Middle Eastern Airlines- What Are They Really Like to Work For?

Recently I have been receiving a lot of questions & emails regarding recruitment for Middle Eastern airlines. Being that I don't work for one, I've had to do a little research to find out the answers to some of those questions. Luckily for all the wannabes out there, I have some 'spies' out there in certain airlines who have been willing to answer my nosy questions so that I can tell you what you want to know.

So, just which airlines are we talking about here?

The most well known ones are, of course, Emirates, Etihad and Qatar. In addition to these "Big Three", we also have Gulf Air, Bahrain Air, FlyDubai, MEA, Air Arabia, Egyptair and Saudi Arabian to name a few. I'm planning to write a series of posts on the subject, covering various areas that people ask about, such as training, living conditions and rules imposed on FAs working for those companies.



Some of the questions I've received include:

* What's the pros & cons of working in the Middle East? (I believe this one depends largely on where you are based)

* Do all of the airlines have a curfew on their crew? I heard that they have tough rules and you cannot have visitors overnight.

* What are the perks of working for these companies- how much vacation time do you receive & what is the salary like?

* What kind of flying do they do- long or short haul? How long are the layovers? Do they have to share rooms with each other?

If you have another question you'd like answered, leave a comment below, or you can also contact me on Twitter or Facebook.

Travel Stuff

When you travel on the road, it's not uncommon to develop an (sometimes unhealthy!) obsession with travel gadgets and tiny-sized toiletries. It's quite usual amongst flight attendants to have a comparison session in the galley of the most recently acquired "cool stuff", especially after a layover in a new city or one known for great shopping.

Here's a few links to some neat travel stuff I've spotted around in various places in print & on the web. As I just wrote down the links and not the place I was reading, I couldn't actually tell you where I saw these originally, sorry. I just thought they were cool. (I have also not been asked nor paid to feature these items, I just figured some of my readers might like them and are not responsible for any effects on your credit card!!) ;)

I'd always wanted one of these when I was a kid. Until I heard the joke about the Russians just using a pencil. But still, as someone who gets tired of cheap hotel pens running out of ink at the worst time, the Fisher Space pen seems like a pretty cool idea. Especially if you've ever ruined a uniform with exploding ink stains!

Notemaker has quite a range on their website as well, with all the different models. A bit on the expensive side, yes, but then again you should no longer have to be buying or stealing taking your entitled pens from hotel rooms 200 times a year.

Now, for all you Flight 001 fans, they now have their very own .com.au site, full of all the travel gadget geekiness you know and love. One cool product I'm lusting after is the Grid-It, a neat web of elastic bands to keep all your bits & bobs (especially electronics) in place.



For someone who's always losing her phone chargers in a carry-on bag, this is a great way to keep track of everything & prevent tangles. (Hint Hint Santa)

The next product up is shown in prototype form, but would be awesome for those long flights where you're stuck in a middle seat with nowhere to snooze. Basically, it's a hoodie with an inflatable pillow built into the hood, so you always have a place to lean wherever you may be- airport floor, train, in your parent's car on those boring road trips... anyway, hopefully this one will be available soon. My notes show Burton as having one, but when I checked their website there's nothing there, so it's either sold out or not being made available here just yet. Still, pretty cool!

Hart & Heim is one of my favourite stores, and you can now shop online! I can always find something cool here, and for those of you who hate packing, or always forget something, here's the solution for you. The Packing List is a tear-off notepad with checkboxes for all of the stuff you might need for your trip. Simply check items off as you pack them and you'll know exactly what's in your bag- even if you're the "pack three things then wander off for 3 hours" type. If you work in an office environment be sure to check out the rest of the pads & sticky notes, including the classic 'Sh!t List' and 'Do This Now' versions. Great cubicle-dwelling fun!!! =)

Have you seen any cool new travel stuff? What's your favourite gadget that makes your life easier?

