Originally Posted by channa
The job requires what, a high school diploma and 2-3 weeks of training? The cost of the training is paid for by the company, so it's not like a skill that the company has to pay a wage premium for.
Seems to be very similar requirements to any sort of service job -- restaurant server, cashier, sales clerk at a dept. store, etc.
While it is true in today's market, all that is required to become a flight attendant is a high school diploma and several weeks of training, to become a true professional requires far more than even a bachelor degree, a masters degree, an MD or a PHD can prepare you for. To perform the job to a true professional standard, it requires the ability to effectively perform the foillowing duties, often simultaneously:
- Monitor and assure compliance with TSA security directives and procedures
- Monitor and assure compliance with FARs
- Monitor and assure compliance with company procedure and policy
- Co-ordinate with flight deck, gate agents and fellow crew
- perform routine safety and security checks
- perform routine service
- be prepared to act on a moments notice to safety issues, security issues and medical emergencies
For those of you good folks who think this is equivalent with the duties of the fry cook at Burger King, I challenge any of you, regardless of current postion, to be able to perform the above duties on a regular and acceptable basis. It is not as simplistic as you all like to make it sound. Many of you who post here would not be able to do so simply because of your egos.