"Our plane was struck 19 times by lightning." Interview with flight attendant Svetlana Demakova

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

About the best seats on the plane, the most annoying situations on board and salaries for work in the sky.

Svetlana Demakova has been working as a flight attendant for seven years. During this time, she managed to visit dozens of countries and acquire thousands of followers on Instagram, talking about her own everyday life. We talked with the flight attendant of the Arab airline and found out what stages you have to go through to become a flight attendant, how to get rid of aerophobia and why pilots are always fed different food.

They don't like egoists here

What did you do before you became a flight attendant?

- I was born in Ukraine and graduated from Kharkov Polytechnic University. After studying, the situation in the family developed in such a way that I urgently needed to buy an apartment for my mother: she had been living in a rented apartment for more than two years. Everyone around was talking about making money in Dubai, because, unlike Europe and the USA, it is quite easy to fly there. I made up my mind and for five months served as a hostess in a restaurant.

At what point did you decide that you want to work in the sky?

- At the restaurant I had only one day off a week, and by Dubai standards, I also had a very modest salary - $ 500 a month. I understood that with such an income I would have to work for 10 years to buy an apartment, so I decided to leave. Many acquaintances wanted to be in aviation, because the flight attendants have a good schedule and a decent salary. I decided to give it a try and it worked.

What are the requirements for future flight attendants?

- In my case, you need to be fluent in English, not have tattoos on visible parts of the body, bring a high school diploma, be over 21 years old and over 158 centimeters. In some companies, flight attendants are required to be slightly taller. In Dubai, the medical-flight commission is not as strict as in Russia or Ukraine. Much more important is how you show yourself in the interview.

How did it go with you?

- Candidates begin to be assessed even before they entered the office. It is important how politely you communicate on the phone and with other selection participants, smile or sit serious. Little things can make a difference.

First of all, we passed easy tests in arithmetic and English: we had to insert words in the blanks and write an essay. Then two group assignments awaited us, on which candidates are assessed from a psychological point of view. Each group of participants is asked a question to which there is no correct answer. Let's say there is a pregnant girl, a woman with a child, and a VIP on board. Who will you transfer to Business Class?

During the discussion, it is important to show that you are friendly, polite and can be part of the team. If you start convincing everyone that only your position is correct, most likely the task will be a failure: they do not like egoists here.

After each stage, some of the people are weeded out, so by the time of the interview face-to-face, there are about 10 people left. They ask various questions: from the motivation to become a flight attendant to the reasons for choosing a particular airline. You may be asked to talk about your own shortcomings. In this case, you need to name the qualities that are actually virtues. For example, you are too responsible and do not like to be late so much that sometimes you come an hour before the right time.

How is your week going?

- The schedule is very different from the Russian airlines. I heard that in Aeroflot the flight attendants receive a list of flights a week before the beginning of the next month, and besides, it is not final yet. In such conditions, it is quite difficult to think through personal plans. Everything is simpler with us: two weeks before the beginning of the month, they send the final schedule, which we can influence in advance.

Flight attendants are divided into groups with priority changes. Sometimes I have a 100% chance of getting any flights I want. The same goes for the weekend, which I define myself. However, each month other groups are prioritized, so sometimes your request may not be met.

On average, I have 15 flights every month. There are more of them in summer and winter because everyone goes on vacation. In November, I have only four flights, and the rest of the days are weekends, but this is not always the case. The maximum travel time for my airline is 6 hours and 30 minutes, so there are no very long flights.

How do you prepare before departure?

- I definitely try to sleep. If there is a night flight ahead, I force myself to lie down for at least a couple of hours. Then, literally in 60 minutes I manage to pack my suitcase, put myself in order and put on makeup. Now I am in Tanzania, so I took my things in accordance with the weather conditions at the point of arrival. If I know that I am flying to cold Prague, I can grab warm jackets from Dubai.

An important point: 12 hours before the flight you need to stop drinking alcohol - they can check. You need to be at the airport one hour before departure.

Does constant flights affect your health?

- I have been working in aviation for seven years, but I feel great. However, I know girls who leave after a year because they get sick, lose weight, or, conversely, get fat. This does not happen to me.

Of course, this is stress for the body, because the pressure is constantly changing, but we do not have long long-distance flights, like in other airlines, so I do not experience any health problems. The time difference in another country in our case is a maximum of 3 hours, so the jetlag doesn't bother me either.

This work is like a drug

It is believed that being a flight attendant is cool, because there is an opportunity to see the world. How often on business trips do you get to look at the city in which you arrived?

