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Why don't they like pilots? Why are Russians the worst passengers? How can I bring alcohol on board and will I be allowed to smoke in the toilet for a bribe? About this and much more - in a frank interview with a flight attendant of one of the Russian airlines to the travel portal “My Planet”.
“You came here to work, not to travel”
At first there was enthusiasm, I wanted to travel everywhere and see everything. Now I just want to sleep in a hotel. The same routes, the same cities, I’ve already seen everything. If the flight is short, after landing the plane is cleaned and we fly back immediately. If a flight lasts more than five hours, it is called a “business trip.” Then the break between flights can last from 12 hours to four days, including rest. Most often we only have time to sleep in a hotel, go to the store and eat. Nobody forbids you to go and see the country instead of sleep, but the next day you will be nothing. As they tell us: “You came here to work, not to travel.”
You can see the world on vacation. The main bonus of working for an airline is that we pay approximately 30% of regular fares. They give us tickets “for transfer”: if there are no seats, we don’t fly away. But you can look at the load on the plane in advance and estimate your chances. One time there were no seats, and I was flying at the “station” (a folding seat for flight attendants). We, the flight crew, have the right. But airline ground workers, who are also given discount tickets, do not have this right. The privilege is dubious: sitting on a stool for almost eight to nine hours.
Some flight attendants, when flying as passengers, manage to help “their own” in the kitchen. This is dangerous: if a person is spotted there without a uniform, they can be fined. And some, on the contrary, relax to the fullest. Once our flight attendants were flying on vacation, got drunk and became rowdy. True, they were not fired, but they were permanently deprived of the right to discounted tickets.
You can’t complain - they’ll figure it out right away
The management's attitude towards us is absolutely disregardful. If a passenger writes a complaint, 90% of the time is your fault. There is a whole department that sorts out complaints, calls passengers - they ask, clarify... Everything for the client. If they decide that you are to blame, they will cut your salary for six months or you will fly around Russia - every day to Samara, for example.
Where will you go? Where else will they hire someone without experience for a salary of 70,000 rubles? Only if you stand as a prostitute. So you do what they tell you. So, now, due to the fact that “the situation in the world is tense,” we are removing the planes ourselves - in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Why the “heated situation” affects these particular cities is unknown. You can’t go on strike, you can’t complain - they’ll figure it out right away. One day a colleague left a dissatisfied comment on social network, he was immediately called to the authorities to explain.
It's better to fly sick
When hiring, we undergo a serious medical examination, almost like astronauts. They check hearing, vision, vestibular apparatus, and psyche. But then everyone doesn’t give a damn about our health. For example, it is believed that flying across the Atlantic is very harmful due to the accumulated radiation. Previously, they were allowed to fly there only once every six months. Now no one is watching this, they could put four New Yorks in a row.
If the flight is long, one of the pilots goes to sleep in the “business” - special seats are allocated for them. We work without rest, although on ten-hour flights we have two seats at the “economy” end. Considering that in-flight meals are offered every three hours, and there are 12 people on the crew, that's only 20 minutes of rest per person, so no one takes advantage of this right.
It happens that we sleep only a few hours in two days. For example, if the weather is bad, you have to land in another city. In this case, we and the passengers will be taken to hotels until the weather improves and we can continue the flight. But if, due to a forced landing, the work schedule is disrupted and the replacement team cannot replace us, we work on the way back, with virtually no rest.
If during a pre-flight medical examination a flight attendant's blood pressure increases, they are removed from the flight. You fly back as a passenger, then you go to the hospital to be examined - you won’t get anything for it, but they won’t pay you either. If you just have a headache or a slight cold, it is better to fly sick.
Nobody likes pilots
Every day when I come to work, I have new colleagues. A staff of 10,000 people, 20 flights in one direction per day - there is little chance that you will end up on the same plane with someone you have flown with before.
Nobody likes pilots. Our flight is, for example, an hour and a half, we have full business class, but they don’t care: “Feed me.” Understanding pilots are rare. I try to communicate with them as little as possible, and if I work in business class, I agree with the older one so that I cook and she delivers.
Pilots mostly talk to air traffic controllers and set the altitude. Usually there are two of them - the commander and the co-pilot. We have to check in every 15 minutes to make sure they don't fall asleep. If one of them leaves the cabin, one of us sits in his place. I had no relationships with pilots. Although many date for a long time, even get married. Often pilots fly with their stewardess wives or with their mistresses - you can ask to be scheduled on the flight together.
Change class of service for a bribe
According to the rules, it is prohibited to be drunk on board. If we see that someone is drinking too much alcohol, we take the bottle away and return it only after the flight. But often alcohol is poured from printed Duty Free bags on the sly. Sometimes you notice that a glass is wet (paper cups get wet from strong alcohol) or that a person smells, but you have the right to do something only if you see a bottle with the appropriate label. You can’t say: “I know that you have whiskey in your cola” - you can’t prove it, and they can even write a complaint. The maximum you can make is a remark.
Previously, on board they could change the class of service for a bribe, or allow you to smoke in the kitchen. Now this is strictly monitored, and there are no ways to make money. Although once we were flying to Paris and one married couple hid their bottle of wine. The people were respectable, it was obvious that they were not going to get drunk. He came into the kitchen and held out a thousand: “Can we have some ice, please, a glass?”
