The Flying Pinto: What is your story? How long have you been flying? What did you do prior?

Shelby: I’ve been a Flight Attendant since March 2001, but I started at my Airline in Jan 1999 as a Ticket Agent. I had applied for Flight Attendant and they “TURNED ME DOWN,” LoL. I’ve always wanted to be a FA, My 1st book report I can recall was on a TWA FA! I thought to myself, now there is a Life! I reapplied for FA in Feb, was scheduled an interview in March,and wouldn’t you know the same person who interviewed me in Jan 1999, was the same person, who walked through the door & said, I’m here to Interview you! Ohhhh Haaaiiill NO! I informed him, you interviewed me in Jan 1999, & I’d be much happier if you didn’t interview me this time…. Ten Minutes later a wonderful Grandmotherly person came through the door, she was there to interview me…. I GOT THE JOB! I had not put the noose around my neck after all! Prior to becoming a FA, I was a Travel Agent & Cruise Consultant. It was a great job in its day, I was a travel agent while we still had decent commissions. Here were all these great Cruises, yet I could not afford to get to the port! HELLO, Flight Bennies!

FP: I have always felt like getting hired as a FA was half luck dependent on who is
interviewing you. Good for you for speaking up. And, I know exactly what you mean
about having money left to enjoy your benefits;-)

I love the flexibility of our job. What keeps you flying?

Shelby: I’m like you, I love the Flexibility….I am SO NOT a Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm type gal.I hate being stuck behind a desk.. I love the fact we can Trip Trade, i.e. don’t like LAX, Swap it for a SEA. I love late afternoon flights, I’m NOT a morning person, where else can you do that? PLUS: The Flight Bennies, Sure, they can be a pain, but they are worth it.. I remember my Son doing a report on Soldiers & Normandy, France… it was Thursday, I told him to go pack a bag, we are leaving! Dallas to Paris! We were G O N E! What a power point presentation he did! I remember standing with him & my husband at Pointe du Hoc, where the Rangers landed, (Hubby is a Ranger) & saying, “this is what makes it ALL WORTH IT!”
FP:I love that story about taking your son to France, what a great learning experience.
I agree, it might be impossible at times to get a seat on the plane but the benefits
are worth it, my two year old already has her passport and has flown every other month
since she was born.

What kind of schedule do you hold, what kind of trips do you like to fly?

Shelby: Schedule? Ha Ha…. I hold “Turns” (If I’m lucky) I am so far down the Seniority List it is scary. I do have a good Trip Trader, she helps me pick up decent trips on occasion. I love three day trips because I have a crash pad and I don’t like to hang out in it. I love to explore new cities, LA, Chicago, Seattle, Oklahoma City, I don’t care… All places usually have quaint little places to explore or great little diners or pubs, just ask another Crew Member!

FP: It’s funny how each base and airline has a “personality,” I can’t touch turns in
my base. I would need at least 25 years seniority for that!

Flight Attendants are definitely the ones to ask about the hot spots;-)

What is your biggest passenger pet peeve? How about biggest crew pet Peeve?

Shelby: Passenger Pet Peeve: I don’t like to Passenger Bash, but Since you asked, I’ll tell you… Please ACKNOWLEDGE we are standing there, You see US.. with our nice, big, 250 pound cart, Napkin in hand… you know why we’re standing there!!! Remove the headphones, PLEASE. Don’t make me use my best Flight Attendant sign language, “Something to DRINK?” as you rip off your headphones, as if it’s a “surprise” why I’m there. WHAT? You say, “Something to Drink?” speaking a bit louder & slower hoping you will understand ..this time… What do you have? We have, Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sprite, Diet Sprite, Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper, Club GIMME A COKE… I’m not done… Soda, Tonic Water, Apple Juice, CranApple, Tomato Juice, Bloody Mary Mix, Orange Juice GIMME A COKE, We also have Beer, Wine, Cocktails… Did you still want a Coke??? yeah… How about a Please or a Thank You…? I’m just sayin……. A “Thank You” goes a long way! Crew Pet Peeve: When I’m working with a fussy FA ,you know the ones… they come on board in a “MOOD” it contaminates the rest of the crew,if you don’t like your job QUIT! I’ll give ya a few minutes to FUSS. I mean we all have “Those Days”, but OMG, get over it, this is the career you picked!