- It all depends on the place and time. There are short business trips of 11 hours, which are only enough for a rest at the hotel, and sometimes we stay in the country for four days - this was the case in Bratislava. You can use your free time as you want: take an excursion, visit a nightclub or go to the observation deck. Some colleagues stay at the hotel because they have been to a particular country many times or are just tired, but I try to see new places, take interesting photos on Instagram, or find cool cafes.

How often are you allowed to take a vacation?

- My airline provides 30 days a year, but you can break them as you like: twice for 15, three times for 10 or six times for five days. Usually I use the latter option and add a weekend to my vacation, which I can choose myself during the priority months. Sometimes five days this way turns into three weeks.

All flight attendants look brand new. What is the reason for such a reverent attitude to appearance?

“We are the face of the airline, so it is important to match the brand and maintain the image. In our case, only brown tones in clothing and makeup are allowed, and red is also available in Emirates. Moreover, bright lipstick is an obligatory element for them - part of the uniform.

And what happens to the stewardesses if they are a little fat or do not look as presentable as they used to?

- I really love my airline, because here you will simply be given a different set of clothes if you gain excess weight. From time to time I meet full colleagues, and they work quietly. Some companies have a lower bar: you won't be able to become a flight attendant if you weigh less than 50 kilograms. I think it would be logical to introduce an upper limit so that everyone would be in approximately the same range. Air Arabia has this: some girls are told that they are ready to take them if they lose weight.

Age is also not a hindrance. Women over 50 fly with us, because they retire in the United Arab Emirates at the age of 65. There are no restrictions in our company, but in Emirates they are inclined to believe that after 45 it is no longer desirable to work.

It’s hard for me to say when I’ll want to leave aviation. Initially, I thought that I would work for a maximum of five years, but seven have already passed, and I do not plan to stop. This job is like a drug. You stay because there are quite a few privileges here.

What privileges?

- Nice schedule, lots of weekends and vacations, good insurance and discounts. There is a special system by which you can purchase a ticket 50% or 90% cheaper for yourself or close relatives. However, if the flight is full, you will not be taken. However, this rarely happens, and the choice of airlines is huge: more than 50 options around the world.

What emergencies have you encountered on board during your entire work?

- Most accidents happen during takeoff or landing. A really dire situation happened only once. In winter, the weather in Dubai was so bad that hail fell. We flew to Africa and during the ascent we got into very strong turbulence. We were shaken, and the passengers who were sitting near the wing noticed flashes of fire. They thought we were on fire and started screaming.

None of the flight attendants could get up, because on takeoff the flight attendants must also be wearing their seatbelts, otherwise they would throw us up. The only thing that remained was to ask the passengers to remain calm.

We looked at each other in silence and just prayed.

As a result, when the danger zone was left behind, the pilots reported the incident to the airport and we were asked to return so that the technicians could check the aircraft. It turned out that lightning struck our plane 19 times.

How do flight attendants manage to keep their faces in such situations? Aren't you scared?

- We are taught how to behave in an emergency, but in fact the reaction is individual. It's one thing to listen to incidents while sitting at your desk, and it's another to see them with your own eyes. You never know how you will react until trouble strikes you. Panic cannot be condemned, because in terrible moments people forget a lot and act on instincts.

Is it true that there is a code word for emergency situations?

- Yes. We use it when we need to inform pilots about the presence of terrorists on board. The invaders will probably want to get into their cockpit, but we utter the code word and they understand that everything else is being said under duress, which means that the door should never be opened. The task of the flight attendants is to do everything to keep the pilots safe.

How do you cope with the fear that the plane might crash or something will go wrong?

- People die in car accidents dozens of times more often, so I have no fear of flying. From the very first flight to Hurghada in 2008, I fell in love with the sky and since then I thought: "God, what beautiful flight attendants!" Now I try to maintain a positive attitude. It seems to me that with the power of thought we attract both good and bad into our life. If you think about a disaster, it really does happen. Let fate decide: if destined to crash, so it will be.

Some people cannot get on the plane at all - in this case, it is worth contacting a psychologist. Others come on board, but are very worried. If there is excitement, report it to the flight attendants. We will talk, calm down and help you distract yourself from negative thoughts. Another life hack: keep yourself occupied with something during takeoff and landing so as not to listen to the engine noise. Most often it is he who scares. But the main thing is not to drink alcohol. Such drinks do not relax, but only enhance the perception.

Pilots should not eat the same food

Why is everyone applauding after landing?

- To be honest, only Russian-speaking passengers do this. I myself do not understand where the tradition of clapping to pilots who are in the cockpit and do not hear anything came from. I try to convey applause and thanks, if any, but it's a little strange. Nobody does that in Europe and America.

What situations on the plane annoy you the most?

- I am sure that many flight attendants are annoyed when passengers choose the third of the two options on offer. Let's say there is no fish.

