4 answers
Heidy
Student
Gainesville, Florida
6
Questions
Asked
5855 views
What is the daily life, work environment and passenger interaction of flight attendants ?
Interested in becoming a flight attendant, so I am wondering about this career.
Daily Life & Work Environment
1. What does a typical day on the job look like for you?
2. How many flights do you usually work in a day or week?
3. How do you handle jet lag and irregular sleeping patterns?
4. What’s the best and worst part of your job?
5. How do you deal with long-haul flights or overnight shifts?
Passenger Interaction and Safety
1. How do you handle difficult passengers or conflicts on board?
2. Can you share an example of an emergency situation you’ve experienced and how you responded?
3. What kind of medical training do flight attendants receive?
4. How do you ensure the safety of passengers during turbulence or emergencies?
Login to comment
4 answers
Dr Fisch
Flight Attendant
79
Answers
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hi Heidy. You have many questions & that's great! I am a flight attendant and just finished a trip, so I can tell you firsthand what generally happens to answer your "daily life" question. Keep in mind though that even though most airlines work similarly, they do sometimes differ in procedures and work rules.
The first thing to do is either check-in to your flight if you're starting a new trip, or meet with your crew in the hotel lobby if this is not the first day of your trip. The check-in or "lobby time" is very precise -- you cannot be late! There are quick social exchanges with your crew members. Perhaps you worked with one of them before. Often you have not. You find out which crew members will be with you for your entire work trip and which may only be with you for a day or maybe even just one leg.
Once on the airplane, you stow your bags and look over the paperwork that has information about your flight: crew member names, flight duration, passenger list and specifically those with special needs like a wheelchair, etc. The captain will inform the crew about the route the aircraft will fly and if any weather or turbulence is expected.
Each flight attendant needs to then do their equipment and security checks before boarding can start.
While boarding, each flight attendant helps passengers get situated.
After boarding, the cabin crew secures the galleys and makes sure everything is in compliance before pushing back from the gate.
After pushing back from the gate, the safety briefing is shown.
During the flight there is a cabin service. Drink are served along with a snack or meal.
The cabin needs to be prepared for landing and again everything needs to be in compliance before landing.
As passengers deplane, we say our goodbyes to them.
There may be just one long flight in a day or sometimes up to 6 or possibly 7 short ones in a single day. The difference depends on which airline you work for and if you're flight just domestically (usually shorter flights) or internationally (usually longer flights).
When done with all the flights, if it's the last day or your trip, you can go home almost immediately after all the passengers deplane off your last working flight. If it's a multi-day trip (which can be between 2 to 6 days straight), you'll go with your crew to a hotel that is paid for by the airline. Transportation is also already arranged for you.
In the hotel, that's your free time. That can be as short as 10 hours or as long as a few days. You can choose to hang out more with the crew to share a meal or drinks, you can choose to explore the city, or you can just chill out in your hotel room. Just be sure you're there at lobby time before starting the next work day!
The first thing to do is either check-in to your flight if you're starting a new trip, or meet with your crew in the hotel lobby if this is not the first day of your trip. The check-in or "lobby time" is very precise -- you cannot be late! There are quick social exchanges with your crew members. Perhaps you worked with one of them before. Often you have not. You find out which crew members will be with you for your entire work trip and which may only be with you for a day or maybe even just one leg.
Once on the airplane, you stow your bags and look over the paperwork that has information about your flight: crew member names, flight duration, passenger list and specifically those with special needs like a wheelchair, etc. The captain will inform the crew about the route the aircraft will fly and if any weather or turbulence is expected.
Each flight attendant needs to then do their equipment and security checks before boarding can start.
While boarding, each flight attendant helps passengers get situated.
After boarding, the cabin crew secures the galleys and makes sure everything is in compliance before pushing back from the gate.
After pushing back from the gate, the safety briefing is shown.
During the flight there is a cabin service. Drink are served along with a snack or meal.
The cabin needs to be prepared for landing and again everything needs to be in compliance before landing.
As passengers deplane, we say our goodbyes to them.
There may be just one long flight in a day or sometimes up to 6 or possibly 7 short ones in a single day. The difference depends on which airline you work for and if you're flight just domestically (usually shorter flights) or internationally (usually longer flights).
When done with all the flights, if it's the last day or your trip, you can go home almost immediately after all the passengers deplane off your last working flight. If it's a multi-day trip (which can be between 2 to 6 days straight), you'll go with your crew to a hotel that is paid for by the airline. Transportation is also already arranged for you.
In the hotel, that's your free time. That can be as short as 10 hours or as long as a few days. You can choose to hang out more with the crew to share a meal or drinks, you can choose to explore the city, or you can just chill out in your hotel room. Just be sure you're there at lobby time before starting the next work day!
Thank you for the advice!
Heidy
Terez Little
Strategic Communication
5
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Terez’s Answer
While I am not an actual Flight Attendant, I have close family and friends that have more than 20 years of experience and share their stories of day to day work and training quite often. I wanted to share some insight from a 3rd party point of view of receiving stories and explanations from them.
1. The day can start as early as 3am or as late as late evening depending on when you select/bid your flight to work. Sometimes they are scheduled and sometimes you are on call to support other flight attendants. You check in, do safety checks and ensure the proper items to serve the passengers are on board and prepare for take-off.
2. You usually 85-90 hours per month. This can be achieved working international flights or scheduling multiple flights per week. Flight/hours work count when the plane departs/pushes.
3. Handling jet-lag or irregular sleep patterns…establish a routine that relaxes you at the end of a shift. Meditation, soothing sounds, hot baths.
