Sunday, February 07, 2010
Saturday, February 06, 2010
xmas in mauritius
ages since i posted anything so heres a vid
oh and the room party was fancy dress hence the sari!
oh and the room party was fancy dress hence the sari!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Friday, December 12, 2008
Another day in the life of
I open my eyes to the dulcet tones of my alarm going off at 2.30am on a Sunday morning.
I reluctantly drag my sorry ass out of bed and shuffle zombie like towards the kitchen, to make myself a cup of coffee. 2 spoons of coffee this morning,
I think.
The distant sounds of Saturday night revellers echo throughout the streets outside my window. Lucky Bastards.
I struggle to make myself Vegemite toast, wondering why the knife is rebelliously refusing to spread the butter smoothly today.
Sitting on the couch, I take the first sip of coffee, feeling it's warmth slowly spread throughout my body like a gentle energising wave. It's a mild improvement.
I draw back on my first cigarette, it's comfort reminiscent of my recently deserted bed.
A quick glance at the clock tells me I have an hour to get ready. Unable to muster even the minutest amount of panic over the short time frame to pack and groom, I have one more cigarette and lurch towards the bathroom.
I stare at the haggard face reflected in the mirror, and I can't help but wonder, is this really the glamorous life or am i too, contributing to the lie that all Flight Attendants perpetuate?
The soft droplets of water of the shower slowly wash away the shroud of sleep, even as my mind conjures all kinds of excuses not to go into work today. Sighing, I resign myself to the fact I have no choice but to go. I briefly muse at the fact that when I finish work today, I'll be half way around the world.
Bags packed, I call the taxi at 3.45am.
As I leave through the front door, I bump into my neighbours coming home. We smile at each other. They at me, with a sympathetic pity, and me at them, with an envy, knowing they are about to go to a nice warm bed, and I'm beginning what will be a 24 hour no sleep day.
The blast of cold hitting my face seems distant, as though its not really happening to me. Perhaps after all I'm dreaming, still in bed. Chance would be a fine thing!
4am. Standing at the bus station waiting for my bus to Gatwick Airport. The streets are filled with drunken party goers looking fr the next venue, or the nearest kebab shop. sounds of fun and merriment surround me tauntingly. What wouldn't I give to be throwing off the uniform and joining the party, rather than be flying to Barbados. Its then that it hits me. Have I become so inured and cynical towards my job already? With all these exotic destinations I go to, I cant help but wonder, Is heaven overrated?
I can hear the voices incredulously chiding me. Am I mad not to want a night in tropical Barbados, and a chance to defrost from the bitter cold of winter? Seriously, the thought of spending 9 hours in a crowded Boeing 747 is not exciting at this hour of the morning.
4.30am. all hopes of sleeping on the bus are gone, as my energy drink kicks in, leaving me hanging in the null space somewhere between the fully waking world and a dozing state. So i get out my Ipod. Too early for club music, but i scan for something uplifting. My eyes settle on Bananarama. I select it, even though every fibre of my being screams in protest against the stereotype this brands me as. Somehow the mindnumbing lyrics and upbeat tempo seems to lift my spirits, just in time for the bus to pull into gatwick.
I trudge up the aisle...the door to the outside world drawing ever closer. Going live in 5...4...3... ... ... I step onto the airport world that is my stage, smiling and looking happy and confident. Holding within, all the frustrations of inept and inconsiderate travellers that meander in front of me, aimlessly wandering with luggage carts overflowing, to cut in front, to stop in the middle of the path, without nary a care who is behind them, as i continue to serenely keep a placid, genial visage.
Finally i make it to the crew room, where a bunch of crew sit awaiting their briefing call. all sitting there, groomed and made up. Tonnes of foundation and smiles covering the fact they are all just as knackered and longing for a warm bed as I am. But we keep on smiling, even if we're out of bloody mary mix.
Who's going to Barbados, the flight manager calls from the doorway of the briefing room. In response, 16 strangers converge on the small briefing room. as i sit there, looking around at those that will now be my new temporary best friends over the next 3 days, i search for anyone I might have flown with before. Nope. I conduct a secondary scan, wondering who I am going to get along with, who is going to annoy me, and wonder, who i will be working closely with on a cart, or sharing a galley with. Funnily enough, you can never tell, and often you come back from a trip surprised at the ones you really gelled with.
