Here’s a question that I hoped never to have to address.
 
Q.  Are you worried about your job security in light of the rising fuel costs?
A.  Worry probably isn’t the right word.  Since I can’t control any piece of this, worrying is probably the wrong term.  But I am definitely concerned.
My seniority is such that my airline would have to go through a major reduction before I would be in danger of being furloughed (laid off).  I’m talking about a reduction in excess of 50-60%.
However, rising fuel costs without corresponding rise fares, means that airlines will continue to lose money.  …read more

This is a frequently asked question.
 
Q.  Where are you going on vacation this year?
A.  I’ve already managed a couple vacations so far this year — a long weekend in Las Vegas and two and a half weeks in Italy, to name just two.
I tend to stay around Seattle during the summer time, because it’s so darn nice here during this time of year.  I do have a couple long weekend kind of trips planned, one to San Francisco in July and one to Las Vegas in September.
I will probably do a girls getaway weekend in October, probably somewhere warm and …read more

While this is a hypothetical question, infused with a bit of humor for entertainment value, perhaps you can see the underlying issue.
 
Q.  (Asked by a 6′4″ burly looking guy, with two large (and heavy looking) carry on bags in one hand, and a cell phone glued to his ear with the other.)  Hey – put this bag up over ahead for me, will ya?
A.  Uh. . . no!
The two activities that result in the highest number of Flight Attendant injuries are using the beverage cart and lifting bags.
We are not going to jeopardize our safety, and potentially our career, …read more

This question comes from Heather, and it’s another one of those questions that I get asked a lot.
 
Q.  What do Flight Attendants do during the flight?  I know this depends on many factors like length of flight etc., but what do you guys do after serving the cabin with meals, duty-free, cleaning up the galleys and what not?
A.  I think the focus of this question is on what we do when all the work is done, so that’s the part I’ll share with you.
Once the work is done, Flight Attendants try to stay out of the aisle so …read more

Q.  Are there height and weight restrictions for getting hired as a Flight Attendant?
 
A.  At one time there were very strict height and weight requirements for the job.  Of course, there were also restrictions about age, gender, and marital status, too. 
Those days are gone.  Primarily because of law suits, and court rulings that held those restrictions were discriminatory and had not bona fide relationship to performing the safety functions of the job.
To get hired today, you probably need to meet a height and weight proportionate standard.  And while I can’t give exact numbers, it’s probable that we all …read more

This is another question that I’m asked frequently.
 
Q.  What do you do on layovers?
A.  It depends, of course, on the destination and the length of time of the layover.  Here are some typical choices:

Slam Click.  Slamming the hotel door, clicking the lock, and enjoying time alone in the room, away from people.  It’s time to read, sleep, watch television, relax, blog, whatever.
Go out with co-workers.  If I’m flying with friends or other fun people, it’s a great time to share a favorite place or to discover a new one.
Meet up with friends.  Whether it’s friends who live where I’m …read more

Today’s question comes from Chris in Tucson, Arizona.
 
Q.  Why is the Flight Attendant safety manual I’ve seen them carrying so big?
A.  The Flight Attendant Manual (FAM) is our “bible” containing information regarding the various aircraft we work on, the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’s), company policies, first aid information, service guidelines and policies, emergency procedures, and a variety of other things that vary from airline to airline.
The FAM is our reference guide.  The place we go to look up something that we don’t remember, or to double check on a policy or procedure.  It’s big because there’s so much in …read more

This question has been asked by several readers, but I’ll give acknowledgment to Sam, the first to ask it.
 
Q.  How early do you have to check in for your flight?
A.  While it varies from carrier to carrier, and is usually a negotiated part of the collective bargaining agreement, most Flight Attendants are required to check in one hour before the scheduled departure of their first flight of the day.  Flight Attendants usually have a special crew area at the airport where they check in, review any current bulletins and company information, and take care of other employee duties.
 
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Today’s question comes from a reader who asked to remain anonymous.
 
Q.  Have you ever dated a pilot?  Isn’t that pretty common?
A.  No. 
I don’t know that the pilot/flight attendant dating scene is any different than any other work environment.  Sure, it happens – both short and long term, but probably no more than lawyers dating lawyers, or teachers dating other teachers, or geeks dating other geeks.
I know that people think it is far more interesting and clandestine.  But it’s not.
 
Is there some question about the life of a Flight Attendant that you’ve always wanted to know about?  Email me …read more

Today’s question (or rather yesterday’s question) about the life of a Flight Attendant comes from fellow b5media blogger, Tris at Maple Leaf 2.0
 
Q:  Do you get airsick?
A:  Remarkably, no.  I say “remarkably” because I do get car sick. 
I don’t recall having this problem as a child, so I’m not sure when it started happening.  While it doesn’t happen all the time, and it hasn’t been a problem on the last few car trips I’ve taken, I’ve been fortunate that the problem has not carried over to the airplane.
There have been a couple of times when I’ve been sick …read more