WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW....WEDNESDAY
This weeks question comes from Joe:
#AOLMsgPart_2_a098085a-ef35-4aad-8420-11aeb29c3f3a .ExternalClass #EC_AOLMsgPart_2_a4505692-29a3-4821-999d-5b1fc4cab7f9 .EC_hmmessage P{padding:0px;}#AOLMsgPart_2_a098085a-ef35-4aad-8420-11aeb29c3f3a .ExternalClass #EC_AOLMsgPart_2_a4505692-29a3-4821-999d-5b1fc4cab7f9 body.EC_hmmessage{font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdan Just recently discovered your blog and, as a very frequent flier for business, I am enjoying the behind-the-scenes look at the airline world.
Had a quick question, though. It may just be my perception, but it has sure seemed like certain carriers' crews have been getting older and older and older, while others' crews seem to get younger and younger and younger. Is that your experience/perception as well? Do FAs often change carriers? Given how important seniority seems to be in your job, I would think there would be a huge downside to switching, but the only explanation I can figure for the age trend is that there are "starter airlines," where young FAs get their first jobs but that are less desirable for some reasons (because of routes, pay, etc), and then there are "career airlines," that are more desirable that FAs jump to & stay at once they can. Is that right? Just curious.
Thanks so much for writing your blog, and good luck with everything!
Joe
San Diego, California
Had a quick question, though. It may just be my perception, but it has sure seemed like certain carriers' crews have been getting older and older and older, while others' crews seem to get younger and younger and younger. Is that your experience/perception as well? Do FAs often change carriers? Given how important seniority seems to be in your job, I would think there would be a huge downside to switching, but the only explanation I can figure for the age trend is that there are "starter airlines," where young FAs get their first jobs but that are less desirable for some reasons (because of routes, pay, etc), and then there are "career airlines," that are more desirable that FAs jump to & stay at once they can. Is that right? Just curious.
Thanks so much for writing your blog, and good luck with everything!
Joe
San Diego, California
Hi Joe!
Thank you so much for reading my blog, I am flattered that you are enjoying it! I know as a frequent business traveler you experience a lot of the same frustrations that we do. I've mentioned in previous posts that business travelers are my favorite travelers because you understand the ins and outs of traveling and don't usually take it out on the crew when there are weather, ATC, or mechanical delays!
To answer your question, yes we are older, older, older at the majors because seniority is everything.(which is not a bad thing, think, U.S Air 1549...average age of the crew? 54.4 years) Flight Attendants and Pilots alike will stay at an airline once they are hired because it doesn't make much sense to keep starting from the bottom. I have 16 years at my airline and my seniority number is 3,878 out of 9,450 Flight Attendants. We have a lot of 25-40 year FAs.(not their age...their seniority) There really isn't a lot incentive to quit, as a FA at my airline you can work as much or as little as you want. Why quit?
And, yes the younger, younger ,younger FAs seem to be at the new low cost carriers. We haven't hired too much since 911. For a while there weren't that many FAs under 30. Now we have a handful of FAs in their twenties again, I just recently flew with a woman who is 26 and her Mom is a FA with us and she has 39 years! I should also mention that the airlines, at least mine, likes to hire people with experience! Life experience that is...the oldest person in my FA training class was 63! A retired teacher...great FA!
As far as desirability, yes, I am happy with the big boys! I like longer flights and I'm not a fan of the small planes: )For me, the majors was a better choice but I think it's a matter of personal preference.
Please send in your questions, you can leave them in the comments section or e-mail me at theflyingpinto@aol.com!
Thank you so much for reading my blog, I am flattered that you are enjoying it! I know as a frequent business traveler you experience a lot of the same frustrations that we do. I've mentioned in previous posts that business travelers are my favorite travelers because you understand the ins and outs of traveling and don't usually take it out on the crew when there are weather, ATC, or mechanical delays!
To answer your question, yes we are older, older, older at the majors because seniority is everything.(which is not a bad thing, think, U.S Air 1549...average age of the crew? 54.4 years) Flight Attendants and Pilots alike will stay at an airline once they are hired because it doesn't make much sense to keep starting from the bottom. I have 16 years at my airline and my seniority number is 3,878 out of 9,450 Flight Attendants. We have a lot of 25-40 year FAs.(not their age...their seniority) There really isn't a lot incentive to quit, as a FA at my airline you can work as much or as little as you want. Why quit?
And, yes the younger, younger ,younger FAs seem to be at the new low cost carriers. We haven't hired too much since 911. For a while there weren't that many FAs under 30. Now we have a handful of FAs in their twenties again, I just recently flew with a woman who is 26 and her Mom is a FA with us and she has 39 years! I should also mention that the airlines, at least mine, likes to hire people with experience! Life experience that is...the oldest person in my FA training class was 63! A retired teacher...great FA!
As far as desirability, yes, I am happy with the big boys! I like longer flights and I'm not a fan of the small planes: )For me, the majors was a better choice but I think it's a matter of personal preference.
Please send in your questions, you can leave them in the comments section or e-mail me at theflyingpinto@aol.com!
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