Karen Thomas
 Working as a flight attendant is among the most demanding and visible jobs for a woman - but is it really as glamorous as it seems? The truth is that international airlines demand long hours, hard work - and the glamour of travel can wear thin on long, intercontinental flights. Read on to find out about the highs and lows of life in the skies.
Cabin crew, air hostess, trolley dollies, female flight attendants... or whatever you like to call them, are often seen as glamour girls in search of a rich husband. But next time you fly, take a look at the cabin crew who smile as you board, demonstrate the safety procedures and cater to your every whim in-flight. Have you ever thought about the woman behind the tailored uniform - her background, hopes and ambitions? Let's hear it from the flight attendants. Far from being trolley dollies, all are consummate professionals, trained to handle life-or-death emergencies.
Houda flies with Qatar Airways
Houda Toufik, 28, is from Rabat in Morocco. She left home at 19 to live in Jeddah, before joining Qatar Airways. One of six children, Houda's life is very different to that of her twin sister, who manages a florist's business. Engaged twice, Houda jokes that she is married to her career. She was recently promoted to cabin senior.
“I was a language student, but didn't get the marks to enter translators' school. I'm a very demanding girl - I cannot sit at a desk with a routine job, so my escape route was as a flight attendant. My parents didn't say anything: even though the training centre was quite expensive, they told me to go ahead.
“After finishing the course, I waited six months before Saudi Arabian Airways came to recruit girls. I was really happy, but it was hard to leave home and friends and to live so far away in Saudi Arabia. Jeddah is beautiful, but it was hard to adapt. In Morocco, you can wear what you want and talk to whoever you want. The compound in Jeddah had supermarkets, restaurants, a swimming pool, but we felt like prisoners. Every time we left, the check hostess would make sure that we were completely covered. We were not allowed to wear make-up, to attract attention. I kept ringing home and crying. My twin sister was sick with worry.
“I worked in Saudi for two and a half years, then returned to Morocco to get married. I resigned and went home - but it didn't work out (laughs). I returned to my training centre as a supervisor, then Qatar Airways came along. The best thing about the job is understanding so many kind of people, seeing different cultures, different places without paying a penny. You see someone, and you know what kind of a person they are, how to talk to them and how to get whatever you want from them. But you have to adapt to flying in the mornings or nights. You have to be relaxed even though you may be nervous or have problems; you have to leave it at home.
“We have medical checks every six months. You can suffer varicose veins, bad circulation, or ear infections. If you don't eat well, you get anaemic. The grooming department carries out spot checks, to make sure we are not too thin or overweight. If you are five to seven kilos over, they advise you. Or if you are too thin, they show you how to control your food and to eat.
“We are not allowed to wear diamonds; we may be serving passengers who cannot afford such jewellery, and that could be insulting. You have to look neutral, but you also have to look good.
“People sometimes drink too much. If someone drinks on the ground, they do not get drunk. If they are flying and drink, the pressure doubles the effect. It's the same with walking, if you walk 100 metres on the ground, above 35,000 metres the same distance is like 200 metres. Seriously, I would advise anyone flying to drink nothing except water. When it is hot, the blood circulates faster and people become more aggressive. Aggressive passengers happen every day. Sometimes, they are from connecting flights and are stressed through lack of sleep. But we try to cool them down.
“If I'm upset, I go to the galley and have a glass of water to calm down. I never shout, or say bad things, or turn my back. If you cannot calm yourself, you are lost. The question is whether you can deal with these situations, without hurting anyone or making that person feel bad. In terms of security, alhamdulillah, I was never in a bad situation. I never get scared flying, but later I can get scared. Sometimes I start crying when I'm back home and I hear about other airline crashes.
“On September 11, I was in Doha on a day off. I was watching CNN at the time. I saw the crash of the second plane into the twin towers live on air. I was shocked. I didn't think it was an attack, I thought it was a crash. I didn't know the full details of the first plane and the reporting was confusing. Even the reporter in New York was surprised.
“I am not afraid of flying after the events. Accidents can happen to anyone. It depends on your destiny. It does not mean that I will die if I fly. I have carried on as normal. I reassure them and tell funny stories to let them know it is okay. I talk about other things like days off rather than about the flights.
