Some Traits You Acquire When You Become a Cabin Crew

It’s been more than 10 years since I got involved in the aviation industry, particularly with cabin crew. Throughout these years, I’ve learned so much about them, especially since I often hang out with them and even get insights into their training. Being with these cabin crew members during their days off has allowed me to notice some traits that I believe they’ve acquired from their years of flying. Allow me to share some traits that you acquire when you become a cabin crew.

You Put Others First Before Yourself

When I hang out with cabin crew members in restaurants, lounges, and sometimes in their homes, I notice how they always offer me things first. “Mond, gusto mo ng drinks? Ako na!” “Mond, mauna ka na kumuha. Ano pa ang gusto mo?” Even if they’re hungry themselves, they naturally ask me first. I once said, “Ano ka ba, wala tayo sa flight at hindi ako pasahero ngayon,” and they replied, “Nasanay lang talaga na pinangungunahan namin ang iba.” In other words, they’ve learned to become selfless.

They Automatically Lend a Hand to Anyone Who Needs Help

As a cabin crew member, you have to be alert to your passengers’ needs. Sometimes, passengers don’t call for help immediately, but if flight attendants see something wrong, they immediately approach the passenger and offer help. I’ve seen flight attendants do this outside of work as well. For example, an off-duty flight attendant on vacation at a beach noticed someone drowning. After the person was rescued, the flight attendant immediately rushed to apply CPR. She learned how to do CPR from her cabin crew training.

They Learn to Do Everything By Themselves

Whenever I eat out with cabin crew members, I notice how they arrange the plates properly after we eat, making it easier for the service crew to collect them. They even wipe the table clean. In a CLAYGO restaurant (Clean As You Go), they really make sure the tables are left clean for the next customer. Taking the initiative is something they learn when they become a cabin crew. If they can do it on their own, they will.

They Return Everything to Its Place the Way They Found It

This is another trait you acquire when you become a cabin crew. In the galley, you’re trained to always put everything back the way you found it. This becomes second nature to cabin crew members, whether they’re at home or someone else’s place.

They Become More Customer-Centric

This trait also makes cabin crew members successful entrepreneurs. They learn how to take care of their customers, communicate well, and address their needs. I’ve seen this in a few cabin crew members who are now successful entrepreneurs. According to them, customer care is a huge factor in their success.

They Become More Meticulous

In the airline industry, there’s no such thing as “pwede na.” For cabin crew members, “pwede na” means “hindi pa pwede.” It has to be “pwedeng pwede!” They won’t settle for mediocrity. This trait also makes them good entrepreneurs. Cabin crew members always aim to be above standards; they don’t like doing things half-baked.

They Learn to Adapt to Different Personalities

Flight attendants encounter more than a hundred different personalities on every flight, and they have to adapt to these different personalities. This is why, even if they don’t know you, they know how to greet you first and communicate with you. I’ve also noticed this trait among the cabin crew members I hang out with. They can easily communicate with everyone.

There’s actually more to this, which I’ll mention in another article. But basically, these are some of the traits you can acquire when you become a flight attendant. These traits have helped many flight attendants hone their skills, improve their personalities, and even become successful in other fields, like owning their own businesses.