Life As A Flight Attendant - My First Trip
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During the short time I worked as a Flight Attendant, one particular flight comes to mind that didn't go exactly as planned.
In order to graduate from flight attendant training, each student was required to work a trip on board an actual flight with real passengers. The weeks we spent cramming pages of theory into our heads was in preparation for this in-flight final exam. This test required us to put into practice what we had learned working in mock-up galleys and simulated airplanes. This was the real thing.
The first hurdle was to find the employee parking lot in the maze of Dallas Fort Worth airport. We were cautioned to allow extra time for the tram in case it had just departed the terminal. It would be a twenty minute wait before the next shuttle would arrive.
Once we reached the departure gate, the gate agent checked us in before escorting us down the jet way to our waiting plane. Upon boarding the aircraft, we met with the senior crew who would supervise us performing their duties while they guided our efforts.
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The senior flight crew quizzed us on various functions of the equipment, like how to use the intercom to contact the flight attendants in the rear and on locating the fire extinguishers, flashlights and life rafts. Then we stowed the supplies the caterer started bringing into the galley. Soon it was time to greet passengers who waited to get on board.
Dressed in street clothes and wearing a paper name tag proclaiming us as trainees, we self-consciously tagged passenger's coats and stowed them in the closet employing our brightest but nervous smiles. It was challenging to remember the beverage orders of the first class passengers and pass them along to the official crew in the galley waiting to fill the orders before departure.
Welcome Aboard
The seniors working first class were nervous about letting us serve their passengers, with good reason: there was still so much we needed to learn. We observed the experienced flight attendants in action before moving on to coach where we passed out blankets, pillows and magazines, collected money for alcoholic beverages and wrote out passenger beverage requests. Then we began icing glasses in preparation for the upcoming service once we were underway. The experience seemed worlds apart from our classroom practice.
We’d managed to get by so far without snagging our pantie hose which would require changing into a fresh pair or being written up for a dress code violation. We took turns making the departure flight announcements reading the prepared script out of our flight manuals as required by FAA regulations. It was a real thrill to be sitting in the crew jump seats for takeoff.
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"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. You're travelling aboard a Boeing 727-200 stretch series jet bound for Tulsa Oklahoma, with connecting flights to Kansas City and Omaha. Before we begin our flight we'd like to acquaint you with our aircraft cabin. In the forward cabin through which you entered . . ."
"Please make sure that your tray tables and seat backs are in their upright and locked position for takeoff. All carry-on luggage should be stowed beneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins for departure."
“The Captain has illuminated the no smoking sign. Please refrain from all forms of tobacco use until the sign has been turned off.”
Once the plane leveled off we began the meal service. It was a light snack of finger sandwiches served from a tray we carried in one hand while using tongs to transfer the sandwiches to a napkin on the passenger's tray table. The balancing act got tougher as the plane began to rock and lurch.
We continued working our way down the aisle when suddenly we hit a pocket of turbulence and the plane lurched downward. I landed in the lap of a passenger in the aisle seat, dumping the contents of my tray down his shirt front. He was as shocked as I was embarrassed. To my good fortune, he was a kindly sort although somewhat surprised by the extra sandwiches. To lighten the somber mood, he grabbed a sandwich off his shirt and shoved it in his mouth with a wink. I was relieved when he didn't complain to the senior flight attendant who ran down the aisle frantically to check on me. An announcement came from the cockpit as the Captain suspended the meal service.
Johnny Cash - I'll Fly Away
“Flight attendants, take your seats.” The Captain announced abruptly.
In response we announced, “The captain has illuminated the ‘fasten your seat belt’ sign. Please return to your seats and make sure your seat belts are securely fastened. We ask that you extinguish all forms of smoking at this time."
Without warning, the “brightly colored yellow masks” dropped from the overhead compartments, startling the passengers, many of whom had casually tuned out our earlier announcements about this possibility. A look of sheer panic appeared on quite a few faces including my own.
Bright Yellow Masks and Second Coffees
Almost as soon as it started, the turbulence quieted and the going became once again smooth sailing. The Captain came back on the air to explain that the masks had been released as a precaution, there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Reminded me of that old punch line. "Absolutely nothing can go wrong, nothing can go wrong, nothing can go wrong, nothing can go wrong. . ."
Our meal service resumed and we finished delivering the remaining sandwiches to anyone who still had an appetite after all the bouncing. By then the ice had melted in our cups of prepared sodas which were by now, watered down but the coffee was still strong and fragrant. Soon it was time to collect the remaining service items to prepare for landing.
