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Flight Attendant | Life at 30,000 Feet
34 Plays21 days ago
Join us in this exciting episode of the A-Z Jobs Podcast as we chat with Lean, who transitioned from a project manager in advertising and interior design to a flight attendant for a major Asian airline. Discover how she embraced new challenges, the intense training behind the scenes, and the unexpected joys (and struggles) of life in the skies.
🔹 Key Takeaways:
✅ How Lean switched careers multiple times before landing her dream job
✅ The surprising skills needed to become a flight attendant
✅ The reality of airline training (firefighting, first aid, and more!)
✅ Why adaptability is crucial in the aviation industry
✅ Career growth opportunities beyond the cabin
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction: A to Z Jobs Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to A to Z Jobs, the podcast where real people share unfiltered stories about their careers, from the triumphs to the, what was I thinking? Moments.
Meet Leanne: From Ads to Airways
00:00:10
Speaker
Today's guest is Leanne, who went from managing ad campaigns and designing interiors to fighting fires at 30,000 feet as a flight attendant.
00:00:19
Speaker
We're diving deep into how his why not attitude landed him in the airline industry, the insane training it takes to become a flight attendant, and why he still does a job that nothing goes as planned.
00:00:31
Speaker
No fluff, no script, but just the real talk about the messy, rewarding paths careers take. Leigh-In, thank you for joining us on the a to Z Jobs podcast.
00:00:41
Speaker
How are you? Hi. I'm good. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm kind of excited to be doing this. Awesome. So
Career Beginnings in Advertising
00:00:50
Speaker
let's kick it off. So tell me about yourself. what What is your career and what inspired you to pursue it?
00:00:56
Speaker
So... I've had multiple careers. So we'll start from the very, very beginning. I started off as a project manager for an advertising agency back in the Philippines.
00:01:07
Speaker
So that's technically where I started. But before that, you know, when I was in the universities, I was like doing small jobs here and there and helping out in like film production and all that.
00:01:20
Speaker
So that's where I started off. Later down the line, I joined a, what do you call this? Like a, interior design company and I was a project manager there.
00:01:32
Speaker
Then later down the line I was just like, oh, why not try something else? And then I applied for this airline as a cabin crew.
00:01:45
Speaker
So few years later, here we are now.
Transitioning to the Airline Industry
00:01:50
Speaker
So tell me about that then. So what what was the decision process? So yeah you've done a few different jobs.
00:01:56
Speaker
were you Were you just restless and you needed a new challenge or what what was the decision process to join an ally? Yeah. So for me, i was I guess I'm the type of person who wants to try new things and wants to try different things.
00:02:13
Speaker
you know I was i i would say I'm the type of person who has aspirations to to try for something bigger and much more.
00:02:26
Speaker
So that is why I wanted to try these things like because i they're different. In retrospect of things, it's like the first two jobs are almost the same, but then jumping into the airline industry was a whole big thing.
00:02:47
Speaker
But I just like, oh, this is fun. This is challenging. This is a new challenge. This is out of my scope, but it's still, you know, it's still fun because who wouldn't want to wake up in a different city almost every day and try out different things every day. So that's why i was just like, oh, let's try this.
00:03:11
Speaker
Right. So how, it's It's quite different. Like, ands that's a distinct
Training and Skills for Cabin Crew
00:03:16
Speaker
change, right? So how what was the process then in terms of, so you could become a flight attendant um without having any sort of particular training or background that were open to to to basically any sort of skill set? Was there any, I suppose what I'm getting at is the transferable skills. Was there something that you needed to have done to to get this job or it's all provided through the recruitment process?
00:03:44
Speaker
So if anybody wants to jump to being a flight attendant or a cabin crew, I guess it's more about your personality rather than your skill set. Of course, of course, of course, of course.
00:03:56
Speaker
It helps if you've got the whole first aid training and firefighting and and if you have background in the airline industry, of course it will help to get the job because you There are correlations to it, I would say.
00:04:15
Speaker
If you're a flight attendant, you need to learn how to do first aid, firefighting, swimming, all that stuff. But for me, i don't have and didn't have any of that. i I was just there and I went there with a smile and a dream and hope that I will get this job. but And then i got it. And what about...
