Cabin Crew - "aircrew"

[Lukeafb1]

I’ve been very tempted to ask this question for years, but a genuine desire not to upset people has got the better of me each time. It’s not a wind up, but a genuine question. And nor is it an attempt to insult cabin crew, who do a sometimes difficult and unenviable job and who, with only one or two exceptions, I’ve always found to be helpful, friendly and professional.

So, the question. Why are commercial cabin crew classed as “aircrew”, when in truth, their duties include very little aviation/flying orientated knowledge/skills? In fact, are not their “aviation” skills, restricted solely to knowledge of emergency procedures? And before any military aircrew jump in, I don’t include military loadies etc.

To reinforce my confusion, on certain aircraft, air force crew chiefs fly with their aircraft for part of the time (or at least, used to). They have more systems and engineering knowledge of the aircraft than the captain. They single handedly in some situations, must use their aircraft engineering knowledge/skills to ensure the aircraft is kept flyable, sometimes under extreme conditions. But they are not classed as “aircrew” and nor do (did) they receive flying pay.

As a supplementary question, which has just occurred to me. See my logic above. Are Sky Marshals now classified as “aircrew”?

[redfred]

Ive never been classed as aircrew but seeing as you mentioned it we are just waiters in the sky who probably wouldn't have the first idea what to do in an emergency and the only thing tough about this job is missing some sleep.

[OzzieO]

Luke to try and answer your question in a more constructive manner (unlike redfred) we are crew and we are in the air hence aircrew!!!

Well thats my take on it anyway for what its worth!!!

[SLT]

I must admit, I don't have a problem with cabin crew being called "aircrew", as that's precisely what they are. They are just as much part of the aircraft's crew as the pilots, and we function as a team. If there has to be a dividing line, and there does sometimes, I find the best way is to refer to the cabin crew as "cabin crew" and the pilots/flt eng/nav etc as "flight crew".
Cheers:D

[The Legend]

Aircrew or systems operators/ observers ? How much stick-time do you get these days ?...not very much. Suggest you put down the paper and help out in the back now and again !

[SLT]

Eh??? :confused: Not sure where you're going with that!

[AJ]

Seems to be a question of semantics; at our airline, we have 'Flightcrew' and 'Cabin Crew' - end of story!

[richterscale10]

Why are commercial cabin crew classed as “aircrew”

What has commercial got to do with it.............even cabin crew on GA are referred to as 'aircrew'............

maybe its a message of professionalism that is meant for passengers - - - to deter worries about flying!

Who cares what they call us - as long as we do a good job - which most of us do!

[Dobber]

Simplicity:

Oxford dictionary definitions:
Crew “all the people working on a ship, an aircraft, etc.
Aircrew “the crew of an aircraft”
Flight crew “the people who operate and work on an aircraft”
Flight-deck “the control room of a large aircraft”

Each flight attendant and pilot is part of the crew, aircrew, and flight-crew by definition.

[Maxiumus]

SLT

Maybe tongue in cheek, but The Legend represents a viewpoint that a small number of CC have about the job of the flight deck crew.
Some really have no idea of the pressures etc that occur, have no respect for FD and compound their stupidity by making no bones about expressing their opinion.

Before Im flamed, I speak of a small minority.

[Nearly Man]

Why not called cabin crew GODS of THE SKY ..

[woodpecker]

A collegue, having moved into a new house in Wiltshire, was told in the local pub that a BA director lived in the village.

He turned out to be a Cabin Service Director .

[Dobber]

Maxiumus:
may your buttus be plantus on your seatus---

But really, all pilots and airline management know that cabin crew are a necessary evil.
Let’s look at the facts: airlines want the ultimate first class service with the minimum crew to comply with aviation regulations.
And pilots want the cabin crew to deliver at their beg and call – who comes first, commercial or operational?
Give us a break …. Forget it, I’ll shutup…

[TrafficBoy]

as everyone has said already...

Aircrew is the collective term for the entire operating crew on an aircraft. This then gets broken down into flight crew and cabin crew for each respective group. This is at my airline anyway... and it appears with most other airlines also

[CD]

Here's the Canadian view of things:

"crew member" - means a person assigned to duty in an aircraft during flight time;

"flight crew member" - means a crew member assigned to act as pilot or flight engineer of an aircraft during flight time;

"flight attendant" - means a crew member, other than a flight crew member, who has been assigned duties to be performed in the interest of the passengers in a passenger-carrying aircraft.

[Harves]

Well Luke, an interesting question which could indeed be classed as semantics, but I will answer it from my view point. Cabin Crew are part of the crew and are in the air therefore it follows that they are air crew. If you were of a mind to feel that Flight Deck were somehow superior to Cabin Crew then it may become an issue. If truth be told, maybe 3 years ago I may have indeed thought that way, however I now think very differently.

Cabin Crew in the commercial world earn the name Air Crew. I am week one of Thomas Cook Cabin Crew training and am being lectured by extremely informed lecturers with regards to aviation, both pursers. This includes well informed knowledge of the flight deck. My fellow students work hard to pass their practically daily exams and are fantastic people.

I have my Airline Transport Pilots Licence (Frozen) but have found it hard to get work up front. However, I now believe it would do many pilots no harm to work as Cabin Crew for a while. I am looking forward to going on line with my friends and colleagues at Thomas Cook and now have a new respect for the role.

To be called Air Crew is indeed a privelage...but it is indeed earned by every flight attendant in my view.

[Felix Lighter]

Shock, horror!!

CD? Flight Crew 'Member'!!! In this PC day and age surely that is as sexist as 'cockpit'.

To the question....who cares? All are 'aircrew' surely?

I could equally ask the question....why do navigators, loadmasters, gunners and every other hanger-on in the USAF wear "wings"? Surely they dont actually fly the plane?
Why do military parachutists get "wings"....when in fact they fall like bricks?

Cabin crew are as equally valuable to the effective and safe operation of an airline as navi-gessers are to the military (and probably twice as effective as some of the moaning malingering loadmasters Ive had the pleasure of working with).
*And cabin crew are a shed load better looking.

And, oh yes........ I am jokin! (Apart from the better looking bit!)

Happy and Safe Easter


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