And I wonder why I went to college??? LOL...

http://www.airlinecareer.com/articles.htm?article=100

I am just curious what YOUR reasons would be to be a flight attendant. And...are there any male flight attendants? Cause I don't think I have ever seen one. Would any of you venture out into this line of work just to have more access to your hobby?

yeah, there are a lot of male attendants... seeing your high respect rating I'm surprised you didn't know that.
Attaining an RR of over 30 with 90+ posts........WOW!
-UN

One reason could be: "because I love aviation"

I´ve seen male flight attendants in AM and LH.

LH is where I´ve seen most guys as attendants.

I prefer young female attendants.

1. Flight Passes
2. Good pay (after putting in a few years)
3. 22 days off per month (after putting in a few years)
4. Extremely flexible hours
5. Easy to control earnings (want more money, fly more, want less, work less)
6. Flight passes
7. Great places to work if you're gay, great place to work if you're not
8. Being around and on planes all the time
9. Getting to stay in nice hotels and eat in nice restaurants all the time, paid for by the company
10......... FLIGHT PASSES

Yes there are a lot of male flight atts out there,,,,,,Who are you flying?,European or japanese airlines?..anyways i will tell you a few good reasons i been a flight att for the last 7 years with FIVE airlines,yes,FIVE!!!! Reasons: #1 never wake up early to go to work(once you got seniority) #2 you see your supervisor maybe twice a year #3 most of the time you working with beautiful women #4 been around the world more than one time at my airline"s expense(paid flight,paid hotel) #5 you build up your schedule the way you want it with up to 18 days off a month #6 you get a lot of phone numbers from pax's(man or woman) #7 you can visit your friends any where in the world with out looking at your wallet(free travel) #8 thanks to the preassure on the cabin your skin will never be oily again .And these are just a few of the good reasons I am a flight att.Now,if you ever want to know good reasons not to be a fligt att,ask me ,because not everything is cookies and cream.

Towerair,

What are some bad reasons?? Isn't Your schedule always up in the air??(LOL...no pun intended).  

What about family? Isn't it hard to have a relationship, let alone a family while traveling so much?

I can see how this would be an ideal job for someone my age...but most attendants that I have seen...are older...like late 20's early 30's.

The more I think about this job...the more I think I would love to try it. I LOVE traveling and meeting new people...Plus, I think I am friendly, fun and would help people who are scared to fly...relax.

- Irisa

Well, I want to be a F/A for a few years, but not as a long-term career. However, my reason would simply be the thrill of flying and just the love of it.
Even being an agent (when not furloughed,   ), I absolutely loved it. Not only because of the benefits, but because it made me happy.  

"Are there any male F/A's?"

What rock have you been living under? I mean have you ever actually walked through any airline terminal anywhere in the world? There are lots of male F/A's.

By the way Gallo, don't compliment her, it makes her mad......yeah right.

I'm shcoked that yo'uve never seen any male F/A's. There have been tons on all the airliners I've flown. (Alright, that's only Canadian and British carriers.) I guess it depends on the airline, but you will find we have plenty of male f/a's on airliners.net. Too many, in my opinion!

Just kidding Kevi  

LOL. I'm kinda partial to being the guy up front... (No disrespect intended to F/A's)

1) you get to fly often
2) you don't have to actually FLY the plane
3) FREE FLIGHTS!!!!!
4) Hot Female coworkers
5) benifits
6) connections so that you can work your way through the ranks
7) free HOTEL nightly
8) Free Flights for the family
9) ITS FUN!!!!!
10) its basicly acting... I'm an actor!!!!!

i want to be a FA but only to start and learn about the industry

why any straight male would aspire to be an FA is beyond me.

why any straight male would aspire to be an FA is beyond me.
****************

How about traveling around with a handful of beautiful women all day, and then spending the night in the hotel with them, then laying around on the beach half the day, then flying home again ...never to see them again unless you want to....

Jeremy

TT737FO gee what a surprise you are an FO at JAL...let me guess contract work. I really don't get your statement TT737FO..There ARE a lot of straight FA 's out there. Who cares if there are a lot anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I respect the fact you are a pilot, but you know sometimes actually talking to the crew is an important part of the total crew resource training.

