Sometimes the excitement that we have when we go on exchange never dies, it just changes shape. This is the case of one of my good friends, Mirco, who after his exchange year found himself interested in being a flight attendant and after his graduation decided to give it a try. Not only he succeeded but now he has been working for almost 6 months. I asked if he had some time, maybe between one flight and the other, to answer some of my questions and this is the result:

I'd say that everything started when I was an exchange student. I really enjoyed flying and having the opportunity to visit new places. I enjoy admiring earth from above and I thought that flying was an awesome way of working rather than being in the same place everyday. And yes, I'm on a plane everyday, but I land in different airports, meet different people every time, and the views are amazing. Whoever works in a office, for instance, can't really say the same. I'd call this "unstoppable desire of travelling."

Which company are you working for and where are you based?

I've been a Ryanair Flight Attendant since this past winter and I'm based in Bologna, Italy.

Did you choose your base or did Ryanair place you randomly?

Ryanair can place you anywhere in Europe. To be honest, I'd have been happy with anything, as in being placed abroad or here in Italy. I'd have liked being abroad to be able to get to know a new place and create memories elsewhere, but being in Bologna is equally good. I can go home quite often and it is less expensive than other cities in Europe.

Where did the preparation course take place? How long was it?

The course took place in Bergamo (Orio), Italy and lasted 6 weeks. During that time I moved there and lived with other trainees, who I happened to know through social media.

What did you have to study in order to pass it?

The training course, which is in English, is composed by two parts: Initial and Conversion. The former is all about basic information on aviation, first aid and so on. The latter instead is specialized on Ryanair's aircraft type, which is 737-800. During this part of the course I learnt every emergency procedure, in theory and practice. There was an airplane on location where we could do all kinds of things, like going down the inflatable slide. We also had to save a "kid" on board of a smoky plane. We had to prove our swimming skills as well, having to put the jacket on and rescue some people from the "ocean".

What was the hardest thing for you to do?

The hardest thing was being able to study right after the training. Every morning I woke up at 6.30am to get ready and take the public transport. The course started at 9am and lasted until 6pm. By the time I'd get home it would be already 7pm, I'd prepare something to eat, shower and then study until midnight. Every day same routine. The only thing that made it easier for me to study was the fact that I was very interested and liked the things I had to memorize. 

What are the main requirements for being a Ryanair flight attendant?

You need: to be at least 1.57m tall to a maximum of 1.88m, to speak english fluently, to see properly (contact lenses accepted), to be able to swim, to be physically fit, to be flexible, willing to operate on a shift roster and possibly outgoing. You wouldn't want to be served by a cranky steward, would you?

Do you regret choosing this career? How do you manage to have a social life when on average two to four airplanes fly you back and forth daily?

I don't regret anything. I really like the job and I think this is a good start for my career since I'd love to become a pilot one day. Every five days of work we get three days off, so if during the week I feel tired and don't want to go out I can simply be social during my off period. If I have only morning shifts I can decide to go out in the afternoon, but normally I am tired and prefer to rest. What is nice is that I can take holidays in advance, in this case the system is pretty flexible.

Is there something that customers do that annoys the cabin crew?

To be honest yes, there are many things. I encountered many persons who put their smaller bags, which should be stored under the seat, in the overhead compartment, along with their box of local food, jackets and so on. The overhead compartment has a capacity of 90 carry-ons, and we need to make sure that we use our space effectively, but when I ask people to move their stuff they get annoyed as I am the one who did something wrong. People also get mad when we check their carry-on and yes, I know how stressful it is having to wait for your luggage in your country of arrival, especially if you are on holidays and you can't wait to get to your hotel, but we don't do it to piss you off. We do it because there isn't physical space on board for your belongings. If you want to prevent this from happening get in line ahead of time and board before everyone does. Sorry. Another thing that annoys us is having to deal with people who smoke on board. You would think that this would never happen, everyone knows that it is forbidden. But it does happen, sadly. And no, you cannot smoke electronic cigarettes either. Not allowed. We need to fill up papers when this happens. Believe me, you don't want to be welcomed in your country of arrival by a police officer.

Have you ever met someone cool? Or did something happen that made you think "I've the coolest job"?

I can't think of a specific person or event now, but I really enjoy meeting people from different backgrounds. When I have the opportunity, I talk to my customers who can take a break from their crossword puzzles, and I discover where they are from and why they are travelling. Once I met an American lady who was flying from Tenerife and she told me she travels back and forth quite a lot because of work. One other time I recognized a couple who flew with us before.. I think the whole "meet and travel" is pretty cool.

Do you use specific codes when you want to communicate with your colleagues? Can you give us an example?

It is more like gestures. If I am at the head of the plane and I need to talk to a colleague who's at the very end, I can simply ring him to get his attention. Then, I will communicate with him through gestures. Let's say I need a long coffee. I will move my hand in a certain way. I need a hot tea? I will do something else. We have a sign for everything, which is nice and quick. And when I say everything, I mean it. Male flight attendants also have a way to speak to one another in case there's a pretty lady on board, but I'm not going to reveal how, haha.

What advice would you give to a future flight attendant?

If you are a friendly and outgoing person who likes to be constantly around people, is interested in meeting people from different countries and different backgrounds, loves travelling and enjoys doing it by plane, be a flight attendant! 

Best of luck to everyone who is considering to start this career, don't let anyone knock you down and pursue your dreams, whatever they are. "Welcome on board!"

- Cris