Really?
Just got a call from the Crew Desk. This afternoon, I am going back to Frankfurt (FRA) again.Do we fly anywhere else????
Do we fly anywhere else????
Pics from my camera
I'm just back from Frankfurt (FRA)--or as my friend Steve calls it, my "home away from home!" I worked the late flight over on Saturday night and got into my hotel room at 12:45 Sunday afternoon. A nap was necessary and a little later, I met some friends for dinner.
My colleagues, Wayne, Mandy and Vicki--who worked the earlier flight.
Wayne, Vicki and I walked over to the Klosterhof restaurant for some schnitzel. The Flight Crews affectionately call this place "The Orange Door." I bet you can guess why...
Always a good time and a great meal--and the weather was nice enough that we could still eat outside in the bier garten.
Other pics in my camera...
One of the girls I flew with showed off her new tee-shirt!
I was walking down the airport concourse, heading to the employee parking lot to go home, and ran across this man with this bird. Turns out, the bird is the mascot of the US Air Force Academy and they were heading back to the Academy in Colorado Springs. CO.
It was so hot on the 767 I was working a couple of weeks ago--that we opened carts every few minutes to get a cool breeze...
My View 1 Year Ago: Where have all the flowers gone?
Notes from the cocktail napkin
.jpg)
I had a good trip this week--two legs to San Diego (SAN) with a 32 hour layover, then worked three legs back home. While I was in SAN, the phone woke me up around 0900. It was the front desk letting me know I had a fax from the night prior. I made my way to the lobby, where the clerk at the front desk handed the fax to me and said "It was pretty funny." And it was! Complete with an official letterhead and photo on the page, our cat, Emmie had sent me a fax to let me know that the dog that was visiting smelled, Norm wasn't feeding her the good food that I do, and that she missed me. Loved it!
So--here are some of the notes from the serviette (cocktail napkin) shoved in and out of my pocket during this trip...
I was walking on the right hand side of the concourse, heading to my gate. Not in the middle of the concourse, just on the right hand side, following a few people in front of me--just walkin', single file, draggin' my bag, in an orderly fashion.As I walk past a gate, I see a woman with a double baby buggy, inches from me. She had two babies in this double stroller, both appeared to be sleeping. She was in the gate area, facing the concourse. If traffic rules apply here, she would have to yield to oncoming traffic--me. Just as my body passed her, BAM! She drove her baby carriage into my rollaboard suitcase! I was so startled by this, I did not know what to say. So, I said what I have to say quite a bit as a Flight Attendant, "I'm sorry." And, she just looked at me, like I was evil. She rammed her kids into me...I was just walking along, following traffic...Whatever, Wierdo...
------------------------------------------------------------------
Working so many hours without a break, the Company is contractually required to provide us with a crew meal. The only place to eat these meals is standing up in the galley. Conveniently located next to the galley is the lav (bathroom). People in line for the lav stare at us scarfing down our meal.
Jumpseat Confession:
What's up with that? Have they never seen a person eat before? Strange feeling for me, knowing the guy in 22C is staring at me while I shovel chicken and rice into my mouth. I felt like a freak show. Maybe I should sell tickets!------------------------------------------------------------------
Saw these Cool Feet in a magazine--wrote it down so I could remember to check it out.
Wanted to look at Eat This, Not That on Men's Health website.
Also wanted to remember to friend Josie on Facebook. She's a terrific Flight Attendant I flew with this trip. We had flown together before and had a good time--she's so funny!
------------------------------------------------------------------
From Denver (DEN) to Tampa (TPA) I was the #4. During boarding, I am the "Greeter" and stand at the 2L Door, between First Class andthe Village Coach
. After most everyone had boarded, a gentleman came up to me from First Class. From the gate, he had noticed the first passenger to get on, a young man who was on crutches because he was an amputee. His gear had military insignia on it, and with his haircut and demeanor, it was safe to assume his injuries were war related. The gentleman in First Class asked me if it was alright to switch seats with the young man in the back. "Of course," I said..."lets wait until everyone else has finished boarding." After locating him in the back of the bus (or the 757, as in this case!) the gentleman from First Class softly spoke with the young man, who didn't want to leave the friend he was traveling with. The friend insisted that he go, and as they changed seats, I carried the young man's bag to the front closet in First Class. His bag had his prosthetic leg standing straight up--and I could look down and see the inside of it. Carrying the bag to the closet, I could not hold back the hot tears of gratitude I felt for this soldier--it reminded me of the song with the words, "All gave some, some gave all." I was also very moved by the very generous offer of the gentleman from First Class. Some talk the talk--but, he walked the walk.