“I have handled many medical emergencies - a miscarriage, administering oxygen to people. On our Kathmandu flight, we often have cases of food poisoning after people eat strange local foods. We are trained not to panic. I feel like I've grown with Qatar Airways. In most airlines, you don't see the chief executive; in Qatar Airways, we see him all the time. There are no barriers of rules or protocol; it's relaxed.
“You have to like this job to do it. I left Qatar to get married. You guessed it (more laughter) - it didn't work out! I spent four months in the States, then called Qatar Airways. I went back, and even got promoted recently to cabin senior. That is so unusual, for any airline. Will I still fly when I'm 35 or 40? There's a Filipina stewardess who we call Mama Jo, who is 40 with six children. Now, she's a welfare officer, but her daughter is flying. Whenever we have problems, we go to our Mama Jo. She has 19 years' experience and she still looks like a baby.
“I'd like to be a welfare officer or an instructor - that's my goal. No husband, no children! Qatar Airways doesn't abandon its cabin crew. If you don't want to work in Doha, you can work in an agency office. I have family in Paris. With my certificates, I could open a travel agency, or a training centre. There are opportunities.
“My twin sister says she could never carry a tray and serve a person - she's like ‘no way!' We are completely different; I sacrifice myself to know things. She visited Doha for a month, but when I asked her to stay longer, she said ‘thank you very much but I want to go back'. However, if I had a daughter, I would not advise her to do this. If you see me in jeans, I am not Houda the lady. I walk like a soldier, talk like a soldier - lose my femininity, talk too seriously. My work has affected my personality. I have become very tough. It also affects your health. You can get back problems or foot problems, headaches or problems with your ears or eyes, or heart problems.
“But I love flying. When I took four months out, I couldn't stay on the ground; I had to fly. I haven't chosen this job for the money, or to see places - I love this job. And after nine years, I still can't stop, even though I sometimes get fed up. It's like a drug, and I need it every day! You see so many things - but there is a price to pay.”
 Madiha flies with Emirates Airlines
Madiha Al Ratekh, 28, from Dubai is the eldest of her father's ten children. Emirates has just five Emirati cabin crew. Madiha jokes that flying is a great way to meet a rich husband. However, she is determinedly single and lives at home with her family in Dubai when not flying around the world.
“This is my fourth year working for Emirates. When I applied for the job, I didn't tell my dad - but now, everything is OK. At first, of course, he said no - especially the first time that I flew abroad, away from my family. But now, I think he understands what I want. I have step-sisters and step-brothers, and they don't like it - but my mother doesn't say anything. Most Emirati girls work in banks. I always expected to work, and always wanted to fly - that was my dream! I didn't travel much when I was younger.
“In the beginning, when I started training, the biggest surprise was the new words they used. At school, we were taught the word ‘kitchen', but on the aircraft we call it a ‘galley'. At school, we learned the word ‘bathroom', but on the aircraft they call it a ‘toilet'. But I found the safety and evacuation training exciting and even if I quit this job, these skills will help me in life.
I can use them to help people. The job has developed my personality. My dad sometimes tells me that I'm really, really tough. He calls me ‘my boy' because I don't have an older brother. I think it's a compliment. I often deal with medical emergencies; I had a case last month on a flight to Tehran, with a passenger who was epileptic. At first, we thought we would need an emergency landing, but we handled the situation well. Everything was fine.
“I'm proud to do this job. It is hard work; it's not just about flying everywhere - it's about seeing different things. The length of a stopover depends on the number of flights to that destination. The maximum would be around 100 hours and the minimum around 60 hours, so our average stay in any one place is 80 hours. I am a shopper and Dubai is my favourite city. But I also love Paris - it has a special atmosphere. There is a large Arab community there, from Morocco and Algeria, and I always have time to look around.
“Doing this job, I don't think that I'll get married. I like flying alone. But at the same time, I don't like it when a man tells me, ‘where are you - I was waiting for you'. That's not right. If I did get married and have children, I don't know whether I would stop or continue. But I don't see myself flying when I'm forty or fifty. None of my friends at home have decided to fly. Many of them wish that they could, but it's still a ‘ question of culture and family. Independence comes with the job; I am more confident, and able to handle myself. My advice to other women is don't listen to anyone - just do it.”