If a couple is alone in the bathroom, there is no rule that says we have to kick them out. So you can take advantage... True, I have never had to, although I have been in the sky for ten years and my husband and I often fly on vacation. The flight attendants are constantly fussing around in the kitchen (it’s nearby) - it’s somehow inconvenient. It is better that there is no one in the kitchen or that everyone is asleep. Although the toilet is very easy to open, without a key. But this is only an extreme case.
Only drunk people cause serious problems. One day after the holidays a married couple was flying. The husband and wife got drunk, quarreled and started fighting. We took the bottle away from them, made a remark - and that was it. In fact, you are supposed to call the police at the airport and escort them to the station. But who wants to go to nowhere after a long flight and waste their time on it? If there is a lot of rowdiness and there is a risk for passengers, the decision is made by the commander. Maybe, for example, he makes an emergency landing - all tickets are cancelled, the culprit pays for the fuel spent on landing, and he is taken to the police.
Must crouch down to be lower than the passenger
As a rule, we are assigned in advance: the team consists of regular flight attendants and those who have passed the exam to work in the business department. If there are no such people (except for the senior flight attendant), they are chosen based on experience or volunteers - not everyone likes working in “business”.
When you take an order in business class, you should sit down so that you are lower than the passenger, and not from above asking: “What will you like?” Therefore, if you want to bend your back, go into “business”. This is not required, but recommended.
Why don't they like pilots? Why are Russians the worst passengers? How can I bring alcohol on board and will I be allowed to smoke in the toilet for a bribe? About this and much more in a frank interview with a flight attendant on My Planet.
“You came here to work, not to travel”
At first there was enthusiasm, I wanted to travel everywhere and see everything. Now I just want to sleep in a hotel. The same routes, the same cities, I’ve already seen everything. If the flight is short, after landing the plane is cleaned and we fly back immediately. If a flight lasts more than five hours, this is called a “business trip.” Then the break between flights can last from 12 hours to four days, including rest. Most often we only have time to sleep in a hotel, go to the store and eat. Nobody forbids you to go and see the country instead of sleep, but the next day you will be nothing. As they tell us: “You came here to work, not to travel.”
Where else will they hire someone without experience for a salary of 70,000 rubles? Only if you stand as a prostitute
You can see the world on vacation. The main bonus of working for an airline is that we pay approximately 30% of regular fares. They give us “stopover” tickets: if there are no seats, we don’t fly away. But you can look at the load on the plane in advance and estimate your chances. One time there were no seats, and I was flying at the “station” (a folding seat for flight attendants). We, the flight crew, have the right. But airline ground workers, who are also given discount tickets, do not have this right. The privilege is dubious: sitting on a stool for almost eight to nine hours.
Some flight attendants, when flying as passengers, manage to help “their own” in the kitchen. This is dangerous: if a person is spotted there without a uniform, they can be fined. And some, on the contrary, relax to the fullest. Once our flight attendants were flying on vacation, got drunk and became rowdy. True, they were not fired, but they were permanently deprived of the right to discounted tickets.
You can’t complain - they’ll figure it out right away
The management's attitude towards us is absolutely disregardful. There is only one major airline left - there are now dozens of applicants for one vacancy. If a passenger writes a complaint, 90% of the time is your fault. There is a whole department that sorts out complaints, calls passengers - they ask, clarify... Everything for the client. If they decide that you are to blame, they will cut your salary for six months or you will fly around Russia - every day to Samara, for example.
Where will you go? Where else will they hire someone without experience for a salary of 70,000 rubles? Only if you stand as a prostitute. So you do what they tell you. So, now, due to the fact that “the situation in the world is tense,” we are removing the planes ourselves - in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Why the “heated situation” affects these particular cities is unknown.
You can’t go on strike, you can’t complain—they’ll find out right away. One day, a colleague left a dissatisfied comment on a social network, and he was immediately summoned to his superiors to explain himself.
It's better to fly sick
When hiring, we undergo a serious medical examination, almost like astronauts. They check hearing, vision, vestibular apparatus, and psyche. But then everyone doesn’t give a damn about our health. For example, it is believed that flying across the Atlantic is very harmful due to the accumulated radiation. Previously, they were allowed to fly there only once every six months. Now no one is watching this, they could put four New Yorks in a row.
If the flight is long, one of the pilots goes to sleep in the “business” - special seats are allocated for them. We work without rest, although on ten-hour flights we have two seats at the economy end. Considering that in-flight meals are offered every three hours, and there are 12 people on the crew, that's only 20 minutes of rest per person, so no one takes advantage of this right.
Usually there are two of them - the commander and the co-pilot. We have to check in every 15 minutes to make sure they don't fall asleep.
It happens that we sleep only a few hours in two days. For example, if the weather is bad, you have to land in another city. In this case, we and the passengers will be taken to hotels until the weather improves and we can continue the flight. But if, due to a forced landing, the work schedule is disrupted and the replacement team cannot replace us, we work on the way back, with virtually no rest.
If during a pre-flight medical examination a flight attendant's blood pressure increases, they are removed from the flight. You fly back as a passenger, then you go to the hospital to be examined - you won’t get anything for it, but they won’t pay you either. If you just have a headache or a slight cold, it is better to fly sick.
