So much for blogging during training. So much for doing anything other than studying. I packed three books to read in my spare time only to have them take up space and collect dust on the coffee table.
Training began on April 24, a week before I was officially set to begin. I knew of people being asked if they were available to start training a week earlier than previously assigned, so I jumped on the chance when I received the email.
I was flown out the day prior (Aug. 23) and met my friend, who was starting training on the same day, at the airport. We bumped into other trainees and made our way to our new home for the next several weeks.
The next several weeks would prove to be the longest weeks of my life. One day felt like a week in and of itself (first week of training). Training, this time around, however, was not difficult or stressful. I say this as someone with previous experience. People who had never worked in aviation before would argue differently.
Too much time was spent on company self-promotion the first week and a half. We get it! You take care of your employees (hard eye roll—you must have felt that, right?). Too much time was spent on HR issues. It was completely unnecessary, and it should have been left for the end of training.
By the end of the second week, we finally touched on the important stuff and never looked back.
I was in a great class.
When we needed to get down to business, we did. This made all the difference because we never ended class late.
When we needed and wanted to laugh, we did. There are so many moments I look back on that made us all laugh. I can’t provide details here because you just had to be there.
I (we) had two amazing instructors.
They took pride in how they taught their class, and they taught us well.
I had a great roommate.
By the second or third week, we felt comfortable enough with each other that any worries we did have disappeared completely.
I spent way too much money on food. There was no way to avoid that since we had a mini fridge in our room. That little fridge for two people who like to eat? Yeah, eating out was the way to go. My roommate and I tried to pack our lunch, but it was too much to figure out some days.
I never spent a cent on laundry. I decided to be the self-sufficient badass that I am and wash my shirts and undergarments in the room.
How did I accomplish this? I requested an extra garbage bin for the room. The original garbage bin was a small metal bin with a plastic interior, making two separate bins. I cleaned the plastic bin inside out, bought some Tide pods, and used that to wash my shirts and under garments. To avoid causing my roommate any inconvenience, I would wash them before going to bed once a week. Everything would somewhat dry overnight, and I would leave them hanging on the lamps in the room while we were out.
It was time to graduate.
My roommate packed her belongings and stayed with her mom the last night of training. It was a surreal moment. I closed the door behind her, walked to my bed, and turned around to an empty room. It felt weird being alone for the first time in weeks.
The time to graduate and become a new BEEP (using this to cover the name of the company—it sounds funny if you read it aloud) flight attendant had finally arrived. One of my classmates rented a car, and I caught a ride with her to the graduation ceremony.
After four hours of practice and the actual ceremony, I was a BEEP flight attendant. I asked my instructors to simultaneously pin my wings onto my uniform, hugged my roommate one last time, and left for the airport with two of my classmates.
One last celebratory meal was had at P.F. Chang’s.
First Few Months as a Flight Attendant
You know the saying, “Never meet your idols.” I don’t have any idols, but I did place the company I work for on a pedestal for a very long time. It’s different when you’re on the outside, completely ignorant of the craziness flight attendants experience.
While things are slightly better for me here than in my previous airline (I’m not a commuter), I traded one hot mess for another. It’s the same shit, different logo. And although every airline is having difficulty this summer, it hits differently when you’ve created the opposite image in your head of the company for which you now work.
The aircrafts we use for our transoceanic flights (U.S. to Europe) are old and falling apart. Bins that don’t close or come loose, or ceiling panels that come loose and hang over passengers’ heads; galley ovens and coffee makers that don’t work; bathrooms and drains that clog; severe mechanical issues (e.g. issues with the hydraulics).
The company doesn’t know how to use its employees in an efficient manner. Trip holders are being tossed around as if they’re on reserve. That’s not how that works. Seasoned flight attendants will understand.
The obsession with uniform compliance, while understandable, is only an obsession for new hires. There are a lot of senior flight attendants, both female and male, who show up to work looking like absolute garbage. This imbalance in expectations is leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
Side Note: When did this shift of not giving a fuck about one’s appearance happen? And spare me the “I don’t have to look good for anyone” bullshit because you don’t give a fuck about what people think. First, this isn’t about looking good for someone else. It’s about looking good for yourself. Take pride in your appearance because it matters, and it matters when it comes to work. Furthermore, I don’t want to hear anyone say that they don’t give a damn about what other people think while the same people publish every aspect of their lives for likes. That’s not how “I don’t give a shit about what people think of me” works.
I’m most disappointed with the work rules, of which they like to change often at the expense of flight attendants.
While we can’t be denied a sick call for legal reasons, we’ll get written up for it and it’ll stay on our record for a year. Excuse me?! How is it possible to castigate people for calling out sick? How is that even legal?
We don’t have a commuter policy, which is ridiculous since the company relies on people from across the country to fill its flight attendant positions. And no, no one should be forced to live in base if they don’t want to. And spare me the “they agreed to relocate” argument. Relocating isn’t as easy as it sounds. Rents are extremely high everywhere. Crash pads are a viable alternative for commuters, but they’re in short supply and illegal in many cities.
A solution would be for my airline (all airlines) to focus on regional hiring, but the reality is that not everyone wants to be a flight attendant (not everyone should be a flight attendant), which means the airline I work for along with others have to expand their search. Since that’s the case, my company should offer a commuter policy and make sure that flight attendants can get a jumpseat or a passenger seat. Positive space for flight attendants would help keep the operation running smoothly.
The operation has been a hot mess this summer.
None of this is to say that I hate my job.
Don’t conflate legitimate complaints and concerns about working conditions, of which there are more, for senseless bitching. And don’t say or think to yourself, “If you don’t like it, leave or find another job.” It’s an infantile response to an adult conversation. Plus, it’s not raining jobs out there if you’ve noticed. I’m not returning to a Cruella de Vil office situation no matter the salary.
I’ve tried to be part of the solution, not the problem in previous jobs, and it’s worked against me. And it’s hard to be part of the solution when the majority of employees just shrug their shoulders and give up. Turnover is very high in the aviation industry, and complacency is the modus operandi of almost every work group. If only flight attendants took a cue from workers who strike (Writers Guild of America strike, anyone?), perhaps I would be writing a different tune.
Unfortunately, I’m very disappointed with the company and some of our flight attendants, and there ain’t shit I can do about it.
While I can’t change the company or convince other flight attendants to fight for better working conditions and work rules, I can control how I feel about the job.
I like my job. I’m happy I returned to the skies because the freedom this career offers is unmatched anywhere else.
Nothing beats not having to answer pointless emails. Nothing beats not having to work for a horrible boss. I never have to see my crew or passengers again.
Nothing beats having an unexpected week off because someone picked up your EDI trip (Edinburgh—I only speak in airport codes, folks) at the last minute.
Nothing beats not having to commute. Let me say that again: Nothing beats not having to commute! It’s a completely different job not having to commute.
Shout out to my commuters. It’s hard, I know.
The only thing that would beat being a flight attendant is winning the lottery (it beats everything, right?), but I don’t buy lottery tickets so that’s not a viable alternative for me.
All I can do is do my job well, show up and give my crew and passengers the energy I want to receive, roll with the never-ending delays and reroutes, and enjoy my layovers.
Now that I don’t have the stress of commuting, I can focus on bringing to fruition endeavors I’ve had in mind.
À bientôt!
I appreciate your candor on your new journey. One thing is for sure, BLEEP is extremely lucky to have you! 🩵