What is profitable to buy at duty-free Sheremetyevo. How duty free works and what you can buy there

Etihad Airways- the national airline of the UAE, the main headquarters of which is located in Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways periodically opens Cabin Crew vacancies. Etihad airways conducts interviews in different cities around the world.

The interview can be done in any city, but candidates from Russia usually choose Abu Dhabi as it is the closest one. Thus, if you want become an Etihad Airways flight attendant, then you need to be prepared for the fact that you will go to the interview at your own expense.

If you went to this site, then one day you want to proudly say: “ I am an Etihad Airways flight attendant". And be sure to say! The main thing is to set a goal and go towards it. And I will help you with this as much as possible!

Etihad flight attendant requirements:

Fluency in spoken and written English;
- Age from 21 years;
- Ability to reach the mark at a height of 210 cm (without shoes);
- Completed secondary education;
- Sociability;
- Nice appearance, no tattoos.

Working at Etihad has many advantages for citizens of other states:

Salary is tax-free,

Accommodation and transport are free,

There is medical insurance
and much more.

To see the currently open Etihad jobs- go to their official website, find the Careers section and type Cabin Crew into the search bar. If the vacancy is open, you will see the upcoming interview dates. In order not to go there all the time, I recommend immediately subscribing to an e-mail newsletter.

Get an interview at Etihad Airways- not an easy task, since success depends on many factors:

Nice appearance

Communication flexibility

And, of course, from the knowledge of the English language. And not only general English, but also English for interviews. And these are two different things!

Interview at Etihad(as well as interview at Emirates) is held in two stages: Open Day and Assessment Day.

Open Day at Etihad- it's just submitting a resume and short answers to questions. If you have shown yourself well, you will receive an invitation to Assessment Day at Etihad, where you have to pass a series of "tests" in the form of tests, group assignments, essays and a final individual interview.

Become flight attendant Etihad Airways not easy, since a lot of people are weeded out at the stage of group assignments. And, of course, the most offensive thing is when you are weeded out at the very last stage of the final interview!
How to avoid gross mistakes on interview at Etihad?

How to maximize your chances of getting through interview at Etihad Airways the first time?

How to write a resume for Etihad?

What questions do you need to be prepared for?

If these are exactly the questions that concern you, I invite you to my online video courses on preparing for an interview at Etihad!

Courses are written COMPLETELY on English language and include:

Writing a resume

Drafting a cover letter

Working out group assignments

Essay writing

Development of tests

Professional terminology of a flight attendant

Preparation for the final interview questions (135 questions)

Individual homework check

Individual consultations in the chat

The course is suitable for Intermediate level and above.
You will no longer be afraid of the upcoming interview, as you will be able to prepare in advance for questions, develop a strategy of behavior and significantly expand your vocabulary!
And remember: most candidates are weeded out due to the fact that they simply do not expect such tasks and do not know how to respond in a timely manner and correctly! If you fail to pass the interview the first time, then the next attempt may not be earlier than in 6 months.
The course helps to minimize the effect of surprise and use your chance to the maximum!

