It’s an FAA violation to interfere with the duties of a crew member. So please, for the love of Gaga, when a flight attendant asks you to get undressed, get undressed! And don’t argue about it.
Recently on an eight hour flight from London to New York, Lady Gaga’s legs began to swell due to the restrictive clothing she wore on board. According to The Sun, when she began developing early signs of deep vein thrombosis, the cabin crew asked Lady Gaga to change out of her clothes – black and yellow tape – as well as a pair of blue platform shoes. Apparently LG was miffed about ditching the heels designed by an old pal, the late Alexander McQueen, which she wore in honor of him.
Am I surprised by any of this? Not at all. Crazy Gaga has been quoted saying she would rather die than have her fans not see her in a pair of high heels. Well the woman almost got her wish. Obviously Miss G does not realize just how serious DVT is, especially when wearing uncomfortable duct tape with snug platform shoes on a long haul flight!
I’ll admit it, I’m a pretty big fan of the recording artist, so I’m quite familiar with her theatrical taste in fashion. And the thought of Lady G actually donning a pair of synthetic, airline, knee-socks is just not right. But research has shown that wearing flight socks can reduce the risk of developing DVT by 90%. Don’t gag, Gaga. If anyone can make an ugly pair of compression socks look sexy at 30,000 feet it’s you!The most interesting thing about Lady Gaga’s outfit is the fact that she needed help removing it. Of course the first thing I thought when I read this was, how in the world did the crew decide who would help her undress? Did they draw straws or did they go by seniority? Because I can totally see a crew bickering over whose turn it is to spin Lady Gaga around in the first class galley in order to unwind the yellow and black tape, which I’m sure looked stunning. For an outfit made of tape.
Speaking of strange outfits in flight, flight attendants should not wear pink. EVER. Nor should they wear little weird hats on the side of their heads. At least not to work. Although something tells me Lady Gaga might disagree.
Now flight attendants are on board primarily for the safety of passengers. This includes handling what could possibly turn into a serious health concern in flight. I hope Lady Gaga realizes this and doesn’t resent the cabin crew for looking after her. Certainly she must know that flight attendants are trained to deal with these kinds of situations, that we’re professionals who take pride in our job, and that we’ll do whatever we have to do for the comfort and safety of everyone on board. It’s just…who would have thought this would one day come to include removing duct tape and designer shoes from a celebrity passenger!
But did you know that sex stories involving flight attendants will sell even more? It’s true. Take for instance the flight attendant prostitution ring bust story that’s been making the rounds. The travel site Jaunted even asked me to comment on it. Honestly, I really didn’t want my name to be associated with a prostituting group of flight attendants, but then, knowing how the media loves a good flight attendant story, I decided to check it out and find out what was really going on. Ya know, in order to set the record straight, because whenever there’s a flight attendant story there always seems to be a record that needs a little straightening.
According to Jaunted, 200 of the women involved in the prostitution ring were students and flight attendants. As soon as I read that bit of information I thought, Okay, but just how many of the women, exactly, were flight attendants? I read on. Only two flight attendants are mentioned in the article, one who works for British Airways and another who works for Jagson, an Indian airline I’ve never heard of before. This made me think, But that’s just two flight attendants we know of for sure – Two!
Two flight attendants and it becomes a “flight attendant” story? Give me a break!
Google “flight attendant prostitution ring” and several links will pop up to a story entitled, Busted: massive flight attendant prostitution ring. Note the word massive. Just how massive you may be wondering? I wondered the same thing. Turns out it was so massive that the entire story is only two sentences long. In the article only a swami and a nameless flight attendant from British Airways are mentioned. That’s it. Which does not sound so massive to me! Would you believe Times Online and Fox News did the exact same thing by running their own version of the “flight attendant story” even though both news groups only mentioned two flight attendants in their reports.Now let’s back up for a moment. There are approximately 15,000 flight attendants working for British Airways. Big deal if a flight attendant is involved in a prostitution scandal. That’s a blip on the screen. Just fire the flight attendant and be done with her. Don’t bring the rest of us down!
When I asked Jaunted how one British Airways flight attendant could make “a flight attendant story,” I was told that there were many flight attendants involved in the bust. (Many? But how many is many? Does anyone know?) Then I was informed that most of the women worked for India airlines. What I found to be shocking was that they, the flight attendants from India, were not considered to be as newsworthy as the British Airways flight attendant.