Time to commence the briefing. the flight manager is talking. Whatever is being said is being lost in the world of nerves that comes before the almighty safety question. That one question that if answered correctly means youre going, and if answered incorrectly could mean being offloaed from the flight and sent back to training. UGH!
Time to get the brain in working order and up to full speed. It complains all the way and i can almost hear the gears screeching in protest. Suddenly my name is called. Shit! What was the question? My mind races to recover the last few seconds and I somehow manage to answer the question that was asked. It wasnt that I didnt know the answer, it was more that I almost missed the question.
Question time over, I can relax, and take in all that is being said by the service supervisors for the flight, and before we know it, we are shuffling out the door, grabbing cases and headed for security.
Do we really need to take our shoes off? I moan to myself. The floor is freezing. We grin and bear it, as my besocked and tighted colleagues pass one by one through the scanner.
Sitting on the airside bus that takes us to the aircraft, we all commence our preflight ritual. Out come the mobile phones, sending that last, I love you text, in the unlikely event of an emergency. I wonder if other airlines crew have this ritual too.
Before I know it, we are onboard the massive 747 and running around doing our checks and prepping the cabin. All too soon, passengers are boarding, and the everlast smiles are spread across our faces, as we prepare to hurtle ourselves into the wide blue yonder. Sigh, here we go again.
I reluctantly drag my sorry ass out of bed and shuffle zombie like towards the kitchen, to make myself a cup of coffee. 2 spoons of coffee this morning,
I think.
The distant sounds of Saturday night revellers echo throughout the streets outside my window. Lucky Bastards.
I struggle to make myself Vegemite toast, wondering why the knife is rebelliously refusing to spread the butter smoothly today.
Sitting on the couch, I take the first sip of coffee, feeling it's warmth slowly spread throughout my body like a gentle energising wave. It's a mild improvement.
I draw back on my first cigarette, it's comfort reminiscent of my recently deserted bed.
A quick glance at the clock tells me I have an hour to get ready. Unable to muster even the minutest amount of panic over the short time frame to pack and groom, I have one more cigarette and lurch towards the bathroom.
I stare at the haggard face reflected in the mirror, and I can't help but wonder, is this really the glamorous life or am i too, contributing to the lie that all Flight Attendants perpetuate?
The soft droplets of water of the shower slowly wash away the shroud of sleep, even as my mind conjures all kinds of excuses not to go into work today. Sighing, I resign myself to the fact I have no choice but to go. I briefly muse at the fact that when I finish work today, I'll be half way around the world.
Bags packed, I call the taxi at 3.45am.
As I leave through the front door, I bump into my neighbours coming home. We smile at each other. They at me, with a sympathetic pity, and me at them, with an envy, knowing they are about to go to a nice warm bed, and I'm beginning what will be a 24 hour no sleep day.
The blast of cold hitting my face seems distant, as though its not really happening to me. Perhaps after all I'm dreaming, still in bed. Chance would be a fine thing!
4am. Standing at the bus station waiting for my bus to Gatwick Airport. The streets are filled with drunken party goers looking fr the next venue, or the nearest kebab shop. sounds of fun and merriment surround me tauntingly. What wouldn't I give to be throwing off the uniform and joining the party, rather than be flying to Barbados. Its then that it hits me. Have I become so inured and cynical towards my job already? With all these exotic destinations I go to, I cant help but wonder, Is heaven overrated?
I can hear the voices incredulously chiding me. Am I mad not to want a night in tropical Barbados, and a chance to defrost from the bitter cold of winter? Seriously, the thought of spending 9 hours in a crowded Boeing 747 is not exciting at this hour of the morning.
4.30am. all hopes of sleeping on the bus are gone, as my energy drink kicks in, leaving me hanging in the null space somewhere between the fully waking world and a dozing state. So i get out my Ipod. Too early for club music, but i scan for something uplifting. My eyes settle on Bananarama. I select it, even though every fibre of my being screams in protest against the stereotype this brands me as. Somehow the mindnumbing lyrics and upbeat tempo seems to lift my spirits, just in time for the bus to pull into gatwick.
I trudge up the aisle...the door to the outside world drawing ever closer. Going live in 5...4...3... ... ... I step onto the airport world that is my stage, smiling and looking happy and confident. Holding within, all the frustrations of inept and inconsiderate travellers that meander in front of me, aimlessly wandering with luggage carts overflowing, to cut in front, to stop in the middle of the path, without nary a care who is behind them, as i continue to serenely keep a placid, genial visage.
