Flight Attendant Trainees and Unexpected Mishaps
Braniff Class of 1977-9
On the first day of a new job, it's hard to know exactly what to expect. After weeks of practice in mock-up galleys and simulated airplanes, our flight attendant class had to pass an exam aboard an actual flight with paying passengers.Working on board a jet for the first time presented a few challenges.
The first hurdle was finding the employee parking lot which was buried deep in the maze of the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. Our instructors warned us to allow extra time in case we missed the first tram that carried people from the lot to the terminal. There was a twenty minute wait between scheduled pickups.
Braniff Student Transport Bus
Our next hurdle was finding the correct gate for our flight and an agent to unlock the jet way door. Their duties kept them hopping from gate to gate with the multiple departing flights. We waited nervously at the Jetway door until a pilot let us in. Once on board we would meet the crew assigned to supervise us as we performed their standard duties.
Most of the seniors who drew the assignment of training rookies were patient and understanding. Some of us would discover that not all flight attendants were created equal. Some were born practical jokers.
My roommate and I were assigned to work the same trip, so we shared a ride to the airport with me driving. We were wearing regular street clothes, not having our uniforms until we passed our final examinations and graduated. That set us apart from the regular crew in their designer uniforms. We clearly stood out as trainees. In fact, we had to wear a badge that said as much increasing our level of discomfort.
My Braniff Wings
The flight crew started off testing our familiarity with the equipment. They had us locate the nearest fire extinguishers, flashlights, life rafts, demonstration equipment like mock O2 masks and life vests. The caterer loaded meals and supplies into the galley and we worked quickly to stow away the food and beverages. It was soon time to greet passengers waiting to board the plane.
Vintage Departures from the Movie, Almost Famous
Our nervous smiles and badges gave away our rookie status on the job, making us even more self-conscious. We worked tagging passenger's coats, marking them with seat numbers and stowing them in the forward closet. Passengers kept us busy in first class keeping track of beverage orders. We passed along the requests to the real crew who watched from the galley and prepared the beverages while we served them.
My roommate worked in coach while I worked first class the first leg of the trip. In First Class, there were two attendants for less than ten passengers. In coach, there were three attendants for over a hundred people. Our positions were reversed on the next leg so we could experience the different levels of service between cabins. Coach class was like running a marathon while in First Class, the forward cabin, we had time to visit with the passengers.
The seniors working first class were nervous about letting us serve their passengers, with good reason. There was still so much we needed to learn. We observed the experienced flight attendants in action before moving on to coach where we passed out blankets, pillows and magazines, collected money for alcoholic beverages and wrote out passenger beverage requests. We began icing glasses in preparation for the upcoming service once we took off for the second part of the journey. The experience was worlds apart from our practice in the classroom.
We’d managed to get by so far without snagging our panty hose, in which case, we were required to change into a fresh pair. Flight attendants could be written up with a dress code violation if caught working with a run in our stockings.
We took turns making the departure flight announcements reading the prepared script out of our flight manuals as required by FAA regulations. It was a thrill to be sitting in the crew jump seats during takeoff.
Cappuccino Mugs
The Meal Service
Once the plane leveled off we started the meal service - a light snack of finger sandwiches. Carrying the tray in one hand, we used tongs to transfer the food to a napkin on each tray table. We continued working our way down the aisle until the plane hit some light turbulence and began to rock in the air. We hit an air pocket and the plane lurched suddenly downward. I landed smack into the lap of a passenger sitting in the aisle seat spilling the contents of my food tray down the front of his shirt.
He was as surprised to find me in his lap as I was embarrassed to end up there. Fortunately, he was a good sport and after I got to my feet, he grabbed a sandwich off his shirt, grinned and shoved it into his mouth. It was a miracle that he didn't complain to the senior flight attendant who ran down the aisle to find out what happened.
In the Jump Seat on a Braniff Flight
An urgent announcement came over the speakers as the captain suspended the meal service and announced, “Flight attendants, take your seats.” Our required response was to make an announcement asking the passengers to return to their seats and extinguish their cigarettes. Cabins were divided between smoking and non-smoking as smoking was allowed on board domestic flights at the time.
Without warning, the bright yellow oxygen masks dropped out of the overhead compartments and dangled down in the passenger's faces. Those who had tuned out our announcements about what to do wore look of panic appeared which was mirrored on my own face. The plane tilted at a steep angle as it began an immediate, urgent descent to a lower altitude.
