Flight Attendants Work Hard
- Thread starter 700UW
- Start date
As a consultant to the Passenger Vessel Industry (Ferries, Dinner Boats, Gambling Boats, Etc.) There are many comparisons to the F/A's job, to members of our deck department. I am not trying to dimish the importance of a F/A, because like them members of the deck department are usually there for passenmger safety as well.
In my thirty plus years in the industry, I have numerious drunks try to enter the piolt house, One drunk jump off the stern into our life size blender (props). Two passenger have died, Many required CPR, and on a daily basis many sea sick., assisted firefighters on shore of an island. Operaters in NYC were very comforting to many in evacuationg the lower city on 9/11.
Depanding on the company they work for or route they may work on they may be a union operation or not. some go home every night, or only work night, or others work a week on, week off, and sleep in a bunk on the vessel, some times in a crew bunk room.
Again depending on the size of the vessel, there are various certifications they must pass before taking the job or even be licensed for the position. They all must know, CPR, and advanced first aid. Be trained in fire fighting.
They are subject to goverment requlations, and subject to random drug testing. And since 9/11 they are also part of the Ports Safety program for our country.
There pay varries, but is probably on average less than an average F/A. And the small operators probably pay less than the express carriers.
Is working in the deck department the hardest job in the world, and requires many sacrafices from the employee? NO!! But neither is being a F/A.
Both professions required smart dedicated people to fill those positions. But as many posts have stated, each job is unique and you should know what they are before taking the job.
I look at my job as a industry consultant as a "cake walk" comparied to what I did before. I don't need to make a run if it's blowing a 1/2 a gale, or it is pea soup fog. I can stay in the office. But I am still on the road 200+ days a year, stay in hotels, suffer some flight delays, and put up with a few F/As that have a bad attitude. But overall I love my job, and I respect the people I meet in the course of me doing my job
In my thirty plus years in the industry, I have numerious drunks try to enter the piolt house, One drunk jump off the stern into our life size blender (props). Two passenger have died, Many required CPR, and on a daily basis many sea sick., assisted firefighters on shore of an island. Operaters in NYC were very comforting to many in evacuationg the lower city on 9/11.
Depanding on the company they work for or route they may work on they may be a union operation or not. some go home every night, or only work night, or others work a week on, week off, and sleep in a bunk on the vessel, some times in a crew bunk room.
Again depending on the size of the vessel, there are various certifications they must pass before taking the job or even be licensed for the position. They all must know, CPR, and advanced first aid. Be trained in fire fighting.
They are subject to goverment requlations, and subject to random drug testing. And since 9/11 they are also part of the Ports Safety program for our country.
There pay varries, but is probably on average less than an average F/A. And the small operators probably pay less than the express carriers.
Is working in the deck department the hardest job in the world, and requires many sacrafices from the employee? NO!! But neither is being a F/A.
Both professions required smart dedicated people to fill those positions. But as many posts have stated, each job is unique and you should know what they are before taking the job.
I look at my job as a industry consultant as a "cake walk" comparied to what I did before. I don't need to make a run if it's blowing a 1/2 a gale, or it is pea soup fog. I can stay in the office. But I am still on the road 200+ days a year, stay in hotels, suffer some flight delays, and put up with a few F/As that have a bad attitude. But overall I love my job, and I respect the people I meet in the course of me doing my job
hp_fa
Veteran
- Feb 19, 2004
- 3,290
- 178
Piney:
I have averaged one medical emergency a year and have never had an evacuation. I have had one emergency landing where we were able to taxi to the gate.
I don't get the theory that since we hardly ever use our real emergency skills that we should not be compensated for them. What should we do when our moment comes, hold an auction up there and charge people for the knowledge we have that has a very limited "shelf life"? (After all, you need this seldom-used information now so why shouldn't I profit from you needing the arcane information?)
New hire FA's get paid about the same as your new fulltime fast food resturant people do. Think about it, do you trust them to save your life in flight where you are at least 15 minutes away from medical assistance on the ground (if you are lucky as your are dying)?
I have averaged one medical emergency a year and have never had an evacuation. I have had one emergency landing where we were able to taxi to the gate.
I don't get the theory that since we hardly ever use our real emergency skills that we should not be compensated for them. What should we do when our moment comes, hold an auction up there and charge people for the knowledge we have that has a very limited "shelf life"? (After all, you need this seldom-used information now so why shouldn't I profit from you needing the arcane information?)