Finally i make it to the crew room, where a bunch of crew sit awaiting their briefing call. all sitting there, groomed and made up. Tonnes of foundation and smiles covering the fact they are all just as knackered and longing for a warm bed as I am. But we keep on smiling, even if we're out of bloody mary mix.
Who's going to Barbados, the flight manager calls from the doorway of the briefing room. In response, 16 strangers converge on the small briefing room. as i sit there, looking around at those that will now be my new temporary best friends over the next 3 days, i search for anyone I might have flown with before. Nope. I conduct a secondary scan, wondering who I am going to get along with, who is going to annoy me, and wonder, who i will be working closely with on a cart, or sharing a galley with. Funnily enough, you can never tell, and often you come back from a trip surprised at the ones you really gelled with.
Time to commence the briefing. the flight manager is talking. Whatever is being said is being lost in the world of nerves that comes before the almighty safety question. That one question that if answered correctly means youre going, and if answered incorrectly could mean being offloaed from the flight and sent back to training. UGH!
Time to get the brain in working order and up to full speed. It complains all the way and i can almost hear the gears screeching in protest. Suddenly my name is called. Shit! What was the question? My mind races to recover the last few seconds and I somehow manage to answer the question that was asked. It wasnt that I didnt know the answer, it was more that I almost missed the question.
Question time over, I can relax, and take in all that is being said by the service supervisors for the flight, and before we know it, we are shuffling out the door, grabbing cases and headed for security.
Do we really need to take our shoes off? I moan to myself. The floor is freezing. We grin and bear it, as my besocked and tighted colleagues pass one by one through the scanner.
Sitting on the airside bus that takes us to the aircraft, we all commence our preflight ritual. Out come the mobile phones, sending that last, I love you text, in the unlikely event of an emergency. I wonder if other airlines crew have this ritual too.
Before I know it, we are onboard the massive 747 and running around doing our checks and prepping the cabin. All too soon, passengers are boarding, and the everlast smiles are spread across our faces, as we prepare to hurtle ourselves into the wide blue yonder. Sigh, here we go again.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
talk about putting it out there
on my last trip i had just about everything i love happen.
passengers used my name, i had passengers shake my hand on getting off, stating it was the best flight they have had service wise, i even had someone come into the galley while i was eating ad place an order, but only when i was finished eating... WOW. i think theres a lot to be said for positive and wishful thinking.
and Tim, i reckon you would be a fun passenger.
passengers used my name, i had passengers shake my hand on getting off, stating it was the best flight they have had service wise, i even had someone come into the galley while i was eating ad place an order, but only when i was finished eating... WOW. i think theres a lot to be said for positive and wishful thinking.
and Tim, i reckon you would be a fun passenger.
Friday, December 05, 2008
things we love
well, after my rant over my pet hates in the job, to balance it out.. here's things that really make my day... or things you can do to get on the good side of a flight attendant.
1. have your boarding pass ready when you get to the door, and show it to us.. we do need to see it, and kicking up a fuss only delays things. i love it when a passenger gets on, ready, and has a happy face..i usually remember the ones who have something nice to say and store that away for later.
2. i love it when a passenger takes time to read my name badge and refer to me by name. makes me fell like a human being, and ill usually go out of my way to give them a great service.
3. whilst we do get marked on our performance on each flight, nothing makes my day more, than having a passenger comment to me towards the end of the flight, telling me they have loved my service or that i have done a great job. it really energises me for my next flight, and lets me know what im doing right. im on top of the world when i have a passenger specifically thank me for a wonderful flight.
4. i love it when passengers are honest. if they need something and come and ask really nicely... you actually feel like doing all you can to assist. we have all seen the waterworks before, and some people think it gets them what they want...it doesnt...i actually go that extra mile for people who have been totally upfront and honest and nice about it.
5. i love it when a customer comes into the galley, and sees that im eating and actually asks for something, but only when im finished. i think most people forget we are human too. they have all been fed and given drinks... and when someone comes in, during the 5 mins i actually have to eat something, and demands a drink.. and expects you to drop everything right then... of course we do anyway but do they not realise we are often working on ur feet, for over 9 hours, without a break, and they want to interrupt that 5 mins we actually do get. i tell you what... i go 110 percent further for anyone that wud come in and apologise for interrupting my meal, and ask that when i finish if i could bring them what they need. actually if someone did that i woudl probably stop eating anyway, but if not.. i can bet they would certainly get more than they originally asked for, and would be treated like royalty for the rest of the flight.
