Before I begin sharing what led me to become a flight attendant,  I need to note that this story is solely my own (see my full disclaimer here). Each flight attendant has their own reasons, timeline, and experiences unique to them. I share my story in hopes that it gives those looking at this rewarding career a better idea of what they could expect depending on where in the industry they see themselves succeeding (city, company, role, etc).

When people ask about my career as a flight attendant, they’re often curious about how I got started. Why did I chose to become a flight attendant? Is it worth it? What should someone take into consideration if they want to do the same?

I applied to over 40 jobs post-graduation – I had a general idea of what I wanted, but nothing seemed to check off all the boxes:

• Flexible schedule
• Opportunities for growth within the company
• Variety in my work, but a sense of consistency as well
• Diverse group of coworkers (cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious, etc)
• Travel opportunities or move to a new city
• Speak French / travel to France
• Feeling fulfilled in what I was doing (having a “purpose” if you will)
• Healthy work/life balance
• Potential to transfer back to Salt Lake City (my hometown)

When I finally looked at being a flight attendant (I was eyeing a job with the Department of State), I was thrilled to see that it checked off each and every one of these boxes. The job with the Dept. of State had many of these same items, but with some heavy drawbacks as well (but that’s another conversation).

So with an renewed enthusiasm for filling out online applications, I began my research. Here’s some things to consider when looking at different airlines as a potential employer:

• Bases
  • My company has a “hub” in Salt Lake City. Not every company does, but this was important to me.
• Pay
  • It doesn’t hurt to compare!
• Destinations / Language-qualified flight attendants
  • I wanted a company that A. flies to France B. would pay me extra to be a French speaker on board.
• Size
  • Would you prefer working for company with 800 flight attendants or for a company with 24,000 flight attendants?
• Aircraft
  • Similar to employee count, some airline only fly 2-3 types of airplanes. I’ve lost count of how many my company flies, but rest assured I am qualified to work on each and every make, model and modification.
• Your experience
  • Have you flown on any of these companies before? Have your friends and family received outstanding customer service from your future colleagues?
• Awards
  • I enjoy working for a company that has been recognized for its commitment to diversity, gender equality, veterans, and above all, our passengers! …but really, there’s a page on the company website with over 100 awards we’ve received in just the last couple of years…
• Union vs no union
  • Be knowledgable about the companies you are applying to.

To put into more clarity how long it took for me to become a flight attendant, I created a timeline based on my experience. At my airline, we do not have straight reserve (being on call for days/weeks at a time) and I “hold a line” (have actual trips assigned to me each month) and have done so since day 1.

October: I researched different airlines

November: I applied to my airline of choice

December: Video interview

January: Phone interview

February: Face to face interview (they offered me the job that same day)

May: Training began

June: Training continued (including a few training flights)

July: “Earned my wings” and started working as a fully qualified flight attendant

*Every airline has their own hiring process and expectations. For 2018, my company received 280,000 applications for 1,500 positions. I feel extremely grateful to work where I do.

Don’t let the pretty pictures and smiles fool you (completely). There ARE parts of the lifestyle that are less glamourous. Keep in mind, when you sign that contract you’re agreeing to:

• Early morning report times
  • Hello 4:20am sign in
• Long days
  • The longest day I’ve worked was 5:45am-8:45pm, but this isn’t usually the case.
• Working various holidays
  • Thanksgiving, Labor Day, Christmas…
• Initial training
  • Emotionally/mentally draining days which can last 4 weeks to 2 months. (I did 2 months for those that care)
• Being on reserve
  • Again, some companies do it days/weeks at a time. I have 6 days on reserve a month, broken up into two sets of 3 days.
• Commuting
  • Depending on your living situation, you might need to take a flight (or two) to get to your base.
• Taking charge during a medical emergency, security threat or evacuation
  • As flight attendants, our #1 priority is ALWAYS safety. We are trained for life-threatening situations. Thankfully, you’re never alone – your crew has your back just as you have theirs.

Don’t be discouraged by this list! It’s important to have a clear, realistic approach as being a flight attendant is not a job – it’s a lifestyle. I almost don’t have the words to describe the joy that this career has afforded me. The ups, the downs. The cities, the smells. The friendships, the challenges. The GROWTH. I would go back and do it all over again because while being a flight attendant isn’t for everyone, I am happy here and I hope that others can find happiness in what they do too.

Sending you all my best wishes for the New Year from 30,000 ft.,

– Paul

Related Article: Flight Attendant FAQ