Maybe you could get qualified, but with that attitude you would never get hired. And if you got hired, there is no way you would be able to handle it for 20 years like the senior p&m have. I was an FA for 2 years, pilot for over 2 decades. Your FAs and gate crew do more for your public appreciation than the pilots by a big margin.

 

Been saying this for years. Couldn’t have said it better myself. It’s even worse at the legacies, senior flight attendants make more than regional captains. You get better service from the 2nd world/3rd world crew on cruise ships than you do from your average flight attendant.

 

It's funny you mention 'public perception' and 'attitude.' Why does this hit close to home?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeBIhm-x564

Did you know that the substantial majority of the current flight attendant corps in the US couldn't get hired overseas as flight attendants primarily because of those two reasons you mention?

Ever wonder why some of the highest-rated airlines by Skytrax have things like mandatory retirement age (42 is the lowest I've seen so far) for flight attendants? Why some require you to fit into a single size uniform? Why a number of airlines are expecting their flight attendants to be a symbol of grace and style to the point that the flight attendant makeup shades are regulated by their manual; how they present a drink or a tray to a passenger; how they bend as opposed to slouching? Stray from the standards, and you'd be gone so fast your head would spin. Mouth off to a passenger, you're gone. They have people for that - you don't stray from presenting grace and style. Put on a few lbs, and you will be given a timeframe to lose the weight. If you don't... you're gone. You might be able to work in a different role, but definitely not as a flight attendant.

I recall once sitting in LHR and I recall seeing a US legacy crew walk by. It was about what you'd expect. They were followed by a Singapore crew and a Thai Airways crew. Then another US crew. You know how we're all proud to be Americans? This was a big exception... I felt embarrassed. Talk about an in-your-face display of where we stand and rank.

 

Many foreign airlines select their FAs as a matter of national pride. They provide the pinnacle of customer service and professional presentations and manners. Absolutely incredible! U.S. airlines aren't capable of playing ball in the same park. Tragedy! Very sad. Awful performance on our part. I just don't see any argument on this unless your mind is paralyzed by social justice stuff...

 

What difference does it make what they make? You get what you negotiate.

same speak as management BTW.

“No pilot should be making more than upper level management”

 

Looks like roughly 821 pilots took ETO.

 

The great thing was it wasn't even negotiable. The company ignored our contract and did this unilaterally. So the suckers that took it probably could have gotten more if nobody took it. Sucks for them

 

True but I doubt they care. Many were prob likely to drop MIL leave, bang out sick or give away everything anyway.

 

Yep. About half of those FOs are doing mil duty. Good for them. I would too.

 

I know some people that took it for health issues of family members or themselves stop being a d*ck.