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Originally Posted by I Gotta Push
Sorry if already covered, but what do you think of the Flight Attendant occupation?
I have a lot of respect for the job they do. Although many people think they're just airborne waiters, their reason for being is for safety. In an emergency, they save lives and there are many instances to illustrate this. But day-to-day, they provide one of the most lasting impressions the airline makes on its customers, so it's important that they have good social skills. If you don't like dealing with people, it won't be a job you like.
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What is the best route to go to become one?
You're outside my knowledge base here. For better information, you should talk to a flight attendant, and probably any one of them you see would be happy to talk about it. Go to this website:
http://upgrd.com/thecrewlounge/ which is hosted by two flight attendants, or email them at
fa@upgrd.com with your questions. They might even discuss it in their podcast (I was just a guest on
Episode 29 of their podcasts.)
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Is it true they can only work at most 75ish hours a month?
No. A particular airline might have some limits, especially if their flight attendants are unionized, but the FAA puts no limits on block hours for flight attendants. While most of them fly about the same number of hours as pilots (80-85 flight hours/month), I've talked to some FAs who have flown as much as 150 hours in a month!
In my opinion, there should be some kind of flight time limit. A fatigued FA might be useless in an evacuation. There should also be an age limit. There have been several cases of FAs working well into their 70s and being physically incapable of doing the job. But airlines fear age discrimination suits. The FAA took care of that problem with airline pilots by imposing an age limit. They should do the same with FAs.
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Are Flight Attendants furloughed overseas often, and do they receive a stipend if they are required to stay overnight somewhere foreign?
I'm not sure you understand what "furlough" means. To be furloughed is to be laid off. It's like being fired, but you maintain your position on the seniority list and a right to come back to the job if they ever recall employees.
All crew members (pilots and FAs) receive per diem during overnight stays, whether domestic or international. And, of course, the company arranges and pays for transportation and hotel.
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Do you recommend this profession? (I'm a single man with college education). Do you think it is an enjoyable and worthwhile profession? Any other advice is appreciated.
If you're interested in travel and meeting lots of new people (co-workers and the public), it could be a great experience. It will certainly expand your horizons and experience base. Check out that website I mentioned above...they can probably answer a lot of your questions.