Leave a comment below or head over to Facebook or Twitter to tell me what you found.

To Pee, Or Not to Pee?

A little while ago Bobbylaurie(TM) made a post about something he calls "Lavophobia", where passengers (and sometimes crew) are afraid to use the lavs onboard the plane- for whatever reason- and it got me thinking about some of the weird toilet habits I've seen or heard about on the plane.

I'm no fan of the lav myself, as I think it's one of the ickiest places you can go, but I'll use it if I have to. I'll avoid it if possible, but I won't get so weirded out by it that I develop some bizarre ritual to deal with having to go tinkle in the sky...

Here's a few that I've heard of.


The Paper Towel Warrior

This person is the one who opens the door using a tissue over the handle, and proceeds to paper every exposed surface with paper towel in order to create a shield between their body and any germy surface inside the lav.



Of course, this takes quite a while and is likely to annoy both the people waiting, and the crew who have to keep replacing the loo roll and/or hand towels every ten minutes on a transcon flight. (There are quite a few PTW's on flights these days)


The If-I-Don't-See-It-It-Can't-Hurt-Me Type

They enter the toilet, cautiously peering out of one squinted eye, hoping the reduced vision level will prevent them seeing the horrors of the lav. They do everything by feel including wiping and/or papering the seat before sitting down, all the while thinking 'nice thoughts' to keep them from thinking about what might actually be on that seat. These people are also usually the kind that think if they can't SEE any dirty parts of the bathroom, then it must be relatively clean. (Haha)


The Hand Sanitizer Queen (King)

This passenger (or crewmember) is happy to use the lav at any time, provided everything has been coated in a generous amount of sanitizer before use.



They can usually be recognised by the fact they own shares in Bath & Body Works, and always have a spare bottle in their bag to give to that non-believer who might just be converted to using Purell after their eyes have been opened.

The I-Can-Wait-To-Pee Type

This flyer would rather risk their bladder health than use the icky loo on the plane. No matter how desperate they are, they just WILL NOT go. Even on a long haul flight. I once knew an F/A who was NEVER seen using the lav at any time, but on turns would run into the airport to use the restrooms in the terminal, screeching at everyone to get out of her way as she couldn't hold it any more. There was also an urban legend doing the rounds about a captain who was kind of on the fat side, and as he found it difficult to get in & out of his seat easily, would just pee in a bottle instead. Needless to say, those FAs wouldn't spend any time in the cockpit, much to the dismay of whichever First Officer he happened to be flying with that day.

The Number One Only Type

Happy to use the lav onboard but only for getting rid of number 1's. Will hold it for everything else.


The (Much Hated) "I Don't Do Number Two's At Home" Type

Out of courtesy to their loved ones/colleagues, they avoid going for a "newspaper break" at the home or office, but are only too happy to stink out the back of a 737 with their visits to the restroom. They don't even have the sense to use the air freshener AND I'm not allowed to light matches to counter the reek. I *hate* this type...


The Barefoot Adventurer


This type of passenger is likely to complain that the carpet is not clean enough, the plane is a bit old or the person next to them looks a bit sniffly. They will then happily walk into the bathroom with no shoes on (or even worse, wearing socks, so they can soak up the germs to take home with them.) I love cheerfully informing them that it's not water on the floor in there. On long flights, my colleagues and I sometimes keep a tally of how many passengers go in barefoot. If we're feeling particularly cheeky, we'll tell them due to safety regs that shoes must be worn in the toilet. It's funny how many go back to get their shoes, and how many just shrug their shoulders and go in anyway. I think just for fun I might try making a sign on the computer with a "no bare feet" symbol and stick it on the door... :P

One final note from me: Whichever 'type' you are- PLEASE flush when you're done, it's not a urinal!!




Have you observed any strange bathroom habits onboard? Are YOU a "Lavophobe"? What things do you do onboard to avoid the potential germs?