FP: I agree about “those” FAs. I was one of “those”…I had a turning point around
the five year mark. I felt like I needed to figure out the reason I was staying in
a job if I hated people this much. I thought about all the reasons I did love the job
and I slowly changed the way I looked at passengers. I put myself in their shoes more
often. Now, it’s actually hard to piss me off, and I don’t find people nearly as many
people pissing me off. Hmmmm, could it have been me?;-)

As you know I’ve had some strange happenings on my flights, what is the
most bizarre thing you have seen on a flight?

Shelby:Bizarre, Define Bizarre??? I had a flight to Rochester, MN we called it the Mayo Clinic flight, I had a quadriplegic Veteran & his Wife on our flight, they were a delightful couple & I enjoyed chatting with them, during our long delay! He slurred his words when he spoke & I sat there & talked to him, like he was my grandfather. I dug out that “Straw” that was in my tote, so he could have his drink, as I listened to his wife, tell the story of how they had met….fifty years ago! I commented “I hope I get to see you both on our flight back home” When the Wife grabbed my hand, looked me straight in the eye & said, “He won’t be coming home”. . . Bizarre? no, but you want to talk about five words that will make you STOP & take a look at your life! I cried for the next few minutes, composed myself, glad that I had met a Real Hero & His Wife!! Cracked my ice and prepared for my next group of passengers! I’ve been on flights that have been struck my lightning,it makes a horrid sound. I’ve been on planned emergency landings, I’ve been on medical flights, where the passenger actually passed out & landed on another Flight Attendant! How can you define bizarre..?

FP:I think you did, but I guess it’s not “bizarre” to us.

What can we find in your carry on?

Shelby: I always LOVE to see what FA’s carry in their carry on! Great question: My Bose Noise Reduction Headphones!! I don’t leave home without them, my Laptop, a Block Buster DVD, a snack, bottle of water, lip gloss, a book, magazines I’ve scored during flights, baby pharmacy (Midol, Tylenol, allergy med, PM’s, B Complex), footies, pen & paper to write blog ideas, hotel lotion, dark chocolate covered Altoids, passport, crew keys, dehydrated cantaloupe, baby box of crayons (Just in case I have to sit next to a child) barf bags are great coloring books! OMG, there is a lot of STUFF in here, mirror, an eyebrow razor (just in case you have mirror time in the Lav) Ziploc baggies, Lysol Spray (For the Lav), My Tea Tree Oil, camera, airplane laptop charger, my FA manual, plastic wear & straws, package of Lemon/Pepper Tuna fish (I never eat the food on the plane!) & my “To-Go” cup comes in handy, coffee in the AM, OJ & Ginger Ale in the afternoon, Or… well .. there’s more, these are the highlights!, (I should take a picture of this, it’s like a Circus Tote)

FP: You should take a picture for Upupandagay.He is doing a series called FA RVs.
It is on my “to do” list.

Can we find you at the hotel bar or are you a slam clicker?

Shelby: ME? No, I’m NOT a slam clicker, unless the layover is less than 10 hours or something!! I’m like you on this one, I can run upstairs, change, & be downstairs in 15 minutes, Re-energized & Ready to go! “Favorite” one time, we had 3 crews, all different airlines, playing Putt-Putt till they made us leave, What a Blast! You never know, what you’ll end up doing!!

FP: What is your favorite vacation destination?

Shelby: I have to Pick ONE? I live to plan vacations… I love, love, love to go abroad, Europe, South America, Scandinavia, Hawaii, Any Wine Country! If I just had to pick one, I’d say France! I have not been to Greece, Italy, Croatia, Thailand, Egypt….etc, etc, I still have a lot of places I have yet to SEE!

FP: How does your spouse/partner feel about you flying?

Shelby: For this question, I’m going to pass this to my Better Half: Via: Jack “I like the fact, she does not bring her job home with her, meaning, it’s in the past, it’s over,” Plus, I think it is down right cool, being able to say “I’m married to a Flight Attendant” …

FP: Awww, we love Jack;-)

What is your best travel tip?

Shelby: Expect the unexpected, and Roll w/the Flow!! * I always bring an empty water bottle & fill it up at the airport * I always bring Snacks, A bag of lifesavers goes along way to start off on the right foot with your seat mates! * Bring a Pashmina, works great as a blanket & dresses up an outfit * When all else fails, Ask a Flight Attendant ..before you start your trip! * Always, Always, Always… have a Plan B!

FP: Yes, always, have a plan B! Thanks, Shelby.

(To find more Shelby visit her blog, My View from Up Here, or come chat with us over at Twitter.)

*Sorry about the strange way my questions and answers lined up, it looks normal in the preview but once I post, this is the way it looks???? I can’t seem to figure it out;-)