You must be 1)taking Viagra 2)working on third marriage 3)paying alimony 4)trying to pick up any female FA because you think you are cool no matter you are in your 40's etc etc etc...and you probably shy away from talking to any of the male FA's because you think we are all gay (nobody is going to make a move on you believe me)... Typical .....Don't get mad, see that would be me assuming you are an idiot just like you probably assume all of us are gay.

Just by you saying "aspire" you insult FA's in general and straight FA's too. You show that you think FA's don't really do much of anything as a job and you think you are better than us lowly FA's. I have flown with your type before, don't worry we think you guys fit into the above mentioned categories.......don't rush back to work in the States because things have changed since the 50's. It isn't just coffee tea or me. Most IMPORTANTLY, in the backlash of 9-11 we are now, more than ever before, your first indication something might be wrong behind those thick kevlar doors that keep you safe.

We "aspire" to be FA's because it is an easy job, we work 8-13 days a month, get to see a lot of interesting places and meet a lot of great people, and don't forget the passes and cheap travel.....oh and we usually work with a lot of cockpit crews. and the list goes on.

Anyway, conversation is usually a good place to start, so before you leap to a judgement or two, talk to us, you might find you have more in common with us than you think.

Gay f/a? Straight f/a? Male flight attendant? Female flight attendant?
WHO CARES!?!?!??!? Each individual has likes/dislikes. Enough with the labels. Have a good time flying, be safe and lose the stereotypes.

Went sucker fishing and got a bite! Just stirring the pot, DTW.

CRM? Still a foreign concept at this carrier but getting better. Depends a lot on the Capt, sometimes it's difficult in the cockpit let alone extending to the entire crew.

Actually, a great many FAs I have met and consider friends are retired military--many served in a crew chief capacity...they are in it now for the travel benefits. I also know one at America West who is a retired prison guard.

In answer to your questions: 1. Not yet. 2. Working on second (Hawaiian Air FA) 3. Nope, I got lucky...she made more than I did when I was a Capt at a national. 4. 37 and there's a bit of a language/cultural gap over here.

This is coming from a former F/A (MALE) with the original Frontier:

1. Terrific people to work with
2. Flight passes
3. Don't have to take the work home with you
4. Varying schedules
5. Great training that can be used outside the airline (language, first aid)
6. Making a kid smile
7. The teamwork
8. Nice hotels on layovers
9. Meeting up and serving with people you trained with months, sometimes years later - its like going to a class reunion.
10. Pride in knowing that it is not easy to get hired, get through training and start flying. When you have gotten through that - the actual job is easy.

I've been out of the biz for 17 years now (never went back after Frontier stopped flying). I understand it is much more of a challenge now, but friends still flying tell me they won't quit.

Jim

1. You don't work in an office.
2. You get to travel.
3. You meet interesting people.
4. You make good $$.
5. Plenty of single guys available at work.

Also, YOU GET TO FLY FOR A LIVING!!!!!!

No one ever answered my question...

Isn't it hard to have a family and be in this line of work? I knew this woman who lived near my family and her son got injured one day and she couldn't come home right away cause she flying to Paris. We ended up taking him to the hospital.  

It all depends upon the person and the family. Pilots and F/As does spend time away from home but they are home for the majority of the month. What you need to understand is that you must juggle your life to make sure that your spouse and children are taken care of.

I know several pilots for AA, CO and NW. All are happily married and have children. They are gone 10-12 days a month but make sure that they schedule their flights around family obligations or as close to it as they can get. So if I'm flying 757s Monday-Wednesday then Thursday to Sunday I am with my family. Driving the kids to practice, cutting the grass, doing the odd jobs and making sure my wife is 100% happy! It is a different lifestyle that you have to adapt to. If you love your spouse and family though it won't be difficult.

It seems like it would be a great life for those who would like to maintain a family and yet live on the wild side. It would be great to be the only male steward and have sex with all the female co-workers on a long trip then come home and have sex with your wife, then go to a different base again and have sex with your other wife. What a wild month that would be........
 