Airplane Scene from Almost Famous (Strong Language)
Almost as soon as it started, the turbulence stopped and the Captain came back on the air. He explained that the masks were released only as a precaution, there was absolutely nothing to worry about. It reminded me of the punch line to an old joke, "Absolutely nothing can go wrong, nothing can go wrong, nothing can go wrong, nothing can go wrong..."
Our meal service resumed and we finished delivering sandwiches to anyone who still had an appetite after all the bouncing. By then, the ice had melted in the prepared sodas but the coffee was strong and fragrant. Soon, we collected the remaining service items and prepared the craft for landing without further incident. I wrote up an incident report and gave my good-natured passenger a voucher for dry cleaning his soiled clothes.
Flight Attendants in Hawaii
Upon completion of our scary training flight together, the bond between me and my roommate strengthened restoring a renewed affection for one another. Spending five weeks in a hotel in the same room had tested our own good natures. We left the concourse that day arm-in-arm wearing genuine smiles of joy and friendship. We were off to see the world.
Rate Your Air Travel Experience
© 2011 Peg Cole
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AUTHORThank you, ChitrangadaSharan. The job is difficult and my sympathies are with those who work the skies in today's changed world of travel. Your remarks are very thoughtful and kind. I love to remember the old days.
What a wonderful hub and I am sorry I missed to read it earlier! I loved your story and the lovely pictures. You look so good . I have deep respect for flight attendants and their job is glamorous as well as difficult.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences through this well presented hub!
- AUTHOR
Hello Tom Yam. It had its ups and downs (hahaha), but there was some hard work involved. The hardest part probably was standing on our feet while on duty for up to fourteen hours at a time. Thanks for dropping by to check out this hub and for leaving such a thoughtful comment.
People seem to forget that it's not as fantastic an occupation as it's made out to be. Sure, you get to travel. But while you're travelling it's really hard work. Particularly if it's a long haul destination.
- AUTHOR
Hello Au fait. Thanks so much for your visit and great comments today. It gave me an opportunity to revise this article and add a few new photos. Sounds like a trip on board a plane is due for you.
Your job with the pilot sounds interesting along with your tour of WWII planes. We were able to visit the Spruce Goose aircraft while it was on display in a domed hangar at Long Beach CA. It was fascinating.
A fun story, and I guess you were no worse for the wear as you stayed with the job for a while. Believe it or not, I've never been off the ground in an airplane. Almost flew a couple of times, but then something came up and I didn't.
Worked for an American Airlines pilot for a while as his secretary. He had a dealership for a French built single engine airplane, but I don't remember the name of the plane anymore. He sold the planes, parts for the planes, and he had a mechanic that worked on them. That job along with touring a few old planes from WWII is the closest I've ever come to flying.
- AUTHOR
Hello Thumbi7. Thank you for stopping in for a view of these old pictures and to check out this hub. I love it when someone comes by because it gives me a chance to re-read the article and make improvements. Come on over to the other ones about flying, won't you?
I loved reading this hub. Always used to look at flight attendants with great admiration. Your prim and proper ways of dressing up always attracted me.
Thanks for sharing
- AUTHOR
Hello Perspycacious. Buddy passes were around back then for family members to fly, only a certain number of passes per year. That Salt Lake City situation is awful. Five days traveling with young children is difficult enough without delays.
Thanks for dropping in and for your comments.
Enjoyable. Did they have "buddy passes" back then? A family traveling on buddy passes was recently stuck in Salt Lake City for 5 days due to overbookings and being at the bottom of the list after even "paid standbys"! I thought that taking 24 hors to arrive at my destintion on a buddy pass was bad! I couldn't even imagine 5 days with young children and running out of money!
- AUTHOR
Oh Jama, What I wouldn't give to do all that over again. Being familiar with Dallas traffic you know how rough that can get. A flight is a dream ride in comparison. Too tall? I was within regulations by only half an inch of being too short and struggled with my weight being over the limit. A couple of days before graduation at our weigh in I was told to lose 3-4 pounds or I wouldn't receive my wings. Ah, those were the days. Yep, we were called "stews" and it never bothered me. It bothered some of the men and maybe that's why the name change.
Thanks for the comment and for reading this old memory from the dark ages.
All the best to you. Peg
Besides kudos for a quite insightful hub about becoming a flight attendant, you get a bazillion extra points for taking that first flight out of DFW! And judging by my own experience on Dallas-Ft Worth freeways a few months ago, you're spot on that "taking our chances in the friendly skies" is safer than driving in Dallas!