6. having said point 5, i do really love it when someone sitting on an aisl seat actually gets up and comes to us for something rather then ringing the call bell. sometimes its so ice to have a chat to someone other than the crew, whilst youre getting what they ask for.. and sometime they end up getting something extra whilst they are there (ok this goes for me i cant speak for the rest of the crew)
7. i love it when people actually say please and thank you. you wud be surprised how many people forget their manners on a plane and bark ordered or dont even say thank you when you give them something. so it really makes my day when i have someone be really polite to me. they are the ones who stand out amongst the 300 passengers, and the ones who get the extras.
8. i love it when kids do something really cute on board (as opposed to being a brat)
9. i do love it when people actually appreciate what we do. and realise we are not sky waiters..in fact, the whole food thing and drink thing is just a complimentary add on and gives us and you something to do for 9+ hours. the primary reason we are on board is for the safety thing. in case anything goes wrong, or someone gets sick. the reason you always see us serving food is that theres so many passengers it takes so long to do. i really get a kick out of someone who actually understands that, and i tell you what, they really do get all the extras.
10. ok, honesty time.. I F'ing love it when i walk thru the terminal in my uniform, i love going to work every day (i really do), i love walking onto the plane (even though they smell....all planes do, especially boeings...they have a particular scent to them, that you get so used to) i love arming doors and crosschecking, i love doing safety demos, i love the thrill of take off, i love that double ding for landing, i love getting to play in the galley , i love being able to play with all the equiptment, and i love being able to do something special for my customers. im the luckiest guy in the world. i actually getting to do what i have always dreamed of doing.
ive done the high money thing, ive done computer software analysis, ive done being a trainer, ive done sftware helpdesk, ive done all kinds of jobs. but nothing, nothing can compare to what i do now.
its funny, when you work in a plane, most of the time your not actually conscious of where you actually are...youre too busy focussed on what you are doing to think about the fact youre 37,000 feet in the air or where in the world youre over...but on that odd occaision you happen to glance out of the window...nothing beats some of the spectacular views that you get.
well, thats my balancing out all the whinges about what pisses me off in the job..and believe me the pros far outweigh the cons.
1. have your boarding pass ready when you get to the door, and show it to us.. we do need to see it, and kicking up a fuss only delays things. i love it when a passenger gets on, ready, and has a happy face..i usually remember the ones who have something nice to say and store that away for later.
2. i love it when a passenger takes time to read my name badge and refer to me by name. makes me fell like a human being, and ill usually go out of my way to give them a great service.
3. whilst we do get marked on our performance on each flight, nothing makes my day more, than having a passenger comment to me towards the end of the flight, telling me they have loved my service or that i have done a great job. it really energises me for my next flight, and lets me know what im doing right. im on top of the world when i have a passenger specifically thank me for a wonderful flight.
4. i love it when passengers are honest. if they need something and come and ask really nicely... you actually feel like doing all you can to assist. we have all seen the waterworks before, and some people think it gets them what they want...it doesnt...i actually go that extra mile for people who have been totally upfront and honest and nice about it.
5. i love it when a customer comes into the galley, and sees that im eating and actually asks for something, but only when im finished. i think most people forget we are human too. they have all been fed and given drinks... and when someone comes in, during the 5 mins i actually have to eat something, and demands a drink.. and expects you to drop everything right then... of course we do anyway but do they not realise we are often working on ur feet, for over 9 hours, without a break, and they want to interrupt that 5 mins we actually do get. i tell you what... i go 110 percent further for anyone that wud come in and apologise for interrupting my meal, and ask that when i finish if i could bring them what they need. actually if someone did that i woudl probably stop eating anyway, but if not.. i can bet they would certainly get more than they originally asked for, and would be treated like royalty for the rest of the flight.
6. having said point 5, i do really love it when someone sitting on an aisl seat actually gets up and comes to us for something rather then ringing the call bell. sometimes its so ice to have a chat to someone other than the crew, whilst youre getting what they ask for.. and sometime they end up getting something extra whilst they are there (ok this goes for me i cant speak for the rest of the crew)
7. i love it when people actually say please and thank you. you wud be surprised how many people forget their manners on a plane and bark ordered or dont even say thank you when you give them something. so it really makes my day when i have someone be really polite to me. they are the ones who stand out amongst the 300 passengers, and the ones who get the extras.