My ten reasons I love being a FA are:

1. Unlimited free travel.
2. Flying and getting paid for it.
3. Having fun on layovers
4. Meeting lots of cool people everyday
5. All the soda pop and pretzels I can eat
6. Playing practical jokes on other flight crews
7. Playing practical jokes on passengers.
8. Crotch checks (Seat Belt compliance)
9. Big breasted women during turbulence (flight deck really likes that one)
10. Free magazines

Drewwright...You crack me up.  

I have flown on Southwest a couple times this past month and there were male F/A's on each flight segment. At least one of them looked and acted somewhat less than straight but hey as long as they dont make a pass at me its all ok.

There was a pregnant female F/A on my last flight. Now you know why they call it the LUV airline  

A few of the male F/A's I saw actually looked quite a bit older than you would expect. I mean, grey hair and looked mid 40s at least if not 50! Most of the F/A's were not young early-20s looking. I flew on Delta in December '02 and theirs looked a bit older on average than WN.


bruce

I'll stick to becoming a barrister...

In view of all my previous posts regarding the subject (that were oh so popular...)....I won't comment.
I'll just second the above comment by [email protected]

I just prefer a position that makes some serious $$$.

But good luck to you all.

Brgds.

I'll give you 10 good reasons:

1) Fun
2) Fun
3) Fun
4) Fun
5) Fun
6) Fun
7) Fun
8) Fun
9) Fun
10) Fun

 

Chris

I just prefer a position that makes some serious $$$.

I couldn't careless about the money - I care about helping people.  

Me too...from the drivers seat of my M5.
Brgds.

TT737FO,
Good to see you have a sense of humor....I have heard about CRM at JAL..not very developed. The FO I know actually got punched by the CA because he second guessed the decision and when the FO brought it up again, another punch...At least you get some different experiences over at JAL.. Doesn't JAL fly the BKK route with a good number of MD-11? I thought they used to. Your contract is for two or three years?
Flygirl757,
sure being away for 10 to 13 days a month is rough, but then again, being home for 17 and not having to work is pretty nice too. My wife loves the free travel too, so....works for me.
Most senior FA's at NW only fly 9 days a month 3X DTWNGO or when we actually did it DTWPEK...six months a year they take vacation time which comes out to doing only two 3 day trips. So, as everyone knows, seniority is everything. Also one of the reasons it is hard to get these folks to retire so we don't have to be stuck with CLE FAR ABE layovers!!!
Fly Redtails

Can I try and give a little personal and objective perspective on the subject?

There are tons of straight FAs but I would say, with no fear of making a mistake, that gays are a majority.

Young males (gay or straight) are basic horny tips in the mood for party and fun. Being an FA is the ideal job to do so. What other job gives you the opportunity to meet a lot of people in different places for short lengths of time?

Problem is that straight guys eventually go on to getting married and having kids, and it does get more complicated to raise a family with such a job. Gay guys eventually get "married" as well, but in almost every situation kids are not involved and gay relationships tend to be more open (of course not all of them). Besides there is the "glamour" factor, don't you agree? Research shows that gay men spend more o travel and personal care than straight adults (male or female). And really, what is the problem with looking for a job that matches your lifestyle?

Please, consider this as a generalization and it does not fit all situations.

Have fun and take care...

Rafabozzolla,

That makes sense...but I still haven't seen that many male flight attendants. But I suppose you have to be a feminine man to smile and do the whole "Price is Right" motions with seatbelts.  

On the family thing: On one of my last flights on Go, there was an announcement, that the steward had just become a father... There was applause and everything - but after all, he could not be there for the birth, poor fella.... that is, if he wanted to be there  

If it weren't for the "having to be around (and interact with / slavishly serve / endure) people all the time" bit, the job would be appealing to me. But, as it is, no thanks...