Nobody likes pilots
Every day when I come to work, I have new colleagues. A staff of 10,000 people, 20 flights in one direction per day - there is little chance that you will get on the same plane with someone you have flown with before.
Nobody likes pilots. Our flight is, for example, an hour and a half, we have full business class, but they don’t care: “Feed me.” Pilots who understand are rare. I try to communicate with them as little as possible, and if I work in business class, I agree with the older one so that I cook and she delivers.
Pilots mostly talk to air traffic controllers and set the altitude. Usually there are two of them - the commander and the co-pilot. We have to check in every 15 minutes to make sure they don't fall asleep. If one of them leaves the cabin, one of us sits in his place.
I had no relationships with pilots. Although many date for a long time, even get married. Often pilots fly with their stewardess wives or with their mistresses - you can ask to be scheduled on the flight together.
Change class of service for a bribe
According to the rules, it is prohibited to be drunk on board. If we see that someone is drinking too much alcohol, we take the bottle away and return it only after the flight. But often alcohol is poured from printed Duty Free bags on the sly. Sometimes you notice that a glass is wet (paper cups get wet from strong alcohol) or that a person smells, but you have the right to do something only if you see a bottle with the appropriate label. You can’t say: “I know that you have whiskey in your cola” - you can’t prove it, and they can even write a complaint. The maximum you can make is a remark.
Previously, on board they could change the class of service for a bribe, or allow you to smoke in the kitchen. Now this is strictly monitored, and there are no ways to make money. Although once we were flying to Paris and one married couple hid their bottle of wine. The people were respectable, it was obvious that they were not going to get drunk. He came into the kitchen and held out a thousand: “Can we have some ice, please, a glass?”
When accepting an order in business class, you must sit down so that you are lower than the passenger
If a couple is alone in the bathroom, there is no rule that says we have to kick them out. So you can take advantage... True, I have never had to, although I have been in the sky for ten years and my husband and I often fly on vacation. The flight attendants are constantly fussing around in the kitchen (it’s nearby) - it’s somehow inconvenient. It is better that there is no one in the kitchen or that everyone is asleep. Although the toilet is very easy to open, without a key. But this is only an extreme case.
Only drunk people cause serious problems. One day after the holidays a married couple was flying. The husband and wife got drunk, quarreled and started fighting. We took the bottle away from them, made a reprimand, and that was it. In fact, you are supposed to call the police at the airport and escort them to the station. But who wants to go to nowhere after a long flight and waste their time on it? If there is a lot of rowdiness and there is a risk for passengers, the decision is made by the commander. Maybe, for example, he makes an emergency landing - all tickets are cancelled, the culprit pays for the fuel spent on landing, and he is taken to the police.
Must crouch down to be lower than the passenger
As a rule, we are assigned in advance: the team consists of regular flight attendants and those who have passed the exam to work in the business department. If there are no such people (except for the senior flight attendant), they are chosen based on experience or volunteers - not everyone likes working in “business”.
When you take an order in business class, you should sit down so that you are lower than the passenger, and not from above asking: “What will you like?” Therefore, if you want to bend your back, go into “business”. This is not required, but recommended.
Some passengers require special treatment. The airline has gold, silver, and platinum cards. They are issued to frequent fliers and mean various kinds privileges: VIP waiting room, more comfortable seat, discount and bonus programs... But on an airplane these cards mean nothing. The maximum that we can do for such a passenger is to transfer him to a more comfortable seat, if there are any available ones.
The most fun are the Chinese
In fact, the worst passengers are Russians: they constantly ask and ask for something. Foreigners are calmer. The Chinese are the coolest: they are cheerful all the time, they don’t speak Russian or English, they just smile. Now, during the crisis, mostly only foreigners fly.
The most annoying thing is when passengers ask all sorts of nonsense. When offering drinks, we always list the assortment: apple / tomato / orange juice, water, Cola, Sprite, but there is always someone who asks: “Is there pineapple?” Or, let's say it's a long flight, at the beginning of the flight we hand out menus for lunch and dinner. When I serve food, I ask the passenger: “What will you do?” “What is there?” Yes, everything is the same as what is written on the menu, nothing was delivered!
Or here's another one. There is a special compartment for animals in the luggage compartment. Some call us and ask: “Look, how is he doing?” I just want to say: “Now, as soon as I get off the plane, I’ll climb into the luggage compartment and take a look.”
Business class has a wardrobe, economy class does not. That is, there is, but only for our things. But there are always “kind people” from the staff who say: “Okay, let me hang up your coat.” And it begins: “Last time they hanged me, but you, so-and-so, don’t want to!” So I immediately behave like “evil”, I don’t allow anything to anyone. Just in case.
You came here to work, not to travel.
At first there was enthusiasm, I wanted to travel everywhere and see everything. Now I just want to sleep in a hotel. The same routes, the same cities, I’ve already seen everything. If the flight is short, after landing the plane is cleaned and we fly back immediately. If a flight lasts more than five hours, this is called a “business trip.” Then the break between flights can last from 12 hours to four days, including rest. Most often we only have time to sleep in a hotel, go to the store and eat. Nobody forbids you to go and see the country instead of sleep, but the next day you will be nothing. As they tell us: “You came here to work, not to travel.”