8. i love it when kids do something really cute on board (as opposed to being a brat)
9. i do love it when people actually appreciate what we do. and realise we are not sky waiters..in fact, the whole food thing and drink thing is just a complimentary add on and gives us and you something to do for 9+ hours. the primary reason we are on board is for the safety thing. in case anything goes wrong, or someone gets sick. the reason you always see us serving food is that theres so many passengers it takes so long to do. i really get a kick out of someone who actually understands that, and i tell you what, they really do get all the extras.
10. ok, honesty time.. I F'ing love it when i walk thru the terminal in my uniform, i love going to work every day (i really do), i love walking onto the plane (even though they smell....all planes do, especially boeings...they have a particular scent to them, that you get so used to) i love arming doors and crosschecking, i love doing safety demos, i love the thrill of take off, i love that double ding for landing, i love getting to play in the galley , i love being able to play with all the equiptment, and i love being able to do something special for my customers. im the luckiest guy in the world. i actually getting to do what i have always dreamed of doing.
ive done the high money thing, ive done computer software analysis, ive done being a trainer, ive done sftware helpdesk, ive done all kinds of jobs. but nothing, nothing can compare to what i do now.
its funny, when you work in a plane, most of the time your not actually conscious of where you actually are...youre too busy focussed on what you are doing to think about the fact youre 37,000 feet in the air or where in the world youre over...but on that odd occaision you happen to glance out of the window...nothing beats some of the spectacular views that you get.
well, thats my balancing out all the whinges about what pisses me off in the job..and believe me the pros far outweigh the cons.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Time flies
Is hard to believe that a year has passed already.
I have been at Virgin for a year come Wednesday.
Have just emerged from SEP, my annual exams. I dont think i have ever been so stressed out in my life. To tp it all off, i got the flu right before it, so trying to study while being muddle headed is not easy, and was making me panic even more. was i aboout to lose the job i had earned for all my life, and finally achieved??
Well, of course not. Passed with flying colours.
I think being my first one, with no idea what to expect, you listen to everyone else on board saying how vile it is and how hard it is. well there was nothing hard about it. If you study,and understand what you do, then its pretty easy.
The couple of mistakes i made in the exams, were purely down to reading errors...oh, except for which way to handle turns on the crew rest door to lock it.. what a stupid question, i mean really..you can see it lock so if you turn the wrong way you know instantly and turn it the other way.. sigh.
so i promise to study throughout the year and keep on top of my manuals and read a section each month... hahaha.. everyone says this every year..
locations were actually the hardest... where things are located on board each aircraft type.... god, its almost like its in a dogbox, attached to the bulkhead adjacent to the centre hatrack forward of the aft door... GRRRR
anyway... to celebrate my first year i put together a package which pretty much sums up my year. hope it balances out my top ten pissed off things. haha
I have been at Virgin for a year come Wednesday.
Have just emerged from SEP, my annual exams. I dont think i have ever been so stressed out in my life. To tp it all off, i got the flu right before it, so trying to study while being muddle headed is not easy, and was making me panic even more. was i aboout to lose the job i had earned for all my life, and finally achieved??
Well, of course not. Passed with flying colours.
I think being my first one, with no idea what to expect, you listen to everyone else on board saying how vile it is and how hard it is. well there was nothing hard about it. If you study,and understand what you do, then its pretty easy.
The couple of mistakes i made in the exams, were purely down to reading errors...oh, except for which way to handle turns on the crew rest door to lock it.. what a stupid question, i mean really..you can see it lock so if you turn the wrong way you know instantly and turn it the other way.. sigh.
so i promise to study throughout the year and keep on top of my manuals and read a section each month... hahaha.. everyone says this every year..
locations were actually the hardest... where things are located on board each aircraft type.... god, its almost like its in a dogbox, attached to the bulkhead adjacent to the centre hatrack forward of the aft door... GRRRR
anyway... to celebrate my first year i put together a package which pretty much sums up my year. hope it balances out my top ten pissed off things. haha
Friday, October 03, 2008
top 10 things that piss me off in the job
if you really wanna piss off your flight attendant.. heres some good clues. these are the things that really really get my goat when im working
1. people who open overhead lockers inflight and then sit back down without closing them!!! do they think they are not allowed to close them? if you hear a loud slam on one of my flights you will know its me closing one of them!
