Celebrating Christmas in the Skies
The holiday season can be a lovely time to relax, unwind and spend time with loved ones. Amidst the festive cheer and friendly beers, there are a few professions that do not rest over the Christmas break, and being Cabin Crew is one of them! Aviation, Medicine, Transport and Emergency Services are just some of the industries that work through the holiday period to ensure you and your loved ones are happy, healthy, safe and in the correct destination for celebration.
Working the holidays
Since I started flying, I worked two holidays in a row! The first was during Training College, when I had a major SEP (Safety Emergency Procedure) exam on Christmas morning, and the second was on New Year’s Eve. I was working a CDG (Paris) flight and due to heavy delays in the sky, we bought in the New Year collecting blankets and headsets! The Captain kindly counted down into the New Year and we were able to pop some champagne and serve it to even our passengers in economy! I must admit, there are worse things than flying out of Paris on New Year’s Eve, and having toasted the Eiffel tower with champagne the night before, I felt more than grateful.
It is, however, bitter sweet working through the holidays. On the one hand, I would much rather be watching Christmas movies and getting fat with my nearest and dearest, but on the other hand I feel lucky. Lucky to have a permanent job, lucky to be needed at work, lucky to be able to unite families and friends through air travel and lucky to have family that make saying goodbye so hard!
Making the most of it
All of your colleagues are in the same boat, so instead of moping around feeling sorry for yourself, take the time to do your job, and do it well (after all that is what you are here for) and have fun with your colleagues. At my airport, the staff all bring in treats and we have a party on our meal break. Our airline even puts on Christmas breakfast, lunch and dinner for each shift throughout the day. It is so festive and special! And not required- just kind and makes us much more chirpy!
There are also many positives about flying/working through Christmas You will meet many passengers travelling for many reasons, both happy and sad. Contrary to popular opinion, Christmas is not always the most wonderful time of the year for everyone. Many families don’t have the funds or the reason to celebrate, and some people spend the day alone.
This holiday season; try to be mindful of others who may not be as fortunate as you. If you are flying- take it as a blessing! At least you have a job that you love, that gifts you the opportunities that you enjoy!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas from everyone at Cabin Crew Wings
