Why are flight attendants so miserable?

Question

Everytime I fly ... not matter what airline, the flight attendants always seem so miserable! There's always one that's happy and smiling, but the others are just so miserable, especially on the long haul flights. I mean an 8 hour flight is no fun, but it's there job to make the passengers feel more comfortable and safe ... not make them feel like a piece of crap.

Answer 1

I'm not a flight attendant so I am speaking just from my experience as a passenger. I think we all forget the real reason that airlines are required to have flight attendants. They aren't there to entertain or serve us, rather they are truly there as safety officers. While they are serving us those tiny drinks and bag of salty nuts, they are constantly surveying the passengers and the cabin for safety issues. I, too, have been less than happy with the friendliness of attendants I have met, but I always remind myself that they aren't waitresses, they are there to keep me safe. Plus, I imagine after several hours of constant concentration, they get tired. I always make it a point to tell them thanks, regardless of how I think they acted.

Answer 2

I think since 9/11 being a flight attendant has become a much more difficult job. Some people treat them with respect & others treat them like they're "flying waitresses". Airlines are also losing money right & left, so many of their workers (not the "suits" sitting in an office!) aren't receiving the pay, benefits, etc. that they used to. Even so, I don't think that's much of a reason to take it out on the passengers. Personally, I find most flight attendants very pleasant & happy to be doing their job.

Answer 3

Wake up, World!! It's already dozens of years that industry in general has been down-sizing.
Definition: forcing the consumer to choose from fewer choices.
I remember being able to buy a shirt with size 33 sleeve. Now the choice is 32 or 34.
I remember buying shoes sized 9-1/2 D. Now I'm lucky to get a 9-1/2 at all, with no width letter.
And the airline industry is no different: they've cut flights to better fill their 'equipment', at the expense of the travellers' comfort.
And they've cut out meals even on cross-country flights.

Answer 4

Airlines have down sized, cut wages and benefits. The number of flights are reduced, thus there are much higher passenger loads than every before. Great for the bottom line for the company. We as passengers wanted cheaper fairs right? So cuts are made in order for this to happen.
The romance of flying has come and gone I'm afraid.

Answer 5

Evertime I fly with the airline that my husband is a pilot with (Tunis Air), I always see the flight attendants smiling and being helpful to everyone. This happenes even when my husband doesn't fly with me.

The one airline that I can say I have consistantly noticed bad attitudes from the flight attendants is Lufthansa. I fly them every year, sometimes twice a year, from Frankfurt to Denver and back, and they are all very snotty - like they have more important things to do than be there on the plane doing their job.

I guess it all just comes down to their mentalities, how much they like their job, and what kind of a day they are having.

Answer 6

My friend is a flight attendant. She has long hours, with strangers, away from home. It's like being a nurse on a swing shift. Lack of sleep is a major cause of unhappiness. She told me, sometimes, she's sick of being cheerful all the time, and putting on her happy face. When she was in international flights, men would give her phone numbers and try and hook up with her, she found it humiliating. She told me , she was sometimes shocked by some behavior on international flights, people were so creepy, some of them.

Answer 7

Because they're TIRED!!! They are making $25,000 to $35,000 (depending on seniority) a year, don't get a set schedule, work horrible hours (sometimes), go to dull towns...shall I go on?

Being a flight attendant is tough work! You have to deal with angry and grouchy people all day, work on your feet most of the time, experience turbulence, and more. Most flight attendants love their job, but some might be a little tired after or during a 14-hour flight.

Answer 8

The smiling one is the purser, or inflight supervisor, he or she takes pleasure in being sadistic to everyone else. Not to mention the demanding passengers don't help situations. I work for a (relatively) large airline in Singapore, you'd be amazed how many big burly passengers ask our petite (around 1.60 M) flight attendants to put their bags in an overhead compartment. In short treat them like servants.

Answer 9

Because they sit on an uncomfortable seat while they aren't serving you and as soon as you land they go to a local hotel spend the night and go back again.

Answer 10

If you had to deal with demanding people in a cramped space for 8 hours without being able to leave.....wouldn't you be a little cranky too. I know that I would be...