Flight attendants

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Oh, you aren't missing a thing.  Unless you get 1st class or business class, you are jammed in like cattle.  Flights get delayed or cancelled with little or no information, and you sometimes get to sit on the tarmac for a couple hours just to be told you have to get on a new plane.  Food has been reduced to almost nothing.  Oh, and getting felt up by security, great fun!  I am not a fan.

On the good side, there are no more in flight movies because everyone has a device of some sort and most newer planes have a power jack to plug in to.  So entertainment is great these days, whatever you bring.  I mostly read but I do put on my headphones to drown out the chatter.

An aside, I have never understood the outrageous price difference between first/business and coach. I get a little bit of difference sure, but 350 people all take off and land at the same time. But more importantly, if something goes wrong, the fact you are in first class and got served lobster isn't going to matter one bit.

But if nothing goes wrong with the flight (which is almost always the case) you got to eat lobster.

And even if something does go wrong (which is almost never the case) passengers in first class have more legroom to bend over and kiss their arse goodbye.

And Betty Ong wasn’t a hero. She called the cops. I’ve called the cops - does that make me a hero?

Boru

[Spongebob]

An aside, I have never understood the outrageous price difference between first/business and coach. I get a little bit of difference sure, but 350 people all take off and land at the same time. But more importantly, if something goes wrong, the fact you are in first class and got served lobster isn't going to matter one bit.

Airlines don't make a lot of profit on coach passengers, not individually.  They make a lot of that up on the premium seats.  Wealthy people like special treatment and they don't flinch at the price tag.  So it's all a balance between what people will pay and what they need to make in profits to satisfy stock holders.  I'm sure they would give us all free flights if they could, you know, with big businesses being so concerned about everyone's happiness and all.

[Brian37]

An aside, I have never understood the outrageous price difference between first/business and coach. I get a little bit of difference sure, but 350 people all take off and land at the same time. But more importantly, if something goes wrong, the fact you are in first class and got served lobster isn't going to matter one bit.

But if nothing goes wrong with the flight (which is almost always the case) you got to eat lobster.

And even if something does go wrong (which is almost never the case) passengers in first class have more legroom to bend over and kiss their arse goodbye.

And Betty Ong wasn’t a hero. She called the cops. I’ve called the cops - does that make me a hero?

Boru

You are correct, most of the time nothing happens. But that still doesn't justify the gap in price. That is just CEO/shareholder industry greed.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

But if nothing goes wrong with the flight (which is almost always the case) you got to eat lobster.

And even if something does go wrong (which is almost never the case) passengers in first class have more legroom to bend over and kiss their arse goodbye.

And Betty Ong wasn’t a hero. She called the cops. I’ve called the cops - does that make me a hero?

Boru

You are correct, most of the time nothing happens. But that still doesn't justify the gap in price. That is just CEO/shareholder industry greed.

No, it’s airlines offering an upgrade. 

Boru

[brewer]

We only had puddle jumper airports during my youth. I didn't fly until I moved away in the 80's.

[Angrboda]

[Brian37]

Um no. They are not. This is as stupid as thinking all firemen have to do is throw water on fire. Flight staff are highly trained, and not just for the emergencies or accidents we hear about on the news.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Um no. They are not. This is as stupid as thinking all firemen have to do is throw water on fire. Flight staff are highly trained, and not just for the emergencies or accidents we hear about on the news.

Flight attendants generally receive 3 to 6 weeks of training. I’m not sure what you consider ‘highly trained’, but that ain’t it.

Boru

[onlinebiker]

Most pilots used to get free training, via the United States Air Force.  That might be changing now.  I used to live next to a USAF flight trainer and he eventually bolted to the private sector.  He said you generally have to start at the bottom, commuter flights and low salary, and work your way up to the larger planes and a bigger salary.  Once you get there it's pretty sweet.

That was my dad' s generation...

And you didn' t start at the bottom. You had to get to the bottom, dig a hole, grab a ladder and dig some more.

Guys PAID to fly mail - just to get logged hours.

You paid your way up to the bottom.

My dad just got very lucky and fell onto a corporate gig - and got lots of logged hours that way. Once kids came - he gave it up for a more 9-5 job.


Nowdays - airlines do NOT want military trained pilots - as they respond as trained in the service under stress - and that frequently is at odds with how commercial carriers want their pilots to respond.

[Pat Mustard]

Just read an article where a man was talking about his sister who was one of the members of a flight crew that was killed on 9/11.

It got me thinking...when I was a kid and mom and I would fly to the east coast, flight attendants were just the coolest people, I thought.  Of course back in the day they were stewardesses.   In their fancy uniforms with hair and makeup perfect as they walked up and down serving us actual food while wearing heels, I just thought they were like movie stars.

We lost several on 9/11 and now their counterparts are dealing with assholes who want to make a big todo over wearing a mask on the plane.  Their job was always the safety and comfort of the passengers.  I really don't know why anyone would want that as a job any more with all the risks.

And given the remuneration. They have a very stressful and responsible job but get paid peanuts, comparatively.