Trainees

Only the airline I fly for would think it's a good idea to send 4 flight attendants in training on a narrow body aircraft that is already overstaffed by 1. I hadn't had trainees for ages, so was actually looking forward to the comic relief and juicy new rumors they provide... However, because we were literally tripping over each other... (2 f/a's and 2 trainee's in coach, and 2 f/a's and 2 trainees in first) I actually escaped to the flight deck for a couple of hours.

I can't exactly figure out the "type" this airline is looking to hire right now. Based on the motley crew they sent us, it seems the corporate Schizophrenia is going strong.

Trainee # 1, took an early retirement at 40 from Cathay... The poor woman will not know what has hit her when she gets on the line... Going from 4 night Dubai stopovers to Cleveland 12 hour ones... she will probably last a week. I actually was slightly nervous about her doing something strange like taking socks off our first class passengers and massaging their feet. I was ready to jump in and intervene any second.

Trainee # 2... Gay guy, mid 20's, with a permanent terrified grin on his face, that only the training center can cause.

Trainee # 3... I believe she has been hired only for our low cost operation (not mentioning names). She honestly looked like someone who would work at a tanning salon. I believe she had jewels glued on her nails. She was actually bossing us around and telling us what to do. I am under the impression the company is leading them to believe they are the vision of the airline, and us "seasoned" flight attendants need to be replaced.. (this is the same message I got while going through training..)

Trainee # 4... middle aged man, seemingly in the middle of a nervous breakdown.. he spent a good amount of time in the lav, leading me to believe he was either hiding, or ill, or maybe looking in the mirror asking his reflection what on Earth he had voluntarily signed up for....


Oh well, at least it means some seniority for me... I just wish the company would get it together on the hiring.