| All flight attendant jobs have position descriptions. | | | | however, this is not possible and a decision to make |
| Certainly flying is about team work and crew resource | | | | an alteration to standard service delivery must be |
| management and that means effectively that you, as | | | | made because time until landing or ETA (expected |
| an operating crew member, must not only be a team | | | | time of arrival) becomes a limiting factor. |
| player but must be able to carry out duties in each | | | | And while the galley rat can make or break a service, |
| position description. It requires both flexibility and | | | | the cabin manager can make or break the mood and |
| leadership. Certainly all flight attendant jobs are front | | | | subsequent service delivery excellence from the crew. |
| line to passengers and all the standard customer | | | | The cabin Manager or Senior F/A for smaller airlines, |
| service skills expected of a flight attendant are | | | | should be more than a procedurally correct manager. |
| required however, on some flights you may be lucky | | | | They should be a leader of people because the role of |
| to see the passengers faces let alone speak to them | | | | all flight attendant jobs is pivoted around the business |
| after takeoff for quite some time and sometimes not | | | | of supplying a service to people. Certainly flight |
| again until landing. | | | | attendants are on board as safety professionals but |
| The position known in the industry as the 'galley rat' for | | | | the reality of every day flying is that they are used to |
| example can be particularly busy on short and full | | | | maintain company service standards and to enhance |
| flights. This position controls the galley which in plain | | | | the flying experience of new and seasoned flyers |
| speak is the kitchen. The galley, (apart from a lot of | | | | alike. |
| gossip) stores all food carts and drink carts, cold and | | | | And while the ultimate responsibility of maintaining |
| dry stores, tea and coffee makers, some cabin | | | | safety and service standard operating procedures |
| supplies and of course ovens to heat meals. Galley | | | | (SOP's) rests with the cabin manager, service delivery |
| rats must multi-task to be cook, bar and food cart | | | | should be tailored to meet the expectations of the |
| preparer, service organiser and general traffic | | | | passengers considering the flying conditions and the |
| controller in what can in most cases be a confined | | | | crew that are on-board to deliver that service be they |
| operational space. | | | | experienced or still finding their feet. Aside from upper |
| And while larger aircraft have bigger galleys, they also | | | | deck duties on the Boeing 747 where normally two |
| cater for more people which in turn escalates the | | | | crew are left to deliver a service, all other positions |
| requirement to be super organised.The galley rat | | | | must be flexible to complete their individual duties |
| position can make or break a service and requires | | | | around the service requirements as directed by the |
| great team work, leadership and direction. The more | | | | 'galley rat' or Cabin Manager. |
| passengers you have and the less flying time you | | | | These duties include handing out pillows and blankets, |
| have the greater the team work and leadership | | | | headsets, magazines and tending passenger needs. |
| required. | | | | Between food services it also includes maintenance of |
| Obviously seasoned flight attendants can make this | | | | toilet cleanliness, and on international flights duty free |
| happen with little fuss but interruptions to service for | | | | services and next service preparation. Flight attendant |
| any significant length of time, typically because of | | | | jobs or at least their position description varies on a |
| rough weather, requires very focused crew all doing | | | | macro scale with the type and size of aircraft flown |
| their individual flight attendant jobs in harmony to get | | | | on and on a micro scale, the service delivery required |
| the job done in the time left available. Sometimes | | | | and time available. |