The Life of a Stewardess, 140 Days a Year

Those who say that flight attendants are paid low could only mean they are in their first few years of their job or are serving regional airlines. Although you do not get super rich being a flight attendant, the pay is quite good. It becomes even better if you choose to work on your vacation days giving you extra flying hours. Lucrative packages are given by airline companies to flight attendants that include life and health insurance, membership to credit union and the opportunity to buy stocks from the company. A retirement plan is also very enticing. There is a maximum age requirement for a flight attendant but once you have reached your peak, you can be either given the chance to work as ground crew or you can be offered a teaching job from their training schools or you can completely give it up and enjoy retirement.

You also have the chance to meet new people and even celebrities. You gain confidence in yourself because you deal mostly with businessmen and influential people. Being a flight attendant is such an exciting job so much that you may not consider it a job at all. Unlike in other eight-hour job where boredom can be reached anytime, it does not hold true in flight attendants. Every flight gives you a different experience, because there are different situations that you will be facing. The scenery and atmosphere is forever changing. You’re primary motivation is to be able to make passengers feel comfortable and cared for all throughout the flight. And you would know if you have achieved this goal if the same passengers choose your airline in their future travels. Plus the fact that you are not talking of any take home work. Once the last passenger goes and you’re done with your flight report, you’re good. You can spend the rest of your day off doing other stuff (like fixing your credit, perhaps).

A pool of flight attendants becomes a family away from home. The next thing you know, you have gained a best friend when your first flight is over, which is unlike a lot of other female-dominated careers that can be lonelier. It becomes easy for you to open up to your co-worker probably because you are spending so much time together. It becomes fun going to work knowing that you have gained a family. They help each other, even when one is suffering from financial and family problems. You can expect everyone to raise money for a sick or injured family. They give each other full support, after all, they become one team with one goal.

You get to see the world for free! It’s like a training ground for being independent and being responsible. And when you are able to help deliver a baby while on board, or when you get to assist a medical situation, or even help handicapped passengers, you get a great sense of fulfillment. Your overall personality is developed in this line of work.

Ever Wanted to Become a Flight Attendant?

Being a flight attendant can be a fulfilling job. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. You get to earn a living while at the same time you are given the opportunity to explore the world. They enjoy a glamorous job compared to other airline employees, just imagine that you are being paid to see the rest of the world! Other than personal fulfillment, there are a lot of benefits that comes from being a flight attendant. These perks may vary from airline to airline. Not all aspiring flight attendant can end as one. It takes a lot of determination and commitment to be able to succeed in this career path. One that enjoys flying and being independent, and who can handle unique situations at all times. For others who really love being a flight attendant, it becomes a lifestyle for them and not a job anymore.

There is no discrimination in this job. There is equality between male and female and contrary to some belief, not all male flight attendants are gay. Each one is given equal opportunity to hone their craft and equal opportunity to grow and succeed even if you belong to the third sex. This means that benefits are given equally. One is the time off from work given to you can be up to 17 days per month. This is a great opportunity for you to have more time for yourself or with your family to unwind and relax. Although flight attendants are mostly on call, this is compensated with additional days off. You get almost six months or roughly half a year off from work while being paid. And what’s more exciting is that you can be flexible with your time. Your days off is not limited to weekends only or holidays. You will be asked for the dates you wish to fly for that particular month and if there are no conflicts, you can get them right away. You can also swap with fellow crew members if your schedule does not suit you. If you have an earlier appointment, it won’t be hard for you to get the time off and attend to whatever task you need to do. Although there are times when your plans can be ruined if you will be called for work unexpectedly, but hey, it’s your job, so you cannot complain.

Senior flight attendants have additional benefits, especially when it comes to negotiating flight schedules. They are also given priority against newcomers in maximizing their free flight privilege. More than gaining flight experience to almost every part of the world, you also gain free flights. If you want to travel not as a flight attendant but as a tourist, you can do it for free or for a reduced rate. Most if not all airline companies offer free travel benefits not only to flight attendant but to their immediate families as well. A free or reduced costs to other things associated to traveling may also be given like in car rentals, cruises and lodging. And once you reached retirement age, such benefits are not taken away from you.