Flight Attendant – Nicole Janowski

Stan T.

Day in the life of
Flight Attendant – Nicole Janowski

Nicole Janowski
Flight Attendant
A major US airline

My name is Nicole Janowski and I work for a major US airline.

As a reserve flight attendant, I get 3 hours’ notice when assigned to work on a flight. When I’m on call, crew scheduling can call at any time day or night. I’ll answer their call, confirm my trip details, and start to pack my suitcase. About an hour before my check-in time, I’ll drive to the airport, park in the crew parking lot, and go through our designated crew security line. The whole crew meets at our gate at check-in time.

Once the gate agent scans our IDs and lets us onto the airplane, we start our preflight safety checks. These checks make sure that all of our safety and emergency equipment is there and working properly before passengers board. Some examples of things I check include first aid kits, AEDs, oxygen bottles, infant life vests, and the air pressure of the slides in the doors. I also make sure that all phones and PA systems are working.

After my safety checks, I’ll start preparing some of the service-related tasks on my to-do list. These tasks change based on what position I’m assigned to work and whether the flight is domestic or international. For example, if I’m in the first class galley position on an international flight, I’ll count the passenger and crew meals, load meals into the ovens, coordinate which meal options are going to which passengers based on their status/meal availability, set up the bar carts and prepare pre-departure drinks. An aisle flight attendant would assist passengers in finding their seats, make boarding announcements, stow bags, hand out headphones and pre-departure beverages, hang jackets and take meal orders. Boarding is our busiest time and there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make a flight go smoothly.

If you are a purser on a flight, you have even more responsibilities. A purser is basically the person in charge of the flight crew. They’ll oversee all of the other flight attendants, coordinate with the pilots about crew breaks/meals/flight plans, and be the point of contact for any unsatisfied passengers.

Once boarding is complete, I do the safety demonstration. Then I’ll walk through the cabin to make sure that everyone is complying with stowing their bags, keeping their tray tables up, and having their seatbelts on. Once safety checks are complete, I’ll stow all of the food, drinks, and carts that usually are out in the galleys. I make sure all the cart brakes are on, latches are closed, and that everything is secure before taking my jumpseat.

After the plane takes off, we start the service portion of our responsibilities. I cook the meals, set up the beverage and meal carts, and go through the cabin for service. If an international flight is full, I can serve over 300 at once during service. Depending on the length of the flight, we can go through a few times for dinner, mid-flight snacks, and breakfast.

Between meal and beverage services, I walk through the cabin every 15 minutes to make sure everyone is doing well. I’ll help people with their wifi problems, bring people snacks, drinks, and blankets, and hold babies while their mothers use the lavatory. Every flight is different and comes with different challenges!

Before landing, we do the same safety checks we did before takeoff. Once we land, I say goodbye to all the passengers and do a final sweep of the cabin before stepping off the plane. Then, it’s either through customs, to the next gate for my next flight, or on to the hotel shuttle for my layover. Domestically, I can work up to 5 flights in one day!

Off of the plane, flight attendants have other responsibilities as well. Once a year, we go through in-person training to maintain all of our safety and airplane-specific qualifications. This training is about 8 hours long and we get tested on our emergency evacuation commands, fire fighting, CPR, and door opening drills. We also need to complete about 8-10 hours’ worth of online training before our in-person training.

Pros

  • Free travel: I get full flying benefits on my airline and heavily discounted flights on other airlines as well. Flights are free except for international departure taxes. I get these benefits for myself, my partner, and my parents. I also receive a set number of “buddy passes,” which are basically discounted tickets. All of these benefits are for standby flights, meaning I only get on if there is an empty seat on the plane.
  • Flexibility: I get between 12 and 20 days off a month. I can move my days off around very easily and at the last minute. Depending on your seniority, it’s possible to choose exactly what kinds of flights (time, layover location, working position) you want to work.
  • I always get to fly with new and interesting people. I work with a different crew every time, so it is never boring.
  • Pay: I get a scheduled raise every year until I reach 13 years seniority.
  • Freedom: I don’t have a boss breathing down my neck every day. On the plane, there is no one watching or evaluating me.
  • Not having to sit at a desk all day! I love having an active job and getting to walk around the airport/airplane instead of sitting down.
  • Having a union is wonderful to keep our work rules intact. The company has to follow our contract.

Cons

  • Low pay: Pay is pretty low when you first start. We don’t get paid for boarding or deplaning (only time spent actually in flight).
  • Unpredictable schedule: As a reserve, I can be called at any hour of the day including holidays and special occasions. It’s hard to make plans when my schedule is so up-in-the-air (pun intended!)
  • The job in general is pretty unstable. Furloughs (layoffs) are common.
Nicole Janowski
Flight Attendant
A major US airline
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Flight Attendants

monitor safety of the aircraft cabin. Provide services to airline passengers, explain safety information, serve food and beverages, and respond to emergency incidents.

Salary: $59150
Salary Rank: C
Education: Associate's degree
Becoming One: Medium
Job Satisfaction: High
Job Growth: Declining
Suitable Personality: The Leader