Duties of a Flight Attendant
Many people around the world think that it is easy to be a flight attendant. However, they are not completely aware of their duties and responsibilities. They have both onboard responsibilities and other clerical responsibilities on the ground. Let us explore some of these.
Before the flight
The attendants are required to meet with the pilot and discuss the flight plan and the cabin conditions that shall be maintained throughout the course of the flight. They assist with the loading and unloading of the baggage sometimes.
After which they go through a list of the passengers which might need special care and take a note of this. If these passengers need something extra, they try and get it on board. A safety check is performed which ensures that the equipment and the safety equipment are in working condition. They are to report anything that isn’t working or cannot be fixed.
Once the passengers are aboard, they ensure that everyone has their seatbelt fastened, their tray tables attached to the seat and the seats aren’t inclined before takeoff. In some scenarios, they also must ensure that the mobile network is switched off. A demonstration of the use of the safety equipment that has been provided on the flight should be done by them before the flight takes off.
During the flight
The main duty of the air hostesses and the air hosts during the flight is to take care of the passengers. They serve or sometimes sell food and beverages. They also sell duty-free products to earn more for the airliner. They make sure that all the passengers are taken care of during turbulent conditions and that no one gets hurt. If assistance is required to unload or load a bag into the overhead bins, they are to help you with that too.
They take care of the passengers that may be suffering from any discomfort due to the flight or people who were earlier mentioned on the list of people who needed special attention. This sometimes includes taking care of passenger disputes or helping someone calm down a baby for the rest of the passengers.
As a flight attendant, they are trained to take charge and help people get through any disastrous situation. For example, if the plane needs to perform a crash landing, it is their responsibility to ensure that all the passengers sustain minimal injuries and disembark safely from the flight.
After the flight
After the plane lands, it is the duty of the flight attendant to help the passengers get off the plane safely. They must ensure that the passengers haven’t left anything behind and report it immediately after to the airport if they did. After this, they are supposed to fill out some paperwork which are reports about the flight. They are also supposed to prepare the plane for the next flight. In this way, flight attendants not only ensure the safety of the passengers but also the smooth working of the whole airliner.
Some people may choose to be a corporate flight attendant. This means that they oversee corporate and chartered flights. They show extra care towards their passengers depending on the company they work for. For example, they might have to wear a hijab (if they are women) to serve some Muslim passengers. Or they may have to use the proper courtesy to serve a Japanese passenger. To be a corporate flight attendant, one needs to have some experience being a flight attendant first.
Working hours
The working hours of a flight attendant varies from an airliner to airliner. Starting out, a flight attendant usually kept ‘in reserve’. This means that they need to stay close to the airport and report instantly when needed. As one gets experience and becomes a senior flight attendant, they can choose to host only certain flights at certain times.
Flights attendants can fly anywhere from 70 to 100 hours a month. A usual duty period includes about 10-12 hours of work. The rest of the duty hours include clerical duties or any other duties that they might have on the ground. However, the Federal Aviation Administration requires every flight attendant to be given at least 9 hours of rest before they start their next duty. This ensures that they aren’t overworked or fall ill often.
Flight attendants may get some injury while handling bags or may contract some disease from a passenger traveling on board. At such times, they are given a holiday since the airline doesn’t want to cause another passenger harm because of the person serving them.
Now you know exactly how taxing the job a flight attendant can be. But if you ask me, you are getting paid to travel the world. What else could one ask for? Now that you know all the facts, you can make an informed decision whether you should become a flight attendant. Catch you on the next flight!