You can see the world on vacation. The main bonus of working for an airline is that we pay approximately 30% of regular fares. They give us “stopover” tickets: if there are no seats, we don’t fly away. But you can look at the load on the plane in advance and estimate your chances. One time there were no seats, and I was flying at the “station” (a folding seat for flight attendants). We, the flight crew, have the right. But airline ground workers, who are also given discount tickets, do not have this right. The privilege is dubious: sitting on a stool for almost eight to nine hours.
Some flight attendants, when flying as passengers, manage to help “their own” in the kitchen. This is dangerous: if a person is spotted there without a uniform, they can be fined. And some, on the contrary, relax to the fullest. Once our flight attendants were flying on vacation, got drunk and became rowdy. True, they were not fired, but they were permanently deprived of the right to discounted tickets.
You can’t complain - they’ll figure it out right away
The management's attitude towards us is absolutely disregardful. There is only one major airline left - there are now dozens of applicants for one vacancy. If a passenger writes a complaint, 90% of the time is your fault. There is a whole department that sorts out complaints, calls passengers - they ask, clarify... Everything for the client. If they decide that you are to blame, they will cut your salary for six months or you will fly around Russia - every day to Samara, for example.
Where will you go? Where else will they hire someone without experience for a salary of 70,000 rubles? Only if you stand as a prostitute. So you do what they tell you. So, now, due to the fact that “the situation in the world is tense,” we are removing the planes ourselves - in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Why the “heated situation” affects these particular cities is unknown. If you express dissatisfaction, they openly say: “Write a statement, you will fly around Russia for six months.”
You can’t go on strike, you can’t complain—they’ll find out right away. Once I left an ironic comment on a social network to a post about improving the working conditions of airline employees, I was immediately called to the department: “Girl, have you mixed up anything?” Recently it was prohibited to post photos in uniform on the Internet.
It's better to fly sick
When hiring, we undergo a serious medical examination, almost like astronauts. They check hearing, vision, vestibular apparatus, and psyche. But then everyone doesn’t give a damn about our health. For example, it is believed that flying across the Atlantic is very harmful due to the accumulated radiation. Previously, they were allowed to fly there only once every six months. Now no one is watching this, they could put four New Yorks in a row.
If the flight is long, one of the pilots goes to sleep in the “business” - special seats are allocated for them. We work without rest, although on ten-hour flights we have two seats at the economy end. Considering that in-flight meals are offered every three hours, and there are 12 people on the crew, that's only 20 minutes of rest per person, so no one takes advantage of this right.
It happens that we sleep only a few hours in two days. For example, recently there was bad weather on Sakhalin, we had to turn around to land in Khabarovsk. After an emergency landing, we and the passengers were taken to our hotels, announcing that in a few hours the weather would improve and we would try to take off again. Finally, the plane landed safely in Sakhalin. There we were supposed to be replaced by another team for the return flight. Suddenly the commander said: “Now people will leave, new ones will come in, and you will fly back to Moscow” - and we worked for another nine hours. This was just my second flight after vacation - it felt like I had never had a vacation.
If during a pre-flight medical examination a flight attendant's blood pressure increases, they are removed from the flight. You fly back as a passenger, then you go to the hospital to be examined - you won’t get anything for it, but they won’t pay you either. If you just have a headache or a slight cold, it is better to fly sick.
Nobody likes pilots
Every day when I come to work, I have new colleagues. A staff of 10,000 people, 20 flights in one direction per day - there is little chance that you will get on the same plane with someone you have flown with before.
Nobody likes pilots. Our flight is, for example, an hour and a half, we have full business class, but they don’t care: “Feed me.” Pilots who understand are rare. I try to communicate with them as little as possible, and if I work in business class, I agree with the older one so that I cook and she delivers.
Pilots mostly talk to air traffic controllers and set the altitude. Usually there are two of them - the commander and the co-pilot. We have to check in every 15 minutes to make sure they don't fall asleep. If one of them leaves the cabin, one of us sits in his place. This rule was introduced a year ago, after a pilot in Germany crashed a plane with passengers.
I had no relationships with pilots. Although many date for a long time, even get married. Often pilots fly with their stewardess wives or with their mistresses - you can ask to be scheduled on the flight together.
Change class of service for a bribe
According to the rules, it is prohibited to be drunk on board. If we see that someone is drinking too much alcohol, we take the bottle away and return it only after the flight. But often alcohol is poured from printed Duty Free bags on the sly. Sometimes you notice that a glass is wet (paper cups get wet from strong alcohol) or that a person smells, but you have the right to do something only if you see a bottle with the appropriate label. You can’t say: “I know that you have whiskey in your cola” - you can’t prove it, and they can even write a complaint. The maximum you can make is a remark.
Previously, on board they could change the class of service for a bribe, or allow you to smoke in the kitchen. Now this is strictly monitored, and there are no ways to make money. Although once we were flying to Nice and one married couple hid their bottle of wine. The people were respectable, it was obvious that they were not going to get drunk. He came into the kitchen, holding out a thousand: “Can we have some ice, please, a glass?” There was another case when men gave us perfume just like that. But this very rarely happens.
