Reflections From A Flight Attendant
 

Our world has drastically changed. Our career expectations and the confidence and pride we brought to work has been badly shaken and in some cases, completely shattered. September 11th, 2001 changed our lives and our livelihoods.

Every day pilots and cabin crew member reported for duty and let the entry door enclose them in a shiny metal tube. That tube is our office. The potenial of not being alive to witness that door opening upon a normal landing is alway in the very back of our minds: it has been an accepted hazard of our job but with little serious thought given to it. None of us ever contemplated our benign office being converted into a weapon of such vast destruction.

Aviation tragedies have impacted us during our careers and although we have privately mourned for the lives lost we have been able to carry on by attaching an acceptable or logical reason as to why and how each disaster occurred. Mechanical failure, human error, weather conditions to name a few. There is no acceptable or logical reason to be found for this one. Many crew members are trying to mentally and emotionally fit a square peg into a round hole and are suffering meltdown from the futility of it.

All of us through training and actual events are familiar with the subjects of terrorists and hijacking. Yet in the past they have operated in territory far removed from our scope of work. As we learned of these past events, through the buffer of newspapers and television video clips, we used self preservation techniques to suppress anxiety or panic. Techniques that involve an ignorance of the distant country and people affected. The horror was genuine but we took comfort in the superiority of living in a safer and more civilized part of the world. Now this reality has exploded on our doorstep and the complacent bubble we've sheltered ourselves in has been brutally ripped away. In the past we usually did not know firsthand much about the country or victims impacted. Not this time. Many of us have touched the walls, walked the floors, sat on the furniture or slept in the beds in the WTC. Some of us have lost relatives and friends. Innocence and ignorance received a catastrophic wakeup call.

Many of us over the years have perfected the skill of donning our uniforms while simultaneously shedding, albeit temporarily, our personal problems and emotions. Today many of us cannot adopt that android facade as the debris in our hearts is too deep and the uniform now represents a terrifying target.

To quote one of my colleagues " I feel as if only two days have passed since September 10th. The first one ended at 8:45 am on September 11th and the second one hasn't ended yet".

Many of us are getting back in the saddle to ride again. Many of us are picking up the pieces and rebuilding a new strength that will not accept defeat by such hienous acts. Many of us have or will regain an altered sense of normalacy. Altered because "back to normal" as we knew it on September 10th is gone forever.

As travellers and our customers you might see yourself in the reactions and fears I have shared with you. Give us a purpose to be who we are professionally by visiting our office again. Give us the courage to carry on and we will give it back to you twofold. Help us heal and to be healed from this grevious wound. Be there for us as we promise to be there for you. Together lets punch through those clouds again.

If you have read this far I thank you for taking the time to do so. I needed this; to share these thoughts with my friends on FT.

Thank you A Flygirl. That was very profound and it hit home for me as a traveller.

Thanks Flygirl for those thoughts. You know many of us will be very supportive. Hopefully some of the tensions created by increased security checks etc. can be decreased through mutual support.

I intend to keep smiling and going about my business even in these difficult times. I have always treasured my friends and family and, more recently, many acquaintances made through Flyer Talk. That and getting out and enjoying nature has made this past week so much easier to deal with.

All of us have to get through this. I for one am getting on a plane next week and, hopefully, the week after and the week after that. Even my wife has been pushing to go so that is a good sign.

A Flygirl, I'll see you in your "office." http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I have several trips planned over the next month. One was supposed to happen last weekend, but the planes to and from the US were still grounded at that time. Apart from rescheduling that trip, I do not intend to change my plans at all. I will be flying, and I will do my best to remain cheerful towards everyone, especially the AC agents and crew, despite the increased tension and security checks.

Thanks Flygirl. You can certainly count on my support. In fact, I get back in the saddle next week and I will fly to YOW.

An eloquent statement...thank you for sharing it.

Thank-you for those words - I have 4 trips already booked and have no intention of changing business travel ...

Onwards and upwards!

SimonC

A Flygirl. I don't think any of us can imagine how this terrible event can have affected you and your colleagues, and I was moved by your willingness to share your thoughts with us.

I have no intention to change my flying patterns and when I do fly again in the next couple of weeks it will be with a new respect for all of you who get us from place to place.

I should say that I have been extremely impressed with the professionalism of the several agents I have spoken with on the telephone over the past several days. It must have been a very trying time, but I got nothing but courtesy.

A Flygirl, I'm with you.

Thanks A Flygirl, as is usual with your posts you have made a very important point in a very readable way.

I am not going to let the Terrorist stop me from doing anything at all, ever!

When I fly I will continue to be cheerfull and friendly with all I encounter, no matter how nervous I may be inside.

Remember A Flygirl there is far far more good people out there than bad, and we will win in the end.

Stewart.

A Flygirl, although I don't fly a lot but, I'm with you 100%!

A Flygirl,

Once again, your words hit home, and so very strongly. We feel sad for you and all of your collegues, and we only can wish for you to keep strong during what has to be such difficult times for you, and all in the airline industry.

Keep 'em flying.

And......Thank You.

bj-21.

Flygirl, many of us feel the same way!

as for my company, we're trying to do our part in supporting you folks - I have trips to New Orleans, Washington DC, Denver, Toronto and Vancouver in the next four weeks, the majority on AC if possible (for reasons not the LEAST of which are the double points!)

So you see, despite our occasional grumblings, we have something in common with y'all in the end - we REALLY LIKE TO FLY!

Fair winds, clear skies - we'll see you in the air! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Flygirl: Thank you for your post.

We are privileged and honoured that you would choose to share your thoughts and feelings with us, and grateful that you (and your colleagues) are there to see us through these trying times. We hope we can do likewise.

[This message has been edited by Ken hAAmer (edited 09-19-2001).]