interview

Interview with Flight Attendant

The following is an interview between Flight Attendant Worker's M.D. Michelle Sutherland and John Manson who is an experienced flight attendant.

Michelle

M: Why did you want to become a flight attendant?

J: I wanted to become a flight attendant because I was bored sitting in an office working 9 till 5 everyday seeing the same faces and doing the same routine. Whereas, as a flight attendant you get to work with different crew on each flight. You are given the opportunity meet passengers from all different cultures and backgrounds and also the unexpected can happen at any time. You also get the chance to visit cites around the world for a few days as well.

M: Where did you find the jobs as a flight attendant?

J: I located the jobs on all of airline's websites.

M: What airlines have you worked with?

K: I have worked with Thomsonfly, Virgin Atlantic and now Ethihad.

M: How difficult/easy was it to find a job as a flight attendant?

J: It is not easy getting a job as a flight attendant because you have to do different tests like English and maths you have to reach certain heights so that you are be able to reach the emergency equipment on board. You also need to do various group exercises to show them that you can integrate with different personalities and deal with conflicts appropriately.

M: Have you ever encountered any dangers or emergencies working as a flight attendant?

J: I have came across a few situations on board that has been classed as emergencies. I have had an elderly passenger collapse and stop breathing and we had to resuscitate him and deal with him until we landed unfortunately the elderly man died. I have had an emergency landing into Boston due to a bird hitting on of the aircraft's engines. The aircraft was only flying on one engine but in these situations you are fully trained to deal with them and your main concern is working as part of team and to ensure passengers safety.

M: What was the recruitment process that was used my the airline companies? (ie telephone interview, one to one interview, assessment center, on line tests etc.)

K: Airlines normally follow a structured recruitment process which means filling out an application Form, Interview Day, team assessments and finally a personal interview which is used to assess your personality and approach to different situations.

M: How much did you earn?

J: Your salary gets broken down into sections you get a basic salary then flight pay which means you get paid a certain amount per hour that you are on duty. You also receive commission from the sales of the on board such as from the bar and duty free. Also, if you are required to stay in the destination that you are flying to, you get cash in advance to spend on meals etc. Basically on a busy month like July in the summer and you work hard you can walk out with £1300 a month and a quiet month just over £1000.

M: How do you get better routes or jobs in the airline industry?

J: Basically to get long haul good flights you will be assessed every flight that you are on by your cabin manager and if you attain good assessment results you will be moved onto long haul flights to better destinations.

M: If you could give any advice to someone that wants to become a flight attendant, what would it be?

J: There are a few things that I would advise when going for a job as a flight attendant.

• Make sure you show recruiters that you are capable of handling passengers safety and security.
• Make sure you provide specific examples of exceptional customer service
• Watch a video on the role as a flight attendant. These videos are normally available on all of the airline's websites
• Make sure that you know all facts about the airline before the interview
• At all times smile and show confidence
• Dress smartly and hold your head up high
• Be caring and patient when it comes to dealing with elderly and disabled passengers
• Use your common sense and use your own initiative, Always be a smart thinker

M: What are the advantages and disadvantages of working as a flight attendant?

J: The main advantages to me were:

• Meeting new people from all different countries and cultures
• The ability to work early shifts and socialise for the rest of the day
• Staying over in various countries for a few days
• Having a 6 days on the 6 days off

The main disadvantages to me were:

• Having to get up as early as 3 in the morning
• Delayed flights which causes chaos with passengers

M: How do you deal with difficult customers?

J: Normally, I always listen to what the customer has to stay without interrupting and above all resolve the issue and never blame anyone else.

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