It makes little girls dream and men fantasize… Yet it’s a job like any other, with its advantages and disadvantages, its clichés and realities. The daily life of flight attendants has little to do with the image that’s made of it.
Myth 1: stewardesses are all beautiful young women
FALSE. The average age has gone up in recent years, and although presentation is important in this business, the cast has little to do with Canada’s next top model. In the end, it could be men as well as women. Besides, we no longer say stewardess but cabin crew or flight attendant.
Myth 2: they have affairs with the pilots
FALSE. First of all, they are more professional than that, and in addition, they don’t have the time! There is rarely more than a few minutes during a flight when there is nothing to do, and during stopovers they generally head to different hotels.
Myth 3: Flight attendants benefit from all the countries
FALSE. Stopovers last between 24 and 72 hours… After a series of sometimes sleepless nights, the main priority is often rest! There isn’t really the time to stop and feel the warm sand between the toes. Most of the time, the best flight attendants can hope for is to jump on a bus for a guided tour of the city or surroundings before they have to re-embark.
Myth 4: they talk many languages
TRUE. English and French, of course, and at least a third language is often required, which varies depending on the airline company and destination: for example, Spanish for the Latin countries.
Myth 5: they get a lot of vacations
FALSE. Not only that, but flight attendants don’t get as many days off as you might think, and in addition the times when other people are on vacation are those when they have the most work! It’s a real mismatch: at the time when some people are leaving to enjoy the sun after months under snow, they are not watching the clock while bringing all these passengers to the destination.
Myth 6: they always work with the same people
FALSE. Regulations on working time and time changes mean crews are continuously on rotation within airlines. The first thing flight attendants do when they arrive at work, if they have time, is to get to know the pilot, co-pilot and the rest of the crew with whom they will be working on this particular flight… With no guarantee they will see them again after landing.
Myth 7: they don’t do anything but serve meals
FALSE. Do you think that after the safety demonstrations and distributing meal trays, flight attendants are twiddling their thumbs? Think again – no matter how long the flight is, they spend the entire flight responding to passenger requests, ensuring safety, taking care of people who don’t feel well, and storing and cleaning.