Let’s get one thing straight: I promise you being a flight attendant isn’t all about sipping champagne while whispering "buh-bye" to passengers in heels. Our shoes often need a tremendous amount of TLC almost fresh from the box. Sure, the job comes with some serious perks (free travel!), but there’s a lot more to the story. If you’ve ever wondered what life as a flight attendant is really like, buckle up! Here’s the honest truth—reality served with a side of if you only knew the real tea.
The Pros: Why the Skies Are Sweet
1. Free Travel (AKA Jetsetter Status)
Forget paying for flights! As a flight attendant, you get to travel the world (often for free or at a serious discount). Paris for brunch? Columbia for a weekend getaway? Im all about creating an itinerary! But don’t be fooled—most of your layovers are just long enough to binge-watch a Netflix episode and nap. I stay in my hotel (aka slam click) and I travel on my days off.
2. Layover Luxury
Speaking of layovers, staying at 3- or 4-star hotels with plush, comfortable beds is definitely a highlight. And yeah, we do raid the hotel breakfast buffet like it’s our last meal. Unlimited fruit and pastries on the go? Don’t mind the just incase we have a delay survival stash.
3. Stories for Days
From passengers bringing lizards onboard (yes, it happens) to in-flight marriage and birthday announcements, you’ll never run out of stories to tell. Ranging from wild, goofy and extremely gross. Being a flight attendant makes your life feel like a Netflix series—minus the editing.
4. Building Friendships at work
Your coworkers become your second family. Spending hours on flights together means bonding over passenger antics, shared snacks, travel hacks and the occasional inflight medical emergency.
5. Flexible Schedule
Working a few days and then having long stretches off? Yes, please. You’ll have time to pursue hobbies, side hustles, or just recover from the chaos of a flight full of screaming toddlers or adults acting like toddlers. As for me, I enjoy caring for my plants, rehydrating, researching and catching up on my latest wellness routine. If overstimulated was a person,,, its definitely us! we need all the downtime we can get and fortunately our employers know to make that available too as the lifestyle can be challenving.
The Cons: The Not-So-Glamorous Side
1. Passenger Drama
If you’ve ever worked retail, you know how challenging people can be. Now, imagine dealing with them in a confined space, with turbulence and zero Wi-Fi. “Can I have a Coke?” becomes a 15-minute ordeal when you’re serving 200 people.
2. Goodbye, Sleep Schedule (If you're on reserve)
Think you’re a night owl? Or maybe a morning person? Forget it—you’re now whatever the airline’s schedule says you are. One day you’re working a 4 a.m. flight, the next you’re landing at midnight. Your body clock officially hates you.
3. Packing Is a Full-Time Job
Living out of a suitcase is fun… for the first week. After that, you’re just shoving crumpled uniforms into your carry-on and hoping KCM doesnt send you to get randomed while deadheading out of uniform so TSA doesn’t confiscate your favorite shampoo.
4. Turbulence Is No Joke
Remember when you thought turbulence was “fun”? Try balancing a hot coffee cups during a bumpy ride. Suddenly, it’s less amusement park and more survival training.
5. The Missed Holidays
While your friends are carving turkeys or opening presents, you’ll likely be serving something less wholesome. Just know that time and a half.... is priceless!
So, Should You Do It?
If you love adventure, thrive under pressure, and can handle the occasional unruly passenger with a smile, being a flight attendant might just be your dream job. But it’s not all sunshine and duty-free shopping. It’s responsible work, unpredictable schedules, and a crash course in patience.
For every “wow, I’m in the Caribean!” moment, there’s a “why is this guy barefoot heading to the bathroom?” moment. But hey, no two days are ever the same—and that’s what makes it desirable to me.
Are the skies calling you? If so, grab your carry-on, your comfiest shoes, and a sense of humor—you’ll need all three.
Fly safe and remember: turbulence is temporary, but those layover breakfasts are classic!
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