During flight attendant training we were housed two to a room for the many weeks of non-stop training, activities and gruelling study requirements. The proximity of two women living in a such a confined space had worn our patience with a bit thin. After my training school roommate and I shared this unusual flight together, we found a new patience and affection for one another. We left that flight arm in arm with genuine smiles of joy.
Graduation loomed in our immediate future and as the possibilities presented by our new careers came clearly into focus. We could finally see beyond the challenges and discomforts of that short time together and were off to see the world.
- Airline Travel Etiquette
This funny description of Airline Travel by Travel'n Person on HubPages is a must read.
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Sorry to leave you with that impression, drbj. I loved the job and still think about it all these years later. Being a flight attendant is a very tough job. I'll make some changes to try and convey a different tone. Thanks for your remarks and for the joke. Good one. BTW, did you watch the air farce video? It struck me as funny and I hoped others would enjoy it too.
Gee, I think I was on the fight. Or one very similar.
I thought you looked familiar, ralwus. Sorry about getting mustard on your shirt with those sandwiches. Did the cleaners get it all out? Cheers.
hello peg. What does go as planned? What a ride you had on this trip. Had ot laugh at the panty hose change. Those were the greatest times to fly. Things never do stay the same hey?? I bet you were an awesome flight attendant. I applied for United and blew my final interview. I had to stand impromptu and give a 5 minute speech. At that age I was terrified. Life went on but I was sad. Great hub. Fun read. Love you.
voted up and awesome
If life is a metaphor then when there is turbulence, a friendly lap to land in is the way to
go. Thanks for sharing.
Ah, the good old days when one was served real food on a flight -- and smokers smoked. Today you're lucky to get a bag of peanuts thrown at you. Not a job for me, I'm afraid. How long was your 'turbulent' career with the airline? Lynda
I used to be quite the flyer, but when my 747 got caught in a 'situation' over Japan-losing altitude-I've not flown since.
Now I have a serious fear of flying, but I still recall how friendly and helpful most of the attendants were.
Skye2day - What a shame about the United interview. Five minutes speaking is a long time impromptu. I'm sure that would have squashed my chances and more than likely something I said eliminated me in previous attempts at getting hired. I had already been turned down by 2 airlines - Eastern and NorthWest before I got this job. Thanks for stopping in to read and share your experience. You're where you need to be for all the right reasons. Blessings to you.
Hi mckbirdbks - If life is a metaphor . . . a friendly lap in turbulence would be a good one. I had to look up the definition but it was worth the time. Thank you for the brain exercise.
Hey Lynda - Nice to see you. My tenure was cut short when I was injured on the job and was hospitalized. I was with the airlines less than a year and have spent the last few decades reliving the experience. Ah, the glory days. Yes, we all smoked, me included - even the non smoking section of the plane. Of my many jobs, that was truly a favorite.
Lorlie6 - wow. Have you written a hub about your 747 experience? That would be a good one. I loved working on the 747. So much equipment! Hope you are doing well. Thanks for stopping by and for sharing.
I LOVE this hub............. Thanks...........
Hi Peg,just to say hello and enjoyed,jandee
Mrs. J.B. - You are such a delight. Thanks so much for coming by. And your Awards Hubs are a scream.
Jandee - Enjoyed having you visit. Nice to see you again. Thanks for reading. I just read your Recovery Room hub. Very nice.
Enjoyed your hub. As a little girl, I dreamed of being a stewardess. I think I may have been too short (in the day when there were so many restrictions). I don't think I could serve finger sandwiches with tongs -- even on the ground!
Hi Peg - When I saw the photo with the word, "Braniff" showing it brought back to mind a flight I had on "Braniff, the world's largest unscheduled airline..." as we used to call it. It was a flight that had the title, "Businessman's Special" (or something to that effect). Lunch was served - BBQ spareribs covered with red tomato sauce (good for shirts and ties). One of the flight attendants stood near the front of the cabin and tossed biscuits to the passengers. I forget which color the plane was, but Braniff used bright paints, like greens, yellow, orange, red, blue and even purple. It was an interesting airline that went away after not that long a time.
Gus :-)))
Hi Sally - I dreamed of flying as a little girl too. It was the ideal job for the times. The height restrictions and weight limits nearly kept me out. I was put on notice the last week of school: lose the extra few lbs or I wouldn't graduate. Wearing heels, holding tongs and turbulence seemed like running with scissors to me. Nice to see you again.
Gus - I can just imagine the biscuit tossing thing. I was written up once for passing out rolls from the plastic bag rather than placing them in the bread basket. And the tomato sauce effect could have been gory. The colors of Braniff's planes were true to the 70s. Remember the Boeing 747 painted orange? You couldn't miss it. Our Pucci uniforms were bright green with paisley psychedelic shirts before we changed to the Halston beige ones. It was the middle of winter when we went from 100% wool to silky thin jersey fabric. Timing, like the planes was a little off. Thanks for sharing the memories of your flight. Peg
I love flying and I've always had the greatest admiration for the flight attendants. Not an easy life, I'm sure.