Read more about the course

See you, - with these words the mysterious stranger extended his swarthy hand to me, while smiling at me coquettishly.
I was a little confused, but I held out my hand in response and muttered something incomprehensible under my breath. I don't even know his name, I thought to myself.
"O! We already met! " - right on time said my mother, who returned from WC.
We stood at the bus station in Dubai and thought in which direction we need to move further in order to get to the airport.
The foreigner spoke English with such an accent that I practically did not understand it. Who he was: an Indian, a Mexican or someone else, I could not understand for our short acquaintance. Back in Abu Dhabi, he got on the same bus with us and, looking at me, said something. Then he helped us put our heavy suitcase in the luggage compartment of the bus. And so, when we had already arrived in Dubai, he, too, was in no hurry to run about his business, but hung around us. Waiting for the right moment, that is, when my mother leaves, he came up to me. He asked something, I asked again, did not understand, he repeated it again, but I didn’t understand again. In general, that's what we talked about. In the UAE, it was as if my English had switched off: that is, upon arrival at the Dubai airport, an internal button called “English OFF” worked and I seemed to be left without a language, without a tool with which I could communicate with this world. At least, this button reacted very well to the speech of Indians, Pakistanis and other peoples who came to work in the UAE. And these are taxi drivers, shop assistants, waiters in cafes and restaurants. That is, the vast majority of the United Arab Emirates.
Thank God that when it was a reference point on the terrain, I still could understand something from slurred speech and orient myself.
I asked my new friend how we can get from here to Dubai airport. “Take a taxi,” he answered me. Indeed, the most convenient, fast and comfortable mode of transport in the UAE is a taxi. In any heat, that at + 25, that at + 50, air conditioners always work inside, the roads of the Arabs are wonderful - cars, as if planes fly, and do not go over bumps and speed bumps like we do in Russia. And even though the taxi drivers are black, a little scary for Russian girls, they are all dressed in uniform (in white shirts and dark trousers, this immediately catches the eye after Moscow), with their own ID (that is, you can always find it), with a navigator (not will be lost) and, of course, by the counter, so they will not say their sum, taken out of their heads, as our Russian taxi drivers, especially private traders, like to do.
Of course, life in the United Arab Emirates is significantly different from life in Moscow, it cannot be otherwise, but a separate post should be written about this. Now I want to tell you what I did at the end of January in a foreign country and how it all ended.
My mother and I got into a taxi. And as soon as we turned the corner, a picture opened in front of me, which is present in almost any Hollywood film about love. I was sitting in the car, and he stood in the middle of the street, languidly looking at me and waving his hand goodbye. And here it usually happens like this: the heroine asks to stop the car, runs out of it, throws herself on the neck of her lover and says that she is madly in love with him and that she will not fly anywhere. I didn't have that, of course, but this picture flashed through my head and even something sank in my heart: “Maybe the email should have been left to the boy at least? Or maybe this is my destiny? " But the car flew away, as did the thoughts that came to mind for a few minutes, or rather to the brain, then just as quickly left it. “He said that we'll see you again,” somewhere inside, I was justifying myself in front of me. - So I'll see you. Let him turn everything in the world and find me. " Although I understood that such a course of action is simply impossible.
We passed customs safely, we stocked up different goods at Duty Free and got on the plane. Our flight was delayed and we departed almost an hour later than the time indicated on the ticket. And all due to the fact that our Russian tourists shopped heartily in Dubai (during the great sales!) And did not bother to check in all their belongings, but took them on board with them. Naturally, the boarding was delayed, there were not enough luggage racks to accommodate jackets from Dolce, bags from Michael Kors, warm sweaters from Tom Ford. The poor flight attendants all hid in the back kitchen and no one even came out to help passengers with their carry-on luggage. Only when the situation with things reached its climax, one of the flight attendants went into the salon with the words: “Pack your things quickly! Otherwise we will never fly away like that! " The service, of course, is excellent. But this is not Etihad or Emirates. One woman at the end of the salon screamed that someone had put their things on her own shelf (I wonder if she bought it, too, along with the ticket ?!). She demanded to immediately remove them from there. The senior flight attendant came, a young girl who, most likely, had recently become a foreman. She could not calm down this woman, somehow agree with her, explain that the shelves above the passenger seats are not fixed in specific places. And, if the shelves above your seat are free, then the passengers sitting next to you can safely put their luggage there. And since this situation was a stalemate, there was no need to explain this, so obvious things! But the woman did not subside, the whole plane had already twisted its necks in her direction in order to hint to the brawler with its facial expression that it was time to subside, the performance was over, everyone wanted to go home to Moscow. As a result, the woman was transplanted into a luxury cabin (sorry, but I don't know what this class of service is called in this airline, but there is more legroom there) and she calmed down. The senior flight attendant greeted the passengers, welcoming them aboard the aircraft and wished everyone a pleasant flight. Then, in a half-asleep voice, the commander of the ship muttered something, getting confused about the time of arrival, thereby making all the passengers laugh, the flight attendants distributed flying sweets to everyone, making sure that everyone had their seat belts fastened. And now we taxied to the runway, we already wanted the plane to take off from the Arab land, but no ... for some reason we were not given permission to take off. And we stood for another half hour and waited for the command or our turn to take off. I managed to take a nap during this half hour and I even dreamed something.
And as soon as we took off, I began to remember those three crazy days in the United Arab Emirates.
How did it all start? Also, when I worked at Aeroflot, once a flight attendant flew with us in the same crew, who joined our company from Emirates. We served passengers, the flight was long and we had time to chat. I began to ask her about her previous work, about where she flew, where in which countries she had visited - everything was interesting to me. Even then, and this was a year and a half ago, I thought to myself: “It would be great to work in foreign company, fly around the entire globe, meet people of different nationalities! What an invaluable experience! Where can you get this in Moscow? Where can you find such a job in the capital? " And this airline also provided its employees with free comfortable accommodation and transport to the place of work - well, isn't it from the realm of fantasy? Girls from different cities of Russia worked in our company, came to the capital and were forced to look for housing for themselves, pay for it themselves, spend money on transport to the airport. And here is a real Arab fairy tale - come to our country, we will provide you with housing, and a beautiful uniform, and you will see the world (they have all of Europe on business trips in the best hotels), and, most importantly, you will receive a decent salary. But about the minuses, of course, everyone is silent, namely, that you will live in a foreign culture among a different mentality, that at night you will be woken up by songs from the mosque, calling all Muslims to prayer, and, of course, the 50-degree heat for almost six months ...