2. passengers who have no concept of what underneath the seat in front of them means. even after several boarding announcements, a safety video and hearing crew tell others to push something further under their seat, you will still find some daft moron with a handbag sitting on their lap as we secure the cabin.
3. walking down the aisle with a coffee pot...saying Coffee? Would you like some coffee? cup of coffee? only about 50 times already, to have someone then put their cup on your tray and as you pour coffee into their cup, they ask you..."is that tea?
4. having already done 2 rounds of tea and coffee...having said either coffee or tea about 100 times as you slowly walk down the aisle with a tea or coffee pot, to then be collecting in the trays and have some loser ask....'aren't you going to serve tea/coffee?' AHHH!
5.idiots who think they are superheros, who, whilst the seatbelt signs are on, and the plane is jostling and lurching around so much, that even the cabin crew are sitting down, think they can just wander up to the toilets, that have been locked off, to stand around in the aisles...even tho announcements have been made to fasten seat belts and toilets are out of use..... do they have death wishes??
6.passengers, who even after seeing/hearing the seatbelt sign go on.. and having a cabin announcement being made that the seat belt sign is now on and you have to fasten your seatbelt...with crew moving through the cabin to check seat belts are fastened...will just sit there, having made no attempt to fasten theres, in fact act either hostilely or surprised youre even asking them to fasten theirs.
7. (again seatbelts...can you tell they are the bane of our existences) that even after several announcements regarding if you are using blankets, to fasten the seat belt over it,to save us having t wake you, still get the shits if you wake them because they have covered their belts with a blanket. honestly folks...do you think we enjoy having to stop what we are doing..which could include finally having 5 minutes to ourselves to eat something...just to check if you have your seatbelts on. whilst im on the rant... what is with parents, esp mothers... who refuse to wake their child to fasten a seatbelt, and will actually argue and yell at you... do they have no care to their childs safety at all?? its not our fault the law states we have to care for your child more than you do.
8. this one will REALLY piss off any cabin crew. A passenger will ring their call bell, typically they will be in the row furthest away from the galley. they will ask you for a mixed drink. you will walk all the way back to the galley, to make the drink and then walk all the way back to their seat. (im betting any cabin crew will guess whats coming next..) only to then have the person sitting next to them say "can i have one too" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
9. passengers who press the call bell by mistake, and either dont bother to turn it off..or keep pressing the button oblivious to the dinging going on over their head and the little light going on and off!! forcing us to have to rush all over the plane rather than set up and serve the drinks/food. and these are typically the people who complain that the service is slow in coming. whats just as bad is parents who let their kids continually do this, with an only mild "sorry" and a "shanay, stop that" only to let them continue.
10. kids that scream and yell and chuck a temper tantrum, when its time to sit down and put on the seat belt for take off. if this isnt bad enough, parents that just let their kids run all over them, and let them get away with behaving like that. i know kids are kids.. and sometimes just dont want to do things.. but you can tell the kids that are just so used to getting their way...back in my day (oh god did i actually just say that?) heaven help me if i didnt do as my parents told me! so we end up delaying.. just to try to placate some tantrum throwing child..when the parent could just yell at or discipline their children (non physically of course)
sigh... just had to get that off my chest.. ... so that i can continue to smile and be pleasant.. even though we have run out of bloody mary mix...after having been awake for 20 hours, having been on my feet for 9, without a break longer than 5 mins, and having been yelled at by ungrateful pigs for things beyond my control... sigh. i do love my job, really.....promise.. lol
one day ill have to right a top ten best things just to balance this out.
1. people who open overhead lockers inflight and then sit back down without closing them!!! do they think they are not allowed to close them? if you hear a loud slam on one of my flights you will know its me closing one of them!
2. passengers who have no concept of what underneath the seat in front of them means. even after several boarding announcements, a safety video and hearing crew tell others to push something further under their seat, you will still find some daft moron with a handbag sitting on their lap as we secure the cabin.
3. walking down the aisle with a coffee pot...saying Coffee? Would you like some coffee? cup of coffee? only about 50 times already, to have someone then put their cup on your tray and as you pour coffee into their cup, they ask you..."is that tea?
4. having already done 2 rounds of tea and coffee...having said either coffee or tea about 100 times as you slowly walk down the aisle with a tea or coffee pot, to then be collecting in the trays and have some loser ask....'aren't you going to serve tea/coffee?' AHHH!
