Is cabin crew still a coveted career? These flight attendants prove so

The Star

5 days ago

During the 'Golden Age' of aviation, lasting throughout the 1920s to 1960s, there was a certain glamour associated with the flight attendant profession.
Perhaps the novelty and perks contributed to this perception, but whatever it was, it certainly was enough to entice young women to join the glamorous world of stewardesses. ('Stewardess' was the common term used to refer to a female flight attendant at the time).
To don the often-fashionable uniform, mingle among the rich and famous, and travel to exotic destinations – this was many a young woman's dream.
Civil aviation has undergone significant changes throughout the decades, however, leading to the question of whether a cabin crew career is still one coveted in modern time.
Puteri Arianna Balqish Megat Arizal Izram, 22, assures that it very much is.
Unsurprisingly, it is still 'the glamour' that attracts some people's attention to the job, Arianna adds. Understandably so, because who wouldn't want to look as poised and be as well travelled as the women and men whose profession is celebrated globally every May?
On May 31, 2015, the first International Flight Attendant Day (IFAD) was established, initiated by a Canadian cabin crew union. It has since expanded beyond the Canadian borders and is now celebrated worldwide.
This year, a decade since its inaugural celebration, IFAD is observed with the theme, Legacy & Individuality: Wings Passed Down, Paths Made New.
Arianna embodies the theme well. She is relatively new to the industry, having only become fit to fly as part of Malaysia Airlines' cabin crew in 2022, but this has long been her dream job, Arianna says. Her interest stems from being exposed to the aviation industry at a young age; her father is a long-serving pilot for the same airline.
'I used to follow my father on his flights,' Arianna explains, adding that seeing the cabin crew onboard inspired her to become one.
Her enthusiasm in becoming part of the team is encouraging for the aviation industry, as it signals that the career continues to be an attractive option for the younger generations. Specifically, the Gen Z crowd, which currently encompasses youth in their early teens (who will be entering the workforce in a few years) to the late twenties.
Arianna is far from the only Gen Z interested in the profession, as multiple comments and direct messages (DMs) on her social media would prove.
'It's still a thing,' she reassures. 'I get so many DMs of people asking me how to join or how to start their career as a cabin crew member.'
Shazni is celebrating her 10th International Flight Attendant Day this year.
Evolution of aviation
To withstand the test of time, a profession must constantly evolve and continuously improve. The history of flight attendants exemplifies this.
During the early 1900s, commercial aviation was still in its nascent stage. It would be another decade or so before the concept of 'stewards' aboard planes was introduced.
Young men typically from the service industry, such as luxury hotel waiters or ship's boys, were hired to assist passengers in terms of luggage and safety.
According to the United States' Federal Aviation Administration, it was only in 1930 that a woman named Ellen Church convinced Boeing Air Transport (now known as United Airlines) to give her a chance in the predominantly male profession.
Church – a trained nurse, with a private pilot's license to boot – reasoned that nurses could provide better medical assistance to passengers. The planes' non-pressurised cabins at the time led to constant nausea and vomiting.
Church's successful inclusion opened the door for more women to secure the stewardess role. After that the pendulum did swing too far to the other side for a time, when it became more accepted for stewardesses to do the job, while stewards were sidelined.
It was only in the 1970s that it became the norm for both genders to be working in the field. The decade also saw the more gender-neutral term 'flight attendant' come into common use – flight attendants would collectively be referred to as cabin crew.
However, it would take another four decades before the special day that is IFAD is designated to celebrate these hardworking women and men.
Shazni is celebrating her 10th International Flight Attendant Day this year.
Unsung heroes of the sky
'We just wish our colleagues (Happy IFAD),' Shazni Shazwani, 31, says with a laugh, referring to how they typically celebrate the day. As most cabin crew members would still be busy working on the day, huge celebrations aren't exactly feasible.
With her 11 years of experience, 10 in commercial flights and one in Amal (Malaysia Airlines' Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage arm), Shazni has assimilated well to the cabin crew lifestyle.
She says there are times she would have to celebrate festivities, like Hari Raya, away from home. But far from being down about it, she would instead happily celebrate with her fellow flight attendants.
Forming a connection with each other is seamless for them. Because even if the cabin crew didn't know each other, the moment they were assigned to work together, they would 'just click', Shazni shares.
She has also seen how the industry has changed over the years. There is a misconception among the public nowadays that flying is getting increasingly dangerous.
But that really is only due to videos of flight incidents and mishaps being more easily accessible now, thanks to technological advancement and social media. Passengers can whip out their phones at any time to film seemingly out-of-the-ordinary occurrences.
To Shazni, turbulences and aircraft issues are part and parcel of her job. There is that added sense of responsibility she feels when she is in her cabin crew uniform, she says. Safety becomes the priority.
'I become more aware of my surroundings,' Shazni says, adding that she will also 'think about the outcomes and what to provide in case of emergency'.
Arianna agrees with Shazni's sentiments, sharing how on a recent flight, she herself had to maintain her composure during a particularly bad turbulence.
'The passengers were facing me, I had to just keep on smiling,' Arianna laughingly shares. She admits she was actually scared, but on the surface she remained composed to ensure that the passengers remained calm as well.
Both of them lament the fact that there is also still this misconception of cabin crew being 'waitresses/waiters (or servers) in the sky'.
These women and men, with their perfectly coiffed hair and brilliant smiles, do more than just serve passengers with 'coffee or tea?' – they silently work in the background making sure that everyone onboard stays comfortable and safe.
Thankfully, because of IFAD, this fallacy is fading with time. As the celebration continues to shine the spotlight on these unsung heroes, cabin crew like Shazni and Arianna continue to pave the way for the future generations of more appreciated flight attendants.