00:04:41
Speaker
Uh, is there a language component? Yeah. Yes. So for a language component, since I work for an a Asian, um, airline, there is a requirement for you to speak English for sure. And then another one is another Asian language, which for me is Tagalog or Filipino.
00:05:05
Speaker
So that's another thing that was just like tick on the box for me. Yeah. So the the only rule the only real requirement then, so Asian airline, the only real pre-requisite, pre-requisite?
00:05:19
Speaker
That's not a word. rat with The thing you need was the language. Other than that, you can come in i'm just I'm just passionate, I want to travel, I want to see the world.
00:05:30
Speaker
Okay. Because truth be told, I think um recruiters or what would would see that, they're like, oh, This guy doesn't have ah background for it but he has passion and he wants to do this job. So, you know, let's, let's give him, let's give him a shot. Let's give him or her a shot.
00:05:56
Speaker
And what about the, um, the inspiration? And so why like out of the blue, you're like, I've been doing this career, but then why like did you see an advert or did you just go, actually, I just, Oh, what happened?
Inspiration and Challenges in Aviation
00:06:08
Speaker
So funny story. So, ah I grew up in Hong Kong. Um, so my, my world was like, my, my world and my friends were all from like, a lot of them were from, um, the airline industry, their parents.
00:06:27
Speaker
So one day one of my friend's mom went up to me and be just like, hey what are you doing now? um This airline is hiring. why Why don't you come and apply?
00:06:42
Speaker
So I looked into it and I was just like, hey, i can I can do these things. Why not? you know So I applied. So that that that was like technically almost the beginning of the the whole thing as well.
00:07:00
Speaker
ah um My friend's mom was just like, why don't you try and apply? You have nothing to lose.
00:07:08
Speaker
It's always interested me like um about the the the training process. I've actually, a couple of my clients, I've helped them, I've coached them on ah the interview process for the airline industry, particularly for flight attendant roles.
00:07:22
Speaker
And one of them, Obviously, won't say names, but she failed the training. She couldn't, her English wasn't good enough, and she didn't know how to put out a fire in the in the test. So there was a lot of things that said she failed. and But she was it's ah it's a very it's a very reasonable process because if you if your English isn't quite good enough or you don't quite get a process right, they don't just, it's not a scrap heap. They don't push you away. They just, hey they invite you to to come back in three months' time. So they give you more time to study, more time to train.
00:07:54
Speaker
Um, what was the training process like? what was the hardest part? So sorry to jump onto that story of yours. Yeah. Honestly, I didn't get on the, I didn't get in the first time that I applied.
00:08:08
Speaker
oh okay. Yeah. I didn't get in the first time I applied either. So it was, I, if I remember correctly, it was, I did the group interview and then I passed that one and then it was a scenario-based interview and then that was it a they I wasn't asked to come back. I was and and didn't get it.
00:08:36
Speaker
But a few months later, i don't specifically remember if it was 3 or 6, but it was, you know, some time has passed and then I was just like, all let's try again.
00:08:50
Speaker
I, nothing to lose. I was just there. So I did. And then lo and behold, I got it. but But yeah, sorry. So what was what was your question a again? Sorry. Yeah, no, that's good. No, that's great. It's great. um So basically the training, I know from what I hear, the training the training is quite intensive. Like they put you into a into a simulator, there's there's smoke, there's flashing lights, you've got to evacuate, you've got to go down the slides, you go swimming. Like there's a lot of intensive training.
00:09:23
Speaker
For you, what was like the hardest part of training to be a flight attendant? Okay, so for me, I don't, this is this is from my experience. I don't know what um other people experience, but for me, and the most intense thing was the safety training because that was just them drilling you point A, point B, point C, point D, blah, blah, blah.
00:09:50
Speaker
What happens if this doesn' this doesn't work? What do you do? What do you what do you pull to open the door what do you need to press when there's a fire where do you go to get the fire extinguisher and you know there are multiple aircrafts multiple aircrafts meaning some some of them have different configurations different type of doors and all that so that was like something that was drilled in us and then
00:10:23
Speaker
What if somebody is choking? What if somebody is having a heart attack? Where do you get the this and that? Where is the, you know? So that that part was the intense bit because that was just, the the book was like this thick.
