Please review the safety card…

Oops, sorry, force of habit. You can call me Sky and I will be your hostess today. I am a 5-year flight attendant with a legacy airline.  During my career I often find myself in predicaments my “civilian” friends can’t understand. Just ask my poor roommate who came home to find several pairs of pantyhose in the freezer. It can be hard to fully explain my obsession with hand sanitizer, the challenges of packing meals for a 4-day trip or the endless quest for perfect layover shoes. Even our lingo is unique. I still field questions from my friends about “all call”, “deadheading” and “jumpseaters”.  Don’t even get me started on “piggy-backing” and “loads”.

Juniority Problems

I started my stew life in the midst of the holiday travel season and barely had a chance to breath for the first year.  I survived but it wasn’t pretty. I was subsisting on crew meals and airport food, throwing items in my suitcase with no regard for where I was going (think tropical island with jeans and boots), legitimately didn’t know the answer when asked where home was.  I realized I needed to get my act together.

Redeye Survival
As I scoured the internet during my first few years as a stew, I noticed that almost all travel advice geared to passengers didn’t quite work for us.  During what I lovingly refer to as my “Summer of Misery”, I had no fewer than 5 consecutive red-eye turns. It was brutal. After trip one I decided there had to be a better way and started researching tips online. The tips I found on getting a great night sleep at 30,00 feet were definitely not going to help. With some creativity and practice, I created my own methods to take care of myself so I don’t just survive a red-eye, but actually enjoy it.

I love that our lifestyle is unique and I feel blessed to be among the privileged group that gets to roam the world with nothing more than a carry-on bag.  Sure the travel is amazing but what really keeps me going on long, challenging days is you, my fellow flight attendants. Most days I walk off the plane feeling like I just worked with a crew willed with my best friends (and a crazy aunt or two). I am excited to share my experiences with you. Hopefully you will find some tips and products you’ll love.

XO,  Sky