Not as newsworthy, but why? I find that, in itself, to be very newsworthy.
A bigger story, in my opinion, is why so many women (how many, I still don’t know) at one airline who have what many consider a professional job would feel the need to prostitute themselves? Now that, I think, is what we should all be talking about. Am I wrong?
Which brings me to a little flight attendant pet peeve of mine, comparing US flight attendants to their foreign counterparts. Is it really so terrible that flight attendants in the United States are allowed to grow old, gain weight, get married, and have children? I know this screws up the whole hotness factor of the flight attendant fantasy that so many passengers can’t seem to let go of, but this is a country where women, even flight attendants, have rights, right? Honestly, I can’t get over how harshly some people judge flight attendants based on their looks alone – and this is 2010! Don’t believe me? Read this letter from Big Daddy.
Did you know that flight attendants who work for foreign carriers, the very same airlines that passengers have a tendency to rave about, don’t have the same rights as I do? In fact, if I worked for say Emirates or Cathay, I wouldn’t even have a job. In my thirties, I’m too old! Most foreign carriers won’t even hire a flight attendant over the age of 27, let alone allow the ones who are already employed to actually (gasp) age. Did you know that in the US, back in the 70’s when flying was considered glamorous and the majority of people couldn’t afford to travel, stewardesses averaged only 18 months on the job? This is because they were not allowed to get married or have children, as if only young, unmarried, and childless flight attendants could actually serve passengers the way they needed to be served. (Wink Wink)
Remember the “stewardesses” who seductively asked you to fly them, the ones who wore hot pants? Well they’re still around. In fact, that flight attendant wearing the coke bottle glasses who served you a drink on your last flight may have been the same woman wearing the go-go boots so many years ago. That’s right. Here in the US flight attendants actually had the nerve to stand up for their rights and put a stop to airlines using them as marketing tools that promoted their sexuality and little else. Yeah, I know, it’s such a bummer that US airlines were forced to stop exploiting women.
Today a majority of flight attendants who work for foreign carriers only average three years on the job. This is because they are offered short work contracts, zero retirement, and low pay. How else could the airlines overseas keep their flight attendants young, sexy and desirable? Now mix in a poverty stricken country or a country where women aren’t exactly treated with the same respect as men and you will find quite a few women turning to prostitution. Are we surprised by this? I didn’t think so. And that’s not newsworthy!
I have been just recently hired as a flight attendant for a commuter airlines called Colgan Air. I am just emailing you to ask for some advice on starting out, tips of the trade! I hope to hear from you soon!
Thanks,
Leilah
Leilah,
Even in this day and age of travel when being a flight attendant isn’t quite as glamorous as it once was, airlines receive thousands of applications each month from people who are interested in the job. This means competition is fierce. Airlines choose only the best candidates. That, Leilah, says a lot about you. Congratulations!
When it comes to flight attendant training, as well as those first few months on the job, my advice to you is simply this, do not quit! Trust me, at some point you will want to. I’ve been there. We all have. Just remember that no matter how frustrated or tired you become, do not give up. Training will only last a few weeks and when it’s over you’ll have a lifetime of adventure ahead of you. No matter how much you miss your friends, family, and loved ones, do not throw in the towel. Stay focused. Think about all the great places you can take your family and friends once you get your travel benefits. No matter how much someone misses you and begs you to come home, don’t quit. Just think about all those days off (at least twelve of them) that you can spend with them when you’re not working a nine to five job – Every. Single. Day. No matter which crew base you’re assigned, do not make any rash decisions. The job is flexible and in time you will figure out how to manipulate your flight schedule so that you can be exactly where you want to be whenever you want to be there. Remember, the job is unlike any other job, so it only makes sense that it will take some getting used to. Eventually you will figure out how to make the job work for you.
While I know the job is not for everyone, I just want to make sure you give it enough time before making any drastic decisions. Because it’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle, a very unusual one. I say this because years ago I had a crash pad roommate who, after eight months on the job, decided to quit. She wanted to become a hairdresser. Two years later she wanted her old job back. So she reapplied, scored a few interviews with different airlines, and, as far as I know, never did get hired again.
