I Miss Flying So Much
 

Well, here I am sat back in an office working as a P.A. once again. It's a while since I've been on this forum but I do like to take a peek and giggle at the experiences of life as cabin crew. You see, this time last year I was working as crew and had been for a couple of years. It was my lifelong dream and it took me four years of trying to finally achieve that dream. I absolutely loved my job and thought I would continue my career and become a Senior, perhaps one day a trainer. But alas, it was not meant to be. On a flight one day I badly hurt my back pushing a cart which brakes were stuck and had been hauling it up and down all flight. The next day I couldn't move to get out of bed and as it turned out at the grand old age of 28 had slipped a disc. Was in extraordinary pain and incapacitated for some time. After being signed off sick for 5 weeks and being advised by the doctor that if i continued with this type of work I would only aggravate the injury and continue to have problems with my back I had to take the dififcult decision of resigning. That was in Sept last year. I went back to my old profession of being a P.A. and have been temping since then.

I'm finding it very difficult to be back in a 9-5 office environment and spend a long time gazing out of the window and up at the sky. My house is situated in the flight path to the airport so I have lots of lowflying aircraft going overhead and always think of the girls and boys on board and wish them a safe journey home.

Handing back my uniform was one of the hardest things I've had to do - but I kept my wings. It's all I can do to keep from wearing them during the day, shining bright on my civvies. In each temp job I go to people see cabin crew on my cv and on my first day they take great delight in doing a mock impression of a safety demo 'the toilets and exits are here, here and here' Yes, it was funny the first twenty times, but now it's wearing a bit thin. I had to wear bright red lippy as part of my uniform and on occasion have tried to wear it civvies which only prompted my boyfriend to say 'you look weird'.

I've put on weight (regular sleep, regular proper meals - although i still eat my meals at lightening speed), although my skin is clear and I've been able to colour my hair and have it cut in a style I wouldn't have been allowed.

I just wanted to say hi and tell you all how lucky you are to be able to do a job that I know you love. otherwise why would we do it? I had the best office window in the world when I was flying, now I am back to the days when I look up at the clouds and dream.......

Safe flying to you all.......remember even on those earlies and the bad days just how very lucky you are.;)

oh hun, your post made me feel so upset 4 ya!!! i am currently not flying because i'm only on a seasonal contract so have the winters off, and its been the hardest winter of my life and i have missed flying so much. but reading your post has made me realise that what happened to you could happen to anyone. and if it happened to me, i know i would be miserable for the rest of my life. in fact, i would have probably just continued to work despite the risks to my health. but you made the sensible decision. this is the only body you will have so you've got to look after it ultimately. we all have to be so careful at work with manual handling, as the carts and atlas boxes can be so heavy! and some of us are so petite.
i hope that you can again find a job that makes you as happy as CC did. i, like you, hate working 9-5 and sitting behind a desk and computer all day. it isn't for me. i need a job that is different every day and where i'm not working the same hours every week. that's just one of the reasons i love working as CC. maybe you will find something else that you can enjoy just as much, that doesn't put as much pressure on your back.
i really hope you do tallulah! all the best!

Owww Tallulah honey!! I has tears in my eyes reading your post@ :\

I would love to say that I understand how you must be feeling, but I honestly have no idea! I haven't been crew for 2 years, but (hopefully) I will be very soon, so I can understand when you say you look up to the sky and wish you were onboard the aircraft, it's a horrid feeling!!

Have you considered working as ground crew?? I know it's not as ''glam'' but every day/week is different, the hours are all over the shop, and the team are all very ''crewie'' too!! It's a really rewarding job too, where you DO get a chance to make all the difference, and most of the buzz and excitement!!

I wish you all the best in finding something right for you babe, if you are interested I could point you to a few websites???

