Being cabin crew is an all-consuming job and it
does take over your life. It is not for the faint hearted! But there is
so much to enjoy along the way, writes Patricia Green.
You will find it becomes a lifestyle more than anything and you
learn to juggle life to fit in, fast. But there are many ways to be
creative and adapt, to further make the most of your career choice as cabin crew.
1. Enjoy the destinations - Not everyone can say they had lunch in Paris or dinner in Rome – all in a week! Or shopping in New York, for that matter… Make the most of your time down-route.
2. Record precious memories - These times you will want to remember so record them, either by taking photos, writing a blog or writing in a journal. Once you stop flying, you will wish you did!
3. Take care of each other - We work in such a small space and teamwork is crucial. It is easy to forget on a busy flight that in an emergency we are responsible for saving each other’s lives too. We are a family and there is always someone to turn to, in times of need. Use this network.
4. Always resolve before the flight to ‘have a nice day out…’ - Leave issues and problems aside and it will make a long working day enjoyable and hopefully a little fun!
5. When away from home, use the time to appreciate local food and culture – You will be amazed how much you learn and grow as an individual – travel certainly does broaden the mind.
6. Look after yourself - The long hours and especially flying long haul can have a negative effect on your health long term. Make sure you drink plenty of water, eat light and well and get rest when you can. Fit in a little exercise too if you can, for an extra energy boost.
7. Appreciate your friends – You will make amazing cabin crew friends during your career! Nurture them and your friendship will be lifelong and forever interesting. They will often be the ones who are there for you, as they understand the lifestyle!
8. Learn something new – Use your career to learn basics of languages or take time out to study something different. This can give you a balance in your crew life as well as an external focus.
9. Appreciate the journey! - Not many people get the chance to do the job of their dreams, so even on the ‘day from hell’, remember how hard you worked to get there.
10. Cabin Crew are quite special characters and unique – We have to be able to be multi- skilled and multi-talented. So always be proud to be cabin crew!
You may be cabin crew for just a few months or many years, but it will be the experience of a lifetime! There is a lot of hard work involved, but once you appreciate the lifestyle and learn how to adapt to it, you will find it much easier to make the very most of being cabin crew.