16 Facts You Didn’t Know About Airline Jobs
Most of us will go abroad at least once in our lives, and going on a plane is an exciting adventure (unless you’re one of those jet-setting travelers who basically has a plane loyalty card).
Given we spend several hours at a time with a flight crew, we thought it would be fun to learn some of the more unusual facts about their jobs.
Here’s the good, the bad, and the mildly disturbing
1. Air Hostesses Don’t Get Paid Until The Plane Doors Close
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They show up early for work to get through security and onto the plane. Once on the plane, they make sure it’s spick and span ready to fly, load up passengers, get us all sat down and belted in with bags stowed, and the plane ready for take-off. THEN, once airborne, they start to get paid. At the other end, they’re on volunteer time again while they wait for you to find the stuff you’ve managed to spread all over the plane and disembark.
2. Pilots Eat The Same Food As You…But Can’t Both Eat The Same Meal
Preferences and dietary requirements are, of course, catered to, but the staff on a plane eat the same meals as everyone else. The caveat is, that both/all pilots can’t eat the same meal.
This is because if the food is contaminated, and they get food poisoning, one sick pilot is manageable, but two sick pilots mean no one is flying the plane, while they’re occupying the limited amount of toilets.
3. All Cabin Crew Are Required To Wear An Analogue Watch
Just like in spy movies, the cabin crew is required to be able to synchronize watches to the second, meaning they are all required to wear a watch with analog hands (it can also have smart capabilities). This is a requirement for some emergency procedures, and it’s ‘no watch, no fly’
4. People Pretend To Need A Wheelchair To Get Staff To Carry Their Luggage
Having traveled as a companion to a disabled lady, I can confirm from airport staff themselves that people will book the ‘special assistance’ at the airport when they don’t need to. This service is for disabled people who can’t walk/carry their own bags.
However, this system is regularly abused by people who want to skip the security queue and have someone carry all their clobber for them. Next time you’re flying, count how many people are wheelchaired onto the plane and how many of those people walk off! The official terminology for this phenomenon is a ‘miracle flight’.
5. There Is A Huge List Of Things That Can Be Missing/Broken And The Plane Is Still Allowed To Fly
Cold weather equipment on a plane not working properly? That’s fine, we aren’t going somewhere cold. Some lights not working? That plane can go on a daytime flight. Something in the galley broken?
Just change what we serve. Planes do have a ‘minimum equipment list’, but what is actually required to fly varies depending on the flight, and means that you can fly a perfectly broken plane. Comforting!
6. Once Doors Are Closed, The Captain Has A Massive Amount Of Authority
A plane is like its own little micro-state. Once those doors closed, the captain is the big boss. Amongst other things, they can arrest people, issue fines, and even take the will of a dying person. Talk about responsibility!
7. Some Airlines Don’t Pay Pilots Or Flight Attendants For Flights That Cancel
On paper, you could argue that this is fair enough. Until you start to realize the safety implications of having to decide whether everyone gets paid or not. That hydraulic leak will PROBABLY be fine, the car has broken down and will be expensive. Trip hazards that need fixing? People have eyes, gotta pay the mortgage, it’ll be fine.
One engine missing? Steer hard right and we’ll still go in a straight line (ok you’d hope it doesn’t get that bad). Money is a big incentive to overlook things which usually won’t cause a disaster…but could. Thankfully most people take safety above money.
8. You Might Not Get A Job If You’re Too Tall Or Too Short
The requirements in terms of physical appearance for flight attendants used to be very strict. You had to be a certain height, a certain body type, you may even have been weighed. While these requirements are thankfully a thing of the past, you still need to be somewhere between around 5’3 and 6’1 to be a flight attendant.
This is to ensure you aren’t hitting your head on things constantly, can fit out of emergency exits, and are tall enough to reach things out of overhead bins.
9. No One Dies On A Flight Unless A Dr Is Present
Plane crew do not pronounce people dead. Unless an appropriate medical professional is on board and willing, anyone who has a heart attack or other incident will have to wait until landing.
Some planes have a specific compartment to transfer people to if the worst happens. On smaller flights, however, there is a very unlikely, but not impossible chance you might have to sit next to a body covered in a blanket.
10. Flight Attendants Have To Look Out For Human Trafficking
It makes sense. International flying is a quick way to move humans around. Flight crew receive training on how to spot human trafficking and what to do. In 2011 this led to flight attendants volunteering at the Superbowl to help spot trafficking of working women.
11. Planes Are Germ Petri Dishes, And Flight Attendants Know Why
That tray table in front of you, that you’ve just put your phone and your chocolate croissant on? Yeah, that’s been found to be the least hygienic part of the whole plane.
People cough on, breathe on them, touch them, and even reportedly change diapers on them. Then they don’t always get a thorough wipe down between flights, and if they do, one cloth is wiping all. Of. Them.
12. You Can Be Fired For A Whole Host Of Reasons, Including Flying While Sick
Particularly for the first 6 months while on probation, it’s real easy to get fired. Even small uniform infractions can be a fireable offense, but the major one to look out for is flying while sick. Definitely not a good look if one flight attendant with the flu passes it on to a whole plane full of passengers.
Other infractions that can cause you to get the boot include posting details about your job on social media, and posting off-duty pictures in your uniform.
13. Flight Attendants Are Trained To Deliver Babies On Board
Pregnant, but still need to travel? Flight attendants have your back! Amongst all the other intense training they receive, flight attendants can deliver a baby in a pinch.
Not ideal though, given the limited legroom and, well, hundreds of people watching.
14. Flight Crew Learn Combat And Survival Skills
While they hope to never have to use them, flight crew learn combat skills as part of their training. Not like they can just summon a police officer if things start going sideways when Chad in the middle row gets cranky. Some flight attendants are even able to use Tasers on passengers.
Staff also learn survival skills, to use and teach in the event the plane goes down and everyone has to cosy up on a desert island for a while.
15. They’ve Heard All Your ‘Original’ Jokes Before…The Nicknames Are Old Too
Yes, while they’ll smile and fake a laugh anyway, your flight attendant has definitely heard ‘Can I open a window’ before. They do usually have a sense of humor, just try a little harder with your jokes. They don’t appreciate being called ‘trolley dollies’, either.
16. The plane Is Slowly Breaking
There are cracks all over a plane’s turbine blades. They are literally slowly breaking as you fly. But don’t worry, they’re frequently inspected, measured, and replaced when they reach a certain point.
The science is down to an art form and if a plane’s blades have a few thousand more miles guaranteed, they’ll send it right back out. It’s fine.