If a couple is alone in the bathroom, there is no rule that says we have to kick them out. So you can take advantage... True, I have never had to, although I have already been in the sky for five years. Once I was flying in business class on vacation with my boyfriend and had this thought, but there were always people in the kitchen (it’s nearby) - it was somehow inconvenient. It is better that there is no one in the kitchen or that everyone is asleep. Although the toilet is very easy to open, without a key. But this is only an extreme case.
Only drunk people cause serious problems. After the New Year there was a flight to Phuket, a family was flying: a wife, a husband and a small child. The parents got drunk, quarreled and started fighting. We took the bottle away from them, made a reprimand, and that was it. In fact, you are supposed to call the police at the airport and escort them to the station. But who wants to go to nowhere after a long flight and waste their time on it? If there is a lot of rowdiness and there is a risk for passengers, the decision is made by the commander. Maybe, for example, he makes an emergency landing - all tickets are cancelled, the culprit pays for the fuel spent on landing, and he is taken to the police.
Must crouch down to be lower than the passenger
As a rule, we are assigned in advance: the team consists of regular flight attendants and those who have passed the exam to work in the business department. If there are no such people (except for the senior flight attendant), they are chosen based on experience or volunteers - not everyone likes working in “business”.
When you take an order in business class, you should sit down so that you are lower than the passenger, and not from above asking: “What will you like?” Therefore, if you want to bend your back, go into “business”. This is not required, but recommended.
Some passengers require special treatment. The airline has gold, silver, and platinum cards. They are issued to those who fly frequently and mean various kinds of privileges: a VIP lounge, a more comfortable seat, discount and bonus programs... But on an airplane these cards mean nothing. The maximum that we can do for such a passenger is to transfer him to a more comfortable seat, if there are any available ones.
The most fun are the Chinese
In fact, the worst passengers are Russians: they constantly ask and ask for something. Foreigners are calmer. The Chinese are the coolest: they are cheerful all the time, they don’t speak Russian or English, they just smile. Now, during the crisis, mostly only foreigners fly.
The most annoying thing is when passengers ask all sorts of nonsense. When offering drinks, we always list the assortment: apple / tomato / orange juice, water, Cola, Sprite, but there is always someone who asks: “Is there pineapple?” Or, let's say it's a long flight, at the beginning of the flight we hand out menus for lunch and dinner. When I serve food, I ask the passenger: “What will you do?” “What is there?” Yes, everything is the same as what is written on the menu, nothing was delivered!
Or here's another one. There is a special compartment for animals in the luggage compartment. Some call us and ask: “Look, how is he doing?” I just want to say: “Now, as soon as I get off the plane, I’ll climb into the luggage compartment and take a look.”
Business class has a wardrobe, economy class does not. That is, there is, but only for our things. But there are always “kind people” from the staff who say: “Okay, let me hang up your coat.” And it begins: “Last time they hanged me, but you, so-and-so, don’t want to!” So I immediately behave like “evil”, I don’t allow anything to anyone. Just in case.
Until 1928, the functions of flight attendant were performed by the co-pilot.
How to learn to become a flight attendant for free? What is it like to fly on the same plane with a children's choir or convoy prisoners? Is it possible to brew Turkish coffee on a plane? The flight attendant told LiveJournal about the growth requirements for flight attendants, the influence of the “flying profession” on family life, and differences from waiters.
- What is the most difficult thing about being a flight attendant?
The hardest thing for me is getting up at 4 am for work. I always tell myself “the main thing is to get up, then we’ll wake up.” It is especially difficult in winter. There is no identical schedule for all days, so the routine suffers.
- Can you hear applause in the cockpit? Is it true that only Russians applaud when landing?
No, you can’t hear them in the cockpit, but we sometimes tell pilots that passengers expressed gratitude or clapped a lot upon landing. Some people think that this is nonsense, but there are such landings that it’s not a sin to clap =)
I can’t say for sure whether it’s only Russians who clap; it’s not always visible from the station, but sometimes foreigners also join in.
- How long does training to become a flight attendant take and is it expensive? Is this available to everyone?
In order to become a flight attendant, you must pass the VLEK medical commission. Also now during the interview they check knowledge foreign languages. The main language is English, but knowledge of one or more foreign languages will be a significant plus. Still, even in Russia there are a lot of foreigners flying around.
Training to become a flight attendant takes approximately 3 months. The courses cover everything related to the transportation of passengers and luggage, safety rules, medicine, psychology and much more. The documentary base is quite large, and you need to know it thoroughly. We also undergo rescue training on water and on land, we learn to put out fires in various parts of the cabin, but this is already in practice. This is followed by 30 hours of practice on the plane, and then you move from the category of trainees to conductors.
As for courses, you can study for free at the expense of the airline by signing a contract with it for several years.
Still from the TV series Pan American, created by Nancy Hult Ganis, 2011
- Are there any superstitions among the crew?
I feel like superstitions are a bit of a thing of the past. Although some of them are related to common sense. They say that taking photos before departure is a bad omen. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s probably not worth being distracted from preparing for a photo shoot.
There is also a good phrase “sleep and nutrition are the basis of flying.” And it is indeed necessary to observe pre-flight rest. The norms are even regulated by law.