As a teenager, I sooooo wanted to be a stewardess (as they were called back then) but was already 2 inches too tall. Probably a good thing, as I could barely walk in heels on flat ground let alone in a moving aircraft while balancing a tray of sandwiches on one hand! "Grace" was not my strong suit!
Voted up and awesome! ;D
- AUTHOR
Hi there SG, I think you'd have made a great flight attendant. You have the smile and cheerful personality that is necessary for that job. Thanks for dropping by today and for your nice comment.
Hi Peg, wonderful hub! I bet you were an awesome flight attendent! I would have never made it past the first "bump" or "lurch"! I loved your story, voted up and funny. Have a wonderful day! :)
- AUTHOR
Well well, Cloud Explorer, Picture me blushing in the sweetness of your comment. Wow.
No I haven't seen the movie the "Passengers" but now that you mentioned it I will try to catch a view.
We had to watch a lot of crash films in training that put a somber face on most of us for a while. But we were willing to take our chances in the friendly skies. It is all part of the job and probably holds better odds than driving in Dallas.
Thank you for stopping in to comment and read this hub.
- AUTHOR
Hey there Natural Solutions,
Sorry for neglecting your comment for so long. I hope you'll forgive my senior moments when I lose it. LOL
Thanks for stopping in and for your nice words.
Peg
This hub is definitely a great example of a personal experience turned into awesome written precision.
Your writing is similar to mine somehow, in the way you express each detail, so I assume your very detail oriented in real life. I especially loved the part where you expressed how the Pilot yelled out abruptly, it became like a real life vision at that point to me while reading.
You hub writing is awesome indeed, thanks for sharing such a great experience of yours. Have you seen the movie the "passengers" (its free on youtube). I just saw it with my wife & it resembles your experience as a flight attendant somewhat, accept they didn't survive to tell the story.
I'm looking forward to reading more & more of your hubs voted up on all categories.
Life is a flight attendant, it is really true. By just reading this insightful hub. I've learned a lot from the life behind our brave flight attendant.
- AUTHOR
Hello Anusha15 - You know that guy really set the tone for the whole plane. His comical reaction was not at all what I would have expected. It made the situation a whole lot less stressful. Thank goodness for that! And thank you for dropping by to comment.
The story telling was great. The turbulence and Oxygen masks on your first flight. Gosh! What a thing to happen, when most people probably don't experience it half of their careers!
I'm glad the person at whom the sandwiches got dropped was kind enough to understand. It was an interesting read.
- AUTHOR
Writer20 - Sounds like you had a difficult trip. Not always the case. Sorry that happened. Hope another trip goes so smoothly it overshadows the one you remember.
Injurycase - You are welcome. Thanks for stopping in to comment!
For those people who love travelling, I think this job really fit. I Thank you for your wonderful hub.
I remember flight attendents working hard on the huge airplanes and being bumped around by air pockets.
Thank you and your collegues for all your hard work.
- AUTHOR
Hey there Ed. Nice to see you again. And thanks for sharing that great story about John Wayne airport. I landed there a time or two. It is a rather special sight, the runway lites, being enveloped in the clouds, touch down. mmmmm.
Hi Again PEG.Im the Guy who wrote wise guy on the Husky.One time in the company P NAVAJO got to sit up front with JHONEY OUR PILOT.I was going to experience a night landing from the cockpit.I think it was John Wayne airport.The tower was closed and runway lites off. Then Johny turned on the runway lites from the cockpit---WOW That was Disney Land to me.ED
- AUTHOR
Hello Trish_M,
Thank you so much for stopping by. It was among my childhood dreams and eventually did become a reality. I'm certain you would have coped amazingly well and even enjoyed the ride. Yes, from time to time things were less than ideal, the pay for instance, haha but anyday in the sky was grand.
All the best, Peg
Hi :)
I enjoyed reading this.
I think ~ like most little girls ~ I wanted to be an air hostess, when I was a child. I don't know whether I would have coped well with the reality of it, but I bet it was exciting at tinmes :)
- AUTHOR
SubRon7 - When you say 4 years, that is a big chunk of time to give to our country. Thank you for your service. My Dad was a lifer. . 24 years in the Navy.
Yep, the pilots are impressive with their non visual landings and navigational skills. Amazing isn't it?