00:10:41
Speaker
And, you know, it was it was it was something we had to carry on a day-to-day basis. And they were they were like, read it from start to finish because that is what's going to save your life.
00:10:54
Speaker
So that was that that was the intense bit. That was the intense bit. Yeah. as ah like As a passenger, you don't really see it, do you? like As a passenger, you're like, oh, they just bring me my drinks or they bring me my food.
00:11:05
Speaker
You don't really see the component behind it all. But obviously that's the part where they're really drilling the safety in. Yes. Yes. Because like I said, I'm not sure about other airlines, but for us, what was ingrained in us is safety comes first so it was always just like okay what if this and this and this is happening what do you do so there is there is literally black and white there's no gray area for us when it comes to things like that so they were just like remember this point by point yeah that's it
00:11:53
Speaker
ah always so that that that was that was intense bit That was intense because that was a like, I think it was almost like, your I would say seven weeks.
00:12:05
Speaker
No, sorry, maybe six. I cannot really remember anymore, but that was just, that was that was a long time. That's interesting. So so in terms of from from being accepted into into being a flight attendant to being on a plane and and doing the work, how long is that process?
00:12:27
Speaker
Oh, so the if I remember correctly, the whole process, the whole training for safety and service,
00:12:37
Speaker
hopefully I am not getting this wrong. because this doesn the has to like Yeah, ah good Lord. This was about, ah during my time, it was about eight weeks, if I remember correctly, maybe even seven.
00:12:51
Speaker
Again, I cannot remember. But a bigger chunk of that was the safety. Was safety and then a little bit on the surface. And then we jump on to service. So, yeah, it was like six weeks of safety and then two weeks of service.
00:13:09
Speaker
I might be wrong. Yeah, that's all right. Please don't cancel me. What's the best thing about the job? right.
Life as a Flight Attendant
00:13:18
Speaker
Obviously, crime to see the world, but what to you, what gives you the passion? What makes you want to be on the plane? What makes you want to do this job?
00:13:26
Speaker
What makes me want to do this job? Truthfully, the first bit, because who wouldn't want to wake up in a different city? Who wouldn't want to wake up in like, oh, I'm in New York today. Oh, I'm in LA next week.
00:13:40
Speaker
So on and so forth. But honestly, there's another part of me where I get satisfaction when I see the passengers who's just like, oh my gosh, thank you so much. Oh, great. Really? Oh, it's my first time flying. And, you know, i I don't know how much I can do, but then the fact that I'm just talking to them and I see their face, just they calm down. They start smiling. I'm like, okay, I know I've i know i've done my job.
00:14:08
Speaker
They're very, sitting down and they're more calm and they're like, oh, thank you so much. You did so great. You know, there's a, there's a gratification in that. Is that a right word? Gratification? Yeah.
00:14:20
Speaker
really Absolutely. Yeah. There was, there's gratification when I see them, like, like it's plain, it's very, for me, it's very, small the small thing where they're like, oh, I see them. And then they're like,
00:14:35
Speaker
not really okay and i bring them a glass of water i'm like oh madam are you okay they want some water and they're like oh my gosh thank you thank you so much and you know they're they start to have light in their eyes they're like oh okay some somebody's actually taking care of us and all that so yeah two parts to that answer yeah it's a small two parts of that question yeah All right. So what's the worst?
00:15:03
Speaker
What do you hate? What what do you go, oh, I can't believe this is happening again, or not sure I can cope with this. Is there anything that you hate about the job? um For sure. And I think anybody who is in the industry will will understand this. I think anybody who is a working human being will understand this.
00:15:23
Speaker
There is no, um what's the right word? Nothing is set in stone. Like anything can happen. But then the thing is, it's it's nobody's fault really, I would say. For example, what if the aircraft breaks down?
00:15:42
Speaker
That's nobody's fault. What if there is bad weather? Snowstorm, thunderstorm, volcano eruption, blah, blah, blah. That's nobody's fault.
