If you’ve ever thought about being a flight attendant, now is the time to act. More airlines are hiring than ever before. For those of you still on the fence, keep reading to learn about the best part of the flight attendant job.
Free Travel-It goes without saying that flight attendants travel all over the world while working. However, they can also travel on their days off. Most carriers offer their own employees free flights, and other carriers offer free or greatly reduced rates. Don’t like to travel by yourself? No problem. The families of airline employees get free (or reduced) travel also. In addition, many airlines offer buddy passes, which allow you to bring friends along. The best part of all is that if there are first class seats available, you could very well get one!
Travel Industry Perks-Flight Attendants are typically eligible for huge discounts on other travel related items like rental cars, hotels, luggage, theme parks, etc. I’ve been able to stay at some wonderful hotels at more than 50% off the normal rate just by showing my flight attendant ID. A great perk to go with your free flights!
Flexibility-After you’ve been flying for a little while, you will be off reserve (on call) and hold a line (a set schedule). If you don’t like the schedule you get, no worries. Flight attendants have the ability to drop trips to another co-worker or to the company. If you still want to work but just on different days, you can swap your trips around to get the days off you need. I very rarely flew the trips I was assigned. I always traded them for a better layover, a different day, a later report time, etc. There is no more worrying about having to miss important events due to work. Of course, in the beginning you will have to work holidays and weekends. However, some airlines offer special passes so your family can accompany you on holiday trips.
Camaraderie-There is a certain connection between crew members, and not just with your particular airline. It’s almost like a kinship of sorts. While traveling on a different airline, the captain learned I was a flight attendant. He had my son and I moved up to first class and offered us a ride to the hotel in the crew van. There is just an unspoken rule that crews take care of each other no matter which carrier they work for.
A Travel Buddy-During your layovers, you’ll have the other flight attendants to go exploring with. Some of my best friendships have started over a tour of London or a cup of coffee in Paris. With multiple crew members on each flight, there is sure to be someone who’d like to hit the town with you.
I know people complain about the pay and long days, but the positives definitely out way the negative when it comes to a flight attendant career. If you’ve got the desire to hit the skies, go for it. You’ll be glad you did!