Not a career, just 4 years, but I have often thought I should have gone the distance. I did love my navy career. There's one more thing I remember about...not that first flight but landing in San Diego in perfect soup fog. As a North Dakota farm boy in 1962, I could not imagine how the pilot did that, and was also quite impressed with him. And, yes, not only a life-changing flight but a life-changing experience.
- AUTHOR
Navy boot camp - were you a career military person? I'll be getting over to your site to see. You're nice to mention that the stew was the one person that stood out in your memory. That was a life-changing flight for you, I'll imagine. Thank you for sharing your first flight memories and for your nice comments. Peg
PegCole17, I loved your hub, and it brought back many memories. My very first flight was heading to navy boot camp in San Diego, via Sioux Falls, SD, on a turbo-prop, where we moved to a big jet. I remember the turbulence and how that dear stewardess hurried up and down the aisles checking all her passengers. I can still see her in my mind; she did impress me. She's the only one I remember.
- AUTHOR
Fluffy - hello. Travel has changed so much over the years and travelers are so much more sophisticated now. Even young children travel without a thought about how far it is and what an adventure they're on! I always loved flying even though it was just a short career. Thank you for your nice comments.
Well, I have always admired flight attendance for all of there kindness to others on planes. Even when the people are so very unkind or even a bit of a nervous wreck about flying at all. Plus, all the different places they go even if it's all seen mostly from the plane and air ports. Amazing way of life really. Thanks for sharing here.
- AUTHOR
Hi James, I was surprised to see the score and unexpectedly sad when it dropped below 100. Not too sad though, the old overachiever in me is still malfunctioning. Thank you kindly for noticing.
This is another very interesting story of yours. Thank you for sharing it with us. By the way—Congratulations on the 100 Author Score! That is quite an accomplishment.
- AUTHOR
Hi there AA, When I worked there DFW was nearly new. But compared to the podunk aiports I'd flown out of previously, it was an endless maze of circles. I don't know how anyone finds their terminal. Me included. Thank you for your kind visit. bbfn
Fascinating. I knew that the job was a challenge, just didn't realize as much. DFW aiport hasn't improved too much from your days flying from there. Maybe one day. Thanks again for sharing.
- AUTHOR
MmmMmmm! The smell of diesel fuel and cooking in a convection oven. Good times. Thank you for stopping in Elvis. Thank yew very much.
That's reminds me about my first flight experience. I thought it was a great experience, but turned out to be a common feeling like sitting a bus where noisy sound of engine, smelling of the cooking and fuel burning.
- AUTHOR
fantasygirl, Thank you so much for coming by and reading this trip down memory lane. And thanks to Mrs. J.B. for being such a good friend. xxx to both of you.
I follow Mrs. J. B. so I had to read what she raved about. I too love it.
- AUTHOR
You are amazing Mrs. J.B.! I really appreciate your enthusiasm. Thanks.
I love this hub. I just had to read it again.
- AUTHOR
Hey there nifty, That's so true. Although, now I find myself tuning them out after hearing the speech so often. Thanks for the laugh.
It must be irritating to go through that pre-flight spill and no one seems the slightest bit interested until the plan starts going down! " oh yeah! Now you care"! Great hub!
- AUTHOR
Thanks Bobbi - Yes, I flew recently and boy, what a change from the glory days of food and flying colors. Glad you stopped by. Loved your analogy of the cigar tube.
Flying used to be a big deal, before we all became just a bunch of people stuffed into a silver cigar tube. Nice hub, I enjoyed it.
- AUTHOR
Tonymac - That is just awful. On long flights people get dehydrated and require something to drink. I'm sure something was going on to keep the flight attendants away. Although I've known some who did like to make themselves scarce. But on a charter flight? hmmm. That just doesn't seem right. Hope your other flights were much better.
The flight attendants can really set the tone for your travel experience. So sorry that happened to you.
I love flying and I've always had the greatest admiration for the flight attendants. Not an easy life, I'm sure.
Was once on an international charter flight when soon after we took off from Gatwick they brought coffee around and we did not see them again until just before landing in Johannesburg! Not quite my best flying experience!
Love and peace
Tony
- AUTHOR
Hi Sally - I dreamed of flying as a little girl too. It was the ideal job for the times. The height restrictions and weight limits nearly kept me out. I was put on notice the last week of school: lose the extra few lbs or I wouldn't graduate. Wearing heels, holding tongs and turbulence seemed like running with scissors to me. Nice to see you again.