Leave a comment, hop on over to my Facebook page or Tweet me with your story!!

Flying the Unfriendly Skies

It's no secret to anyone who travels on a regular basis that people are getting, well, unfriendlier when they're in the air or on the road. Lack of consideration for other passengers, arguments over luggage space and at the extreme end threats & assaults on other passengers and crew are sadly becoming the norm rather than the exception in the airline industry.



Without getting into a social commentary on other aspects of society, it can be agreed that this 'misbehaving' in the skies is an alarmingly increasing trend.

Blame oil price rises, extra security measures or Santa Claus all you like, it's not acceptable and shouldn't be tolerated as something which can't be fixed.

The most notable recent case I've heard about is one on a flight to Darwin, where a passenger became verbally abusive & threatening to both fellow passengers & crew.

The article says: "Sydney man Simon Wilson Menzies, 31, was drunk and angry when he told the female cabin crew manager on a flight this week that he could "bring the plane down if he wanted." Menzies said: "I'm half muslim, half Aboriginal and everyone else is a white a*******. I could f******blow up the plane." He then began to sing a song about the plane crashing and everyone dying.

After various altercations with other passengers & (allegedly) the flight's captain, Menzies eventually returned to his seat and was arrested & held overnight on arrival in Darwin.

A court last week convicted him as the first person to be charged under new laws relating to threatening and/or assualting aircraft crew which came into effect on March 30th.

Apparently the passenger had been mixing antidepressants & alcohol & gave this as the reason for his behaviour. Here's where it gets disappointing. According to the article,

(The magistrate) fined him $400 and released him on the suspended sentence in time for his flight to Bali the following morning.

Under the new laws the maximum summary penalty for threatening or assaulting a flight crew member is two years prison or a $13,500 fine.

So, under a new law which allows up to 2 years in prison & a $13,500 fine, this idiot got less than 5% of that amount in a fine and more astonishingly, was allowed BACK ON THE SAME CARRIER to continue his "family holiday".

For threatening a whole planeload of people (whether he meant it or not), the most he got was a slap on the wrist & little deterrent to doing it again. I hope the crew involved file a complaint with the union & the OH&S regulator for failing to provide adequate follow-up & a safe working environment for those crew who had to fly this jerk the next day. He was a known offender & yet was allowed to keep on flying, putting yet more passengers and crew at risk.

In my opinion this is an absolute farce & 'new laws' are only as good as the judges enforcing the punishments handed out under them. This guy probably spent the same amount of money on his airfare & holiday in Bali & the fine would have been no deterrent for anyone else thinking of doing the same thing. People get jail time for lesser offences like unpaid speeding tickets than this guy got. Until the authorities get tougher on imposing sentences to the full extent of the law, I'm afraid that this type of behaviour will only continue if not increase further.

Don't even get me started on the flight crew allegedly getting involved. I hope this part is only media beatup because if they in fact did come out of the cockpit, it was surely a mistake of huge proportions and someone deserves some retraining if this is how it played out! I do think though that the wording of the article may be to blame, and they could well have been talking about this occuring as the passenger was removed on arrival.

This incident follows another as passengers got into a scuffle in Hobart over "carry on" luggage. Sounds like a carry-on, all right!

What do you think about 'air rage' and assaults in the air? Do you think it's increasing? Are the punishments fair or are people getting off 'scot free'? Leave me a comment or let me know what you think on Twitter or Facebook.

(Photos: Restraint: avsec.com, Passengers: Mail Online)

Take Care...

Originally, I started writing this post back in February last year. I read about the sad death of a V Australia crew member in Phuket, after he fell from a hotel balcony during a room mix-up. However, a blogger glitch erased the post that I had worked on for hours and frustrated, I decided to continue it later. As often happens, other things took over and it was soon forgotten. Recently I found the half-draft in my archives & decided to finish the post to share with you.

The Phuket story got me thinking about how sometimes crew can take hotel safety for granted, and ways to make sure you stay safe in hotels.

