Is a Flight Attendant a Professional?

by Mr Juggles

Kaiser inadvertently raised another point in his post (below). When did flight attendancy become a profession? Yes, the word can be used in a broad sense but doesn’t a “professional” usually hold as an occupation requiring specialized training? Lawyers, doctors, scientists; those are people you can call “professionals.” Flight attendants are (sometimes) lovely people but last time I checked they didn’t have to attend graduate school, pass any grueling exams, or even show me how to buckle my seat belt now that they have those new-fangled TV screens.

Recommendation: Short unions and pretension, in size.



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Comments

  1. J
    February 8th, 2009 | 10:43 pm

    Wait till your pilot has to put a plane down in the Hudson and see if the TV screen can keep you calm and help you out of the plane. Flight attendants have to undergo significant training to be able to respond to any number of emergencies that can arise.

  2. Dick Wagner
    June 11th, 2009 | 4:52 pm

    Today I had a two cheeseburger meal for lunch. I was assisted by an able gentleman whose extensive training in the operation of a cash register, the preperation of a meal and customer service in general was readily apparent to even the most casual observer. That does not however make him a professional, J.

    A professional has received university education in a specialized discipline. A trolley dolly’s month of training from United ain’t the CFA, medical school, law school or engineering school. Good grief.