American flight attendants: Winners are even harder than Harvard

Every year, more than 100,000 people apply to become a flight attendant of a US airline, and less than 1,000 are accepted.

Delta Airlines' enrollment rate is less than 1%, making CNBC consider its recruitment process more rigorous than Harvard University's admission, at 4.6% in 2018.

"The first time I applied for a job, I was not selected. It was incredibly difficult to recruit this airline, but I was very persistent. I knew I wanted this job, this career and did not give up until the city became public, " Melissa Pittman answered CNBC.

Melissa passed the interview round on the second application, but that's just the starting point. Those who are lucky to be selected in 1% must undergo an 8-week training course, conquering a series of tests before they can take off.

Melissa read the notice to passengers.(Photo: CNBC).

At the final stage of the training, the flight attendants start working full-time but are subject to "probation" - performing their flight duties, but are not allowed to decide anything. Once the trial period is over for 6 months, they will take on more responsibilities.

Aerial law

Melissa works in New York, every trip begins and ends at one of the city's airports. Receive a New York - Atlanta flight, Melissa is at the ticket counter one hour before departure time. Accompanying her was the crew of three other flight attendants: Sarah Motter, Shannon O'Brien and Niguel Modeste. The four of them never flew together."You will never know everyone in the team. The crew on each trip is different," Melissa said.

This time Melissa was the head attendant, taking on the task of presiding over a meeting before departure and communicating directly with the captain, as well as giving notice to passengers. Only experienced flight attendants are assigned this responsibility, they can also arrange their own flight schedules.

The crew cannot board the plane without carrying "SkyPro" , the red device is about the same size as a large smartphone. It provides information on all flight safety procedures for flight attendants, identifying high-class passengers on board. "We live and breathe through this device," Melissa said.

Melissa and Sarah serve in the first class cabin on the flight.(Photo: CNBC).

Many people still think that attendant is a leisure industry, doing nothing more than serving passengers. Melissa denies: "The biggest myth is that people think we're just chalk face waiters." She took the actual example, when a passenger started a heart attack or needed medical help, the first person they came to was the flight attendant. The crew will know what to do, because they are trained to react in emergency situations.

The crew must always be ready for the worst: from a fire, to an accident or an unpleasant passenger. During this flight, the most serious incident she had to handle was when the plane entered the disturbance.

"When the glass of water is hot, it is moderate noise. If a glass of red wine splashes, the plane has entered a strong disturbance, but for me it's just a matter of dealing," Melissa explained.

After landing, Melissa and the captain will stand on the front door to bow to each of about 200 passengers."Hello and goodbye, I must say 600 times these words a day , " she said.

Relaxing hours

Ending the two-hour flight from New York to Alanta, the crew had four hours of rest. Melissa and her colleagues will go to the city for a walk, take a nap in the attendant's private room, gym at the airport or eat. On other days, they may have only one hour of rest, then go straight to the ticket gate for the next trip.

Shannon O'Brien revealed that she likes to enlist a flight schedule in the free time: "Depending on the seniority, we can choose the vacation we want or fly as many times a day. It's really great to be able to schedule it. Italy based on its seniority ".

Happiness - suffering of stewardess

For five years in the profession, the best part of this job is that Melissa can jump on a plane, visit family and friends all over the United States regularly. In the past, she used to work in the office, sitting still at a paper desk five days a week.

"Some people took the subway to work. I flew to work," Melissa said, saying she always had to fly 5 and a half hours from home in Los Angles to work. In fact, thanks to a lot of traveling work, Melissa can live anywhere she wants.

Sarah Motter, Melissa's colleague, also takes advantage of this. She joined 20 hours from Guam, where her husband was stationed in the US Navy. (Guam is a US territory, in the western Pacific). Sarah can stay at a colleague's house in New York when needed.

However, the most difficult part for Melissa is to leave her children constantly, miss the holidays and important occasions. " I can't attend my son's 18th birthday, but my kids are used to it. They know that holidays like family Christmas will not take place on the night of December 24, but maybe an eve " , she spreads.

However, Melissa and the entire crew said: "We are doing one of the most flexible jobs on time in the aviation industry. There are months we have to work six days a week. But there are months we can work one to two days a week. "

Flight attendant remuneration is also a benefit when they are paid between $ 23 and $ 54 an hour depending on their seniority, according to The Points Guy.

Melissa's crew took pictures with reporters.(Photo: CNBC).

Profession to choose people

Melissa and her colleagues admitted they could not go back to the desk business after traveling the world, experiencing dream work schedules.

Having been a model and working in television industry, Melissa revealed that she gave up a very good income position to go to flight attendant career."I came here because of the long-term values ​​that this work brings. And I want to go and look around the world."

Finally, passion has won every challenge. Melissa expressed: "Even on the most stressful days when the flight has a technical problem, delayed because of the weather, navigation to emergency, fastidious passengers or any other issues, I still love the work. my job and decided not to trade it for anything " .