Support System.

Year Three. Month Twelve. #PNW.

How to become a flight attendant: Apply. Wait. Keep trying. Repeat.

I often get e-mails asking me what it's like to be a flight attendant. These questions usually contain similar themes, from "How do I become a flight attendant?" (Answer: APPLY!) to "What is reserve like?" (Answer: WACKY!) or even "How much do flight attendants get paid?" (Answer: Not as much as you would think, especially right off the bat.)

But once in a while, I receive an inquiry from a flight attendant partner or family member. And these are some of the questions I cherish the most, because without a strong support system, a flight attendant cannot thrive.

This week, I got a message from a flight attendant hopeful's fiance, wondering why I became a flight attendant, how I like it and how he could best support his partner during her journey towards the skies.

So, if you're a flight attendant hopeful or a nervous partner, wondering what your significant other is about to get you into, please read.

Airline jobs are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna [be getting yourself into].

Hello! 

Becoming a flight attendant is pretty much the nuttiest thing you can do. It is a complete lifestyle change but it really does open your eyes to the world. My friend Kara has written so much over the last five years as both a domestic and international flight attendant (and now she's working in private aviation!) at TheFlightAttendantLife.com 

Me with the *biggest* plane in the fleet at airline #1.

I've written about my journey as well, from all the interviews and the rejection and the "thanks-but-no-thanks e-mails" to becoming a regional flight attendant and finally a mainline flight attendant.  

Basically, becoming a flight attendant is for the type of person who doesn't sit still well. For someone for whom an office feels like a prison cell and a 9-5 feels, well, too routine.  

It takes a special kind of person to say: "send me anywhere." And believe me, they will send your fiance anywhere: get ready for nightly FaceTime dates, cross-country jaunts just to say hello or even a move to a new city.  

She will work redeyes, weekends and up to six days in a row, away from home. It will be gritty bad-reception phone calls, phone tag and feeling completely out of sync for a while. She'll be out with her fellow flight attendants sight-seeing in a new town while you're at home waiting for a phone call. She'll be sitting in an empty hotel room waiting for you to get home from "beers with the guys," and you two will have to adjust to the ever-changing schedule that is the airline industry. 

(BUT!) 

Tim and I playing tourist on Christmas Eve. <3

If you two can work through the tough first few months, you'll find out that having a partner who's a flight attendant is the best. thing. ever.

You'll cash in a few vacation days midweek and the two of you will jet off to Vegas or Miami or even Amsterdam for a mini vacay (yep, #marrymeflyforfree is a thing). She'll get a better schedule every month she's with the airlines, and soon she'll have three or even four day weekends off, with the flexibility to get weeks at a time off. You'll ride along with her on layovers, sitting first class (if it's available!) and seeing this adventurous career from her eyes: the fabulous hotels, amazing cities and fun, down-to-earth crew members that she's always talking about. You'll learn the aviation lingo, laughing with her about ramper mishaps, crazy ATC delays, station blunders, and general pax shenanigans. 

The trick to being the best support system ever is to be excited for her, even when it's tough to have her so far away. 

It's all going to work out in the end. 

I promise.

Sincerely, 

Celessa (and her fiancé who has been through it all, Tim)

#MarryMeFlyForFree <3 <3 <3