Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #153146 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Synopsis
An air stewardess often has a healthy sense of humour about her job - she has to! in this hilarious book, Rene Foss discusses every aspect of working at 39,000 feet - from the dumb questions the passengers ask - Is that your natural hair colour? Has anyone told you that you resemble Monica Lewinsky? Where are we? - to what a flight attendant might say on her job interview - "I'm hoping to find a job where I can deal with emotionally and physically abusive people who will blame me for everything that goes wrong in their lives." As Rene points out, both the ability to take abuse and to collect trash in confined areas are prime job requirements for working in the airline industry. You must also be a top-notch psychiatrist, policeman, banker, waitress, and babysitter. This clever and entertaining book - which also provides some real insight and information about the world of travel - is the perfect gift for the frequent traveller in your life.

Customer Reviews

around the world... with a luvvie
as a failed applicant for the job of flight attendant, I'm always interested to read books of this type. Rene paints her picture reasonably well, surly passengers, the struggles of a newly qualified 'stew' who has to stay by the phone with an hour's notice of scheduling, sharing digs with fellow flight attendants, the social and financial implications thereof... all add to the description of a job which we know isn't so much glamorous as demanding, though it has its perks.
The problem I had with this book is that Rene, by her own admittance, is a frustrated actress, and unfortunately this impacts throughout the book with monotonous regularity. The little rhymes and sketches which intersperse with the narrative only serve to annoy, as if she is saying to you "but look, I'm talented really... hey kids, let's do the show right here!"
For a real insight into the world of commercial flying, I would recommend the writings of Elliott Hester, who has no such axe to grind, and indeed, repeats some of the (mythical) tales of Rene Foss but with more believability.

Very true!
As a flight attendent myself I have to say that this book is very true to life. The way Rene describes passengers, the horror of getting up at 3am, how nasty it is to be on stand-by and the secret phrases and words they use to describe passengers is fab! The only thing I don't really like about this book is the constant reference to how Rene really wants to be an actress, it's as if she's trying to sell her acting abilities to me, the reader. But overall, a great book!

One of the worst books I ever read
I guess you have to be a stewardess to fully appreciate this book. I thought the prose was awful, and that the author failed to deliver the humour she thinks she has.
It was painful to read, even though some of the contents were good.
I'm sure the book is a lot funnier if you are part of the industry, but if you are just looking for entertainment, try another book.

I have never commented on any book bought on amazon. This one was just too awful not to.