New hire FA's get paid about the same as your new fulltime fast food resturant people do. Think about it, do you trust them to save your life in flight where you are at least 15 minutes away from medical assistance on the ground (if you are lucky as your are dying)?
HP FA,
as a passenger I have had 2 evacuations over the years, one about 20 years ago on Huges Air West, and two years ago on Air Canada RJ. I was able to open the hatch and let passenger out, I had no formal training in that emergency training, nor had I actually done it before. I was not compensated for helping passengers off the plan.
In both cases they were precautionary measures. The air canada flight was because of very hot brakes due to no wing flaps to assist in stopping the plane on landing. The air west was some dort of mechanical as well.
There are many professions that assist people in need, where no close medical attention is available. Another example is a trail guide, in the middle of the woods asisting a hiker that fell and broke a leg. It just part of their job.
Again, F/A's do work hard and have responsibilities. It is not unique to your profession. And the market place is saying, the job is not worth the pay it once was. Just like Pullman Car Attendants on Railroad cars.
as a passenger I have had 2 evacuations over the years, one about 20 years ago on Huges Air West, and two years ago on Air Canada RJ. I was able to open the hatch and let passenger out, I had no formal training in that emergency training, nor had I actually done it before. I was not compensated for helping passengers off the plan.
In both cases they were precautionary measures. The air canada flight was because of very hot brakes due to no wing flaps to assist in stopping the plane on landing. The air west was some dort of mechanical as well.
There are many professions that assist people in need, where no close medical attention is available. Another example is a trail guide, in the middle of the woods asisting a hiker that fell and broke a leg. It just part of their job.
Again, F/A's do work hard and have responsibilities. It is not unique to your profession. And the market place is saying, the job is not worth the pay it once was. Just like Pullman Car Attendants on Railroad cars.
One thing I've learned as a F/A is that we'll never get any respect from certain people. Some people take the "customer king" attitude to ridiculous extremes in every situation they find themselves in, and then complain about a lack of "service" while supporting people being not being compensated properly.
Then they preach to everyone else how great thier decisions are, how stupid everyone else is, and how they are so wise and lead such rich lives that allow them to spend most of it posting on an airline website disagreeing with employees about internal issues, or generally talking utter crap and insulting people. Not to name any names.
Other people, particularly insecure men, are horrified at the thought of maybe having to depend on or be saved by a group that includes many women and gay men in thier ranks. Some just cannot respect someone who makes alot less money than them but maybe has a lot more happiness. I know I'm happy with my career choice. I'm also not on a message board of some other industry handing out dime store advice and back-handed insults to people who's lives and jobs I know nothing about.
You can read usaviation, every article about an airline you can get your hands on, and fly six legs a day as a passenger and every night in a hotel and still have no clue about the flight attendant profession. This has been proved many times, even in this thread ("Thats why they are paid an average of $40,000 a year"). You can go get your pilots license and still not have a clue about the life of an airline pilot either.
I'm on the lookout for a new website for the employees to discuss issues, this one is getting too full... with the wrong kind of people.
Then they preach to everyone else how great thier decisions are, how stupid everyone else is, and how they are so wise and lead such rich lives that allow them to spend most of it posting on an airline website disagreeing with employees about internal issues, or generally talking utter crap and insulting people. Not to name any names.
Other people, particularly insecure men, are horrified at the thought of maybe having to depend on or be saved by a group that includes many women and gay men in thier ranks. Some just cannot respect someone who makes alot less money than them but maybe has a lot more happiness. I know I'm happy with my career choice. I'm also not on a message board of some other industry handing out dime store advice and back-handed insults to people who's lives and jobs I know nothing about.
You can read usaviation, every article about an airline you can get your hands on, and fly six legs a day as a passenger and every night in a hotel and still have no clue about the flight attendant profession. This has been proved many times, even in this thread ("Thats why they are paid an average of $40,000 a year"). You can go get your pilots license and still not have a clue about the life of an airline pilot either.
I'm on the lookout for a new website for the employees to discuss issues, this one is getting too full... with the wrong kind of people.
OK, are you talking to me or to someone else? Its a fact that professions that consist of a lot of women, or gay people, are less respected. Are you going to say that theres not a trace of sexism and homphobia in all of this flight attendant bashing?
