Yes most certainly it is a career and something to be proud of
I have been in the airline industry for 19 years and not all of it in flying, all be it not through lack of trying. I have worked hard to get where I am today and am proud of my achievements.
I have experienced many side of the airline industry a lot to help me being a better flight attendant. Reservations, Ticketing BA 1-4, and check-in. All which helped me better in understanding my job and helping others.
Now I have left the charter/commercial side and am now into the private side of flyng, which certainly does tax your brain sometimes and gives you the total responsibility for everything to do with your flight and most certainly job satisfaction.
We fly with only 3 crew yep me and two pilots, we all have our views but I would certainly not put them down for being taxi drivers, even though I could and would not want to just sit in the flight deck for 15 hours, nor could they do my job.
As for the comments dont you wish you had done better at school by some pilot well no 8 A passes 'O' levels and did go to a private school, and then college with distinction.
As for being a Waiter in the sky well arn't pilots just Glorified taxi drivers however my pilots treat me with respect and you can't tar everyone with the same brush. So anyone who says a flight attendants job is not a career I would say this
I enjoy my job and do see it as a great career what other job would have given me to meet so many friends and people from all walks of life from average joe public to royality, get to visit different cultures/countries as part of my job, stay in top hotels and well get paid very well for it.