For most flight attendants, spending time in hotels on layovers is common. We spend almost as much time in hotels as at home, if not more. Hotels become like a second home- especially if we layover in the same cities on a regular basis. We have our favourite rooms, make friends with the hotel staff and seek out the best places to eat and shop.

However, being away from home and often travelling solo has a darker side. Being in a strange city, around people you don't know and in unfamiliar locations can be dangerous to a flight attendant's personal safety in the wrong circumstances.

In 2010, an Australian flight attendant was killed when he fell from a hotel balcony/walkway while on a layover in Phuket. It appears he mixed up the room numbers and somehow, while trying to either find his room or gain entry to a room, fell from the balcony or walkway & fell five floors to his death.

I'm no stranger to odd hotel layouts- one hotel I used to stay at had an 'open plan' garden layout similar to the Phuket hotel where V Australia stayed. We'd frequently come back from a night out, tripping over plants or other things in the dark and losing our way between blocks of rooms.

Other hotels had complicated stairways, dimly lit walkways and were sometimes located in dodgy neighbourhoods if it couldn't be avoided.

Flight crew safety has recently been put in the spotlight again with concerns from Cathay Pacific flight attendants staying in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia reporting interference during layovers.

Here's a few things I do to make things that little bit safer in hotels.

Check It Out

On arriving, I always make a quick check of my room- inside the closet, the bathroom and under the bed. These are all known places for an assailant to hide until you've locked that door behind you. While checking, I'll close the door but not latch it until my check is complete, so I can open it quickly if needed.

I'll also have a quick look to see whether I have a balcony with a sliding door, a normal door or a window. It's important to know not only if your window locks, but if it opens enough for you to use if you can't get out of the door.

If the room is a joining one, I move something in front of the door- a chair, desk or other item which makes it difficult to open from the other room. At the very least, it'll make a noise to let me know someone is coming in.

Lock It Up

Most hotels I stay in have either a chain or one of those door limiters on it so that you can open the door without it being able to be forced open. If you don't have one of these chains, or are staying somewhere where you don't trust that staff don't access rooms, you can find plenty of door security gadgets online. I had one a few years ago which worked well, the plus points were that it was made of plastic so I could carry it in my hand luggage and it barely weighed a thing. Sadly, I can't recall the name of it or seem to find it online.

Of course if the fire department are trying to get in for whatever reason, it's not enough to completely stop them, for obvious reasons, but is enough to warn me that someone is coming in if they do. All-metal models might sound like a good idea, but remember in a fire situation that it may get too hot to handle & be difficult to remove without injury.

Stranger Danger

If someone knocks on your door saying they are from maintenance, you don't have to open the door. Hotels don't usually do any work at night (unless it's an emergency) and genuine hotel employees are happy for you to wait to call the front desk and verify that they DID send someone to your room. The same goes for room service or porters. If you don't feel right about it, check with the concierge or reception.

If I'm approaching my room and there's someone walking behind me, I wait until they've passed before I open my door. I've heard of crew members who have been followed into rooms and been robbed -or worse.

Just because you're inside a building, don't let your guard down. Again, it sounds paranoid, but would-be thieves take advantage of the sense of security a hotel gives people to get them when they least expect it. Especially as women, we can 'feel bad' that we'll offend someone by acting as though they're up to no good- would-be attackers can use this to their advantage. ALWAYS follow your intuition and remember- it's better to be thought rude than to have something happen to you.

Know Your Exits

As a flight attendant, this sort of goes without saying, but you'd be surprised just how many flight crews have no idea where the fire exits are. This goes for the fire fighting equipment as well. Check the plan on the back of your door, and make sure it's correct. When you go to the lobby for your night out, have a look on the way past where the fire stairs are and where you can grab a fire extinguishers. It's a bit of a silly habit picked up on the job, but I just can't help checking that a fire extinguisher is actually serviceable when I walk past one.