And if you're so tired of "the G&L thing" why do you continue to post homophobic remarks? I know many gay people, and many would be offended by your dumb comments above about CPR and the 7th fleet (whatever that is). And who's life is defined by thier "sex partners" and what on earth does that have to do with me, or anyone ? :blink:
Just like we're tired of you talking about "the lovely colored woman" you sat next to, or the "shapely flight attendant" on your flight. But that whole topic is you again trying to lead everyone away from your original ignorant comments. Just like the last time when you said being a flight attendant was a "part-time job."
And no one is saying thier lives consist of any one thing. YOU are the one who posted naughty innuendo when I stated a fact about the F/A profession being disproportionatly made up of women and gay people, both minority groups.
YOU are the one who shares personal details on here. We know where you fly, what you do, about your burger-slinging girlfriend and broken photocopiers.
OUR lives are defined by our jobs? No. We are on here to dicuss, share, vent, console and cheer each other up. Do we take pride in our jobs, professions and company? YES. But do you know anything about most of the actual airline employees on here? Thankfully no, because we wouldnt want your condescending advice on other aspects of our lives either.
If WE spend time on here, its because we're chatting about our commom professions. If you've never worked for an airline, particularly as a crewmember, you will never know the comraderie and culture of an airline. You, I guess, are hoping the thing doesnt tank because you've got your miles invested in it. A little bit different.
Why dont you go to www.firefighters.com and butt into thier business. You probably dont know much about them either, but you seem to respect them. Maybe you can tell them they have a part time job, and that if they live in a smaller place where there are no fires everyday, they should make less money. I mean they dont fight fires all the time and dont use all of thier training each time, right? <_<
And if you're so tired of "the G&L thing" why do you continue to post homophobic remarks? I know many gay people, and many would be offended by your dumb comments above about CPR and the 7th fleet (whatever that is). And who's life is defined by thier "sex partners" and what on earth does that have to do with me, or anyone ? :blink:
Just like we're tired of you talking about "the lovely colored woman" you sat next to, or the "shapely flight attendant" on your flight. But that whole topic is you again trying to lead everyone away from your original ignorant comments. Just like the last time when you said being a flight attendant was a "part-time job."
And no one is saying thier lives consist of any one thing. YOU are the one who posted naughty innuendo when I stated a fact about the F/A profession being disproportionatly made up of women and gay people, both minority groups.
YOU are the one who shares personal details on here. We know where you fly, what you do, about your burger-slinging girlfriend and broken photocopiers.
OUR lives are defined by our jobs? No. We are on here to dicuss, share, vent, console and cheer each other up. Do we take pride in our jobs, professions and company? YES. But do you know anything about most of the actual airline employees on here? Thankfully no, because we wouldnt want your condescending advice on other aspects of our lives either.
If WE spend time on here, its because we're chatting about our commom professions. If you've never worked for an airline, particularly as a crewmember, you will never know the comraderie and culture of an airline. You, I guess, are hoping the thing doesnt tank because you've got your miles invested in it. A little bit different.
Why dont you go to www.firefighters.com and butt into thier business. You probably dont know much about them either, but you seem to respect them. Maybe you can tell them they have a part time job, and that if they live in a smaller place where there are no fires everyday, they should make less money. I mean they dont fight fires all the time and dont use all of thier training each time, right? <_<
Light Years!!!! Hooray for YOU. What a great Post.. 
Fellow Flight Attendant....You make me proud.
Fellow Flight Attendant....You make me proud.
*******CRAZY APPLAUSE FOR LIGHT YEARS****************
You made me smile for the first time in, oh, a year or so of reading this rapidly deteriorating forum!
*************MORE APPLAUSE FOR LIGHT YEARS***********
You made me smile for the first time in, oh, a year or so of reading this rapidly deteriorating forum!
*************MORE APPLAUSE FOR LIGHT YEARS***********
I'm assuming, based on the gist of that post, that you're including me in that description. If so, then I'm truly disappointed.Light Years said:
You don't agree that it is a "fact" that the F/A community is majority-- even "disproportionately," compared to the general populaion-- female? Let alone female PLUS gay male???!!!PineyBob said:
You must not fly as much as you claim you do.
Well THIS must be a first.PineyBob said:
PineyBob admitting that maybe, just maybe, he doesn't know everything, all the time, about the F/A job.
Something that has been painfully obvious to others for some time now.
Yes, Light Years in incredible and absolutely intelligent and trustworthy. This poster is true blooded and loyal to the flight attendant profession. I admire this poster, whole heartedly.Trin03 said:
So glad to see you posting again, LT.
LIGHT YEARS:I just want to give you the biggest hug for putting him right in his place! I could not have said it any better myself!
Your Awsome!!!!