As for flight attendant training, it can be overwhelming at times. In fact, I found the seven and a half week course at my airline to be tougher than four years of college. Not because it was hard, per se, but because there is a lot of information to absorb in a short amount of time. On top of this, there will be late nights and early mornings with very little sleep in between. You will, at some point, feel exhausted. You might also find yourself having trouble thinking clearly, or even thinking at all! Then when classmates begin to suddenly disappear, you may become paranoid. I know I did. At one point I truly believed that the salt and pepper shakers in the cafeteria might be bugged. I mean why else were classmates going POOF! during a five minute bathroom break, never to be seen or heard from again?
Now mix it all together; all that new information coming in at once, the exhaustion, the paranoia, not to mention feelings of homesickness, and you’ve got a trainee reacting in ways they might not normally behave. Perhaps by pushing trainees to their breaking point the airlines believe they will observe how future flight attendants might react in less than desirable situations at 30,000 feet. Maybe this is just a way an airline can filter out the weak since a big part of the job is remaining calm under pressure.
A few other tips…
1. Don’t be late. The airplane doesn’t wait for anyone, so why would your instructor? Unless a flight is understaffed, an airline will not delay a departure in order to wait on a flight attendant who is running late. If you’re late to class be prepared to leave your flight manual by the locked door and return to wherever you came from.
2. Get lots of rest. Nodding off in class is another way to obtain your walking papers. Flight attendants must stay awake during a flight unless it’s a long haul flight overseas with scheduled crew breaks. We are to remain alert at all times in order to handle in flight emergencies quickly and swiftly. Caffeine is your friend.
3. Beware of flight instructors. Do not get confused and think you’re friends with a flight instructor. Oh sure they might be nice, at first, but it’s their job to make sure that only the best flight attendants graduate. Trust me, they’re just looking for a reason to get rid of you, so don’t make it easy by letting your guard down.
Hope that helps, Leilah, and good luck to you!
Heather Poole
** ATTENTION FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: Share your flight attendant training stories below – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Emotional support service animals are service animals that provide emotional support to an individual with a mental health related disability. On most airlines, documentation must be provided 48 hours before departure to permit emotional support animals to travel in the passenger cabin.
I’m all for emotional support animals on board when it comes to calming passengers who suffer from anxiety. What I have a problem with are passengers who bring their pets on board and then claim they are service animals in order to keep them on their laps. Don’t get me wrong, I like animals. I really do. I have one at home. His name is Gatsby and he’s a seventeen pound Maine Coon cat. But not everyone on the airplane gets excited about sitting next to the passenger who has a dog wearing a dress on their lap. A lot of people are allergic to pet dander, so it’s my job to remind passengers that their pets must remain inside their carriers during a flight. The only pets that are allowed out of the carrier (on my airline) are celebrity animals (for real) and service animals. That’s it. Case closed.
While doing a little research, I came across an interesting bit of information. “Did you know there are horses that are considered emotional support service animals?” I asked my mother who is also a flight attendant for the same airline I work for.
“Not horses. Small ponies,” she corrected. Before I could even comment, my mother who was now laughing said, “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you call a couple airlines and tell them you’d like to bring a small horse on board in main cabin. See what they say.”
Yeah. Okay. Maybe later.
Recently during boarding on a flight from San Francisco to Chicago, I walked into the first class cabin and spotted something I could not believe. On top of a tiny petite woman sat the largest emotional support lap dog I’d ever seen. Shaggy and well-behaved, he was almost as big as the owner who did not have the proper paperwork to prove that the dog was in fact allowed out of its carrier. Oh sure the dog was cute, but half the cabin claimed to be allergic to it and no one wanted to sit by it. Finally, when it became apparent that we weren’t going to depart until the situation had been sorted out, a man reluctantly agreed to sit by the oversized, but very sweet, dog. Eventually an agent appeared who confirmed he had seen the dog’s paperwork, and then quickly he shut the aircraft door and waved goodbye.
Later on during the flight I pulled the beverage cart to the front of the cabin, and as I passed by a passenger, an adult man sitting in an aisle seat, I couldn’t help but notice a very large sock monkey he cradled in his arms. O-kay, I thought to myself. Then I wondered if maybe, just maybe, it was an emotional support sock monkey. Hey, ya never know. Finally when I got to his seat, I smiled, asked what he’d like to drink, and then tried to make small talk.
“Cute monkey,” I said, because it was kind of cute. It wore a flannel shirt, corduroy pants, and wire rim glasses just like the passenger. “He looks like you.”
