"I knew a captain who would kick passengers off an airplane if they were rude to him or the other passengers. One flight attendant said that this is something he believes important. Matej Kastelic/500px/Getty Images
An American airline flight attendant (who requested anonymity) stated that they are in high demand.
They said overtime can be a great way to make a lot of money - up to $150,000 per year before taxes
They also work with people who don't want to wear masks. Elle Hardy was told their story.
This essay was based on a transcript of a conversation with a 36 year-old flight attendant at a major American airline in Dallas about the need for flight attendants. Insider has verified the identity and employment of this person, who requested anonymity. This has been edited to be more concise and clear.
As a result of severe staff shortages, you've likely seen the industry in trouble. A large number of flights have been cancelled by airlines due to staff shortages.
Although I have been flying for around six years, at the peak of the pandemic I was furloughed six months. Although I was able to travel a little bit and take some time off, I know many people who were furloughed.
It's actually the reverse. It's always possible to take overshifts.
You can be on your day off and the airline will offer overtime. They'll also pay time and a half if you work on this trip. This has been more common in the last six months.
My airline has employed about 1000 new flight attendants in the last year. It's also taking on board approximately 1,100 people who were forced out of training because of the pandemic.
I don’t work overtime, because I don’t have to. But I do know many people who make a lot by taking on extra trips.
They will make the same amount in three or four flights as we make in five during a normal shift.
If I work 18 days a month, I earn about $5,000 per month. You can expect to make about $7,000 per month if you do overtime. Some flight attendants are called "senior mamas" and they work 150-200 hours per month, earning up to $69 an hour. They make about $150,000 per year, which seems absurd to me.
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We are not pilots who can only fly 100 hours per month. For someone like me, the average flight hours is 85 hours per month.
If you are a senior member of the airline, you will be able to pick your flight routes from places like Hawaii or Frankfurt, Germany.
At my level, I am able to more or less choose and decide what I want.
There are many routes and you can request them all from a computer. It then determines what you will get based on seniority. I love the food and beer of the Upper Midwest so I usually pick it up and get it.
Our monthly schedule is sent to us in advance. You will be notified of next month's schedule by the 18th.
I cannot explain to people why they object to masks. It's market-specific.
You know everyone's going to play ball if you're from San Francisco. For example, once you arrive in Atlanta, it's not so easy.
It's not something I like to admit, but it is political. You can see where the state went in last year's presidential election. This will tell you where you are going to have problems with people refusing masks.
Tourists are the only thing you have in Florida. However, in Georgia, Louisiana, and the Carolinas, you'll find people making fun of masks.
However, I am a little bit of an exception. I am 6'4" and weigh 240 lbs. They won't mess around with me.
One time, a man started shouting at his female colleagues for blocking the aisle with his drink cart. I approached him and told him to be quiet. He sat down in his chair for the remainder of the conversation.
Truth be told, most people realize they have acted like a jerk once they stop acting that way. They don't even look at you afterwards.
When I ask someone to cover their face, they will. Although I have never encountered any problems, I have heard horror stories about colleagues who had to call the police.
It's not difficult to tell horror stories. My friend called the police to get to the plane because a man refused putting on his mask. The captain told everyone to remain seated. We will have some people board the aircraft. They were allowed to board the aircraft, and the individual was taken off.
I will say that the captains and pilots have our backs. They will brief us before each flight and tell us, "If anyone is oblivious, if anyone has a problem with their masks, please let us know and we'll remove them."
A captain once told me that he was proud of his ability to kick people off an airplane when they were rude or inconsiderate. This is something that I believe is important.
Business Insider has the original article.