Gus - I can just imagine the biscuit tossing thing. I was written up once for passing out rolls from the plastic bag rather than placing them in the bread basket. And the tomato sauce effect could have been gory. The colors of Braniff's planes were true to the 70s. Remember the Boeing 747 painted orange? You couldn't miss it. Our Pucci uniforms were bright green with paisley psychedelic shirts before we changed to the Halston beige ones. It was the middle of winter when we went from 100% wool to silky thin jersey fabric. Timing, like the planes was a little off. Thanks for sharing the memories of your flight. Peg
Hi Peg - When I saw the photo with the word, "Braniff" showing it brought back to mind a flight I had on "Braniff, the world's largest unscheduled airline..." as we used to call it. It was a flight that had the title, "Businessman's Special" (or something to that effect). Lunch was served - BBQ spareribs covered with red tomato sauce (good for shirts and ties). One of the flight attendants stood near the front of the cabin and tossed biscuits to the passengers. I forget which color the plane was, but Braniff used bright paints, like greens, yellow, orange, red, blue and even purple. It was an interesting airline that went away after not that long a time.
Gus :-)))
Enjoyed your hub. As a little girl, I dreamed of being a stewardess. I think I may have been too short (in the day when there were so many restrictions). I don't think I could serve finger sandwiches with tongs -- even on the ground!
- AUTHOR
Mrs. J.B. - You are such a delight. Thanks so much for coming by. And your Awards Hubs are a scream.
Jandee - Enjoyed having you visit. Nice to see you again. Thanks for reading. I just read your Recovery Room hub. Very nice.
Hi Peg,just to say hello and enjoyed,jandee
I LOVE this hub............. Thanks...........
- AUTHOR
Hi mckbirdbks - If life is a metaphor . . . a friendly lap in turbulence would be a good one. I had to look up the definition but it was worth the time. Thank you for the brain exercise.
Hey Lynda - Nice to see you. My tenure was cut short when I was injured on the job and was hospitalized. I was with the airlines less than a year and have spent the last few decades reliving the experience. Ah, the glory days. Yes, we all smoked, me included - even the non smoking section of the plane. Of my many jobs, that was truly a favorite.
Lorlie6 - wow. Have you written a hub about your 747 experience? That would be a good one. I loved working on the 747. So much equipment! Hope you are doing well. Thanks for stopping by and for sharing.
- AUTHOR
Skye2day - What a shame about the United interview. Five minutes speaking is a long time impromptu. I'm sure that would have squashed my chances and more than likely something I said eliminated me in previous attempts at getting hired. I had already been turned down by 2 airlines - Eastern and NorthWest before I got this job. Thanks for stopping in to read and share your experience. You're where you need to be for all the right reasons. Blessings to you.
I used to be quite the flyer, but when my 747 got caught in a 'situation' over Japan-losing altitude-I've not flown since.
Now I have a serious fear of flying, but I still recall how friendly and helpful most of the attendants were.
Ah, the good old days when one was served real food on a flight -- and smokers smoked. Today you're lucky to get a bag of peanuts thrown at you. Not a job for me, I'm afraid. How long was your 'turbulent' career with the airline? Lynda
If life is a metaphor then when there is turbulence, a friendly lap to land in is the way to
go. Thanks for sharing.
hello peg. What does go as planned? What a ride you had on this trip. Had ot laugh at the panty hose change. Those were the greatest times to fly. Things never do stay the same hey?? I bet you were an awesome flight attendant. I applied for United and blew my final interview. I had to stand impromptu and give a 5 minute speech. At that age I was terrified. Life went on but I was sad. Great hub. Fun read. Love you.
voted up and awesome
- AUTHOR
I thought you looked familiar, ralwus. Sorry about getting mustard on your shirt with those sandwiches. Did the cleaners get it all out? Cheers.
Gee, I think I was on the fight. Or one very similar.
- AUTHOR
Sorry to leave you with that impression, drbj. I loved the job and still think about it all these years later. Being a flight attendant is a very tough job. I'll make some changes to try and convey a different tone. Thanks for your remarks and for the joke. Good one. BTW, did you watch the air farce video? It struck me as funny and I hoped others would enjoy it too.
How short was your tenure with the airlines, Peg? From the tone of this interesting but also somewhat negative hub, you didn't seem too enthralled with the position. Can't say I blame you. A flight attendant's job is not an easy one.
Here's another pilot joke for you. The pilot comes out of the cabin after the plane has been on the runway for more than an hour and tells the passengers, "We will take off shortly . . . . as soon as I get up my nerve."
Happy Valentine's Day.
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