The passenger held up the monkey and giggled, but it wasn’t a crazy giggle, not a I’m-a-grown-man-cradling-a-sock-monkey kind of giggle. It was just a regular old laugh. Still, I wanted to know more, so I asked, “Did you make his clothes?”
“She did,” he said, nodding to the woman sitting in the middle seat who was now looking at me and smiling brightly.
Back in the galley I told the crew about the man with the monkey, and as I did so I cradled my own imaginary monkey that I unknowingly began to pet. This alerted a few of my coworkers who exclaimed, “He’s petting it!”
“No!” I dropped the imaginary monkey on the floor.
“Just tell me he’s not spanking it?” asked the joker in our group.
I laughed. “He’s just holding it.”
“That’s okay,” said my colleague who then went on to tell me about the time she asked a passenger to put her cat back in its carrier, only to find out that the cat wasn’t real. It was stuffed. “It was breathing,” she exclaimed. “I kid you not, its little tummy went up and down.”
As we pulled the pickup cart back up the aisle, I noticed the passenger with the monkey was not in his seat. I assumed he’d gone to the lav. What I found in his place surprised me. A big yellow banana sat straight up in the chair, right beside the monkey, and both had been buckled in tightly, which was good, I guess, considering the fasten seat belt sign was on.
When I told I told a friend about the monkey man, he seemed intrigued. Then he asked, “Do ya think if I dress it up I can bring an emotional support case of beer on board my next flight?”
Uh, no.
Of course just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else happens. Take for instance the time I came upon a passenger and his fluffy little dog standing in line to use the lavatory. “Sir, I’m sorry, but your dog can’t be out of its carrier,” I told him.
“He has to use the bathroom.” It was said matter of fact.
“Oh. Okay,” I said, and then slowly walked away thinking, bathroom? How?
“Oh my goodness, how cute!” I heard a coworker shriek. I spun around and saw my coworker down on one knee petting the dog. When she stood up, she said, “He’s so adorable, but he needs to be in a carrier.”
Again, matter of fact, the passenger said, “He has to use the bathroom.”
“Oh. Okay,” she said, as if what he had just said were the most logical thing in the world. The two of us locked eyes and didn’t say a word.
When the man and the dog entered the lavatory, we, the crew, discussed the situation. None of us had a clue as to how the tiny dog could possibly use the toilet, so we weren’t exactly sure what to do. Finally I decided to take matters into my own hands and just ask. I was curious. We all were. When the two suspects exited the lav and returned to their seats, I followed. Turns out the passenger placed a special “wee wee” pad on the lavatory floor that he discarded after it was used.
“Oh. Okay,” I said, as if it all made perfect sense. Immediately I returned to the galley to report what I had learned and to discuss if that was…well…even allowed on board. I mean…well….forget it…just remember this story next time you go into the lav without your shoes on.
Now say hello to Shebang, a celebrity dog I’ve never met…
If you think long distance dating is difficult, try being married to an airline employee. It ain’t easy. Because working for an airline is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle, a very unusual one. Even now, seven years later, my husband, a man who travels more often than I do, doesn’t completely understand how things work in the aviation industry and will often times get frustrated whenever we’re discussing our travel schedules. That’s because my schedule, much like a pilot’s schedule, can change at a moments notice, making it difficult to create long term plans. I work holidays and weekends and I’m away from home for days at a time. Not many people can handle that.
Pilots, for the most part, are type A personalities. They’re logical thinkers who remain calm, cool, and in control as they command the aircraft. Think Captain Sullenberger. There’s no room for emotion when faced with ditching an airplane into the Hudson River. Flight attendants, on the other hand, tend to be caretakers. We can pretty much make do in just about any situation. There’s a reason why so many flight attendants end up on reality television shows like Survivor, Amazing Race, etc. Now they say opposites attract. I believe it. So is it any wonder that many pilots and flight attendants wind up having relationships with people who are completely different from themselves? Quite a few pilots tend to choose nurturing types like flight attendants, nurses and teachers, while a lot of flight attendants seem to get involved with pilots, police officers and firemen. Makes sense.
