A career as a flight attendant is one that offers fun, camaraderie and travel- and certainly never a dull moment. Once upon a time, a flight attendant was referred to as a stewardess, or if it was a male attendant, he was referred to as a steward. Now these men and women who secure the flight and provide excellent customer service to passengers are simply referred to as flight attendants. The closest many get to understanding a flight attendant’s work is on the surface, mostly while being a passenger on a flight. Some only get as close as wearing flight attendant Halloween costumes, dressing up as a sexy flight attendant. Beyond just the stewardess and stockings mentality that follows this career is the intense training necessary for keeping a calm environment at altitudes of 30,000 feet. Therefore, flight attendant jobs consist of way more than just pouring drinks and providing a pleasant smile.

When it comes to defining their job, a silly stewardess costume has very little to do with what ‘stewardesses’ actually do. At one time, in the early days of air travel, a stewardess was looked upon and revered. Once up in the air, a stewardess did everything possible to make sure passengers were comfortable. With a flight attendant career, this is still an aspect of the job. Yet now in flight attendant school, students learn safety, self-defense, emergency medical techniques such as CPR and much more. A flight attendant costume is just a costume. However, real flight attendant uniforms represent fully qualified and trained professionals. Behind every pleasant smile is a series of planned protocols for ensuring passengers safely get from one destination to another. Mindful flight attendants keep a trained eye on their passengers throughout the flight, noticing details others never even think of paying attention to.

These days, it takes a considerable amount of steel resolve to become a flight attendant. Pictures and images one may have of those in this career will definitely change once training begins. As new rules and guidelines for flying go into affect in order to make air travel safe for all, training for this position has definitely become more involved. The chance to have such a fulfilling career helping people mixed with travel makes this a great choice for those who enjoy using their minds but who also prefer variety to routine. It is never ‘just another day at the office’ when your office is cruising at 30,000 feet!