Speaking of safety equipment, I always think it's a good idea to carry a small torch in my bag. It's come in useful so many times that it's more than paid for itself. Mine is just a small LED job I got for less than $10 at a Kmart. The batteries last a long time and the light is much better than conventional globes. Some hotels supply a flashlight in the closet. One hotel in Asia I stayed at even had smoke hoods- I wasn't sure to be reassured that one was there if I needed it, or worried that they were there in the first place!

This is also where your earlier window check will help. Now you'll know if you can use your window to escape a fire as a last resort. How high is your room? Is there a balcony? Can you reach some other structure like the roof of the garage easily? At least you'll know this in advance, and it will only take you a few seconds to work this out when you're doing your room check.

Ring, Ring

In the article posted above, some of the Cathay Pacific crew reported receiving nonsense calls in their rooms, firstly from outside the hotel and then from other rooms.

Personally, unless I'm expecting another crew member to call my room, I don't pick up the phone. If it's an important schedule change or other work issue, there'll shortly be a note under the door. My supervisor and captain have the crew's numbers or can get them from crew scheduling if it's urgent. Also, my family will send me a text if they're going to call, or just call me on my cell. If you don't want roaming charges, you can always arrange to text them when you want them to call you.

It's also good to know how to contact various departments in the hotel. Know how to dial room-to-room. Check whether you have to dial an actual number, or just push a button to reach Reception or Hotel Security. This is especially good to know if you have to dial in the dark. If it's not noted on the phone, find out what the local police & fire numbers are. That way if your phone doesn't work you can at least try from your cell phone (make sure you know the dialling codes as well).

Other good numbers to know include your airline or company's security department. Crew scheduling can be a good help, but security is a better option in the event of something major going down. Crew who were caught up in the Mumbai terror attacks reported getting assistance from their airline security department when they couldn't get through to the police.

At the least, they can probably advise whether to stay put or leave in a security-type situation. Program these numbers into your phone: Scheduling, Security & your international help line if your company gives it. Every traveller should have an "ICE" (in case of emergency) contact in their phone.

Out on the Town

There's nothing wrong with a good night out on the town- it's a great way to relax and let off steam after a tiring flight, or to bond with your crew. Having said that, you should take some reasonable steps when heading out to ensure a safe night for all. Try to swap numbers with at least one other person in your group, if you don't already know them. This way if you get separated, or someone's phone gets stolen, you can still keep in touch. (Remember, you also wrote down the hotel's phone number, didn't you?)

Keep an eye on each other's drinks- especially if one of you goes off to dance. In some countries thieves work together to distract one member of the group while the other makes off with the valuables. Keep watch on bags and purses. Girls, if you're in a slightly dodgy area, make sure you visit the ladies' room together (This usually happens anyway!) ESPECIALLY if one of you suddenly feels unwell. You just never know what someone might have put in your drink, and you do NOT want her to be alone if that is the case!

Ideally, make sure everyone gets back to their rooms safely, especially in hotels that are dimly lit or have tricky layouts. This might sound sexist but I often ask one of the guys on the crew to walk me back if we're in a dodgy part of town or failing that, we girls make sure at a minimum, we're in pairs if not a group.

If you're heading out in a foreign city on your own, be sure to let someone know where you're going & when you expect to be back. This can be as simple as leaving a note on your bed- "Gone shopping in Mongkok, back by 1800". If you're not there for the crew pickup, at least that gives everyone an idea of where to start looking.


I don't mean to come across as paranoid, but it is a reality of the travelling life that we can face risks to our safety on the move. Implementing ways to keep yourself safe should be an important part of any traveller's routine.

We all go off on our trips not thinking that we might not come home. While having fun seeing the world and meeting new people, be sure to take care so that your family can welcome you home again, safely & soon.

Got a travel tip you think I'd like? Leave a comment, hop over to my Facebook page or send me a Tweet!

