I met a really nice Delta flight attendant today and it gave me a lot to think about. First of all, she is on furlough, and has been for many years. Although it was a voluntary furlough at the time, she is still not flying. This pretty much confirms my suspicions that had I gone to work at Delta all though years ago, I would definitely not be working there.
I do have to wonder what it would be like trapped, um I mean working, on a plane filled with other women (or men) for hours at a time if I didn’t get along with them. As I mentioned to a couple people today, when I first started, I came from an office situation that was not the best situation for me since I do not tolerate petty office crap very well. Then my first flight up to Cincinnati the cabin crew members were all fighting with each other. No way, not for me. So, there’s Comair. I get to do the job I love, by myself. I get to be the way I want to be with my passengers. I feel like they are my guests.
For the longest time, I avoided the aircraft that we had involving two working flight attendants. There was no way I was going to give up my way of life. My space. My way of doing things. I was going to protect my turf and not have to deal with anyone else. Then, I got a trip on our 70 seat aircraft.
It was great. I had someone to talk to and share the responsibilities with. Even with that though, I bid the back of the aircraft, where I was with the passengers, leaving the other flight attendant up in the galley to do the paperwork and “galley stuff”. I felt as if I was so far away from everyone sitting up in the front jump seat after so many years of sitting right in front of these people. Then, one day I got the front position.
Now, I actually bid for the lead position (sits in the front of the airplane) and love it. All except for the paperwork! Only because it’s hard to remember to turn it in right away since I am usually in a hurry to go home. I’m working on that character flaw and think it’s under control.
So, if I can go from not working with anyone, to working only in the back, to enjoying the lead position, could I possibly enjoy working on an aircraft with more that one other flight attendant? Well, there was a Delta flight attendant on our aircraft the other day. He asked me who the lead was. I said, “I am. Why?” He was wondering because one minute, I said an announcement and the next time the other flight attendant said one. One minute, she was picking up trash and the next time around, I did it. He also said that if someone other than the lead flight attendant [on Mainline] picked up the phone and made an announcement, she would be angry. So, do I think that I could work at Delta, on a plane possibly for hours with the possibility of that type of mentality? I’m not sure. I have been able to work with all of the different types of personalities that I have been faced with so far. Doesn’t mean I am in a hurry to work with them again. I’m sure there are other flight attendants that feel the same about my style of working.
Tonight, I am working with a flight attendant who’s mother works for Delta and we also discussed this issue. A trip that I was on a few weeks ago is the perfect example. The flight attendant that was working in our row was amazing. I can only hope that I am as good as she was with us with my own passengers. Then, there’s the flight attendant working the row ahead of us…
We felt sorry for those people.
What happens? Do some people just hate their jobs that bad? Does there come a point where you simply cannot stand people anymore? I know that all people are not the easiest to handle but it’s your job. You chose it so do it right.
Do you have these problems in your job? How do you handle it?
