Cabin Crew..Life above 36000 ft! (Part 1)

(Don't judge a book by its cover!)

Most of us are aware of cabin crew and their duties which are to serve and collect used trays, look presentable, smile at you, wish you when you board an air plane, etc.But is this job easy as most of us think? Well, no job is easy in fact, nothing is easy in the world.One must work hard in order to make it easy for themselves.

Like every coin has two sides, there's a flip side of this profession too which is not known to most people.When we are on the aircraft it's not only about looking good but;

• It's about keeping an eye in the cabin to reduce the risk of any hazard (profiling of passengers, for e.g.; person under influence of alcohol or drugs, suspicious passenger which may cause harm to the aircraft, crew or other passengers),

• Make sure that the safety equipments are correct in number and usable in case of an emergency,

• A thorough security check of the air plane to avoid bomb on board situation(which is a current concern with most airlines), following steps for hijack situation,

• Save lives in case of an emergency by evacuating people out of the aircraft and ensuring everyone’s safe.

• Be a nurse and prepare for emergency childbirth.

• A life saver for someone by giving them CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) which I believe isn’t an everyday routine for a 21-year-old girl or a boy who ain’t a medical student.Not to forget we are first aider’s not doctors.

One of the important steps towards safety is securing the cabin by making sure that seat belts are fastened and all the accessories are stored in their position which is not understood by most of the people.It's because we prepare the cabin for an unanticipated emergency and to remind you, you are in the air and not on ground where you can open the door and walk out (so return those headsets unless you choose to strangle and die with it tied around your neck, just kidding).And if we don't secure the cabin, we can get terminated as it is against the standard of aviation safety (and we have no intentions of losing our job)

Well, that was safety and first aid(the points discussed is a small part of it).Let's talk about the health issues we face while flying:

• Severe dehydration caused at high altitudes in an artificial atmosphere,lung damages caused by inhaling polluted air, yes the air is polluted as its drawn from the engine and then released in the cabin and don’t forget the waste in the aircraft and other communicable diseases people carry on board (obviously we can’t open windows for fresh air..).

• Studies show stewardesses are more likely to contract breast cancer up to five times because of changes in hormones leading to a chemical imbalance in the body which can cause tumour growth.

• Another issue is Deep vein thrombosis also known as DVT.High pressure in the veins forces the fluids to circulate into soft tissues which leads to swelling and forming blood clots(so drink lots of water)

• Complications in conceiving after flying for a certain number of years and we can’t be a witness to a crime after five years of flying.So why choose this profession? If not me someone else will, pretty simple!

We don't move further but instead take a step back by belittling someone for their work.Clearly, there’s much more to it which will be COMING SOON on my next blog..so STAY TUNED FOR SOME REALITY CHECK!! I hope I made you guys understand the concept of being a cabin crew is not only applying makeup and looking pretty but we're also responsible for the safety and comfort of our passengers which requires a lot of effort.

So back off stereotypes and read the safety information card and BRACE2, LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND, COME THIS WAY, JUMP AND SLIDE after all what’s life without some adventure *wink*.Safe travels everyone!!