The Red Shoes

Jaunted ran a story about the "uniform refresh" at Virgin Atlantic. This week, VS has had a few 'news' items including new routes, the launch of their first Airbus A330 aircraft and the arrival of the red shoes on female cabin crew.



Apparently, the highly successful James Bond-style ad campaign from last year, which featured crew in red patent heels, resonated so much with the travelling public that they came to expect the new level of 'glamour' on the crew serving them on flights.

The new shoes will be of a lower heels and different shape to those in the adverts, naturally, as stilettos don't exactly lend themselves to a long-haul flight.

While I did like the look in the tv spot, something about the shoes for the crew just doesn't seem quite right to me. I think the style of the new crew shoe just doesn't work in patent red. Also, with a red suit I personally think it's a bit too much red. Of course, with just a skirt and white blouse it might look fine, but I think they'd have done better to go with black. Either way, those shoes won't last two weeks before "cart toe" takes over. I hope the crew are supplied with (non patent) cabin shoes as well!

Photo: Virgin Atlantic via Jaunted.

British Airways & Unite the Union in Baby Battle- Why I Side With BA

While reading along the news headlines on Twitter, I stumbled across a link to a press release by Unite, the union which represents British Airways cabin crew.
They have taken issue with a decision by BA to require female employees who become pregnant and are unable to perform ground duties to take unpaid leave.

The issue which appears to be a simple one, becomes a little more complicated when it's revealed that some of the crew concerned are what are known in the inustry as "commuters"- they live outside of areas of crew bases for BA -or even the UK entirely- and fly in to work their rostered duties.

You can read the Unite article here.

I have some points to make on this subject, and would like to know what my readers think on this issue. I must mention in advance, that my views are my personal views only & I apologise if you are offended by my opinion, but in the interests of debate I am writing this post.

Point 1:
BA cabin crew, that become pregnant and live too far to travel to Heathrow or Gatwick to perform ground duties, will now be forced to take unpaid leave by the airline.... (Unite article)

In every airline I've worked for, if an employee has become unfit to perform their work through pregnancy, the contractual agreement is that to retain employment, the employee must undertake any duties re-assigned to them as the employer sees fit & as appropriate to their condition.

For pregnant flight attendants and pilots, this usually meant administration, airport terminal or other customer service ground-based roles. If the employee is unable to do so because of personal choices (like place of residence) or is unwilling, then in my view unpaid leave is a fair option in trade of the employee keeping their job.

Point 2:
"Over the years BA has recruited its cabin crew staff from all parts of the UK as well as from continental Europe. BA has closed its regional bases forcing workers to travel hundreds of miles to their place of work, yet it now intends to stop payment to any pregnant crew staff member who is unable to commute to BA’s last two hubs, Heathrow and Gatwick. (Unite article)

When flight attendants are hired by airlines, we sign a contract of employment. Every cabin crew contract I've ever seen has contained a clause which states that the employee must, to continue employment, move at the direction of the company to a crew basing (on either temporary or permanent basis) to fulfill operational requirements of the airline.

True, BA used to base crew in Europe. For whatever reason (either political, economical or other) they closed those bases. Imagine the outcry if BA had just sacked those crew. They did not, they allowed them to commute to keep their jobs if they did not want to move to another basing. Last time I checked, it was up to the employee to ensure they are able to get to work, not the other way around.

Staying in a closed base and commuting to your base of operation is a CHOICE, as is moving to a new base to keep your job. Deciding that commuting is not for you and you cannot fulfil the new requirements of the employment is also a CHOICE.

Point 3:
Many crew chose to live outside of the UK and commute to work, even in cities that were not crew bases, for various reasons. Whether they be lifestyle, tax benefits, or a cheaper cost of living is irrelevant. Those crew CHOSE to live overseas and commute.