Was once on an international charter flight when soon after we took off from Gatwick they brought coffee around and we did not see them again until just before landing in Johannesburg! Not quite my best flying experience!
Love and peace
Tony
Tonymac - That is just awful. On long flights people get dehydrated and require something to drink. I'm sure something was going on to keep the flight attendants away. Although I've known some who did like to make themselves scarce. But on a charter flight? hmmm. That just doesn't seem right. Hope your other flights were much better.
The flight attendants can really set the tone for your travel experience. So sorry that happened to you.
Flying used to be a big deal, before we all became just a bunch of people stuffed into a silver cigar tube. Nice hub, I enjoyed it.
Thanks Bobbi - Yes, I flew recently and boy, what a change from the glory days of food and flying colors. Glad you stopped by. Loved your analogy of the cigar tube.
It must be irritating to go through that pre-flight spill and no one seems the slightest bit interested until the plan starts going down! " oh yeah! Now you care"! Great hub!
Hey there nifty, That's so true. Although, now I find myself tuning them out after hearing the speech so often. Thanks for the laugh.
I love this hub. I just had to read it again.
You are amazing Mrs. J.B.! I really appreciate your enthusiasm. Thanks.
I follow Mrs. J. B. so I had to read what she raved about. I too love it.
fantasygirl, Thank you so much for coming by and reading this trip down memory lane. And thanks to Mrs. J.B. for being such a good friend. xxx to both of you.
That's reminds me about my first flight experience. I thought it was a great experience, but turned out to be a common feeling like sitting a bus where noisy sound of engine, smelling of the cooking and fuel burning.
MmmMmmm! The smell of diesel fuel and cooking in a convection oven. Good times. Thank you for stopping in Elvis. Thank yew very much.
Fascinating. I knew that the job was a challenge, just didn't realize as much. DFW aiport hasn't improved too much from your days flying from there. Maybe one day. Thanks again for sharing.
Hi there AA, When I worked there DFW was nearly new. But compared to the podunk aiports I'd flown out of previously, it was an endless maze of circles. I don't know how anyone finds their terminal. Me included. Thank you for your kind visit. bbfn
This is another very interesting story of yours. Thank you for sharing it with us. By the way—Congratulations on the 100 Author Score! That is quite an accomplishment.
Hi James, I was surprised to see the score and unexpectedly sad when it dropped below 100. Not too sad though, the old overachiever in me is still malfunctioning. Thank you kindly for noticing.
Well, I have always admired flight attendance for all of there kindness to others on planes. Even when the people are so very unkind or even a bit of a nervous wreck about flying at all. Plus, all the different places they go even if it's all seen mostly from the plane and air ports. Amazing way of life really. Thanks for sharing here.
Fluffy - hello. Travel has changed so much over the years and travelers are so much more sophisticated now. Even young children travel without a thought about how far it is and what an adventure they're on! I always loved flying even though it was just a short career. Thank you for your nice comments.
PegCole17, I loved your hub, and it brought back many memories. My very first flight was heading to navy boot camp in San Diego, via Sioux Falls, SD, on a turbo-prop, where we moved to a big jet. I remember the turbulence and how that dear stewardess hurried up and down the aisles checking all her passengers. I can still see her in my mind; she did impress me. She's the only one I remember.
Navy boot camp - were you a career military person? I'll be getting over to your site to see. You're nice to mention that the stew was the one person that stood out in your memory. That was a life-changing flight for you, I'll imagine. Thank you for sharing your first flight memories and for your nice comments. Peg
Not a career, just 4 years, but I have often thought I should have gone the distance. I did love my navy career. There's one more thing I remember about...not that first flight but landing in San Diego in perfect soup fog. As a North Dakota farm boy in 1962, I could not imagine how the pilot did that, and was also quite impressed with him. And, yes, not only a life-changing flight but a life-changing experience.
SubRon7 - When you say 4 years, that is a big chunk of time to give to our country. Thank you for your service. My Dad was a lifer. . 24 years in the Navy.
Yep, the pilots are impressive with their non visual landings and navigational skills. Amazing isn't it?
Hi :)
I enjoyed reading this.
I think ~ like most little girls ~ I wanted to be an air hostess, when I was a child. I don't know whether I would have coped well with the reality of it, but I bet it was exciting at tinmes :)
Hello Trish_M,
Thank you so much for stopping by. It was among my childhood dreams and eventually did become a reality. I'm certain you would have coped amazingly well and even enjoyed the ride. Yes, from time to time things were less than ideal, the pay for instance, haha but anyday in the sky was grand.
