For flight attendants, "holding a line" means having a fixed, predictable monthly schedule of specific flights and days off, earned through seniority, instead of being on reserve where they wait at home or the airport for last-minute calls. This "line" provides much more control, allowing for personal planning and stability, unlike reserve duty, which offers little certainty.
Scheduled work time or trips for pay are based on operational needs. On reserve, Flight Attendants are scheduled for at least 78 trips per month. When you hold a dedicated “line”, for scheduled “line” of trip assignments, Flight Attendants are scheduled for at least 80 trips per month.
Most pilots start holding lines consistently within 12 to 24 months, depending on: Airline growth. Pilot attrition. Your base location (busier bases = more competition)
Being a line holder means you know exactly what trips you're going to have the next month and then you probably have a little bit more flexibility picking up dropping trips on your offtime. On the other hand, we got three kinds of reserve, long call, short call, and ready reserve.
The 35/7 rule for flight attendants limits Reserve Flight Attendants to a maximum of 35 flight hours in any seven consecutive days, primarily for scheduling purposes to manage fatigue and ensure safety, although actual operations can sometimes exceed this if waivers are used and regulations are met. While Lineholders often work to a 30/7 (30 hours in 7 days) limit, they can also complete trips exceeding 35 hours if they waive the rule. This rule, alongside recent FAA mandates for longer rest periods (like 10 hours after 14-hour shifts), aims to provide adequate recovery for cabin crews.
While height is often associated with the ability to become a flight attendant, it's not just about physical appearance—it's about ensuring safety and accessibility for both the crew and passengers.
With experience, senior flight attendants may make around $80,287 annually, and some can earn as much as $115,000 or more per year. Pay is typically hourly and starts when the aircraft door closes, meaning preflight work (like boarding and prep) is often unpaid.
9/11 flight attendants' last words included Betty Ann Ong's "Pray for us" and Madeline Sweeney's "Oh my God, we're flying way too low," relayed during their final calls from American Airlines Flight 11, providing crucial info to ground crews before the plane hit the North Tower; CeeCee Lyles on Flight 93 left a message saying, "I love you," before passengers fought back.
Flight attendant reserve means a flight attendant who is assigned to a reserve line. A reserve line consists of days off, not a “line of flying” as a line holder who's line has scheduled trips.
The airline industry was no exception. The term “stewardess” began to fade, replaced by the more inclusive and gender-neutral term flight attendant. This change reflected a broader recognition of the role's complexity and professionalism.
to wait on the phone until someone can speak to you: Unfortunately, all our operators are busy at the moment, please hold the line. Please hold the line. I'll see if she's available.
Pay for reserve is part of your 75-hour per month guarantee. Once you reach 75 credit hours for the month, additional assignments are paid above guarantee at your hourly rate. Hour credits for reserve assignments are based on actual flight time hours. Reserve minimum pay is 4 hours per day.
to stand firm; not permit a breakthrough or retreat [often used fig.]
Flight attendants sit on their hands during takeoff and landing as part of the "brace position," a critical safety measure to minimize injury in an emergency by keeping their bodies rigid and preventing limbs from flailing, allowing them to remain focused and ready to react instantly to assist passengers during these high-risk phases of flight, People.com. This posture also enables a "silent review" of emergency procedures, ensuring they are mentally prepared to handle unexpected events like severe turbulence or sudden stops.
Flight attendants greet passengers at the door not just for courtesy, but to assess potential safety risks, medical needs, or security concerns.
Purser. The Purser is the chief Flight Attendant, managing all cabin crew on board. They handle administrative duties, coordinate with the flight deck, and take charge during irregular operations or emergencies.
For instance, some flight attendants play a game where, when you leave the plane, they say "cheerio" or another unusual goodbye instead of a more conventional farewell. In some airline circles, this is a signal that they think you're good-looking.
Background: In FAA directives, an air traffic controller's instruction for a pilot to taxi onto the runway and await takeoff clearance is “position and hold”. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) equivalent of this instruction is “line up and wait”.
ALL-CALL “Flight attendants, doors to arrival, crosscheck and all-call.” Meaning: Often part of the arming/disarming procedure, this is a request that each flight attendant report via intercom from his or her station — a sort of flight attendant conference call.
The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center complex killed 2,753 people, according to the city's official count. Yet 40% of those victims — 1,100 people — have not had any of their remains identified by authorities.
It's been 10 years! Today in 2014 (exactly 10 years ago), Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 lost communications and disappeared from radar less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur enroute Beijing, China. The last words heard from the aircraft were "Goodnight Malaysian three seven zero".
[and] insensitive," actor Mark Wahlberg has now apologized for saying he would have stopped 9/11 hijackers if he had been on one of the planes, Reuters reports. Mark Wahlberg.
We have flight attendants who are 30 years old and have to move back in with their parents because they can't afford to live with this job. “Most of our passengers have no idea that we are only paid from the time the door closes until the door opens.”
This is not a healthy mindset. It is possible to live on this minimum wage pay, but it requires discipline, and awareness. It's not always fun, but if you are able to find a balance for yourself between spending, and saving, living independently on what a flight attendant makes, you will give yourself a gift.