Then I thought about this work and forgot. She quit Aeroflot and moved to St. Petersburg. She began to work as a secretary and sometimes substitute for teachers when they were ill. Every day I got up at 6 in the morning, and sometimes even earlier, drove through the frost to work, sat with spoiled children, somehow withstood their whims and the whims of their parents. I listened to the discontent of the authorities, looked from the schoolyard at the planes in the sky and recalled my flying career. I missed. I missed the irregular schedule, when you didn’t have to get up early every morning and run to work, missed sunny Dubai, which I visited 6 times in a year and a half at Aeroflot, probably. My creative nature could not stand this five-day "prison" and six months later I returned back to Moscow. In the capital began to look new job, updated my resume, added one more small experience of work in St. Petersburg and began to wait for answers from employers. There were responses, but I was not satisfied with either the too low salary, or the work itself was boring and not interesting without any prospects for the future. Although I went to interviews, I didn't want to work anywhere. Then I got the idea to volunteer for the Sochi Olympics. But I was late with the application, it had to be sent back in March, and I realized myself only in the summer. I began to look for work in Sochi during the games, I watched different vacancies, even as a waitress, and at the reception at the hotel. There was one fairly good vacancy - to work with foreigners, send applications to the base in case of failure cellular... It seems that the conditions were not bad: payment for round-trip travel, provision of housing and food at the time of work, and the work itself is not physically hard and not dusty. Stay behind the counter, smile at everyone and fill out the application correctly. But they promised a small salary, for a month of work only 20 with a little over a thousand rubles. I came to the interview, it seems, went well, but there is no joy in this work in the heart of the world. She sat at home weighed all the pros and cons and refused. Sochi discarded as an option altogether. Around the end of the summer, on VKontakte, I came across the page of a flight attendant from the Arab airline Etihad Airways, she was very active writing about her work on her wall, posted beautiful pictures in uniform and in different parts of the world: today she is walking near the Louvre in Paris, and tomorrow she is riding a small boat in Sydney, taking pictures against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera. I wrote her a message in which I told about myself, that I was also a former flight attendant and was now looking for a job. I began to ask her questions about her company, how to get a job, how they work, where they fly, how long business trips take, etc. Then I came across the blog of another flight attendant from the same company. I began to correspond with her, then she offered to go to Skype and talk “live” there, where she would tell everything in detail. Around the same time, I found the blog of an Emirates flight attendant. I read it, then other reviews about this company, and nevertheless decided to go to Etihad, it seemed to me that they had better conditions for flight attendants, and the salary was higher (one flight attendant of Etihad wrote to me about this, as it were secret).
I would like to say that from the moment I thought about trying to get an interview with Etihad, almost half a year had passed before my application was submitted. All this time, I arrived in doubts whether I would be able to work there, whether my English would be enough for this job, how I would live in a foreign country, and another 150 of all torments and fears within myself, I could only overcome on December 25, 2013. It was on Christmas that I filled out a questionnaire on the official website of the company, attaching photos and my resume there, and, of course, having prayed that if this is from God, let them invite me to an interview. I filled it in and went to church for the Christmas service. I return home late in the evening, open my computer, go to my mail, and there is already an answer - an invitation for an interview. My joy knew no bounds! As a Christmas present or even a Christmas miracle! I was in 7th heaven with happiness. The letter indicated several dates and cities where the interview will take place. I had to choose myself when and to which city it would be most convenient for me to come. I want to say that the company recruits flight attendants from all over the world, so interviews are also held in different cities, not only in Abu Dhabi. At first I wanted to go to Serbia, to Belgrade, since there were cheap plane tickets and there was no need for a visa for citizens of the Russian Federation (very convenient, great savings in money and time for its registration). But, having phoned on Skype with her new acquaintance, a flight attendant from Etihad, she changed her mind in favor of Abu Dhabi. Katya, that's the girl's name, invited me to come and stay with her for the interview. And she lived in an apartment that the company provided her. That is, I had the opportunity to see with my own eyes the conditions in which the stewards live. The offer was tempting, but at the same time, there were other obstacles - this is the issuance of a visa to the UAE and the purchase of a ticket for a direct flight from Moscow to Abu Dhabi. The only company that had such flights is of course Etihad. But when I saw the ticket prices, my hair stood on end, for that kind of money I would fly to New York with Aeroflot round-trip. What to do? Mom offered to go to a tour agency and take some inexpensive tour for 3 days in Abu Dhabi. And so I did. But there they began to intimidate me that I was young, and that another traveler would not be given a visa. “You'd better go with your mother, then the chances of getting a visa are almost 100%,” - so suggested an agent in a travel agency. I came home, talked to my mother, and after a couple of days, 2 of our passports were on their table, the hotel was booked, tickets for the charter flight were waiting for confirmation. God gave us a great gift for 18,000 rubles, TWO flew for 3 days to a sunny country, and this amount included a visa, and a hotel with breakfast, and insurance, and a flight. Isn't it a miracle? We then told everyone how cheap we bought vouchers to the UAE, but no one believed us. And this is how God did it, especially for us, because He knew that our budget was small.
True, I had to fly to Dubai, and from there I got to Abu Dhabi on the checkpoints.
We got to the hotel, checked in and went to look for the nearest bank to exchange money. The banks were all already closed, and we went where we were, so as not to sit in hotels, but to enjoy the warm sea air (and the bay was a 5-minute walk from us). The eyes led us to shopping center"Abu Dhabi Moll", there we exchanged our currency and had time to go shopping. I want to note that in Abu Dhabi, unlike Dubai, there were no sales. In some stores there were no discounts at all. This surprised us. But I want to move on to the main thing - this is my interview.
As we agreed with Katya, she came to the hotel for me to go with her to her apartment and from there in the morning I had to go to the Etihad company for an interview. And so it all happened. And the continuation of the story in the next blog.