00:15:54
Speaker
But, you know, that means you're stuck there for one more day or you have to divert somewhere else or, oh, oh Now you're on standby. you you just You just don't know.
00:16:08
Speaker
and then, you know, this is personally my thing. Like the long holidays, the the Christmas.
00:16:19
Speaker
You don't know whether you're working or not. Like, oh. And i love I love spending time with my family. Because we're such a small family. So it's just,
00:16:31
Speaker
my mom and my sister. So I love, I love it when I'm with them. And so you don't know when, when you're, when you're going to be there.
00:16:43
Speaker
Cause like I said, nothing set in stone. So it's the, it's the, I suppose, so the, the predictability of the industry, the yeah ability of the job. So if you're a person that likes structure and process and knowing what's coming tomorrow, it's probably not career. You need to be someone who's adaptable, fast on their feet and enjoy the challenge of, of, of, yeah. But like, but if this is something that you love to do and you have been inspiring to have this job, then power to you this, but this comes with a job and you, you're, I had to learn to adapt to it.
00:17:29
Speaker
So, you know, I, make time for my family and friends afterwards. If I don't see them during a special day or special week, I'm like, what about next week?
00:17:40
Speaker
I'll make time for you. So, you know, you get your, you have to make do. Yeah. It's shift work. Like so many, so many careers and so many jobs have that, that challenge of shift work. Like my sister, she's in, she does aged care and like she works Christmas because she gets, she's in Australia. So there's penalty rates to work Christmas.
00:18:01
Speaker
So earn more working the public holidays and then she'll, you know, she'll celebrate with us afterwards or, you know. Right, right, right. on the balance it's It's good. Right.
00:18:12
Speaker
So see, you just need to make do of what you have, ah but you know, at the given situation. So with your um your career, so you you started out, you did a few different jobs and then you sort of got sort of Not pushed. You weren't pushed into bed. It was recommended. someone Someone saw the qualities in you and they recommended you to do a job.
00:18:36
Speaker
ah So it was a roundabout way to to to be a flight attendant. But if if someone's listening to this podcast and they're like, actually, I've seen flight attendants. I think this is an amazing job. What would be the quickest way? How could they get there the quickest to do your job?
00:18:52
Speaker
Oh, that is. Honestly, I really don't know um on that one because my story is different. My story is very different.
00:19:04
Speaker
Because like I said, i didn't even get the i didn't even get in during the first try. The best and quickest way of getting the job.
00:19:14
Speaker
Of course you read about the company, do your research and you you know the basic stuff. You you you know the basic stuff. You watch.
00:19:25
Speaker
videos about doing interviews and all that stuff. But other than that, you um i really, i have no answer for that one. I'm sorry.
Career Growth and Opportunities
00:19:37
Speaker
Could you, like, if if I've just graduated high school, decided university is not for me, could I go straight from high school to being a flight attendant? Or do they prefer you have some life experience before you do it?
00:19:50
Speaker
Oh, for that one, I'm not sure on that one either. I guess it's the depends on the company that you're applying for but of course for the company that i applied for there are certain and um qualifications that you need to take like 18 years old and you need to learn how to speak english blah blah blah sorry not even 18 sorry i think it's 21 sorry um'm i'm correcting myself on that but yeah so um if you're fresh out of college without any
00:20:23
Speaker
experience and you want to see the world and you like doing this and you feel adventurous on a day-to-day basis for sure go for a flight attendant job it's it's literally an adventure on within a year you you you will you will go to places you've never thought you've been will ever go to so that's what that for me that was like one of the many highlights of the job yeah And what about ah career progression? Like I'm just thinking, you know, you see um you see some flight attendants, I won't say the airline name, but in Australia there's a there's an airline, there's legacy agreements, there's some there's some some older there's older flight attendants who have just been working the whole life on a plane and done nothing else.
00:21:16
Speaker
I would like to think they've done that because they enjoy it, but no career progression is a, Is it always just the same job? You just do the same thing every day or is it different paths you can take in terms of career?
00:21:30
Speaker
In terms of career, I would say yes, because so for me, what I'm doing is I'm doing like a 50-50 type of situation for me. Again, this is this is me and my where I'm working at. I don't know if if it happens in a different airline.
