

“Safety and service are not mutually exclusive,” says Chieri Beers, who has more than two decades of experience as a United Airlines flight attendant and now trains flight attendants. Flight attendants may reassure anxious passengers during turbulence and are responsible for keeping the peace while in the air, which means sometimes dealing with unruly passengers. “Many customers do not realize that we are almost always the first responders to any situation onboard.” During travel, flight attendants take care of customer service-related needs, including serving meals, snacks and drinks and facilitating in-flight purchases if part of the airline’s service.

“Our duties begin when we first board an aircraft and ensure all of the aircraft’s required emergency equipment is on board,” says Allison Pereira, a Philadelphia-based flight attendant for American Airlines.
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They instruct passengers on safety procedures, such as how to use an oxygen mask or how to evacuate the airplane demonstrate how to use seat belts and ensure passengers fasten their seat belts prior to takeoff.

Before each trip, flight attendants inspect emergency equipment. They ensure passengers are comfortable, and they must be prepared to respond to safety issues that may arise during the flight. Flight attendants are the members of the flight crew that passengers probably interact with the most.