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Continuing our detailed instructions on employment as a flight attendant at Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, special attention should be paid to preparation for Assessment Day. In the course of difficult tests, you have to pass a psychometric assessment, a check of external parameters, an English test, and also show the level of your communication skills in all its glory.

How to prepare for the interim and final interview with the best airline in the world, we will tell you in detail below. Despite the fact that the dream of becoming a Cabin Crew has not come true for everyone, we still found a couple of active Emirates flight attendants who will tell you in great detail how to get a job with Emirates.

BOOKS IN ENGLISH FOR THE OPERATOR

The Great, Scary and Mighty Assessment Day at Emirates Airlines (Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways): How to Prepare for the Most Important Interview in Life?

So, you have passed the preliminary screening of the 2019 recruitment, and recruiters from the Global Vision company called you back, or you still chose the date of one of the Open Day. Now is the time to prepare for your interview with Emirates (Etihad or Qatar Airways). This means you will need to carefully:

• work out your image (from clothes and shoes in a certain style to makeup and manicure of the right color);
• double-check all the points of your CV;
• prepare possible answers to standard and tricky questions;
• practice easy communication in English (you can do this in front of a mirror, as well as in front of friends and family members);
• recharge good mood and tune in to the positive (you must radiate warmth, confidence and friendliness at the same time).

