“Is Prue coming with us for dinner?
“Oh no she’s already got her meals prepped for the whole layover. I’m not even going to bother asking what she’s doing tomorrow cause I know she’ll be in the gym all day….”
There’s no doubt that succeeding as a flight attendant requires meeting certain physical demands – especially for those crew flying across multiple time zones. When you first get the job you’ll need to pass a medical and physical test. Not only is eyesight and hearing checked, more physical abilities like flexibility are tested. While there’s no official weight requirement, most airlines require your weight to be in proportion to height. You’ve got to be able to fit in a jumpseat and harness.
It’s no secret that the job isn’t the healthiest in the world and to counteract this, there’s definitely a requirement to stay healthy and in shape. Sure, there are definitely many that crew that are anything but fit and healthy. We aren’t judging them, but to enjoy the job and to feel a lot better about doing it, staying in shape is a must.
How fit do you need to actually be?
You might look at flighties – especially at some airlines – and think they look almost like runway models. Truth is though, that thin doesn’t equal healthy, and you don’t actually need to be the pinnacle of health or fitness to do the job. To pass training you’ll need to be able to swim 50 metres fully clothed, board a life raft, and be able to push open an emergency exit door weighing up to 28ks.
But unless you’re especially unhealthy, or out of shape you don’t need to be in amazing shape to pass the medical or the training. However, there’s a good chance you won’t even be considered for the job, if you look unfit or unhealthy. Once they get the job, the main reason most crew choose to stay in shape is this:
To avoid getting sick or injured
Eating the wrong foods will not only make you feel lethargic and gross when you’re at work, a quick energy fix will make you crash later – that’s why getting into the habit of eating well, especially not bloating food and iron rich vegetables will help fight off illness. With 300 or more people in a small tin can, there’s so many germs on board a plane, and eating the right foods will be an important immunity boost.
It will also benefit your waistline. Carrying around extra weight just makes the job so much tougher. Trust me, I’ve been there. It might have only been a few kilos, but moving quickly through the aisle become more of a challenge. Also, as my weight went up, my general energy took a hit. When you’re on your feet for hours on end, energy is a necessity and extra weight is ‘carry on baggage’ you don’t need.
And staying strong helps prevent injury
There are so many crew who get back and shoulder injuries performing the job. There’s a lot of lifting, twisting and repetitive movements in the job, and if you’re working the galley, a lot of bending. Having a stronger core and building muscle through resistance training helps to ensure you move and lift in the right way.
As I don’t especially love going to the gym, It’s something I’m always working on. Maintaining an exercise regime gives you more energy in the long run, and strengthening muscles makes doing the physical apsects of the jobs easier, with less chance of getting injured.
Having decent fitness also makes recovering after a long flight a lot easier. If you’re unhealthy, and unfit, an otherwise standard trip can really take it out of you.
Do Crew Stay Fit For Vanity?
Yes – and for good reason.
There’s a certain expectation to look your best as a flight attendant. It’s not just about vanity though, although I’d guess we all want to look good. Cabin crew are the face of the airline and both the company and passengers expect an impeccable personal appearance from their flight attendants. It’s just the way the job is.
As far as jobs go, it’s one of the more visible jobs you can do. People with nothing much else to do are watching you for hours on end. For this reason, looking good (and yes staying in good fitness) gives you a feeling of confidence.
There are definitely crew who talk about nothing else but how they prep their own food to bring on board, how they spend their layovers at the gym, and preach about some new supplement they have tried. While some take it to extremes, most just maintain a good base level of health and fitness. After all, by doing so, it makes their job a hell of a lot easier.
“In my first year of flying I got so sick, and put on almost 10 kilos snacking on all the food on board”