Well, the word “extreme” instead of “last” is constantly used.
- Do you have a talisman? Tell us about it, please.
I am quite relaxed about jewelry and don’t really believe in talismans. More precisely, I try not to invent them for myself. It often happens that people forget something at home that brings them good luck and begin to worry and get nervous. I consider this a distraction and simply try not to create additional unnecessary worries. However, I have a badge in the shape of an airplane, which was given to me by my first instructor after finishing my internship. He is almost always with me, but it is more of a memory of a person than a talisman.
- Why did you decide to blog about your professional activities?
I wanted to write. And as it turned out, this is also interesting to someone. I would not say that I cover professional activities specifically. Here are mainly my own impressions of flights and people. And, fortunately, there are many of them.
- Approximately how many cities (and countries) have you already visited? How do constant flights affect everyday life and family life?
I didn’t count the cities, but I can say that the space for magnets on the refrigerator is almost gone. It's time to buy a second one =)
Such work, of course, affects everyday life: you can’t buy perishable food, it’s practically useless to cook if someone at home doesn’t help you eat it. You become “easy on your feet.” If previously any trip had to be thought out thoroughly and it took two days to pack a suitcase, now it takes 30 minutes to get ready.
As for my family, almost our entire family is an aviation family, so they treat my work with understanding.
Still from the TV series Pan American, created by Nancy Hult Ganis, 2011
- If not aviation, what would you do? How did you even come to the conclusion that you want to become a flight attendant?
Probably there was a desire to change the office to something more interesting to me, I wanted to travel and get paid for it. I was looking for myself in many ways, but found it in aviation. Perhaps this is the optimal activity for me: working with people, traveling and beautiful views outside the window.
If it weren’t for aviation, I don’t know... My hobbies are related to flying - this is gliding. But if you imagine that there is absolutely no way, then I would become a veterinarian.
- How do you feel when you fly as a passenger? Maybe you would like to make some comments when other flight attendants act incorrectly?
When I fly as a passenger, I just relax, sometimes I try to sleep. But I strictly adhere to the opinion that it is impossible to give advice and interfere with colleagues’ work.
- What are the strangest passengers you met while working?
Once, a children’s choir flew with us and performed almost any song to general applause. They sang very beautifully. And the flight remained in the most pleasant memories.
Several times I carried prisoners with an escort on a regular flight. The experience was, frankly speaking, interesting. By the 3rd time I was already used to it.
I also remember one passenger in a cage. It was a huge, sad Dog who began to whine pitifully when the flight attendant left him. The cage was in the rear trunk with access from the passenger compartment. By the end of the flight, almost all passengers were interested in how the dog was doing.
The unpleasant thing: a violent passenger who had to be taken down by the police.
- What is the funniest story from the flight that comes to your mind?
When we had a crew of “coffee lovers,” I sometimes took a Turk with me and brewed coffee in a shed (oven). It so happened that the last flight was almost empty. The Turka was placed in a bag and in a cart. The crew was given apples that were lying nearby. I ask the passenger in the last row what he will drink. The passenger answers “apple,” meaning apple juice. I decided to joke and took an apple from the cart. The passenger smiled and said: “Do you happen to have any candy?” I take out the take-off candy and give it to him. Since people ask for them periodically, I put a few in the cart so I don’t have to run far. Almost laughing: “Or maybe you’ll also organize some custard coffee for me?” With a laugh, I take the Turk out of the cart and, remembering the old joke, say: “You spent 3 wishes.” The passenger had to make coffee =)
Still from the TV series Pan American, created by Nancy Hult Ganis, 2011
- Are there any traditional jokes among the crew members?
Depends on a situation. But there are a lot of them on aviation topics. Mostly these are some old and funny stories.
The conductors' jokes are very specific and it will be very difficult for non-flyers to understand; moreover, I myself did not immediately begin to understand them. For example, on an airplane, space is limited and therefore there are many jokes about how to stack juice boxes.
- Please tell us about professional slang. Are there any expressions that can unknowingly offend you?
Many conductors do not like to be called a steward/stewardess and say that the profession is called “flight attendant”.
Many people are offended when they compare the work of a conductor with a waiter on an airplane. The scope of responsibilities is very different, of course. In addition to work in the cabin, there are many more things that are invisible to passengers. But personally, this doesn’t bother me, I don’t see anything wrong with working as a waiter, and I don’t have enough time to prove to everyone that there is a difference. We need to pour tea for everyone =)
- Are there any “life hacks” that make the flight even more comfortable for passengers?
If you are not late for check-in or register on the airline website, then you are unlikely to get seats at the back of the cabin. This means that the likelihood that you will get fish, meat or chicken increases.
If you are flying to hot country or from it, take a jacket with you to the plane. Short shorts will also keep you cool. The temperature on the plane will definitely not be maintained at 30 degrees Celsius, and there are not enough blankets for everyone.
If you take an aisle seat, then toilet room it will be easier to get in. And you won't have to disturb your sleeping neighbors.
If you check in all unnecessary luggage and take a small bag into the cabin, you will have more legroom.
- Why do they hire only tall girls as flight attendants?
In fact, this is a myth. Standard Requirements airlines regarding the minimum height of girls is from 160–165 cm. In business aviation they prefer to take miniature representatives of the fair sex.
