A job that, for many, sounds like an adventure and a life in hotels. And yes – we do have those moments. But our everyday life usually looks a bit different: lots of point-to-point flights, short to medium-haul routes, and by the end of the day, often home again instead of in a five-star hotel. Luckily, because I do like being at home.
Here’s what a typical workday looks like when operations are calm, the weather behaves, and there are no last-minute schedule changes – a bit heavenly, sometimes chaotic, but always special.
1:30 PM – No Day is the Same
Check-in at 1:30 PM, departure at 2:40 PM, Düsseldorf – Lisbon – Düsseldorf: Seventy minutes before takeoff, my crew gathers in the briefing room. The purser leads the briefing, we refresh our knowledge, and discuss safety topics like, “What do we do in case of a lavatory fire?” and “How do we respond if we suspect a heart attack?” Then we go over any special cases. Today, we have a `Wheelchair Cabin‘ on board – a guest with significant mobility limitations who is boarded first and receives extra attention from us.
The briefing also covers how we will handle service. Depending on the number of passengers, flight duration, and aircraft type, the procedure varies. Of course, we also assign our stations for the day. I’m in 1R, the front-right of the plane, alongside purser Dunja. (She always flies 1L.)
The cockpit joins in once we finish our briefing, and we get updates on the weather, flight times, and any cabin-specific notes. The outbound flight takes three hours, but on the return, we’ll have tailwinds and fly for just 2 hours and 35 minutes. Today, the coffeemaker is out of service and will only be fixed during the night stop.
2:00 PM – What Passengers Don’t See: Safety First!
Once on board, the first task is to check the equipment. Are all life vests in place? Any missing safety cards? To make sure I don’t forget anything, I grab my checklist: flashlight, fire extinguisher, smoke hood – everything in its spot.
The plane is fueled, fresh water is filled, and my colleague from the rear galley sprays the cabin with Breeze scent, just as boarding begins. We greet each passenger with a “Hello” and “Welcome” – on an A320 like today, up to 180 times per leg.
Meanwhile, the colleague in the rear galley makes announcements about hand luggage storage, the crew member in 3R (rear-right) briefs the exit row passengers, and in the front, I fit two babies with loop belts (special harnesses for under-twos) and infant life vests.
There’s also a conversation with a lady who wants to place her little dog on the empty seat next to her. But before I have to convince her that the space under the seat is safer, another passenger sneaks into the middle seat beside her. Seat taken, problem solved. I smile.
2:35 PM – Boarding Completed
Bins closed, luggage stored, it’s time for the demo – from row one for me, with a life vest since we’re flying over water. The plane taxis while we dance through the cabin and Dunja reads the announcements. A final check follows as I walk to the exit: all passengers buckled, exits clear. Cabin is ready. Time for the 30-second review. In my head, I go over emergency commands, take my safety position, and we’re off.
3:00 PM – Service Time: Fries in the Sky? Snacks, Drinks?
Engines roar, landing gear squeaks as it retracts. A few minutes later, the seatbelt signs go off – for us and for the passengers, it’s the signal to get up and start. The outbound flight is scheduled for three hours, plenty of time to set up the trolleys and brew coffee.
The hot meal announcement comes from the rear galley. Dunja takes a list for hot meal requests and walks the cabin while I continue preparing the trolleys. She returns with only a few orders – honestly, no complaints, since our plane has a small oven in the front galley and can’t cook many meals at once.
Afterwards, the regular service announcement follows, and we push the trolleys through the cabin: “Snacks, drinks – would you like fries?” After about half an hour, service is done, followed by duty-free sales and a second round with the trolley, an hour before landing.
Why the Most Beautiful View in the World is Through the Cockpit Window
If time allows, I love visiting my colleagues in the cockpit. Nothing beats looking over the sea of clouds or, when the sky is clear, spotting the Eiffel Tower over Paris on our return leg. The view of the Alps, especially Mont Blanc, is always breathtaking. Often the visibility is so sharp it seems like you could see climbers – though I never have.
My highlight this year was a flight to Cairo and seeing the Pyramids of Giza. It’s almost unbelievable that these monuments were built by human hands so many years ago. Sadly, the view was a little hazy – desert, after all.
One flight impressed me thanks to a copilot who’s into constellations; she showed me on her app where the Big Dipper was ahead of us. And I hardly need to mention sunsets, which always cast the most beautiful light on the cloud layer – my daily highlight, especially on gloomy days on the ground. Today, I take a cockpit photo over France – just before Bordeaux, the Dune du Pilat comes into view. Stunning from up here!
My heavenly workplace, where I get to see the world from above, never ceases to feel special, even after all these years in aviation.
5:10 PM – “Please Fasten Your Seatbelt”
Ping! Seatbelt signs come back on. Dunja takes the PA to make the landing announcement, while I walk the cabin with the service folder in hand, collecting trash and checking the cabin.
At the exit, I meet a colleague storing a handbag. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a jacket on a passenger’s lap at the window seat – it must be cleared for takeoff and landing. I stow it in the overhead bin and head forward. Time to sit, buckle up, and do the 30-second review. Happy landing!
5:40 PM Arrival – Cleaning and Checks During Turnaround
Once parked, it’s ‘All Doors in Park,’ meaning we adjust doors so that the slides remain inside when opened. The jet bridge connects, and the purser asks, “Any specials?” “Yes, one Wheelchair Cabin.” While other passengers disembark, the wheelchair arrives. I open my door, check the staff ID, and let the wheelchair inside – designed for our narrow cabin aisle. Deboarding completed, all passengers out.
I do a lost-item check; today, no one left keys or laptops behind. We collect leftover trash, vacuum the cabin, recheck life vests under the seats, and empty seat pockets. All together, we report ‘Turnaround check completed.’ The weather in Portugal is beautiful, so I take a brief moment of sunshine outside on the tarmac – but it’s windy, and engine fans are spinning loudly. Too loud, so I head back in and wait with the crew for the next boarding.
6:45 PM Departure – Same Same, But Different
The return flight follows a similar routine. But it’s never identical. Different passengers, different situations. This time, there’s no little dog. Instead, I manage a group of passengers with differing opinions. With some tact, we find a solution that keeps everyone relaxed and traveling comfortably.
This variety is what makes the job so exciting. Of course, it can be physically demanding – not from jet lag or climate, but from the challenges of flying: switching from early to late shifts, night flights, summer ops, and passengers with special needs. But being a flight attendant is never boring. And up there in our metal tube, detached from the world below, every crew becomes a little like family – even if just for one day.
9:25 PM – “Goodbye and See You Again”
We land on time, a few minutes early thanks to tailwinds. At an outside stand, two stairways are brought up, and in the distance, I spot the crew bus back to the terminal. Time for 155 more “goodbyes,” lost-item checks, and the day at my heavenly workplace comes to an end. What will tomorrow bring on the Milan flight?
P.S.: And if you can imagine being part of the Eurowings journey yourself, you can take your next step here: https://careers.eurowings.com/