Tom xx

Tallullah, you should go for ground staff - that way you will still get the buzz of the airport. I worked in an office for 18months - never again - I had to get back to the airlines. Go for it + let us know how you get on xxxx

Tallulah I agree with the above sentiments - sorry to hear your flying career was cut short so quickly! I strongly suggest you try and get back into your airline (contact your old manager is a good place to start) in a different position - ground crew, training (depending on how long you were flying for?), recruitment, rostering, network operations etc etc

Although right now you cant fly, there is no reason why you cant at least have an airline job anyway

All the best :ok:

Get back online immediately and look up other opportunities within the airline industry.

Also maybe suss out which agencies supply temps to airlines, because this would be a good foot in the door too!

Goodluck!

OMG
 

You are a mirror image of me! I am in the same situation where I miss flying so much. Don't worry there are plenty of people in the exact same situation as you!

Well thank you all for your kind comments and suggestions. I read back my posting and thought 'god I sound like a right miserable bugger' and I think that's because I am! My boyf and I have been arguing becuase I'm just fed up all the time and the daily grind is exactly that - G-R-I-N-D - He just keeps saying, 'when are you going to snap out of it'. And i don't feel like I am to be honest. I don't want to be a bitter twisted old ex-hostie!

I need a kick up the ass and to do something, that's for sure. I actually applied for a P.A. position at my old airline but was refused because they don't take ex-cabin crew into positions within directorate because of confidentiality issues, after all the liklihood is I still have flying buddies and as P.A. to the Operations Director I would be privvy to sensitive things. I do wonder if it was because of my sickness record though.

Some drastic actions is required methinx! And some decisions need to be made sharpish because I am wallowing and feeling very lost at the moment!

Thanks again to you all for your advice:ok:

Tallulah
x

No flight attendant should do office work. We are too independent for that type of work. Try corporate flying,airport ground work or even apply at the scheduling department of your old airline. I was considering resigning at the end of the year but after reading threads of ex-hosties,I am staying put!:) Also try for a job at the cabin crew recruitment department or cabin crew training department. You never know....

Looking forward to fly again ....
 

Hi Tallulah!

I understand you very well and I agree with what the others say.

I am so far in the same position, I injure myself all suddenly due to the repetitive bending and pushing in the cabin , one day i couldn t even walk because my right leg, hip and back were in spasm. I had xrays and mri done , but they were negative so the doctors couldn t diagnose what was wrong with me exactly and they considered that I was fit to fly...
My pains kept on coming and I couldn t stand it so I had to force myself to resign to this dreamjob to recover.

I had anxiety for a couple of month cuz I couldn t accept it, I didn t want to have a 5 days a week job , everything was becoming very frustrating to me ...

After months I understood that I can not fight anymore against these feelings and that life goes on and I can do other things ,I can stay still in the aviation industry...so I apply to work as ground staff...it is not so appealing , but i ll get some arline benefits and I am focus to climb all the way up to become a supervisor, flightdispatcher and then beeing in operations...

Sooo Tallulah cheer up !

I support you , you ll b efine.

Take care

Talullah

have you been back to see any specialists about your back, maybe a chiropractor or oesteopath. They may be able to help you and give you advice - then who knows maybe you could fly again in time

I know exactly how you feel!! I was working for a major airline and left due to relationship problems, my partner didnt want me to be cabincrew and stupid me gave it up... I spent the next 2 years in an abusive relationship (i didnt even know that they existed in the gay community) and ended up doing lots of drugs until I ended it 1 years ago. I never got another job after being crew and wasted 7 years of my life. I have only now worked up the confidence to get back into the work force, but cant stop dreaming of going back to the skies. I have to wait for 5 years to be able to pass the referencing stage and by that time I will be 32!!!! I keep thinking its too old for a guy to be accepted, but im going to try my hardest to prove myself wrong.
I live on the flight path to heathrow and every 2 mins there is plane arriving and it makes me sad to think that it could be me in that plane instead of me who has to wait 5 years, possible longer if i dont get in at first!!
Anyway good luck with whatever you decide to do and if you could find a specialist that could help you out then maybe you could get back up there too..
Best wishes.

Talullah, how did you get on?

Did you find work in the aviation industry?

Dont give up!