office and do paper work all day, I would get so bored - so this is right for me.

Cas doesn't want an office job.

Limpeh: What about getting a job in the airport as ground crew?

Cas: That's a transfer that you can make, but that's hardly a more attractive job - it doesn't pay more and you're stuck at the airport. It doesn't sound like a promotion to me, it's just changing to a different job within the company. But I do know of people who have done that to get a more predictable work schedule so that they can have a family life.

Limpeh: Are there transferable skills that will allow you to work say in hospitality or tourism?

Cas: As cabin crew, we're on our feet all day when we're at work, often dealing with challenging and difficult situations. I have friends who have managed to get work in hotels, restaurants, resorts and other various tourist attractions based on their experience as cabin crew - it is one of the best training anyone can get when it comes to customer care, service and dealing with tourists. So yeah, if I wanted to, I could get another job just like that tomorrow. Easily.

Cas can now work in any area of the service industry she wants.

Limpeh: What are some of the worst experiences you have had?

Cas: I'm sure you've heard it all before about unruly, difficult and unreasonable passengers, but one side of this job that you will never see is the way the crew can fight amongst themselves. We never ever show it to the passengers, but oh we can argue amongst ourselves over the most minor things. It usually sparks off when someone is accused of not pulling his/her weight and the others feel that it is unfair that they have to cover for the lazy crew member. The thing is that you can never ever be sure that everyone does the same amount of work on a flight, but you trust the others to pull their weight. Sometimes you will have a lazy cow who will be goofing off or doing something stupid and that's when it all starts off - you're stuck for hours on that bloody plane, working with people you're arguing with and the work environment on some flights have been really unpleasant because of these arguments. The plane can feel so claustrophobic when you're stuck with someone you hate on that flight.

Sometimes you're having such a shit day, you just can't wait to get off the plane, to get away from everyone and just shut down, be alone - but you still have hours before you land and you have to keep this plastic smile on your face and be nice to everyone. I think the worst experience though has got to be when this colleague was molested by a passenger - a dirty old man groped her butt in the dark and he even tried to kiss her. It was during a night flight. She knew it was her word against his, so she asked me to pretend to have witnessed it and I said no, I can't do that. I wasn't there, I can't lie, sorry. To be frank, I hate dirty old men like that, but at that moment, I just didn't want to get involved by lying like that as I had other shit going on in my life. She didn't pursue the matter but I don't think she ever forgave me or spoke to me again. Oh I felt so bad about it as I knew that kinda shit could happen to anyone of us.

Limpeh: What are some of the best experiences you have had?

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

Cas: I love it when I fly to Rome - that is such a magical city, so pretty. I see so many tourists who are rushing around like crazy, trying to do all the main tourist attractions within the few days they have and I can just relax, take it easy, knowing that I will be back there in a few days or a few weeks, I am a regular visitor to Rome, that's such a privilege.  Apart from the sightseeing, I guess the best experiences have been very empty flights. You barely have to do anything. There have been some flights which were so empty and I could serve the passengers in just a few minutes. Then I could settle down, watch a movie or two, go to sleep and just chill. That's when I thought, oh this is such easy money. Some flights can be quite empty, it just depends on your luck - though it rarely happens!

Limpeh: Do you have any intention to leave the industry to do something different?

Cas: Well, not as yet. We'll see, I do wanna keep doing this for a few years for at least, I am enjoying it for now.

Limpeh: How has the job changed over the years?

Cas: I guess it is the huge growth in budget airlines that has had the biggest impact on the industry - it has driven down prices for the big players on short haul routes within Europe, that means that air travel has become far more affordable for everyone. But in terms of our day to day routine, our job hasn't actually changed much at all. I am glad that I am not flying for a budget airline as that would mean having to sell food and drink from the trolley, that is a lot of hassle. Yes we still handle transactions for duty free goods but I would never ever want to work for a budget airline.

Limpeh: Does it make a big difference whether you fly for a major airline or a budget airline?

Cas: I think it does. You see, the entertainment systems on our planes for longer flights are very sophisticated and most passengers just watch movies, play games and there's plenty for them to plug into and just tune out. It keeps them distracted... entertained for a lot of the flight. On those cheap budget airlines, people are left to their own devices and even if you want a drink of water, you have gotta pay for it. I have a whole range of things I can give out to passengers to pacify them during the flight and keep them happy, so it does make my job a lot easier. I heard of this case where a young child was crying on a budget airline flight and the parents asked for some water for the child. The crew tried to sell the parents a bottle of water but they refused to pay for it, claiming that it was for the child and the child was unwell. What do you do? If  they had paid £14.99 for your flight, then paying another £1 or so for a bottle of water may seem like a lot of money - but such are the passengers you get on a budget airline. You get people who have never ever flown before taking their first ever flight causing all kinds of crazy problems. The cabin crew for budget airlines always try to apply for jobs with a better airline after they have proven themselves with a few years' experience.

Limpeh: Would you recommend this as a career choice to young people?

Cas: I would ask them to think very carefully about it if this is the kind of job they want to do. For me, I couldn't find anything else better so it worked out fine. I didn't go to university, I wasn't skilled in any kind of trade, the best thing I had to offer was the fact that I am bilingual in English and Spanish. It was undoubtedly the best thing I could do at the time and I have no regrets - but if I was smart enough and had the chance to go to university, then I would have loved to have tried another career path, hopefully one that would have involved some travel, I love traveling so much!

Do you like traveling like Cas and I?

Limpeh: Do you need a degree to do this job? What kind of skills are required for your job?

Cas: No degree is required. Well, I do have some colleagues who are graduates but they don't get paid any more than me. The airline will teach you everything you need to know in your training period. Clearly, languages are advantageous and your English must be very good, given that that's the international language of air travel. If you have work experience in the hospitality and service industry - say you've worked in a pub, bar, restaurant, hotel or somewhere like that, that helps a lot too. You need to be of a certain height to be able to reach for the overhead compartments and you need to be in reasonably good health to be able to work long hours on a flight. You also need to be able to swim 25 meters - that is a basic requirement should the plane land on water.

Limpeh: Are you then saying that this is not a career option for a graduate then?

Cas: Yes and no, well; it depends on one's personal circumstances. If you have spent years training to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer, then it makes no sense to become cabin crew. If you have a useless degree that cannot help get you any kind of decent job, then why not? What is the point of spending all that time and money to go to university when you just end up doing a job that doesn't require a degree? Given the short training period, I guess this is something you could do for a while and if you really hate it, then you can then leave and go do something else.

Cas doesn't believe that this is a job for graduates.

Limpeh: Finally, do you ever worry about plane crashes or hijacks? Is this a dangerous job?

Cas: My sister, the primary school teacher, takes the bus to work everyday - do you know that she is more likely to be killed or injured in a road traffic accident than for me to be involved a plane crash? Yet nobody would caution my sister about going to work by bus because we just accept it is a risk she has to take to get to work.  Nah, I don't worry about it. I have to get the bus to go to the airport and I'm far more likely to be killed on the bus than on the plane. I've not ever experienced any major accidents at work before - nothing more than air turbulence, a couple of very rude passengers and a few bumpy landings during stormy weather, which are all part of the job I suppose.

Limpeh: Thank you so much for sharing with us Cas.