5.idiots who think they are superheros, who, whilst the seatbelt signs are on, and the plane is jostling and lurching around so much, that even the cabin crew are sitting down, think they can just wander up to the toilets, that have been locked off, to stand around in the aisles...even tho announcements have been made to fasten seat belts and toilets are out of use..... do they have death wishes??
6.passengers, who even after seeing/hearing the seatbelt sign go on.. and having a cabin announcement being made that the seat belt sign is now on and you have to fasten your seatbelt...with crew moving through the cabin to check seat belts are fastened...will just sit there, having made no attempt to fasten theres, in fact act either hostilely or surprised youre even asking them to fasten theirs.
7. (again seatbelts...can you tell they are the bane of our existences) that even after several announcements regarding if you are using blankets, to fasten the seat belt over it,to save us having t wake you, still get the shits if you wake them because they have covered their belts with a blanket. honestly folks...do you think we enjoy having to stop what we are doing..which could include finally having 5 minutes to ourselves to eat something...just to check if you have your seatbelts on. whilst im on the rant... what is with parents, esp mothers... who refuse to wake their child to fasten a seatbelt, and will actually argue and yell at you... do they have no care to their childs safety at all?? its not our fault the law states we have to care for your child more than you do.
8. this one will REALLY piss off any cabin crew. A passenger will ring their call bell, typically they will be in the row furthest away from the galley. they will ask you for a mixed drink. you will walk all the way back to the galley, to make the drink and then walk all the way back to their seat. (im betting any cabin crew will guess whats coming next..) only to then have the person sitting next to them say "can i have one too" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
9. passengers who press the call bell by mistake, and either dont bother to turn it off..or keep pressing the button oblivious to the dinging going on over their head and the little light going on and off!! forcing us to have to rush all over the plane rather than set up and serve the drinks/food. and these are typically the people who complain that the service is slow in coming. whats just as bad is parents who let their kids continually do this, with an only mild "sorry" and a "shanay, stop that" only to let them continue.
10. kids that scream and yell and chuck a temper tantrum, when its time to sit down and put on the seat belt for take off. if this isnt bad enough, parents that just let their kids run all over them, and let them get away with behaving like that. i know kids are kids.. and sometimes just dont want to do things.. but you can tell the kids that are just so used to getting their way...back in my day (oh god did i actually just say that?) heaven help me if i didnt do as my parents told me! so we end up delaying.. just to try to placate some tantrum throwing child..when the parent could just yell at or discipline their children (non physically of course)
sigh... just had to get that off my chest.. ... so that i can continue to smile and be pleasant.. even though we have run out of bloody mary mix...after having been awake for 20 hours, having been on my feet for 9, without a break longer than 5 mins, and having been yelled at by ungrateful pigs for things beyond my control... sigh. i do love my job, really.....promise.. lol
one day ill have to right a top ten best things just to balance this out.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
September Update
Standby Month has been gruesome!
My first trip, i was at home waiting and crewing happened to call at the worst possible moment when i couldnt make the next train, which meant i woud miss the next crew bus from gatwick....long story short, i was way later to the airport than the allowed 2 hours... so i got rolled onto a dubai flight.
was actually the best thing that could have happened since i havent been there before. Was a bit of a killer arriving there during Ramadan...it meant i couldnt have a cigarette until we were actually in our hotel room... bugger!
But wow! what a room they gave us.
At night, in the one and only restaurant that was open, even then we had to wait unti 7pm before they would serve us alcohol... oh well.. when in rome...
The buffet dinner at the hotel was awesome... and i dont think i have ever eaten so much.... oysters, lobster, prawns, steak...... i must have gone back about 9 times to fill my plate.
my 2nd trip was a quick shuttle to New York... only there for 16 hours... but the highlight of my tri was i actually got to close the rear left hand door of the aircraft. We Never get to close or opens doors..ever... so this was a real treat!
(we only practice opening the doors in emergency drills in a rig never on the real aircraft...in case you wondered)
On the down side... we got our rosters for October.. and the dreaded time has finally arrived. My annual recurrent exams. The yearly exams that all flight attendants dread. If we fail these exams we no longer have a job. They are gruelling to say the least, there are 4 major exams, and a whole day of practical exercises to get thru..including all kinds of emergency evac situations, cabin fires, decompression, dangerous goods drills.....pilot incapitation, emergency opening of all door types on all aircraft types.... shame is we dont get to go down the slide again... bugger that.. that was way too much fun.
so the next 4 weeks are going to be filled with study...the exams are quite hard so you have to know every line of the manuals.
just as well i have practiced my reading. i have recently discovered a series of books by Stephanie Meyers. The Twilight saga.. and lord if i havent become addicted. I have read all 4 books in 5 days. thats 3x600 pages and 1 x700 pages.