An endlessly romantic world, where the bright sun always shines and the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises. Where there is always a feeling of travel and discovery...
However, often all the romance is erased because of one drunken brawler on board or conflicted ladies who believe that the world owes only them. To be the queen of heaven or just a waiter in an airy restaurant? It’s a very difficult profession, but even random people don’t stay in it.
Transaero airline employs more than 3,000 flight attendants. A wonderful girl, Anastasia, has been working as a flight attendant at Transaero since 2007, and became a senior flight attendant in 2012. It was very interesting to learn that the retirement experience is only 10 years, and the monthly flight time is 80 hours. We talked about the problems and advantages of the profession, about secrets and nuances... and we also mentioned sex on board (which everyone was interested in) :)
— What specific requirements exist during the selection of personnel for the position of flight attendant?
There are a lot of requirements. In addition to education and moral readiness, there are also requirements for appearance and height. If we talk about clothing sizes, it is up to 46 for women and up to 54 for men. Height for women is desirable at least 165 cm, for men at least 175 cm. Of course, if a flight attendant goes beyond these parameters, questions may arise to him. However, I have not encountered a situation where someone was fired due to weight gain.
— Are you confused by situations when a male passenger asks a girl to lift heavy things onto a shelf, how to get out of such a situation?
Of course, we do not have the right to refuse, but whenever possible we try to delegate such a request to male flight attendants.
— What is included in the initial training course besides the actual aviation training and safety briefings?
Also includes makeup basics, catwalk lessons, rules for wearing uniforms, combinations of colors and textures. For non-compliance appearance airline standards may make a remark before the flight.
— What is the monthly flight rate?
80 hours per month. Flight hours are counted from the moment the engine starts. In a month you can make more than 10 short turnaround flights, such as St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Frankfurt or Paris, or fly 3-4 times on long-distance relay flights lasting 10-12 hours.
— How does the feeling of traveling change? How soon did you start flying relay flights (a flight that involves a rest break at the destination) after joining Transaero?
It’s impossible to get tired of traveling; you don’t get tired of it. However, you need to be aware that the “heavenly” profession is, first of all, work, and the opportunity to see something is just a pleasant bonus that does not come immediately.
I joined the company in 2007, then the training course involved training flight attendants for most types of aircraft that the company had at that time. Within 5-6 months I started traveling on business. The company's policy is that these first months are a kind of probationary period when the flight attendant must show all his skills. best qualities. Only after this will he begin to be involved in long relay flights.
Of course, among my colleagues there are also those who realized that the sky is not their element. There are not many such guys and usually they do not have time to work even a year in the company.
— What is the further career growth for a flight attendant?
You can become an instructor, a department head, and, well... the head of the flight attendant service. 🙂 All these people continue to fly, but their main job is on the ground.
— Can you choose flights and destinations? Is there a new crew every time or are there permanent crews?
All our flights are signed by the planning department and automatic system. Of course, we cannot plan our own flights, but we have a special book in our service where you can leave a wish or request to be placed on a specific flight. For example, on your birthday you can ask to be placed somewhere where you can bask in the sun during the relay race.
And the crew is new every time. For example, on a large Boeing 747 the crew consists of 12-13 people, and on a small Boeing 737 of 4-5 people. We have a large flight attendant service, so you can fly with many colleagues just once in a couple of years.
— How do you determine who works in business class, economy class or imperial class?
Our service is divided into departments. There are cabin crew sections in economy class, business class sections and imperial class sections. You can get into business class only after a certain time of working in economy class, and into Imperial only after business and serious exams. Here, I would like to note the seriousness of the selection of Imperial class flight attendants. They receive additional training in working technology upper class Maintenance and commissioning alone can last two to three months.
By the way, there are also differences in uniform between flight attendants of different classes of service. Between economy class and business they are not significant, but imperials have a completely different form.
— Which class is more comfortable for you to work in?
I love working in business class, but every flight attendant has their own preferences. Some people like to work in economy, while others strive to work at Imperial.
— How many days do you spend away from home per month?
Very different. Sometimes, if there are several relay flights in a row, you can be away from home for 15 or 20 days.
— Disputed and drunk passengers, what should you do?
The company conducts trainings, not only for beginners, but also for experienced employees. These trainings are aimed primarily at the psychological aspects of work. You need to be flexible with conflicting passengers. Unfortunately, our legislation regarding passengers who violate the rules of behavior on board is not adapted to the aviation industry. From a regulatory point of view, an airplane is equivalent to public place and the fine for violations of law and order is minimal, but a drunk passenger here poses a threat from the point of view of flight safety. Our passengers behave completely differently on board Western airlines, because they know what responsibility they face there.
The only one effective method impact in relation to an inadequate passenger, this is the cancellation of the return ticket. This works, especially on long flights. But there is no “black list” in accordance with Russian legislation.
— How many extra/spare sets of in-flight meals are on board?
It varies depending on the type of aircraft and the duration of the flight. On average this is 10 sets.
— How much time do flight attendants rest during a long flight?
It all depends on how long it lasts. On the transatlantic this is usually up to 5 hours between the first and second round of service. Of course, at this time the aircraft interior does not go unnoticed and someone is always watching it.