4. Best part is the travel! Seeing the world! The worst part are the delayed or canceled flights.
5. During long-haul overnight flights, you get a break to sleep. It is manageable.
Passenger Interaction
1. Alert the captain and emergency services.
2. A family member once experienced a passenger having a stroke, they asked if anyone on board had a medical background and they were able to provide medical attention. Once the plane landed, they received additional support. They survived.
3. Basic life support, CPR.
4. The safety instructions that are provided are stated again during emergencies ensuring everyone remains seated and calm and know the precautions to take.
1. The day can start as early as 3am or as late as late evening depending on when you select/bid your flight to work. Sometimes they are scheduled and sometimes you are on call to support other flight attendants. You check in, do safety checks and ensure the proper items to serve the passengers are on board and prepare for take-off.
2. You usually 85-90 hours per month. This can be achieved working international flights or scheduling multiple flights per week. Flight/hours work count when the plane departs/pushes.
3. Handling jet-lag or irregular sleep patterns…establish a routine that relaxes you at the end of a shift. Meditation, soothing sounds, hot baths.
4. Best part is the travel! Seeing the world! The worst part are the delayed or canceled flights.
5. During long-haul overnight flights, you get a break to sleep. It is manageable.
Passenger Interaction
1. Alert the captain and emergency services.
2. A family member once experienced a passenger having a stroke, they asked if anyone on board had a medical background and they were able to provide medical attention. Once the plane landed, they received additional support. They survived.
3. Basic life support, CPR.
4. The safety instructions that are provided are stated again during emergencies ensuring everyone remains seated and calm and know the precautions to take.
Bhagesh Pant
Information Technology
17
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Bhagesh’s Answer
Heidy, it’s fantastic that you’re exploring a career as a flight attendant! This job is exciting, challenging, and full of variety. A typical day for a flight attendant starts early with pre-flight briefings, where the crew discusses flight details and safety procedures. Depending on the airline and route, attendants may work one to four flights a day, with shifts ranging from 8 to 16 hours. Jet lag and irregular sleep are common, so many attendants rely on hydration, naps, and sleep routines to stay balanced. The best part of the job is traveling to new places and meeting people from all walks of life, while the toughest parts include long hours, time away from family, and dealing with unpredictable schedules or difficult passengers. On long-haul or overnight flights, attendants rotate rest breaks and stay alert to manage passenger needs and safety.
Passenger interaction is a huge part of the role. Flight attendants greet passengers warmly, assist with seating and luggage, and provide food and beverage service. They’re trained to handle conflicts calmly and professionally, often using de-escalation techniques. In emergencies—like medical issues or turbulence—they follow strict protocols and may call for onboard medical help. Flight attendants receive training in CPR, first aid, and emergency evacuation procedures to ensure passenger safety. They also manage emotions and comfort, especially for nervous flyers, and play a key role in creating a positive travel experience. To dive deeper into this career, check out these helpful resources:
https://careerkarma.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-flight-attendant/
https://cabincrewhq.com/day-in-the-life-flight-attendant/
https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/flight-attendant/work-environment/
https://cabincrew24.com/6-essential-ways-cabin-crew-influence-airline-passengers/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6MX6m9lDbg
All the best!! Cheers!
Passenger interaction is a huge part of the role. Flight attendants greet passengers warmly, assist with seating and luggage, and provide food and beverage service. They’re trained to handle conflicts calmly and professionally, often using de-escalation techniques. In emergencies—like medical issues or turbulence—they follow strict protocols and may call for onboard medical help. Flight attendants receive training in CPR, first aid, and emergency evacuation procedures to ensure passenger safety. They also manage emotions and comfort, especially for nervous flyers, and play a key role in creating a positive travel experience. To dive deeper into this career, check out these helpful resources:
https://careerkarma.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-flight-attendant/
https://cabincrewhq.com/day-in-the-life-flight-attendant/
https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/flight-attendant/work-environment/
https://cabincrew24.com/6-essential-ways-cabin-crew-influence-airline-passengers/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6MX6m9lDbg
All the best!! Cheers!
James Constantine Frangos
SOFTWARE ENGINEER SINCE 1972; NUTRITIONIST SINCE 1976.
7094
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Good Day Heidy!
Sorry I am not a flight attendant, I am a health care worker. I do volunteer work designing nutritional rescue formulas for the homeless and refugees.
I shall deal with another salient point that was raised on the Internet. Flight attendants employed full-time in the USA were receiving such small remunerations that they could not afford to rent dwellings, so they were living out of their cars.
Verbatim Quote:- "Some say they are struggling to feed their families and are living out of their cars. In interviews with 18 current or former flight attendants, workers recounted dire financial situations, assault on the job from unruly passengers and mental health crises."
SEE https://au.news.yahoo.com/barely-surviving-flight-attendants-facing-143205729.html?
Commercial Airline Pilots shall never have to experience this. I hear NY is cold in Winter!
JC
Sorry I am not a flight attendant, I am a health care worker. I do volunteer work designing nutritional rescue formulas for the homeless and refugees.
I shall deal with another salient point that was raised on the Internet. Flight attendants employed full-time in the USA were receiving such small remunerations that they could not afford to rent dwellings, so they were living out of their cars.
Verbatim Quote:- "Some say they are struggling to feed their families and are living out of their cars. In interviews with 18 current or former flight attendants, workers recounted dire financial situations, assault on the job from unruly passengers and mental health crises."
SEE https://au.news.yahoo.com/barely-surviving-flight-attendants-facing-143205729.html?
Commercial Airline Pilots shall never have to experience this. I hear NY is cold in Winter!
JC