Howayda flies with British Airways
Egyptian-born Howayda Fadda, 37, spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, where her father worked as an accountant. The eldest of three children, she studied psychology at the American University of Cairo before joining British Airways. Unmarried, Howayda divides her time between London and Cairo and plans to study herbal medicine.
“Since I was young, I loved to study human behaviour and that's why I studied psychology. But I always wanted to work as an air hostess. I was born in Cairo, but my family moved to Saudi Arabia and I was on aeroplanes from the age of six. I would admire the air hostesses' make-up. It was my childhood dream, and you know what they say; be careful what you wish for! My mother taught English and studied her Masters in the UK, so I heard all about England as a child. I read English stories and went to St Mary's School, run by nuns in Cairo. We even went to church. So I was exposed to different cultures and religions.
“After university, I hoped to continue my studies and teach. But I decided to start working for a while, and continue my studies later. Now, ten or eleven years later, I'm still here - but I hope to study herbal medicine. Meanwhile, I satisfy my urge to teach doing customer service and corporate training. I first worked as ground crew for British Airways in Cairo, before training as a flight attendant. The training was hard because of the new lifestyle, being in a group, in London for the first time. But we were young, and it was exciting. It was December 1989 - and I went with another girl to Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve, and stood there as Big Ben chimed in the New Year. I will never, ever forget it.
“For my family, the main issue was that I would move from Cairo to Bahrain. They were scared because I had never left home and that was a big thing for them. But they supported me - that's how I've been brought up. My parents give me the freedom to make my own decisions, even though we discuss things. I think my mum wanted me to get married and to have kids. Now, I think she's given up! Is it possible to do this and have children? Who knows, I might take a ground job if I had a child. I am not married. Planning to get engaged? Maybe!
“I deal with different people daily - customers, colleagues from different teams. Having studied psychology and with experience, I can read customers. A year ago, I had a passenger from Cairo who looked spaced-out, as though she was on drugs. When I talked to her, she didn't respond. As we closed the aircraft doors, she started climbing all over the seats, acting really bizarre, so we stopped the take-off and off-loaded her. Sure enough, she was on drugs.
“Every day is a new experience. Then again, with a degree in psychology, you can work in any field - it's all about human interaction. I can serve you with a smile, but I will also know when you want to be left alone to work on your computer. You learn to be sensitive and read people's needs. In safety training, you have to be assertive and use your voice. In our culture, women are not used to being forward: that was something I had to learn. You don't pass that test until you open that door and start shouting. Otherwise, in a panic, people will not listen to you. You have to take control.
On 11 September, I heard about the attacks in America just as I was due to fly to Cairo. It was awful; the rest of the crew and I all felt that we had a job to do, that we had to be professional for the sake of our passengers. Even though we were shocked and upset, our priority was to reassure the passengers who had decided to fly anyway, to do everything that we could to make them feel safe. And it was very clear that the passengers on that flight were in need of reassurance.
“Even though the events shocked me, they have not really affected my view on life. I still believe that what will be, will be. People take risks every day - anything can happen. You could get run over by a bus, or have an accident in your car. I believe that I have a job to do. I do everything I can to reassure my friends and family - my job has not changed, and I will continue to enjoy flying for British Airways. We have regular security talks - as cabin crew, we must take care of our personal belongings. We have to carry our own bags and cannot use porters.
“Touch wood, I've had no emergencies in eleven years. You get people with asthma attacks or suspected heart attacks. We watch for changes in behaviour and if I suspect that someone has drunk too much, I talk to the purser - the cabin chief - and we decide between us to stop serving drinks. Holidays are hardest. We get large families, and they all want to sit together. We do our best - children are important to Arab families and parents get upset if you try to discipline them. British parents are always telling their kids to say thankyou to us. I find that strange.