No chance to look out the window and lots of chances to be shouted/moaned at....

the job allows you to become a citizen of the planet, not just a citizen of the city or state where you reside. my sons have taken on the "it's a small world" attitude about life, and nothing could make me more proud.

it changes everything.

meeting PEOPLE with such different life experiences and outlooks are what really educates a person. from heads of state to celebrities to executives to the family headed to disneyworld for the first time, they all have a story. i don't always need to hear the whole story, but i've learned everybody has one.

the pay is good after a few years.

the ability to set my own work schedule (which comes after several years) is priceless.

the ability to physically visit with relatives that live a continent away is nice.

and about not flying to pursue a hobby...my scheduling flexibility allows me to vigorously pursue my hobby.



THERE DEFINITELY ARE DRAWBACKS.

i'm away from my family much more than i'd prefer.

some of the relatives who live far away expect your attendance at even the most trivial events.

the airline industry, in general, can be very stressful. it's a big decision to get a mortgage on a house, or even to buy a car, knowing that you're in such a cyclical business. i've been lucky and have never been furloughed. i work for a viable airline.

you frequently don't get enough sleep. get real tired of the way i pretty much have to eat when i work. way too much fat, sugar and pre-fab food.

you are critiqued and/or criticized by every single person that is on every single flight you work. in the eyes of our managers and our customers, we are never allowed to have a bad day. bad moments are discouraged.

working so closely with the travelling public is not an easy thing to do. we are dealing with a very personal part of their lives. they want/demand that things go smoothly and their way. someone looking you right in the face and telling you your work performance sucks and that you're a moron is not an easy. but you have to because it's part of the job.

i wouldn't want to do anything else. there are days, MANY days, that you'd like to walk out of that airport and never look back. but you always do becuase it's a good life.

OK...and I know I get critical...please comment on my thoughts below. Am I spot on...misguided...or somewhere inbetween?

a. You basically do the same thing every day....day in and out...for your entire career (how many different ways are there to serve a coke?). Seniority is not what I'm talking about because you're still serving stuff out of the galley--just possibly out of the forward one.

b. The pay...at any grade...basically sucks. Admit it. I don't know any f/a's that live well on what they make. And I know a few (and have lent money to a few as well!).

c. It's not a great use of any intellectual capital (a highschool graduate can become a f/a). Do you have other interests/business/hobbies to keep you occupied.

d. There are plenty of jobs that require travel that do not have these limitiations. I fly for free too...cause I fly 300,000 miles each year. Just on the 'sitting' end.

e. Is it as physically tiring as it looks? Or do you get used to it.

f. Are there time when you actually hate the travelling public? What do you do?

I'm not starting an argument, but can someone respond to any or all of the items (in a nice fashion).

Brgds,
Greg/
I'm looking for a discussion...not an argument.

Greg:
a) applies to most jobs
b) no idea, I'm not in the business
c) neither are most enjoyable occupations / pastimes
d) mmmmmh
e) no idea, I'm not in the business, but my best guess is: YES
f) I don't think they'd be human if they didn't. I know I would, 24/7.

Well Greg, I'm not a flight attendant, but I've worked in the airline business and I definitley want to apply for a job as an F/A after finishing the university (yes, I hate my major, I rather do something interesting for a living). So I think I can give you an answer.

a. You basically do the same thing every day....day in and out...for your entire career (how many different ways are there to serve a coke?). Seniority is not what I'm talking about because you're still serving stuff out of the galley--just possibly out of the forward one.
The thing is that you're working with people, the metal tubes are the same but your job is to work with the people inside and that's always a challenge (and it's interesting too), there are always different situations that arise that make every single day at work unique. I never ever had a boring day at the airport, the only times things got boring was when flights were lightly loaded and there wasn't that many people to work with.

b. The pay...at any grade...basically sucks. Admit it. I don't know any f/a's that live well on what they make. And I know a few (and have lent money to a few as well!).
This depends on your prioroties, but since I live in a run down third world country (well not that much but...) AM or MX pay decent salaries (starting at about 20,000$ a year), even if they're not enough to make you rich, how much money do you need?? I can honestly tell you that I don't need that much, sure i'd love to have a million dollars in my bank, but if I don't then it's no prob... If you wanna have a fancy house and a fancy car, then of course, an F/A job is not for you, but if you don't care that much and draw satisfaction from other things in life, then it doesn't really matter that much.

