Aviation Anecdotes- what life is like as a Flight Attendant

Kicking off our new series 'Aviation Anecdotes', where we dive deep into our collective passion for the Aviation industry, we recently sat down and had a chat with Daryn, one of our amazing Work, Study + Fly Facilitators to get the inside scoop on what it's really like to work as a Flight Attendant! Daryn has had a very successful career as a Flight Attendant - having worked for Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Virgin Australia, operating Inter and Intra State, as well as International and Chartered flights.

Can you tell us about a time you had to handle a challenging or unexpected situation onboard?

Can you share any memorable or heartwarming interactions you've had with passengers?

I looked after many unaccompanied minors over the years, which was always fun and could be quite the challenge at the same time.  I was once advised by a new crew member that I was training - that the reason he became a Flight Attendant was because of how he was looked after when he was an unaccompanied minor, - he then went on to tell me that it was me who had looked after him, I felt so old! -  I also loved flying families around Christmas, Easter and other holidays as they were jetting off to meet their loved ones that they had not seen for lengthy periods of time.  The airline I worked for, would always have a Santa flying around the network at Christmas - and the crew would wear Santa hats and put tinsel on the drinks trolley!

How has working in the Aviation industry exposed you to different cultures and perspectives?

Meeting people from all over the world - and getting to spend time in other countries was always great fun.  I was lucky enough to spend time in Bali and Fiji and share in special ceremonies like the Fijian Kava Ceremony and then the Nyepi Day of silence in Bali.

What are some of your favorite destinations you have travelled to and why?

I always love spending time in London - sneaking off to see the latest show in the West End, a walk through streets dating back hundreds of years or the sight of the pomp and ceremony that the English do so well - one memorable time was the Late Queens Diamond Jubilee - thousands of people in the streets, the entire Royal Family out in horse drawn carriages and seeing the Lancaster Bombers from WWII doing a flyover - a true 'pinch me' moment.

India - I will never forget seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time - it was a huge tick off my personal bucket list!

Are there any misconceptions about being a Flight Attendant, that you'd like to clarify for those interested in the profession?

It's a fantastic job and I am so lucky to have spent all those years flying - I met so many interesting people and saw so many amazing sights - most of my friends thought I was always on holidays - the things they didn't realize were, that I went 9 years without being able to spend Christmas with my own family - luckily in those types of circumstances the crew all band together and make the most of it and do something together!

If becoming a Flight Attendant or working in the airline industry is something you've been thinking about - why not take a look at our Work, Study + Fly Program? Launch your aviation career today!

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