Hi there,
Have you heard of crew having problems before???
I have been flying for just over a year now, and having come from quite a high paid 9 - 5 job to do this, I have never been happier.
What other job in the world pays you a half decent salary (I know some would disagree, but I used to have people working for me 40 hours a week monday to saturday earning £9,500 a year, with no such thing as flight pay or comission!)
They would have loved to pick up over a £1000 a month.
You meet some great people. I have made the best friends in my life. Most in the role have very similar personalities... heck that's why they are recruited.
Yes, if you work for a charter airline, be prepared to get the phone call at 2am calling you out for a flight, or reporting for a night BJV at 6 in the evening and not getting back to your bed til 11am the next morning...
But that's what makes it a great career....
Long haul is great... a days work.... a few days in a different destination and a days work back... being paid the whole time your there, plus seeing different sites, meeting new people and doing new things...
Obvioulsy the job isn't as glamourous as people would believe, dealing with sick, s#@t & p'~s etc on regular occasions, medical emergencies, and of course... heaven forbid an SEP related emergency are what crew are trained for and there main purpose for being on board...
You either love it, or you don't... and you find out pretty quick which.
I'm not quite near retirement age yet, so I can't answer that, but I am aware of people who have left the industry and have obtained very good jobs (with no educational qualifications)... One girl I know is an area manager for Clinique beauty supplies now, company car, expenses account, the works.... I'd say there are plenty of opportunities out there.
As long as your flexible, adaptable and willing to give it a go, I'd say you'd make it up in the clouds!
Health wise... yeah, there are some proven facts, and a lot of hearsay about what flying does to you... if ya can deal with a bloated stomach and a dry nose (you can spot any crew member in their car after a flight! they'll be pickin their nose n fartin like a good un!) but touch wood, I haven't myself or anybody I know expererienced any major problems, and I know people that have been flying 20 + years!
As for a bad reputation... I think that depends on the person, and not the role they are in to be honest!