In the UK, crew are required to be grounded as soon as they discover pregnancy. This is due to concerns for the safety of both mother and child due to the strenuous nature of flying on the body. BA faces a dillemma- face accusations of 'discrimination' for giving unpaid leave to women unable/unwilling to perform alternative duties, or allow them fly to commute to their work.

Clearly, they cannot allow this as the women would be working and therefore I assume subject to the same rules as flight attendants while pregnant. Therefore, instead of terminating the employment they offer unpaid leave. This is not good enough for the union. I must also point out that other female workers at BA who are not cabin crew, do not receive pay unless they remain working up until the "maternity leave" period begins. They cannot stay at home and not work while getting paid until their maternity leave starts, which is much later than cabin crew.

I must also question if the crew residing outside of the UK are covered by those UK employment laws, as even though they are employed by a UK company, they do not live in the UK. I think they are, but it does rile me a little that they want either a better lifestyle or tax breaks than the UK offers, but also want to keep the protections of provisions like maternity leave under UK law.

(I also do not think BA is refusing maternity leave, merely asking that the cabin crew performs other duties to get it.) Not unreasonable, considering that BA is a business and not a charity. Most non-airline companies require some kind of services for at least a portion of a pregnancy until the woman is no longer able to do so DUE TO HER PREGNANCY, not other factors like where she lives or how she gets to work.

While I see the need for provisions such as maternity leave, in this case I do not believe the employer should be penalised for the choices of the employee. I am sure many BA crew would love to live closer to loved ones, or in Europe, but realise that the practicalities of commuting life do not make for a good working environment and possibilities for the future.

Although I feel for these ladies wanting to keep their jobs, they cannot have their cake and eat it too. Either you live somewhere which is conducive to fulfilling your contract (whether that is flying or ground duties) or you find employment that allows you to live in that place if that is what you choose.

When I originally applied to my airline, the only crew base available was on the other side of the country. I did not want to live there, for my own reasons, and decided that rather than commuting I would hold out in hope they would open applications for a basing in my city (They did, and I got it.)

While I don't want to make a debate about maternity leave, I do want to give some perspective as to the fact that some things come down to discrimination, and some to choices that we make. These ladies knew when they accepted their jobs that there were certain requirements. Just because they want to have children does not make them exempt from fulfilling their contracts of employment.

In some airlines, crew are not allowed to be unmarried and have children. They are aware of this when they join and if they decide they want children, they either marry or resign.

I think in this situation BA have come up against an unforeseen issue with commuting crew. The solution may be to restrict commuting on the basis that crew will either resign on becoming pregnant or relocate to a non-commuting base to continue employment.

This would not be feasible either as again, the issue of discimination arises.

Campaign photo from Unite.

Caption should be addended ("because she chooses to live outside of a crew base")

I'd love to know what you think. Are the crew going too far in wanting to keep their jobs as a paid leave when they are unable to perform the duties required by their employer?

Are BA being too harsh in this case? What do you think they should do?
Feel free to leave me a comment or drop by my Twitter or Facebook pages.

(Campaign Photo from HERE, pregnant woman: Google Image Search) )

Picking Up

Collecting used glasses, cans etc in the cabin-

I pick up a tray in each hand, a glass of juice is still on the table. I'm about to tell the lady that I'll come back in just a second for the juice.

Lady: "Hey hey you forgot the juice"

Me: "Madam I will be back in a moment to take your glass."

I take the trays to to galley and come back (now with free hands) to take the glass. As I'm leaning over to pick up the glass:

Lady: (angrily) "Hey you lazy, you need to pick up the juice"

Me: (In my head): Give me a freaking chance and maybe I WILL pick up the juice!!

Seriously people, give your flight attendant a chance to do something before you berate him/her for not doing it. Odds are, they know what you're about to ask and are going to do it. Telling them off for not doing it before you've even waited to see if they're going to do it will just make them annoyed with you, and slower to come back next time. Free tip for you... :P