“I still consider this a glamorous job. You're standing there in front of the cabin with all these eyes looking at you - you have to provide some theatre. People examine your hair and make-up. We have rules and regulations about how to look smart: long hair must be worn up - you can't wear it loose below your collar. We cannot wear long earrings, just simple pearls. We still have an image to live up to - it's important to keep glamour in the job. The way we look adds to that. It's a challenge to live up to - to take care of my figure, look after my skin. It's not a burden. People ask us about the latest fashions in London or Paris. The worst thing is working through the night. Work-wise the flights aren't harder, because people sleep. But I prefer to be working, walking up and down. Time passes slower at night.
“I like the job and the lifestyle - I might still be flying when I'm 45 or 50. If you take care of yourself, you can still look good. You don't have to be very young to look good. In this job, you need a mixture of youth and experience - customers appreciate that. Working as an air hostess has made me more open-minded and understanding, more appreciative of people's differences. And, in a way, nothing shocks me any more!”
 Nawal flies with Emirates Airlines
In 1987, Nawal Al Suwaidi, 32, became the first Emirati woman to join Emirates' cabin crew aged just 18 - an appointment that generated a flurry of media interviews. Fourteen years on, she has been promoted to cabin service director. Unmarried, she enjoys flying too much to accept a desk job, let alone an alternative career.
“When I was younger, it was my dream to fly. I loved aircrafts, and thought they were so beautiful. My family knew that I always had this career in mind; when I told my mother, she said yes - when you grow up. Then, when Emirates launched, it was a great chance for me. I was very proud to be the first Emirati woman. When I started, Emirates only had turn-around flights that returned the same day. Then, gradually, I started 24-hour stopovers in London and things grew from there.
“I used to wear the abaya, but not any more. We were never asked to cover our hair. I don't think that would work with the uniform. These days, the abaya is not so important for us - the main thing is that, even when wearing western clothes, you should be covered in a proper way.
The worst thing about flying is timing; you get up in the night, there is no routine - you eat different things at different times. You might have steak at 6am because it's dinner time in Singapore. You cannot always be with people you want to be with; sometimes during festivals - Eid, or Christmas - you have to work, and won't be back for several days. You miss people.
“I'm not married; if I was it would definitely be harder. It is possible to do this job and to be married, but you would have to be organised. There are so few Emirati women in this industry because of tradition, culture, family pressure and their future plans. Having a family has priority over having a job.
“The best thing about the job is that you are paid well, and the facilities are very good. The airline gives discounts on tickets, and at shopping centres. And we have the opportunity to meet people and see different places, so you learn about everything - people, culture, history; it's an education. Some of my friends are definitely jealous of my job - going everywhere and, best of all, the shopping. I'm not a shopaholic, but I love to go abroad and buy souvenirs.
“Grooming is not a problem: I think women should always look beautiful. After all, if you visit someone, or go to a party, you have to look good. It's part of the deal. It's about a balanced life, eating healthy food, getting enough rest and exercise. If you want to do it, there's time, though the big question, sometimes, is whether to go shopping or go to the gym! From time to time, I deal with emergencies - mostly health situations; people getting sick, or sometimes technical faults. I never faced a major emergency yet, alhamdulillah. Flying is safer than driving.
“When I started, I found it difficult to deal with people - especially different nationalities. I had only known my own people. But with experience, everything has changed. Now, I know people better and if there's a problem I can deal with it. It's about nationality, sometimes, or about the heat. Mostly, it's about human nature.
“Strange requests? Well, maybe phone numbers sometimes. That does happen. Often, men don't understand that being nice is doing your job; they think that being nice means that you like them. You just have to be clear: sorry, I'm really not interested. And I don't think that men really push themselves so much. They do understand. It's how you handle it that counts.
“This job has made me more confident: I know what I want. I have learned a lot about people, dealing with them every day. You have to be vigilant, travelling to different places; you learn not to put yourself in difficult situations. I would recommend it to other women definitely - it's a great education. I think you can continue this career after you're forty: if you don't have children, why not - as long as you're happy and healthy. If the right time comes, I will get married. But whether I give up or not depends on the circumstances - I haven't thought about it.
“The next step in my career would be as a trainer, or in the office, but I'm not ready to give up flying just yet. I just love being in the aircraft and being with different people. I still enjoy it, and hope to carry on until I'm not happy doing it any more. It's not as easy as it looks, or as glamorous. It's hard work being on your feet all the time - but I love it.”
Courtesy: Arabian Woman
|
