Working the friendly skies comes with a not-so-pleasant downside.
Ascending to 30,000 feet, flying to an exotic vacation destination, may sound like a dream. But a flight attendant says the seemingly serene scenario can be a skyway staffer’s worst nightmare — especially on their days off from work.
“Something they don’t tell you about being cabin crew is, holidays aren’t going to feel like holidays anymore,” said Estelle Jones, an Emirates Airlines employee, detailing her disinterest in traveling for leisure when she’s not on the clock.
“I finally got my leave, I’ve been working back-to-back flights,” she continued in the trending TikTok clip, “and now I have to pack a suitcase again, I have to go to the airport again, I have to sit on a flight again, I have to adjust to a whole new time zone again and sleep in a bed that’s not my own again.”
Conceding, however, that there are “worse problems in the world” than jet-setting on a glitzy getaway, Jones, based in Dubai, explained that constantly lifting off and landing, “takes away a little bit of the excitement of a holiday.”
“You just want a break from doing that same thing over and over.”
It’s a daily grind the plane professional doesn’t want to repeat during her personal time. And who can blame her — would you want to spend your vacay days in a cubicle?
Breaking free from the office — or in Jones’ case, the cabin — can be key in avoiding job burnout.
It’s the overwhelming feeling of stress and exhaustion, brought on by the demands of workplace duties, that plagues four in 10 US jobholders, according to a recent report.
And Jones’ colleagues share her burnout pain when it comes to boarding yet another plane — even though many major carriers, including American Airlines and Southwest Airlines offer employees free or discounted travel privileges.
“Facts. [It’s] pure hell,” confirmed a flight crew member beneath the viral vid.
“And [we] hear all the call bells… AGAIN!!!!,” another insider chimed.
“I sometimes book leave to just stay in my own bed for a week,” confessed a separate sky-high hostess.
“The thought of going to an airport and getting on an airplane during my annual leave is nothing short of sickening,” groaned a flight attendant of eight years.
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