How would you describe the job of a flight attendant? Do you think of them as waiters/waitresses of the sky? Maybe you think of someone who just makes a few annoying announcements at the beginning of the flight and then brings you snacks and drinks after takeoff.
There's definitely more to it than just that.
Airline crew members must train for eights weeks with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before they're allowed into the position. They must learn CPR, first aid, in-flight firefighting, defibrillation, emergency landing procedures, and security. Plus, they must provide excellent customer services or risk the wrath of grumpy passengers.
In the devastating 9/11 attacks, airline attendants Sandra W. Bradshaw and CeeCee Lyles of United Airlines Flight 93, Robert Fangman of United 175, Renee May of American Airlines 77, and Betty Ong and Madeline Amy Sweeney of American Airlines 11 all actively attempted to protect their passengers and made sure they provided drastically vital information to the air traffic control stations.
Recently, 13 United Airlines attendants were fired for refusing to fly when they felt threatened by a note written in oil residue on the plane's tail that read "Bye Bye" and featured two cartoon faces: one smiling and the other with a more ambiguous expression.
The flight attendants, each with over 18 years of experience, were fired for "insubordination," as the airline insists that the pilot and security were able to assure that the plane was safe for flight. The airline claimed that there was no "credible threat."
The employees disagreed, as they had to face a possible bomb warning a week earlier. They filed a lawsuit against the company just this week.
Watch an interview with one of the employees below and please SHARE this story.