In my last post, The Bachelor – pilots, fashion & a few pilot fashion tips, I mentioned that I’m a fan of the reality television show The Bachelor. Well it just so happens that this season the man in command of the rose ceremony is a pilot named Jake. I truly believe that Vienna, one of the final four contestants, will be the last woman standing. What can I say, I always go for the underdog. Also, I admire strength in the face of adversity. Oh, sure, Vienna’s a little immature, sharing intimate details of her dates with Jake that would have been better left unsaid, but she’s young, thinks she’s in love, and excited about what the future may hold. No one is perfect. So why would I choose the wild child who rubs everyone the wrong way, the woman who snuck into bed with the captain of her dreams only to be turned away and sent back to where she came from? Two reasons: 1. She has the type of personality that can handle life as a pilot’s wife. 2. The psychological effect of fear.
In college I studied psychology and wound up taking a class on human sexuality. That’s where I learned all about the power of fear. It can paralyze a person. I can’t tell you how many passengers I’ve met over the years who are afraid to fly, who completely freak out at the mere hint of turbulence. Fear can also save a life. It’s called your sixth sense. One should always trust it. You may be surprised to learn that fear also has a lesser known, more interesting effect on humans. It has been shown that men find women more attractive when they’re scared.
Remember Jake’s one on one date with Vienna? More specifically, remember the bungee jump nervous breakdown? Jake, it turns out, is afraid of heights. But he’s a pilot! I know. How can a pilot who spends a majority of his time at 30,000 feet be afraid of heights? Simple. In an airplane Jake is in control. But jumping off the side of a bridge is a completely different story. So when Vienna, quite naturally, found herself comforting Jake as he tried to catch his breath before taking the giant leap, I thought to myself, perhaps she’s the one. Finally, hand in hand, Jake and Vienna took the plunge. That’s when I knew she had an edge over the other women in the house. Then, as the two of them bounced a few feet above the ground, face to face, embracing each other tightly and kissing passionately upside down, I felt like she might be the one to walk away with the final rose. I’m glad, because I think Vienna is perfect for Jake.
Early on in the show Vienna was scorned by the other women in the house. Basically she’s pretty much been on her own from the very beginning. It takes strength to put up with a house full of catty women, and Vienna handles it with a smile on her face. Whether or not you like the girl, you have to give her props for dealing with a difficult situation quite beautifully. I don’t think I would have been quite so nice. This tells me that Vienna is a survivor. I mean if she can handle Ali’s temper tantrum at the second to last rose ceremony, she can handle just about anything. Not to mention, she also seems like a lot of fun, capable of putting a smile on Jake’s face in any situation, even the awkward ones.
Jake should choose a woman who is not only nurturing, but also independent since she will spend half the month alone. Jake will be away at least twelve days a month. Because of this he needs someone strong, confident, and loyal, a woman who can deal with last minute changes and can also make spur of the moment decisions that include back up plans A, B, & C – just in case something goes wrong, because when you work for an airline, something is bound to go wrong. Take it from me, a flight attendant, this is not an easy combination to find in a partner. Here’s why the other women are all wrong for Jake…
GIA: Smart, sweet, and drop dead gorgeous, Gia has it going on. She’s the perfect woman. If I were a man, she would be the one. If Jake weren’t a pilot, I would root for her. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Gia ends up one of the last two women standing at the alter. But because Gia admitted in the last episode that she doesn’t always feel secure, which is not a good thing when married to a person who isn’t always around to boost the ego, I don’t think she’s the perfect match for Jake.
ALI: No doubt about it, Ali is the most outspoken woman in the house. At times she comes off as a you-know-what. Instead of focusing on Jake, she’s chosen to put all her energy into hating the competition, Vienna. Not a good sign. Marriage is work. It’s not easy to remain focused on the positive, on what made you fall in love with your partner in the first place without life distracting you from what’s truly important. Can a person prone to jealousy and negativity handle a life with someone who is constantly surrounded by adoration from both men and women? I doubt it.
TENLEY: Sensitive and sweet, she’s a likeable girl with a big heart. I can see why Jake would be attracted to her. But in the long run, she might be too fragile for Jake’s lifestyle after being involved in a failed marriage to the one and only man she’s known intimately, a man who abandoned her for another woman. Jake’s a pilot. Each and every month he will have to leave her in order to go to work. Is Tenley strong enough to handle all those nights at home alone? I don’t think so.
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Don’t forget to tune in tonight at 8pm on ABC for the exciting hometown date episode of The Bachelor.