What is the typical schedule for a flight attendant like?

Question

I have a job interview for a flight attendant position soon. I am currently enrolled in college and taking classes in the fall (part time, mondays and wednesdays) so, if i get the job i would need mondays and wednesdays off. Is that possible for a flight attendant to be able to get requested days off? I am afraid that they wont hire me if I requested that.

Answer 1

what airline is hiring?  Don't worry, unless it's an airline based in another country besides the US, you will be furloughed in a few months and then you will get every day off.  If you manage to keep the job, you will get the days off you like, in about five to ten years, maybe.  It all depends on how fast the airline grows, and when those senior old ladies decide to retire.  If you request certain days off in your interview, they most certainly won't hire you.  I wouldn't even mention it.  Of course, it won't happen anyway.  I know I'm being a bit harsh, but I don't want you to say that nobody warned you.  Even the application you sign will say you have to work nights and weekends and holidays and your birthday and every other day you don't want to work.  If you want to go to college, you will have to do it by correspondence.  Also, you will be very unlikely to get based near your college.  Commuting will make it nearly impossible to go to class.  Just finish college and then be an FA.  Things might actually be better in the industry by then.  Good luck.

Answer 2

I'm a FA with a major airline for about 8 years.  Please do not ask for specific days off if you want to get hired!!  It's all about SENIORITY in this industry.  You have to bid for your schedule every month, and the ones that have been with the company for 30 years or so get to fly international routes and pretty much get the days off they desire.  As a newbie, it's most likely weekdays and non-holidays and whatever the SENIOR babes don't want for that month.  You are on reserve for the first five years with my airline, which means you know your days on and days off for the month.  They will assign your trips in order as it comes.  There are two types of reserve, CALL IN and READY! Call-in reserves will know their trips 7pm the night before, and Ready reserves are contacted by phone at any time of the day, even 3am in the morning for a 7am trip!!! A typical schedule for a new hire will have 11 days off in a month.  A typical schedule for 30 year+ seniority 15-18 days off.  You will know your schedule a month at a time to plan ahead, but as for what days you can get off that just depends!!

Answer 3

I'm not a flight attendant but it's a really busy job. Your on call 24-7 and I heard that people drive you insane after working and cleaning after them.

Answer 4

it may no t b possible it goes by senority

Answer 5

IF you get hired you will be on "reserve" for anywhere from 1 year to 20 (yes 20!) years. That means that you can bid for specific days off but you don't know your specific schedule or trips otherwise and on your reserve days you can be called with 2 hours notice to report for a flight.

Bidding for specific lines or days off is strictly by seniority and it is possible if a flight is delayed that you would be working into a scheduled day off.

I am an FA with a smaller airline. My schedule for this month is typical. I have all Tues and Wednesdays off with one run of 5 days off in a row mid-month. In other words, I am on reserve Thursday through Monday every week and typically get called for 3 or 4 day trips.

Therefore, I have 10 guaranteed days off this month, but it will probably be more like 13 since I don't get called on every reserve day.

HOWEVER, except for the guaranteed days off, you don't know ahead of time that you will not be flying.

Usually I know about the trips the night before, but sometimes I get called at with 2 hours to report (i.e. the phone rings at 4 am with a 6 am report). When you report you have to be at the airport in flight check in area, fully groomed in uniform, ready to fly and packed for what might be 3 nights away from home.

If you have pets or small children it is very difficult.

Anyway if you got hired, by the time you were scheduled for a training class and ready to fly you would be through with this semester or quarter anyway.

BUT DO NOT SPECIFY THAT YOU NEED CERTAIN DAYS OFF IN THE INTERVIEW!!!

They want to hear that you are flexible and will work weekends, holidays, etc. And you will, never fear.

Good luck.

Answer 6

Get up at 4am, drive to the airport, get on a plane, kiss piliots *** all day, deal with rude people, get hit on by pilots only wanting one thing, deal with more rude people,  get hit on by pilots, listen to pilots BS, deal with more rude people, land get hit on by pilots all the way to hotel and listen to more pilot BS, have pilots follow you to you room, try and go to sleep while pilots still hitting on you.  Do you get the picture yet?