I also do not like that people are sitting in headphones at the moment when you speak to them. They listen to you attentively, do not understand anything, take out the devices and ask you to repeat it. Isn't it possible to prepare for the conversation in advance? The food cart moves gradually. In such situations, all that remains is to keep calm and smile.

Sometimes passengers press the call button and ask for water. You bring, and the person suddenly realizes that he wants a chocolate bar. Then you have to walk 15 meters through the whole cabin again and think, why can't you say about all your desires at once?

It infuriates when, on a five-hour flight, right before boarding, passengers start running to the toilet, although they were asked to buckle up.

Was it really impossible to do your business during the entire flight? Moreover, we inform about the preparation for boarding 30 minutes before its start, but they start walking around the cabin exactly at the moment when it is no longer possible to do this.

It's rather strange when people start grabbing their bags and rushing to the door immediately after boarding. This is often done on flights to India and Bangladesh. Why get up if the “fasten your seat belts” display hasn't turned off? In addition, there is still 20 minutes ahead of the way to the parking lot, and then a bus ride with everyone.

Do pilots and flight attendants eat the same food as passengers?

- No, we eat differently. The standard box includes fruits, chocolates, sandwiches and hot food such as rice with chicken or something vegetarian. It is important that pilots should not eat the same food so that in the event of poisoning, one of them will definitely remain in perfect order. This rule is very strict.

Have you encountered drunken rowdy aboard?

- Personally, I didn't have that, but other guys talked about similar cases. You cannot bring your own alcohol into the cabin so that the flight attendants can monitor the passenger's condition and know exactly how much he has drunk. People can still drag a bottle of whiskey and empty it on the plane. Then they start to fight, harass the flight attendants, break into the pilots. For such cases, there are special tools with which we fasten the passenger to the seat. We rarely use such means, but sometimes it is easier to fix a person so that he does not harm anyone.

Just recently in Russia there was a situation when flight attendants found passengers intimate caresses on the plane. What do you do in such cases?

- I heard from other flight attendants that this is possible. Most often, such situations occur on long night flights, when the stewards are not around. Passengers can go to the toilet, but in our case there is always a staff nearby, so nothing will come of it.

I was told that once on a Russian flight, on the seats near the evacuation exit, where there is more legroom, a girl covered herself with a blanket and pleased the guy. There were few passengers in the cabin, so the flight attendants seemed to make the remark when it was over.

I don't know how I would have behaved in such a situation. Sometimes we even have to stop kissing, because we have an Arab airline. A couple may be sitting nearby, for whom such behavior is completely unacceptable.

It's great that you are not tied to the office

How much do flight attendants earn?

- I will not give an exact figure, because salaries depend on the number of hours you fly. On average, it turns out to be about $ 3,500. Emirates has more, but the difference is insignificant - about $ 300 for economy class employees. In Russia, salaries are lower.

What services or applications do you use to make your work and life easier?

- We have an internal airline application, which can be used to track the flight schedule. In addition, I frequently use MAPS. ME offline travel maps, Airbnb's accommodation booking service, and the Couchsurfing app to find free accommodation and meet local people.

What do you do in your free time?

- I try to read, watch a movie or do my own on Instagram, where I talk about work and travel. Two months ago I signed up for a sports club and now I go to yoga classes, to the pool and to the gym. In general, I got carried away by fitness and I try in every possible way to monitor my own health. Sport gives energy and I love it.

Why do you love your job most of all?

- I really love the sky and every time I go on a flight with a smile. I like the way of life: it's great that you are not tied to the office and constantly meet new people from different countries. I didn't know what Nicaragua was before, and then flew with a guy who was born there.

Life hacking from Svetlana Demakova

• Drink plenty of water before and during your flight. This will help keep you hydrated. It is advisable not to replace it with coffee, tea and alcohol, because, on the contrary, they contribute to dry skin.
• Dress comfortably. Short shorts, heels and a thin blouse are not the best options for a flight, because it can be cold on the plane, and blankets are not provided everywhere. Bring a warm jacket and a special sleeping pillow to feel good. And do not sit still for 5 hours so that the limbs do not become numb.
• Think about what you will do on board. Download your favorite music albums or movies you want to watch in advance. Plus, a flight is the perfect time to complete tasks you've been putting off.
• Fly without makeup. The foundation prevents the skin from breathing. The best option is a mask and moisturizer. But the rose water, which many makeup artists advise, should not be sprayed. It dries the skin very much.
• If the flight is long, select your seats in advance. The best ones are next to the emergency exit, because there will be more legroom. True, you will have to pay a little extra for comfort. If you are afraid of turbulence, remember: it always shakes in the tail of the aircraft, and it feels less in front of the cockpit.