nwrep2009

Article at The Atlantic quoting a blog:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...ndants/246610/

Discuss...

javabytes

IB teh L.

Also not a DL topic.

obscure2k

Moving thread to FT Newsstand, as this is not DL-specific. Feel free to discuss there.
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator

DJGMaster1

Several of the Asian flag carriers do not suffer from this syndrome. In my personal experience, Singapore, Thai, and Korean Air amongst others, still have similar standards to what Pan Am was doing in the '60s. No U.S. carrier could get away with the sort of discrimination necessary to keep up these appearances nowadays.

Remember the days when you could fly the stewardesses on National to Miami?

trooper

I'm sure many people would like a certain level of pulchritude to be required for flight attendants.... (not gender specific, why should women and the gay community miss out?)

And I would support that... just as long as the same test was applied to those people - to determine whether they were attractive enough "to fly"...

ejross

One way Thai Airways makes sure it has young flight attendants is that it offers them only 5 year, non-renewable contracts, sometimes renewed for another 5 years. It is also considered a prestige position and pays much more than jobs many new university graduates get. Most new grads earn around 10-15000 baht a month whereas flight attendants earn more than 40000 baht a month.

cyclogenesis

I would rather have an older "less hot" hostess (or steward if you swing that way) who is competent, polite and most importantly enjoys there job (essential in a service industry...

Unfortunately, here in the US, it seems to be that the more senior (with exceptions, of course!) staff become jaded to the point it eclipses their experience... I don't want to discriminate, just point out a correlation: The younger staff in the US seem to give a better service, perhaps because they feel less job secure?

Spiff

I just wish we could get away from the culture of "primarily here for your safety" and instead focus on service, with the ability to provide safety.

Most flight attendants I've met certainly provide excellent service.

ByrdluvsAWACO

How do places like Hooters get away with hiring hot women only as servers? You never see chubbies in tight shorts?

pittpanther

This doesn't make sense to me. Paying people MORE is not a recipe towards getting younger people, in fact it would help convince people to never leave. If you have a position available, and you want to make that position only attractive to the young, then you do everything possible to make that job unattractive to those that are older:

- you make sure the position has no set routine (so that you cannot make any kinds of plans with a spouse or family)
- you make the travel requirements very high (so that having a family is darn near impossible)
- you make the pay very low (so that you cannot have raise a family on that salary)
- you make sure the salary has very low yearly increases (so there is no benefit to staying around for many years, no "golden handcuffs")

None of these things are discriminatory and in fact are used in the consulting arena all the time. What ends up happening is that the only people that apply are those that are young, and have no life outside of work. Once they get older and want more form life, they will leave that profession.

The airlines have somehow taken a job that was never intended to financially support someone for life, and turned it into a position that someone might want to stay in for decades.

acunningham

It is if the higher pay attracts more young candidates, and you then pick the best.

The 5 year non-renewable contracts ensure that they do leave, whether they like it or not.

GadgetFreak

I'm guessing they make the vast majority of their money on tips. At a place like Hooters, do the math. They would probably make more at the local diner with different clientele and expectations.

Mora

Can I just add that the same applies for male cabin crew. My personal highlight on a recent flight was Walther, aged about 50, with a beer belly that hardly fit into the aisle. He was very service orientated though and told me he was still going through his training....

theozz

Mora - Can I ask if Walthers beer belly has put you off using that particular carrier again especially in light of the fact that you stated that he was very service orientated?

DenverBrian

I believe that Hooters (and casinos, for that matter) have established a certain "look" as a bona fide occupational qualification for the job - they're not servers so much as "entertainers." No such slant has been established in the courts for flight attendants.