c. It's not a great use of any intellectual capital (a highschool graduate can become a f/a). Do you have other interests/business/hobbies to keep you occupied.
No, but an intelligent person is much better on the job.. there are many situations that require quick thinking, gut insticts, lots of critical thinking, it's not all serving drinks and throwing peanuts. Some culture can't hurt during conversations.

d. There are plenty of jobs that require travel that do not have these limitiations. I fly for free too...cause I fly 300,000 miles each year. Just on the 'sitting' end.
True, but it's different when flying is a way of life, when it's part of you're every day and your life pretty much revolves around it, it's not just getting from point A to point B.

e. Is it as physically tiring as it looks? Or do you get used to it.
Having to be on your feet and walking around all over the place for 8 1/2 hours is indeed tiring as it looks, but there's no choice but getting used to it.

f. Are there time when you actually hate the travelling public? What do you do?
It's hard, sometimes some people just push you over the edge, but in my experience, the vast majority of people are a pleasure to work with, it really makes your day when you can help someone out with a problem, making their day a bit better at least, nothing but a heart felt "thank you" to make your day, you just gotta draw on that to help you out when you're getting nagged at.

There are many arguments for and against.... but it's just up to you to decide wether it is right for you, if one chooses to follow another more profitable career, good, if somebody chooses an F/A life, great too, it's simply a matter of personal choice.

GREG................ I am a flight ATT so ill try to clear something here::
A-you do the same on most jobs with the SAME people,as a FA i never work with same people.Seniority is everything,that will make the difference between working a flight to hawaii with a 48 hour layover or working one with 56 hour layover in Bizmark,North Dakota where suicide is likely.
B-NO argument from this corner.The pay is plain bad,unless you have been a FA for 25 years or more(thats called"decent"money).
C-I have worked with lawyers,teachers,engeniers,former pilots,college people(flying,,they are now all FA)Its not about the money,Its a life style.It will not make you less intelectual.Do you know Brian williams from the news? He is a high school drop out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!These things are relative.
D-Good for you.Will you have free travel for life when you retire? Not only for you but for your spouse as well?When we land ,our work is finished and its time to have a good time.When you land,Are you going to meetings and work related duties?We are on vacation at every layover!!!!!!!
E-YYYYYYEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!! It is very tiring because of the different hours you work(among other things).
F-Im telling y ou sometimes I feel like throwing that bag of peanuts and hitting the pax right in the eye,,but that happens everywhere.There are good days and bad days,,those bad days is when the FA is to be blame for everything that goes wrong.

You brought up some good points, Greg:

a. Yes, it does get tedious at times. I often think of that slogan, "Time to make the donuts." But tedium can be found in most other professions as well. Interacting with people helps keep it interesting.

b. I'm not rich but I live better than probably 90% of the planet. I have a comfortable home, a new car and five dogs. I'm taking a vacation to Paris and Dubai next month.

c. No, it's not very stimulating, intellectually speaking. However, I am not defined by my job. It does give me the time to read and pursue other interests.

d. When flying on business, I'm done when the plane lands. I am free to do what I want. I was a corporate travel agent for many years and feel nothing but sympathy for all you "road warriors" out there. It doesn't seem like much fun. Talk about tedium!

e. It can be physically quite exhausting. The hours are long and the times inconsistent. I often crash when I get home. Evenso, I would gladly take that kind of physical exhaustion over being stressed out and mentally beaten up any day.

f. Yeah, the public can get to you if you let them. As mentioned above, however, most people are genuinely good at heart and a pleasure to be around. I find getting along with co-workers much more difficult than getting along with passengers.

Bottom line: it's not for everyone. I've sat a desk and in front of a computer and stood on my feet all day and being a Flight Attendant is much more preferable. No, I'm not curing cancer, ending poverty, or exploring the unknown but I am helping a few people have a better day. I also get mini, all-expense-paid trips all over the country (twenty hours in Bloomington, Illinois this week)!  

Thank you for the responses....and for responding in the spirit in which the question was written.

Brgds.