The first book is due to be released as a movie in nov, but ima bit worried they will not capture the true essence of the book.. oh well.. ill still go see it.
As luck wud have it, scott requested a Sydney trip, which is 9 days,and wouldnt you know it, they gave it to him, exactly during my exams.. so i will be faced to do my first recurrent alone without any support. i cant tell you how pissed off i was at this, but i am used to having to deal with most things on my own so i will just muddle thru. it wud have been nice to have him here to support me as i will be stressed and terrified, but i guess i have fallen into the trap/lure of having someone to depend upon and support me, where i have usually in the past been so fiercely independant and un-needing of bolstering from others. So its a good reality check for me.
time to go hit the manuals i guess....
My first trip, i was at home waiting and crewing happened to call at the worst possible moment when i couldnt make the next train, which meant i woud miss the next crew bus from gatwick....long story short, i was way later to the airport than the allowed 2 hours... so i got rolled onto a dubai flight.
was actually the best thing that could have happened since i havent been there before. Was a bit of a killer arriving there during Ramadan...it meant i couldnt have a cigarette until we were actually in our hotel room... bugger!
But wow! what a room they gave us.
At night, in the one and only restaurant that was open, even then we had to wait unti 7pm before they would serve us alcohol... oh well.. when in rome...
The buffet dinner at the hotel was awesome... and i dont think i have ever eaten so much.... oysters, lobster, prawns, steak...... i must have gone back about 9 times to fill my plate.
my 2nd trip was a quick shuttle to New York... only there for 16 hours... but the highlight of my tri was i actually got to close the rear left hand door of the aircraft. We Never get to close or opens doors..ever... so this was a real treat!
(we only practice opening the doors in emergency drills in a rig never on the real aircraft...in case you wondered)
On the down side... we got our rosters for October.. and the dreaded time has finally arrived. My annual recurrent exams. The yearly exams that all flight attendants dread. If we fail these exams we no longer have a job. They are gruelling to say the least, there are 4 major exams, and a whole day of practical exercises to get thru..including all kinds of emergency evac situations, cabin fires, decompression, dangerous goods drills.....pilot incapitation, emergency opening of all door types on all aircraft types.... shame is we dont get to go down the slide again... bugger that.. that was way too much fun.
so the next 4 weeks are going to be filled with study...the exams are quite hard so you have to know every line of the manuals.
just as well i have practiced my reading. i have recently discovered a series of books by Stephanie Meyers. The Twilight saga.. and lord if i havent become addicted. I have read all 4 books in 5 days. thats 3x600 pages and 1 x700 pages.
The first book is due to be released as a movie in nov, but ima bit worried they will not capture the true essence of the book.. oh well.. ill still go see it.
As luck wud have it, scott requested a Sydney trip, which is 9 days,and wouldnt you know it, they gave it to him, exactly during my exams.. so i will be faced to do my first recurrent alone without any support. i cant tell you how pissed off i was at this, but i am used to having to deal with most things on my own so i will just muddle thru. it wud have been nice to have him here to support me as i will be stressed and terrified, but i guess i have fallen into the trap/lure of having someone to depend upon and support me, where i have usually in the past been so fiercely independant and un-needing of bolstering from others. So its a good reality check for me.
time to go hit the manuals i guess....
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
What Dan did in august
Just to prove i have waaaaaay too much time on my hands, here is a vid clip of my journeys in August
Whilst i always try to be tolerant of other cultures, i have to admit, jamaica was the worst trips i have ever been on. its so dangerous there we cant leave our hotel. Add on top of this they are extremely violent towards homosexuals, and are white racist to the extreme too. so you can imagine the fun we had on the flights.
we fly into montego bay, stay a night and then transfer as passengers on board an air jamaica flight to kingston and then stay the night before crewing home. The air Jamaica flight takes 20 mins, but can you believe it takes us 6 hours to actually do it.... with the airports being soooooo bad, with long long lines for everything. we were in the check in queue for 2 hours.
managed to finally get into manhattan this month and fell in love with the place.
st Lucia was great too.... we got a 4 hour catamaran booze cruise....i was so drunk when i got off that thing....lol
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