From Denver (DEN) to Tampa (TPA) I was the #4. During boarding, I am the "Greeter" and stand at the 2L Door, between First Class and
. After most everyone had boarded, a gentleman came up to me from First Class. From the gate, he had noticed the first passenger to get on, a young man who was on crutches because he was an amputee. His gear had military insignia on it, and with his haircut and demeanor, it was safe to assume his injuries were war related. The gentleman in First Class asked me if it was alright to switch seats with the young man in the back. "Of course," I said..."lets wait until everyone else has finished boarding." After locating him in the back of the bus (or the 757, as in this case!) the gentleman from First Class softly spoke with the young man, who didn't want to leave the friend he was traveling with. The friend insisted that he go, and as they changed seats, I carried the young man's bag to the front closet in First Class. His bag had his prosthetic leg standing straight up--and I could look down and see the inside of it. Carrying the bag to the closet, I could not hold back the hot tears of gratitude I felt for this soldier--it reminded me of the song with the words, "All gave some, some gave all." I was also very moved by the very generous offer of the gentleman from First Class. Some talk the talk--but, he walked the walk.
My View 1 Year Ago: Blondie's Triumph over Tommy the Tumor!
My View 2 Years Ago: The Drive to Hilo.
Early Christmas present?
Did my 0500 Standby yesterday. Four hours of Airport Appreciation. Standby is an available Flight Attendant at the airport in case another can't work for whatever reason (car troubles, goes illegal, calls in sick, etc.) I spent my tour of duty in a big, fat LaZ Boy chair with my cell phone in my pocket and took a nap.
Last night, the Crew Desk called at 10 p.m. I was sure I was getting something that had a check-in at oh-dark-thirty, again. For whatever reason, the Crew Desk called to give me my trip that checks in at 3 p.m. this afternoon! I have never had this much notice--it was like being a kid on Christmas!
And my trip is a good one, too! Washington to San Francisco to San Diego tonight--with a 32 hour layover (!)--then work back to Washington on Tuesday via Denver and Tampa.
I am a very happy girl!
My View 1 Year Ago: My CA-thee Cwaire
My View 2 Years Ago: Captain as a Flight Attendant-not pretty!
Which trip will I get?
I'm going back to work on Friday for my half of the partner flying for the month of September. My partner, Sue, has been flying the last two weeks--and now it's worked it out so I will fly the last half of September and the first half of October, so she will have four weeks off in a row. And, I'll get the same in November/December. And, she'll have Christmas off, and I'll have Thanksgiving off--just the way we like it!A bit prematurely, because it all changes so frequently, but I took a peek at the Open Trips for Friday. There's Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Geneva, Rio de Janiero, Munich, Zurich, Paris, and Sao Paulo. Ni-ice!
But, since I am good for five days of flying, and am #1 on the Reserve list, I'd bet almost anything that I'll be sitting 0500 Standby at the airport.
I'll let you know!
My View 1 Year Ago: Duck, Duck, Goose!
My View 2 Years Ago: Late to Lexington
What do I pack in my mobile home?
I am so totally stealing this title from Brajit over on Popslinger's Paradise. Go on over and say hi to him--he has been jamming with a lot of great posts the last couple of months!So, what do I pack in my suitcase? We have a 20" Travelpro issued to us in training, as well as a lovely matching tote bag. (While it is issued to us, we still pay for it.) This is my mobile home for any trip I take. It may be a week in Prague or a quick work trip to Chicago (ORD) and back. (See, if I just carried my FAA and Company required stuff, something--like a mechanical problem or weather--would happen and I'd end up with an unexpected layover, without MY required stuff. Been there, done that!)
I think most Flight Attendants have the same sort of thought process that they use everytime they pack for a work trip. I keep mine real simple: work clothes, play clothes, jammie clothes. And the associated underthings that go with each, plus extra-just in case.
I usually wear my dress for work trips--saves me from packing a ton of uniform shirts. I do lose out in that I have to pack several pairs of panty hose. So, that covers the work clothes category.
Play clothes is jeans and capris and a couple different shirts. Something that I could go someplace relatively nice, or a whole-in-the-wall and be comfy. Depending on where I go, I may bring a swimsuit and cover-up.
Jammie clothes is easy, too--just some yoga pants, a camisole and zip-up jacket. Something I can wear to get ice or a soda at the hotel and also sleep in. (In case the damn fire alarm goes off at 3 a.m. and I am on the 19th floor of a hotel--I wanna be able to get out of there fast, and covered up!)
