Flight attendants

[arewethereyet]

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.

[Spongebob]

Back in the day, as they say, perhaps anything before the 1970's, flying was quite a privilege and a smaller percentage of people could do it. It was special. People actually dressed up to fly, so working for an airline was considered a premium job. Not to mention the travel perks.

Nowadays, flying is far cheaper, there are way more flights to way more places and almost everyone can do it if they need to or want to. Most people dress for comfort, shorts and flip flops, and way more children accompany parents. Let's face it, flying is what riding the bus used to be. For the airlines its all about getting butts in seats. So you get way more people who should just stay at home.

The one thing that has definitely improved? No more smoking!

[Duty]

I also gather that pilots are largely paid far less than we might imagine due to competition from budget airlines etc, and they're burdened with ENORMOUS debt from the cost of their training. Also the guilt of facilitating all that pollution being dumped into the upper atmosphere....I only mention that because I recently saw a FB post from an ex pilot who now campaigns for https://flightfree.co.uk/

9/11 - such an insane, tragic and traumatic event it spawned a whole redefinition of the phenomenon of conspiracy theories.

[Spongebob]

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.

[no one]

Assholes, are assholes, in any environment.
They sound be charged as terrorists, and be removed from society.

[arewethereyet]

Back in the day, as they say, perhaps anything before the 1970's, flying was quite a privilege and a smaller percentage of people could do it.  It was special.  People actually dressed up to fly, so working for an airline was considered a premium job.  Not to mention the travel perks.  

Nowadays, flying is far cheaper, there are way more flights to way more places and almost everyone can do it if they need to or want to.  Most people dress for comfort, shorts and flip flops, and way more children accompany parents.  Let's face it, flying is what riding the bus used to be.  For the airlines its all about getting butts in seats.  So you get way more people who should just stay at home.

The one thing that has definitely improved?  No more smoking!

Mom made sure we were dressed in our Sunday best for a flight. It was a special thing. Since one set of grandparents, and other family, were a thousand miles away, we made trips by plane maybe every other year. Sometimes we made the trip by car but we didn't have money for hotels so it was a straight through drive stopping only when the car needed gas or dad needed coffee.

I haven't been on a plane in years and don't think I ever will again. Your description of it being like riding the bus is apt.

[Brian37]

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.

It is fucking ridiculous what flight staff have to put up with. I am sure you saw the most recent viral video of the drunk asshole barking at the attendants. They are not just there to serve passengers food and booze. They are highly trained to deal with emergencies and are there to keep everyone safe. Jetliners are compact and the air circulation is compact, so it makes every bit of sense to require, during a pandemic for passengers to wear masks. It is the duty of the flight staff to enforce that requirement. 

Whenever I hear a story of an unruly passenger in the news, I want to kick them in the teeth. 

Betty Ong was a hero. She did her job.

[Spongebob]

Mom made sure we were dressed in our Sunday best for a flight.  It was a special thing.  Since one set of grandparents, and other family, were a thousand miles away, we made trips by plane maybe every other year.  Sometimes we made the trip by car but we didn't have money for hotels so it was a straight through drive stopping only when the car needed gas or dad needed coffee.  

I haven't been on a plane in years and don't think I ever will again.  Your description of it being like riding the bus is apt.

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.

---

And I did forget that most decent size airports are just glorified malls. You can buy or eat just about anything.

[Brian37]

Mom made sure we were dressed in our Sunday best for a flight.  It was a special thing.  Since one set of grandparents, and other family, were a thousand miles away, we made trips by plane maybe every other year.  Sometimes we made the trip by car but we didn't have money for hotels so it was a straight through drive stopping only when the car needed gas or dad needed coffee.  

I haven't been on a plane in years and don't think I ever will again.  Your description of it being like riding the bus is apt.

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.

[arewethereyet]

Mom made sure we were dressed in our Sunday best for a flight.  It was a special thing.  Since one set of grandparents, and other family, were a thousand miles away, we made trips by plane maybe every other year.  Sometimes we made the trip by car but we didn't have money for hotels so it was a straight through drive stopping only when the car needed gas or dad needed coffee.  

I haven't been on a plane in years and don't think I ever will again.  Your description of it being like riding the bus is apt.

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.

It's really a shame because I used to love to fly. Everything about a journey by plane was fine by me. I flew a couple times after 9/11 but haven't now in about twenty years.

I loved the feeling of takeoff and landing. By my last few flights I was getting a sinus infection every time I got on a plane and that pack of five and a half pretzels and a tiny bottle of water was not worth being crammed into a seat that's even too small for me, and I am a small person.

On one of the last flights I was on the flight attendant was wearing what looked like Doc Martens or Harley boots. I love my Harley boots but that was a sign to me that things had changed, a lot.