— Is this option possible: fly somewhere during work and stay at the destination for the duration of your vacation, and then return on a work flight?
Unfortunately this is not possible. The vacation must begin and end in Moscow, i.e. not on a business trip.
- You got stuck in a traffic jam / got sick / unforeseen circumstances... Who will fly on the flight instead of you?
At the base airport there are always flight attendants and pilots who are on reserve. There are night and day reserves. For example, in Domodedovo they are located in a hotel opposite the airline office. Unlike office employees, we cannot attribute failure to show up for a flight to a bad mood or headache. “The performance will take place in any weather”:
On board I go out to the passengers, smile and forget that I was in a bad mood. We are like actors.
— You count your flight hours, does this make practical sense? When do flight attendants reach retirement age?
Yes, I think so. Retirement age comes after 10 years in the sky.
— What are the occupational diseases of flight attendants?
I would note varicose veins. Such work, of course, does not have a positive effect on health. female body, but it seems to me that everything depends on the physiology of a particular person.
- What about pregnancy?
From the first days of pregnancy, the girl does not fly and switches to ground service. We have a couple of active flight attendants in our company who have three children. They met in a company. 🙂
And after returning from maternity leave, the flight attendant undergoes a refresher training course, which lasts a month.
— Vacation with family. How much do you pay for a ticket?
We provide service tickets for employees (i.e., with payment of taxes and fees). Those who have worked for less than a year have the right to issue such tickets only for themselves, but after a year, this opportunity is also available for family members.
- "Well, where we do not". Pros and cons of Transaero: why don’t you change the company? What options are there and where do your colleagues go?
Everywhere has its pros and cons. I joined the company a long time ago and consider it mine until now. I think our team is our main advantage.
And they leave by various reasons. Some go into business aviation, some go to the ground, some go to other companies with other flights that are more convenient for them. Everywhere has its own nuances. For example, you can work on a private business jet, where flight attendants are often hired as managers. In this case, flight experience is not taken into account and, accordingly, all resulting bonuses are not provided. Yes, the salary there is higher, but the predictability of the workload tends to zero; this is irregular work for wear and tear.
— Old and new plane, a passenger noticed a defect, what do you do?
I always take such comments personally, which means I missed something. And, of course, it’s a shame that something is wrong with us. I would like to note that aviation has no concept of “old aircraft,” much less a direct connection with safety. An airplane is a complex mechanism that has its own regular cycles Maintenance. It all depends on people’s attitude towards technology. We are very serious about this issue. And the passenger sees only the interiors, which of course wear out over time. Over the past two years, our company has updated the interiors of most aircraft. Now they have good systems entertainment, new seats and even internet on board.
— The passenger will offer you a drink for the Brunderschaft, will you agree?
Never! 🙂
I maintain my personal space. Of course, they ask for a phone number with enviable consistency. Sometimes they immediately propose marriage, especially passengers on charter flights, but here the answer is obvious.
It all depends on the person. I can get to know a passenger, but this is an individual moment, just like outside of work. Sometimes passengers recognize me, say hello, and say that they have flown with me on more than one flight - this is nice.
— Everyone loves to write complaints, but how can you thank a flight attendant? What should a flight attendant receive for gratitude from a passenger?
The most basic thing is to say “thank you for the flight” on the way out. You can write in the guest book that is on board. You can write in the airline’s official groups on social networks and on the company’s website. Each of us has our own instructor who tracks both complaints and gratitude.
- Well, traditionally - questions about passengers and sex on board. I created a post with hidden comments with questions. So, sex on board is about 30% of the questions... From “how do you react when you notice such a situation” to asking for practical advice in finding a place on board (I will talk about this in a separate report about the Boeing 747:).
Personally, I try to discreetly not pay attention; such situations certainly happen. But here the question is very simple - if a couple decides to go “extreme” and they want publicity, they will be noticed. But imagine a Boeing 747, more than 500 passengers on board... The toilet is constantly in demand. What kind of sex are we talking about? 🙂
— Were there any weddings on board?
There were no ceremonies, but couples have been wearing wedding paraphernalia more than once; of course, we congratulate them; in this case, we can move away from the template and standards in service.
— Is the water in the toilet potable? Could the water actually run out?
Theoretically yes, but in practice I have never encountered such a thing.
— Do you play flight simulators?
No, I don't. And the boys are playing. 🙂
— Do you play hide and seek on a large plane during flights without passengers?
No (laughs), any free time is used for sleep and relaxation.
— Do you dream about airplanes?
Nooo... I dream about a lot of things, but not about work. Apparently I have enough of her in my life
— Do you watch plane crash films?
Yes, sure! Why not, if the film is good?! Even during training, we are given certain examples.
— Is the water boiling on board?
Yes, but up to 80 degrees.
— Your shape: what don’t you like that you would change?
I like everything! We have a very stylish and beautiful uniform. Of course, sometimes it happens that in hot countries it becomes a little warmer. But we all understand that the uniform is not created for wearing on the beach under the scorching sun, but for working on board, where the temperature is different.
The conversation could have been continued for a long time, but time was running out... Anastasia also told a lot interesting nuances about working on a Boeing 747, I will write about this in a separate report.
