For those who want to travel the world but not have to pay for it, becoming a flight attendant may be an attractive option to achieve this dream. Just think about all of the different destinations flight attendants get to visit each week – and they get paid to do it!
It all seems like fun and adventure from the outside, but being a flight attendant is a stressful and high-pressure job. You’re constantly on the move and responsible for keeping hundreds of passengers safe in case of an emergency.
Before you start sending in job applications for a flight attendant position, you should be aware of the realities of what it’s actually like to have this job.
Get Paid to Travel
Let’s face it, being paid to travel the country or even the world is a pretty sweet setup for flight attendants. They get put up in hotels and receive meal vouchers until they have to catch their next flight home. Sometimes they spend a few days in a different country, which they’ll explore and sightsee.
This is definitely a great benefit of being a flight attendant and one of the major reasons someone chooses this job. Plus, flight attendants and their family members get discounted or even free flights sometimes.
No Consistent Schedule
If you’re someone who relies on a daily routine, you might not do well as a flight attendant. You’ll work very odd hours, especially if you have to be on a redeye flight. You may also go a few days without working, while some weeks you’ll work back-to-back shifts.
You should be flexible and ready for anything, mainly because you’ll be on call a lot. This could be a bad or a good thing, depending on your personality and preference, though.
Extensive Training
Before you can become a flight attendant, you’ll undergo extensive training and courses. While most new employees of standard businesses have to go through some kind of training course like that provided on hsi.com, flight attendants have an academy that they must graduate from.
This academy will prepare you for intense and high-pressure emergency situations, as well as how a plane works, how to inspect a plane, and more.
Can Get Lonely
Since you’re traveling all the time, it can get lonely being a flight attendant. It’s difficult to have relationships because they almost feel like they’re long-distance at times. However, you will meet some pretty incredible people while traveling and while at work since most of the time, you don’t know your fellow attendants before getting on your next flight.
Learn Great Social Skills
As a flight attendant, you’ll learn great social skills due to meeting so many different people all the time. You’ll also enhance your customer service skills as well, thanks to handling sometimes difficult passengers on flights.
So, now that you know just some of the realities of being a flight attendant, it’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s worth it. Of course, this job is great for some people while others may prefer something more traditional.
