FAQ’S From Flight Attendant Tay; Part 2
Hi, Hi, Hi!
I felt it was only necessary to do another FAQ from your fellow flight attendant friend (aka me) haha! You all gave me such great feedback after the first FAQ a few months ago. There are changes everyday in the airline world, but I will do the very best I can!
I do want you to remember that I can only answer certain questions, so if any question emailed/ DM’d to me is inappropriate or can not be answered for security reasons, I will respectfully let you know. Thank you for your understanding!
Why is flying so difficult right now across the US?
First things first, its summer flying… meaning kids are out of school and its almost a guarantee that every airport is going to be packed full of people. Second, airlines are super short staffed right now. We ask that you continue to be patient and plan extra time when flying, we have very long difficult duty days with sometimes working up to 6 flights. We feel you, and are trying to get to where you are going as fast as possible as well. (:
Do you layover in different cities on a trip?
Yes, we do. Our company provides us with hotels and transportation on our overnights. Depending on how long the trip, whether it be 2-5 days, we could end up staying in 4 different cities within only one trip.
Are you allowed to bring your own liquor onboard the aircraft?
No. It is a federal offense to bring your own alcohol onboard a plane. We have plenty to offer you onboard, hehe.
What does it mean to be based in a city?
Being based in a city means that you start and end all your trips in that one city. I have been based in DCA (Washington DC) for about 3 years and I live in DSM (Des Moines, IA) which means I have to fly to DC to start work, and then fly home when finished. Its exhausting. But on the bright side, I finally got based in ORD (Chicago) next month! Therefore, my commute to work hopefully wont be as difficult. It is much easier to just live in the city you are based in, however that is not always an option.
Do you get paid during flight attendant training?
It completely depends on the airline. I got offered minimum wage and didn’t receive my income until I graduated training with my airline. Either way, I highly suggest having some money saved up before you fly out for training.
Is the job exhausting on your body?
Yes, big time. I remember my instructor during initial flight attendant training warn us about the likelihood that we would be getting sick within the first few weeks of flying. That was me. Your body is not used to different altitudes, roughly 4-6 flights daily, or the constant climate change. It took my body quite awhile to get used to flying. Within the first year, I had about 10 bad bad ear infections! Wasn’t fun, but was worth it.
Hope I was able to answer not one but a few of your questions! I will definitely be doing another FAQ coming up. Have an awesome rest of the week!
Tata for now, XOXO Tay
