Forgive me, but this really strikes a nerve...
Get real !!!!
The cabin crew job IS "below" the status of a pilot, as you put it...I didn't spend a royal fortune and many years getting experience to serve coffee and tea.
If your previous experience has helped you - Good for you, but don't give us that bullsh.t
It takes a long time to become an experienced pilot, it takes about two days to become a CA - Sorry buddy, that's a fact of life !!
I enjoy all my collegues in the cabin, but I wouldn't swap jobs - I'm overqualified !!
Well. Enough of that.
A while back the flight attendants at a particular airline were considering a strike. I mentioned to one of them, "why wouldn't the airline just run some replacements through training to cover the strikers and thus continue service? I mean, if you didn't serve drinks or meals during the strike, you could cut out that part of the FA training and actually shorten it, running replacements through in short order. How short would training be if you didn't learn how to pour coffee and serve meals?"
The answer: "Well, the full training is six weeks long, and if you cut out the part where we learn meal and beverage service, you could probably do it in five weeks and three days."
So, anyway, listen: knock that crap off. Agreed, you probably spent a small fortune getting to where you are, and I'm sure you're quite adequate in your job. However, you're either incredibly stupid or you have the driest sense of humor I've even encountered. Please, do you honestly believe what you've said? See, I'm thinking that when !!!!'s on fire you're going to save your own "overqualified" ass by going out a window, while those "tea and coffee servers" are trying to manage a situation going to hell.
Manchester 1985 comes to mind...
Some items were actioned but the [flight deck] crew decided to evacuate via the right side sliding window as burning fuel flowed forward on the left of the aircraft. The operator's procedure required the flight deck crew to leave the aircraft promptly and supervise the evacuation from outside.
Versus...
Such evidence that there was indicated that the No 2 and No 3 stewardesses carried out their duties to the best of their ability until they succumbed to the rapidly deteriorating conditions in the rear cabin.
Arrgh.
Dave