00:21:47
Speaker
So for me, I'm doing like 50-50. fifty fifty I'm flying and then I'm also working in the office. I can't really divulge too much of what I do in the office, but then um at one point I was in the communications team and then I've now moved to the safety team.
00:22:06
Speaker
So, you know, there are avenues of, you know, where where you'd like to go because I do, I have met some people from the office who were cabin crew and they they enjoyed flying but then also at the same time they were like all right this it's time to take my next journey but they're they they're they're they're staying with their they're staying along the path of cabin crew because you know that's their background and they want to do something to help the cabin crew so they they've gone and moved to the office because it's it's a really big industry right like it's not just you see
00:22:50
Speaker
Like you you look at the scope of the role of a cabin of cabinvin crew and that's that's what they do, but it's a really big industry. And i think I think just being part of it, you learn so much and you meet so many people and you hear people's different stories and you hear about different roles, like get that exposure. So I think i think it's like a like once you get started, like you can't you can't see the full picture until you're ready. Yeah, for sure, for sure. Because like I said, some people moved into the office But I know people who've gone from flight attendant to pilot.
00:23:27
Speaker
So, and then i've I've met some, I think I, if I remember correctly, somebody was a ground staff and then moved to being a flight attendant.
00:23:39
Speaker
like Like this person was working in the ground staff, as a ground staff, and then moved as a flight attendant. I know somebody who was working in the office and then has gone and moved to being a flight attendant.
00:23:51
Speaker
So there are a lot of aspects of you know the job. And if if you see this as like a ah full-time job, sorry, not a full-time job, but like ah like a career, let let our let's go with that. It's like a life career, then go for it.
00:24:11
Speaker
But also at the same time, therere there are aspects of the job where it kind of opens doors for you, I would say, like like oh hey this is very interesting what if I go to catering I know it's very random but like catering or engineering or or something like that still within the airline industry I would say yes because you you've kind of built a foundation i would say you you yes you're a flight attendant but you since you're a flight attendant you kind of you already have an idea of like
00:24:48
Speaker
what a day-to-day operation will look like as an yeah because you interact with engineers people from catering and all of that so it's it's it's a big it's a big thing it's a big operation and if you're if you work in an airline industry it doesn't it's not a one person job it's a it's a it's a ship you know it's like there are other people working to to get that thing off the ground so There are a lot of avenues if if somebody wants to job and do something else along the way or and they're like, hey, for now, my story is I'm a cabin crew. And then maybe your next chapter will be the manager of whatever.
00:25:33
Speaker
Or you view you love what you're doing so much. You continue on and then you become head of so-and-so country.
00:25:44
Speaker
You never know. You really never know. Isn't, I think, wasn't the Virgin CEO, didn't he start off as, he was in the mail room or something. Something like that, yeah. His way up to to being CEO. So there's definitely great parts there if youre if you have have the ambition, ah think. For sure. i think that's I think that's what you need to have.
00:26:08
Speaker
As, you know, if if, like I said, if your ambition is to be a cabin crew, as your life career, go for it. But if you have ambitions to do something else as well, go for it.
00:26:21
Speaker
There is nothing wrong if if you died dipped your toes into being a cabin crew, but you also want to do something else later down the line, go for it. that's That's a human factor, I would i would say.
00:26:34
Speaker
my ah My partner's in the airline industry as well, and he has a passion for for the industry. so like we We spend many hours watching air crash investigations. I love that.
00:26:49
Speaker
Like ultimate airport Dubai, like just the operations. I think last year there was a special where China was transporting some pandas. So we watched the panda episode as well. So I think that there is actually like, it's a really fun industry and there's so many resources just gone on YouTube where you can you can get a ah glimpse.
00:27:09
Speaker
Even on We've been watching re-watching um some old episodes from Australia. um I think it's called Border Force, but it's it's like the yeah like customs and immigration. Border Patrol, I think.
00:27:21
Speaker
but Yeah, behind the scenes. It's fascinating. There's so many different roles. you can And these shows give that sort of insight, I suppose, to the industry. So if you're interested in the industry, you can you can look at those.
