I'm a flight attendant - AMA!

[HighlandsExpat]

I am a flight attendant for a Canadian airline. I am based in Vancouver and have worked at this airline for over eight years. I grew up in the UK but have dual citizenship. Ask me anything!

Oh my, I've never experienced crew being told they cannot enter different cabins!

Yes, I drink the tea and coffee. The water tanks and kettles are on some sort of cleaning schedule. For the kettles, we can see them and they clearly are cleaned on a regular basis. If the water was contaminated, we'd surely see news stories about flights full of people feeling poorly after their coffee, no?

Yes, the expectation is that we sit down and then make an announcement. Same philosophy as "put your own mask on before helping another person".

I know that flight well! It's a funny thing - a lot of people seem to instinctively close the blinds even when it's a daytime flight! I personally don't as I'm like you and like to look outside. It's a gorgeous route as you fly over Greenland and get to see the coast and the icebergs.

I'm glad you enjoyed Vancouver!

Things have changed a lot around grooming during my time. They used to have a policy where no tattoos or piercings or beards were allowed and that's all changes. We had discussions during training and they outlined the standards, but it's not like some of the Middle Eastern airlines where someone is inspecting your lipstick application and telling you exactly how to wear your hair 😂😂

I might apply some powder during a long flight and some lip product but I also don't wear heavy makeup so less to deal with.

Do you always fly the same route or how are different routes assigned?

Have you or your colleagues ever had Meghan Markle on board - what wa she like?

Did you see the AA hostess a few weeks ago who praised Meghan Markle for being a great customer on SM - would she not be disciplined for client confidentiality?

Caused a long thread a few years back.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2641731-Embarrassed-and-upset-Was-I-wrong

No, we fly different routes all the time. My airline uses a bid system where I can request to work certain routes or have certain days off. Everyone submits their bids into the online system and then the software will automatically generate your schedule. If you want to change what you are assigned, you can get someone to swap with you.

The system uses a bunch of factors when creating schedules. The biggest one is seniority - the longer you've been at the company, the more likely you are to get the routes you asked for. When you first start out, you are often doing the flights no one wants to work - overnight flights across the country or flights leaving extremely early in the morning. I've been here long enough that I'm in the middle of the pack and often get what I ask for.

I am based in Vancouver, which is on the west coast of Canada and is my airlines hub for Asia Pacific and Oceania. So I work a lot of flights to/from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii, as well as flights within Canada and the United States. I was previously based in Toronto and when I worked there I flew to Europe and South America more, and to more parts of Canada and the United States.

I've never met the duchess although I have served a few minor celebrities (doubtful they are known on Mumsnet, they are mostly Canadian!). I just read the article about Meghan Markle and the note. Personally wouldn't be talking about it and I wouldn't be surprised if that particular flight attendant had a meeting with her supervisors about proper behaviour.

Social media is a real headache for the airlines because a lot of crew (flight and cabin) are trying to be influencers and film while working. Although most seem to get it and don't actually film while they are actually working.

I'd like to say thanks for some really interesting information on an AMA and actually answering questions.

Well done for finding a career that suits you; you sound experienced (and willing to share, about the starting position of inexperience) and happy. Thanks for sharing. I hope you continue to get happiness from it.

I'm glad that most people in that thread can understand the OP there was "in the wrong". Business class is sold as a premium experience, and that includes a quiet cabin with minimal disruptions. Someone walking up and down the aisle isn't the end of the world but it can be disruptive and can encourage other passengers to follow suit. We do work hard to keep the noise and light level down and that includes not having curtains being opened and closed and disrupting sleep for both business and economy classes. I do sympathize with her being pregnant but for anyone reading please know you are always welcome at the galley in the back to stretch or grab some snacks.

I have a couple of questions if that’s okay?

Firsrly, what happens if the seatbelt sign is on but someone is absolutely desperate for the toilet? I ask because I get anxiety induced diarreoha and it stops me flying because although there is a toilet, I worry about the times when I have to stay in my seat or if someone else is using it.

Secondly, is first/business class worth it? What really is the difference?

