A little more respect for the role of cabin crew please!

[aviatorgirl72]

Dear All

It's been on my mind to post this for a while now, especially since september 11th, so here goes.

Everyone knows that it can be quite difficult to get into this field, and more oftern than not, it's whether your face fits. But then I quess that applies to most things.

I am sick and tired of hearing stories from people who really would like to be cabin crew, and are repeatedly trying to get these positions, and turned down by snotty interviewers.

These interviewers should remember that they were once cabin crew, and they have no right to look down on other people. Im sure that this only a minority.

Also, these airlines since september 11th. Thinking and using this as an excuse to treat their cabin crew as if they are very replaceable.

Of course everyone is replaceable in any job. But the fact of the matter is that the cabin crew are the shop window of any airline and the deciding factor whether someone will return, and it is hard to find people who are very customer focused and good quality.


And Im also fed up with crew telling prospective cabin crew and fellow cc to go and find themselves a decent job.

As far as Im concerned as cabin crew we are multi-skilled and think outside the box on numerous occasions and its a career that I personally find very rewarding.

Maybe as cabin crew we are becoming a useless commodity. Which is a great shame, because passengers will suffer and in the end so will the airlines!!!

So lets have a little more respect for cabin crew.

Thankyou!

[Floaty]

aviatorgirl72... I had to read your post at least a couple of times to understand the meaning of it... eh, I guess you were a bit upset when u wrote it... :D

I am "forever wannabe" cabin crew :D :D and I know what you mean... however I believe many people doing selections are also highly qualified. A serious airline will not choose you because of your face... there is more than that to the qualities candidates should have to be selected... and we both know it. It all comes to being the right person for that specific position suiting you... it is known that some people can get a job with one company and never even score a first stage with another one....

For example, many ex Ansett qualified people are still on the market after a year spent job hunting like crazy! Why is that? Well, reasons can be several! Look, age, languages, attitude, etc.

During my Australian Airlines interview last June, a lovely lady ex-AN cabin crew failed the registration process because she was too short to work on a 767! Another one: since I am married I will never be allowed to work for an airline in the Middle East as a junior cabin crew... bah!

Of course it is a shame, but rules have changed and so has the game! Some people will have to go through hell to find a job, just because of small details like these!! :eek:

Some airlines, especially after 911, adopted different systems of selection... Phone interviews (Qantas), stage interviews (Virgin), more strict language or age requirements.... Others decided to get rid of their senior staff to reduce expenses and concessions, then hired junior staff for half the salary.... what to do?

Low cost airlines have also changed the market a lot: today, to be more competitive, "old fashion" airlines are going through complete make-overs to remain competitive. They also try to save their "skin"... we all do after all...

This is a rough business, where lovely people like you ( ;) ), with a good hearth and sincere dedication to their job can be hurt very easily... don't let that get you down... believe in yourself and remember: no matter how many interviews, you only need ONE JOB!

Good luck to you Aviatorgirl72! :D

Mrs. FloatJockey

[Bob Brown]

Not worked for any airlines for some years now, but..........

Have cabin crew attitudes changed? Do they show respect for passengers and ground crew now?

When I was an engineer at Bad Attitude the crew would always look down their noses at everyone that was not a pilot/captain.

4-6 weeks learning to push a trolley up the aisle and open the doors and they thought that everyone should look up to them.

However, as we used to tell them, us meere mortal engineers that get paid a pitance in comparison can work on anything and the airline can not operate without us, whereas if the airline changed from SLF to full freight they would not need them.



That also remoinds me of the times (there were many) when we would be in the avionics bay of the DC-10 and rise up out of the FD hatch to total darkness. Some silly CC would normally be standing above the access hatch displaying the fact that she was doing a Sharon Stone.


So have the TD's attitudes changed? If not, why expect the SLF to change theirs?

[taba]

Floaty, you can get a job in the Gulf...just be careful!

I hate it when your experience deems you OVERQUALIFIED!!!

Especially when they advertise for experienced crew and you fit the requirements!

That pisses me off!

Floaty, you can work for an airline in the middle east if you play it close to the wind! Trust me!

When i came back from the Gulf last year I was asked to go to an ab initio interview for a 3 month EZY contract through an agency.I refused because I did not think I needed that kind of interview after 19years flying!

The same agency then called me and told me I was in the frame for 2 back to back contracts....then all of a sudden I became overqualified!

Now THAT pisses me off!

Av Gal what r u up to?

Sorry about that last one...I lost my initial post...now I have a double one!