I got to meet my sexy pilot boyfriend
There's a lot more to being a flight attendant than travelling all over the world and meeting hot pilots.
Once upon a time working as a flight attendant conjured up thoughts of glamour and free travel around the world. But what's the reality of being a flight attendant? Is there more to it than being a trolley dolly or waitress in the sky?
Easyjet flight attendant Sara Tumino (pictured), from Melbourne, Australia, says she loves her job and, even better, the pilots are hot.
"I really love meeting new people plus as a flight attendant I get to see all the sexy pilots," she says. But her job is not all about jetsetting across the world for a living — it's also hard work and lots of late nights.
"I do get to see a lot of Europe but not as much as I thought I would. With Easyjet, once you get to a country, 20 minutes later you're coming home on a turn-around," she says.
Tumino, 21, says through work she has been able to get some stopovers. She's been to Paris and Amsterdam, Berlin and Madrid. As she's staff, she also gets a discount when she books flights with Easyjet, which comes in handy because for those starting out in the industry, the pay may not be too flash.
Tumino says while she was learning the ropes, she was on about £600 a month. But after a year, she's earning more. "It's better now, I get between £1300-£1500 a month, plus we get commission for selling food and gifts during flights," she says.
Tumino, who is based at Stansted, says getting a job as a flight attendant wasn't simple. There was a competitive recruitment process, which she went through before she moved to the UK.
Easyjet recruiters flew to Melbourne to conduct group interviews — like Australian Idol without the singing.
"There was a whole big group of us going for jobs," she says. "There were elimination rounds and after each round two people were eliminated and a handful got put through to the final interview." Tumino says they tested her maths, English and teamwork skills, and the final applicants went on to an interview.
She moved to the UK when she was offered the job and has no regrets. "I'm glad I got the job, because I do enjoy it and also I got to meet my sexy pilot boyfriend," she says.
Have you got what it takes?
Patience
Could you put up with passengers who can’t decide between orange juice or apple juice — and all the times your flight is delayed or the plane has to circle before landing?
Say the right thing
Could you stop a nervous flyer freaking out mid-flight? "I just tell them you've more chance of getting run over by a car [than being in a plane crash]. It calms them down," says Tumino.
Sales skills
You could be selling duty free items, scratch cards and mid-flight snacks.
Crowd control
Would you know how to deal with passengers who have had a little too much to drink?
Stay calm
Can you stop yourself freaking out during a medical emergency or a bumpy, turbulent journey? If you are scared of flying, it goes without saying this is not the job for you.
Be a waiter/waitress
Let's face it, after the safety demonstration is out of the way, you'll be busy serving drinks and meals and then cleaning up the mess afterwards.
Looking for a job?
Check individual airlines' careers sections for recruitment details.
Ever thought of working abroad see TNT Magazine's in depth guides to working in Australia, working in USA or working in Dubai