Ans finally, someone upthread asked how often people vomit which was my first thought (I’m terrified of vomit)

Would you say it’s uncommon to people vomit in their seat/without warning? And if they make it to the bathroom, what happens with regard to cleaning?

If the seatbelt sign is illuminated, we cannot force to sit down. Outside of an emergency, we have to stay in our own seats so no one is going to physically block you but they might say something to you. On most aircraft there is usually a sign above the toilet indicating if someone is in it (red = occupied).

First/business is worth it if someone else is paying or you are using points! Joking aside, it really depends on your personal finances if it's worth it. I wouldn't go into debt to travel in first or business. Premium economy is often not much more and can be worth it because the seats are larger and more comfortable.

It's rare for people to vomit. I think the sick bags at every seat is from decades ago when airplanes were a lot rougher but now planes are much smoother and there is less of that vertigo feeling. If there is a mess in the lavatory, we are equipped to clean it and will do so.

My daughter is keen to get a cabin crew role, would you recommend it as a career and any tips to focus on for an application please!

I answered this in a previous reply up thread. I would recommend it to the right person who knows what they're getting into. The pay is really bad for the first few years but eventually goes up but it will still never be a "great" income. This job is great for someone who is excited by travel and is OK with an unconventional schedule. I entered it a bit later in life so I had a much better grasp on the income and the schedule compared to when I was, say, 21.

The application for most airlines in Canada and the United States are online and they are really looking for you to demonstrate your customer service and people skills. So tailor everything to emphasize her ability to work with the public, work well under stress, and deal with changing circumstances and uncertainty. If you are screened in, you will be invited to an in-person interview where the typical interview skills come into play.

If she is applying to a Middle Eastern airlines... approach with caution. I don't have any first hand experience but my understanding is they are hiring primarily for your looks (thin, conventionally attractive, Kim K-style makeup) and the working conditions and expectations there are very different from the west. Airlines like BA will hire you for life whereas on the Middle Eastern airlines they don't seem to have any cabin crew over 35.

Hi OP from a fellow half-Canadian! I bet you know my DBro - he is a Service Director for AC out of Vancouver. He started the job fresh out of uni as a temporary thing and loved the lifestyle so much that he stuck around for 30 years.

You should have put it in a toilet bin or asked for a bio hazard bag! I would have point blank refused to touch it.

That's lovely to hear! Your brother is living the dream - I hope to join the Service Director ranks soon ♥️

Oh, I have been waiting for one of these to appear as an AMA!
I was on a long haul flight recently with a medical incident and a doctor was called who appeared from the business/first class end of the plane and then spent the next 9 hours squatting on the floor next to the unwell passenger.

My question is, in such circumstances, is the doctor/medic given any sort of compensation/thank you given they had presumably paid a significant chunk of money for their business/upper class seat and not been able to use it?!

It depends on the airline. I haven't had this situation happen in ages - I think my airline gives a discount on your next flight or a certain number of points in our loyalty program. We capture your details on board and then a few weeks later you get an email thanking you for your assistance.

Without knowing all the details, that situation sounds a bit peculiar. I hope at some point a flight attendant would have offered to replace the person giving assistance. If the situation was very serious, and the person felt they could not leave the ill person's side, I'd hope the plane could have found somewhere to land within nine hours.

Has your airline stopped or slowed down flying to the USA.

There have been some routes cut and some modified to be less frequent. Travel from Canada to the US has been dropping for months, it's all over the news here.

I don't have a question because I don't know Canadian Airline but I recently went on a flight with a UK budget airline (never again!) and wondered why the cabin crew choose it and if budget airlines are much different to others.

A highly drunk man started a fight and had to be separated from his group & unfortunately cabin crew sat him across from me and my children, he sexually assaulted a member of cabin crew, was showing people around him indecent pictures on his phone, drunkenly trying to talk to anyone who looked at him and stood up on landing and was generally horrible. Cabin crew had to deal with this man, shout at him to sit down and when he eventually passed out blind drunk had to shake him hard repeatedly to make sure he was still breathing.

Thank you. I will bear that in mind although hopefully there won't be a next time!