All the best, Peg
Hi Again PEG.Im the Guy who wrote wise guy on the Husky.One time in the company P NAVAJO got to sit up front with JHONEY OUR PILOT.I was going to experience a night landing from the cockpit.I think it was John Wayne airport.The tower was closed and runway lites off. Then Johny turned on the runway lites from the cockpit---WOW That was Disney Land to me.ED
Hey there Ed. Nice to see you again. And thanks for sharing that great story about John Wayne airport. I landed there a time or two. It is a rather special sight, the runway lites, being enveloped in the clouds, touch down. mmmmm.
I remember flight attendents working hard on the huge airplanes and being bumped around by air pockets.
Thank you and your collegues for all your hard work.
Writer20 - Sounds like you had a difficult trip. Not always the case. Sorry that happened. Hope another trip goes so smoothly it overshadows the one you remember.
Injurycase - You are welcome. Thanks for stopping in to comment!
The story telling was great. The turbulence and Oxygen masks on your first flight. Gosh! What a thing to happen, when most people probably don't experience it half of their careers!
I'm glad the person at whom the sandwiches got dropped was kind enough to understand. It was an interesting read.
Hello Anusha15 - You know that guy really set the tone for the whole plane. His comical reaction was not at all what I would have expected. It made the situation a whole lot less stressful. Thank goodness for that! And thank you for dropping by to comment.
Life is a flight attendant, it is really true. By just reading this insightful hub. I've learned a lot from the life behind our brave flight attendant.
This hub is definitely a great example of a personal experience turned into awesome written precision.
Your writing is similar to mine somehow, in the way you express each detail, so I assume your very detail oriented in real life. I especially loved the part where you expressed how the Pilot yelled out abruptly, it became like a real life vision at that point to me while reading.
You hub writing is awesome indeed, thanks for sharing such a great experience of yours. Have you seen the movie the "passengers" (its free on youtube). I just saw it with my wife & it resembles your experience as a flight attendant somewhat, accept they didn't survive to tell the story.
I'm looking forward to reading more & more of your hubs voted up on all categories.
Hey there Natural Solutions,
Sorry for neglecting your comment for so long. I hope you'll forgive my senior moments when I lose it. LOL
Thanks for stopping in and for your nice words.
Peg
Well well, Cloud Explorer, Picture me blushing in the sweetness of your comment. Wow.
No I haven't seen the movie the "Passengers" but now that you mentioned it I will try to catch a view.
We had to watch a lot of crash films in training that put a somber face on most of us for a while. But we were willing to take our chances in the friendly skies. It is all part of the job and probably holds better odds than driving in Dallas.
Thank you for stopping in to comment and read this hub.
Hi Peg, wonderful hub! I bet you were an awesome flight attendent! I would have never made it past the first "bump" or "lurch"! I loved your story, voted up and funny. Have a wonderful day! :)
Hi there SG, I think you'd have made a great flight attendant. You have the smile and cheerful personality that is necessary for that job. Thanks for dropping by today and for your nice comment.
Besides kudos for a quite insightful hub about becoming a flight attendant, you get a bazillion extra points for taking that first flight out of DFW! And judging by my own experience on Dallas-Ft Worth freeways a few months ago, you're spot on that "taking our chances in the friendly skies" is safer than driving in Dallas!
As a teenager, I sooooo wanted to be a stewardess (as they were called back then) but was already 2 inches too tall. Probably a good thing, as I could barely walk in heels on flat ground let alone in a moving aircraft while balancing a tray of sandwiches on one hand! "Grace" was not my strong suit!
Voted up and awesome! ;D
Oh Jama, What I wouldn't give to do all that over again. Being familiar with Dallas traffic you know how rough that can get. A flight is a dream ride in comparison. Too tall? I was within regulations by only half an inch of being too short and struggled with my weight being over the limit. A couple of days before graduation at our weigh in I was told to lose 3-4 pounds or I wouldn't receive my wings. Ah, those were the days. Yep, we were called "stews" and it never bothered me. It bothered some of the men and maybe that's why the name change.
Thanks for the comment and for reading this old memory from the dark ages.
All the best to you. Peg
drbj Level 8 Commenter 15 months ago
How short was your tenure with the airlines, Peg? From the tone of this interesting but also somewhat negative hub, you didn't seem too enthralled with the position. Can't say I blame you. A flight attendant's job is not an easy one.
Here's another pilot joke for you. The pilot comes out of the cabin after the plane has been on the runway for more than an hour and tells the passengers, "We will take off shortly . . . . as soon as I get up my nerve."
Happy Valentine's Day.