Cabin crew member shares 'sad' realities of job and 'sacrifices' she has to make

A flight attendant has shed light on the less-than-glamorous aspects of her profession, opening up about the personal trade-offs required when placed on "standby".

Despite people often envying the travel-rich lifestyle it provides, TikToker and cabin crew member @hannahgaiger turned to social media to discuss the 'realities' of her job. She touched upon the difficult times, like missing significant family events due to the unpredictable nature of her schedule, which is from Wednesday to Monday and can lead to flights "anywhere."

In an open video, Hannah shared her sorrow at not being able to attend her step-sister's baby shower, making her feel "sad" as she was the "only one not there" among her large family. She offered a glimpse into the occupational strains, saying: "I just thought I'd share the realities of this job, and it's not all sunshine and rainbows", while recognising the occasional necessity to "sacrifice" parts of her personal life.

Compounding her disappointment was knowing that her friends were enjoying brunch without her, deepening her sense of missing out. Nonetheless, she attempts to "take [it] with a pinch of salt" and still professes her "loves" for her job in spite of these drawbacks.

Affirming her inner strength, she disclosed that she considers herself a "strong person" who copes with such challenges "quite well."

On social media, she expressed: "I love my job but days like these can be tough as you know there's nothing you could have done to change it and you just have to be okay with missing out on some things that may be important to you."