00:27:33
Speaker
So other than normally my random YouTube watching, What other resources, tools or habits, what would you recommend people to do? Oh, so when I applied for this job, I actually bought a book.
00:27:46
Speaker
i I'm sorry, I can't really remember the name of the book, but I actually read i read up on it and it was like life of being a cabin crew. So I read this, I believe it was this woman's journey.
00:28:01
Speaker
And I think she, if I remember correctly, she's based off United States or something like that. So she he lived a full life. she she had She had her ups and downs. and then But at the end of the day, she she was just like, I still love the job.
00:28:19
Speaker
So I read that book. And then there was this other movie that I watched. I believe it's an Indian movie about this. It's a real life event, if I'm not mistaken. And then this woman saved the entire aircraft from ah from a hijacking.
00:28:39
Speaker
ah So, you know, so it it was very inspirational. And of course, it got a little bit of Hollywood in it. So, of course, i don't specifically know if scene by scene actually happened, but I remember that movie because I was just like, oh, wow. Okay. Okay.
00:28:59
Speaker
So he the resources like that, you kind of have a glimpse of what's happening, ah what is expected from you and all that stuff. And of course, we are in 2025 now.
00:29:12
Speaker
you You can literally have TikTok videos, YouTube videos, Facebook posts, Instagram, or whatever the kids are into these days. And you you you see a day in my life.
00:29:26
Speaker
You get like a 30-second glimpse of what they're doing. So, you know, resources like that. It's good to see and like watch.
00:29:41
Speaker
I don't know if people still read, but you know, read a book. but to Read a book. Read a book or, you know, podcasts. I'm pretty sure, you know, um I was watching, no, sorry, not watching, but I was listening to this podcast about this pilot and how he got He was so inspired by his father, if I remember correctly, and how he became a pilot.
00:30:08
Speaker
And I was just like, oh, okay. Very inspirational. It really does give you like, it kind of it kind of helps you form your answers when you apply for the job.
00:30:23
Speaker
absolutely. The more you grow relate to the position, the better. That's great. Before we wrap up, I just want to ask, going to put you on the spot. haven't given you this question, but I just wanted to ask, do you have like a horror story? Is there any like horror client or horror situation that you just like, I can't believe I had to deal with that. Do you have like like a ah fun story for us?
00:30:45
Speaker
ah Oh,
00:30:49
Speaker
if not, I just, I just, I just, yeah, a fun horror story. I mean, Yeah, you.
00:31:00
Speaker
Or a situation where you're like, um ah you just can't believe you had to tell someone that. Ooh, I'm grateful that nothing like that has ever happened to me. But you know, you you you do get your special passengers now and then.
00:31:18
Speaker
But nothing nothing to an extreme. and nothing nothing Nothing like that. And touchwood touch wood. Touch wood that it hasn it won't happen to me. That's positive. That's positive. Yeah.
00:31:31
Speaker
Let's wrap up. Tell me, is there a quote or a mantra or or a piece of advice that you've received during your career that changed the way you you approach the job or the way you approach life?
00:31:43
Speaker
Oh, for sure. i would like to give a big shout out to my mom because this is the word that we live by, or at least I live by, where she was just like, you guys need to try.
00:31:56
Speaker
it. try Because if you don't try, you don't know what's going to happen. You will just be there and nothing will happen to you. Nothing.
00:32:08
Speaker
If you want something to happen, you need to try, good or bad. Because um i think she said something in the longs like it can be like a heartbreak or there could be a big reward at the end of it.
00:32:21
Speaker
You never know. The best thing you can do is try.
00:32:28
Speaker
Perfect. it's it's It's advice that I live by as well. You never know until you start. and And it's one of those things that if you don't start, you you don't know where the journey is going to take you. so Exactly.
00:32:43
Speaker
And I think a lot of us are too scared to try to start with. But once you start trying new things, you just got to keep keep the momentum, be open-minded, keep trying. Exactly, exactly. Thank you, mum.
00:32:55
Speaker
Great advice from mum. Big shout out to mom. Thank you very much. It's been great to hear your story. Of course. Thank you so much for having me.
00:33:08
Speaker
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