Then the list gets a little long, but, since I pack the same stuff all the time, I almost always am able to tell if something is missing.
My Flight Attendant Manual. Required.
Passport. Required. (Even if I am only going to ORD and back, still gotta have it.)
Flashlight. Required.
Make-up. Required. (By me!) And a toiletry bag that lies flat...love this! It goes on the top of all my stuff when I am finished packing and takes up so little room in my suitcase!
Inflight shoes. Flat and comfortable.
Laptop and cell phone and iTouch and associated chargers. And two pairs of earphones.
Corkscrew. (You never know...)
Chapstick. In my uniform pocket.
Moisturizer-within easy reach during my flight.
Hand sanitizer. ('nuff said...)
Pens galore. I must have 30 in my tote bag. All hotel pens.
A couple of Ziploc bags. I don't know why I have 'em. Have never used them.
Moisturizing eyedrops. Also within easy reach during the flight. Since my Lasik surgery, my eyes get as dry as a desert!
Sewing kit.
Magazines. (My love for People magazine is well-documented!)
I bring another pair of shoes to wear with my jeans, and some Switchflops for the capris.
I also bring along my own hair conditioner--will usually use the hotel shampoo, though.
Febreeze. Can't live without it. Travel sized, of course!
An alarm clock.
Electrical outlet adapters if I am flying on an international trip.
A couple of small shopping bags that fold up to nothing. In many countries, you get charged for a bag when you check out--so, I like to have a couple just in case. They fit into a flat, outside pocket on my roll-a-board.
Baby wipes. I use them all the time when I want to wash my hands and can't.
Clorox wipes. My germophobia is also well-documented!
Now I know why the hotel van driver always grunts when he picks up my bag--I guess I do carry a lot of stuff with me.
What do YOU carry in your bag?
Any wannabes out there?
You probably know that many airlines here in the US are struggling. "The friendly skies" of my airline decided this summer that it was overstaffed and needed to have some people go "buh-bye." They managed to offer 1926 Flight Attendants a voluntary furlough and an additional 165 Flight Attendants (including me) are partner flying (job sharing.)
In addition to the 1252 already furloughed, American Airlines just laid off another 921 Flight Attendants. (Well, 244 of them are out for the months of October and November, and will return to flying to be Santa's elves for December. It will be interesting to see what January brings for them.)Earlier this summer, US Airways sought to furlough 400 Flight Attendants. The country has been hearing this sort of news plenty in the last 8 years--and these numbers are daunting!
I know in July, when I was staring at the computer to see whether or not I had a job anymore, the waiting was terrible. The uncertainty, the not knowing, the unfathomable future without this job that I love or the benefits I adore...(yeah, it's that cool of a job!)
On the second day at training at my mainline job, we were given the news that there would be no more classes hired after us for the time being. This was blamed on the price of fuel at the time. There were people who were on their way to the Training Center--one girl had already quit her job and had her car being shipped to Chicago when she received the call not to come to class. And being in the last class that was hired--if anyone is going to be involuntarily furloughed, it will be me. I am about #10 from the bottom of the seniority list here at my airline.
Okay, after reading that...are there still any Flight Attendant wannabes out there? While many airlines are laying off Flight Attendants, there are still some that are hiring.
The scuttlebutt over on FlightAttendants.org (a pay site--and worth every penny if you are a wannabe) is that Hawaiian Airlines will be hiring. It's a small airline with big plans of expansion--for now the word is they are looking for 30 more Flight Attendants.
Qantas is accepting "interest."
Regional carriers that are hiring: Trans States, Air Wisconsin, and Skywest.
Kiki Ward, who for a long time has put together a great interview guide specific to each airline has a list of the airlines hiring--and there aren't that many...
Two of my favorite bloggers have recently posted important information for any wannabes (and we all were one before we were hired!)
Ben, aka Airboy, is a 23 year old Flight Attendant from Paris, who flies for Emirates (EK). Looks like EK is hiring. Check out Airboy's website--it is chock full of fun stuff and great information. He has a great section on joining Emirates Air Crew with a lot of FAQ's and other useful information for wannabes or even wannaknows!
And, Heather Poole, who flies for an American mainline carrier and writes Galley Gossip for Gadling, and also has a personal website, gives all the wannabes great advice when it comes to Flight Attendant Training Schools.
If you're a wannabe, you'll definitely want to follow Heather and Airboy and subscribe to FAs.org. And, hurry up and get hired, please! We all want to have you onboard with us! And, I want some seniority!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)