The Assessment Day itself runs from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, i.e. during the whole day. Usually the first interview takes place in a huge conference hall of a hotel or business center, because from 100 to 200 girls and guys can come to it (and, as we mentioned above, there may even be fifteen hundred). Be mentally prepared for the fact that you will see dozens of identical girls. Many share their experience that it is extremely funny and, at times, causes continuous hysterical laughter. Control yourself!

Along with the high competition of beauties around, be prepared to look good for 9 hours in a row (don't worry, during this time you will be given time for rest and coffee breaks). We recommend taking spare tights, hairspray, a pen, a notebook, powder, blush and, of course, business card every Emirates Airlines flight attendant - red lipstick.

Important note! Keep in mind that the entire selection process for the flight attendant position for Emirates Airlines, Etihad and Qatar Airways runs from start to finish in English. If you are still not confident in your English, you can check your level for free or, practice answering the questions for the open day and the final interview in English. For training in English with a teacher, it doesn't matter what country and city you are in, the main thing is to have a computer, an Internet connection and a great desire to get a job as a flight attendant in a five-star airline.

Appearance at the interview: the right makeup, manicure, hairstyle, clothes and RED LIQUID are indispensable helpers in interviews in Emirates!

Happy Etihad Airways employees in branded clothes with purple lipstick

Regarding clothing, before X-Day, an Emirates (Etihad / Qatar Airways) recruiter will send email recommendations with an indication of the style of clothing, hairstyle and make-up. As a rule, it is business style clothes (white top - black bottom).

That is, wear a white ironed shirt (short sleeves are allowed), a dark skirt up to or slightly above / below the knees, a jacket to match the bottom and black pumps with small heels - you won't go wrong. To look better than your competitors, you can choose something of high quality and at a discount, and in order to get a 30% discount on the Fall-Winter 2018 collection when buying, indicate the promo code 9539.

It is worth braiding a bun on the hair with a high quality (so that the extra strands do not protrude anywhere), the makeup should be neat and restrained, with the exception of red lipstick on the lips.

Requirements to outward appearance future flight attendants and stewards to successfully pass interviews at Emirates Airlines, Etihad, Qatar Airways in 2019

What should be the manicure for an interview at Emirates Airlines (Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways)?

Manicure, according to unspoken data from already working flight attendants, it is better to do it red, or in the style of a jacket, the size of the grown nail should be a couple of millimeters. There should not be any bright, provocative, long nails of purple color and the like. And if you have problems with your nails, instead of building acrylic nails with a length like a dinosaur, it is better to do a neutral colorless European manicure with a neatly pushed cuticle.

What is the best dress for an interview at Emirates Airlines (Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways)?

Don't try to dress your Emirates Airlines Assessment Day the way you like to stand out from the crowd. Of course, it's up to you to experiment or not, but our goal is to successfully pass the interview.

Based on the experience of Cabin Crew, who have successfully passed the interview and are already working at Emirates, the interviews were attended by girls in ripped jeans from the latest collection, in hot pink extravagant suits and yellow jackets, in miniskirts and revealing dresses, on high heels with rhinestones. in Adidas sneakers and jogging leggings, with defiant make-up and vulgar glitter manicure, as well as a washcloth instead of well-groomed hair on his head. Well, after the first dropout, they were immediately removed from participation in the further selection.

Emirates Airlines (Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways) candidate selection stages for Assessment Day 2019

As soon as all the participants in the preliminary test have registered, submitted their CVs with color photographs and filled out small questionnaires about themselves, the first couple of hours the airline representatives gather everyone in the conference room and show a fascinating presentation about the United Arab Emirates (information about each emirate) and about life in Dubai (about local rules, customs and Muslim dress). It will also tell the story of the company's development.

While watching the video presentation, do not forget to make notes with important dates and key points in your notebook, especially if you are hearing this information for the first time. At the end of the presentation, recruiters will surely ask clarifying questions, thereby, based on your answers and the answers of your colleagues, they will begin to make a selection, imperceptibly for everyone.

Anna Attorney lives in Abu Dhabi and has been working as a flight attendant for Etihad for two years. We talked to find out more about the profession of a dream - secret or overt - of almost every second girl, to dispel or confirm common myths about flight attendants and to understand how everything happens in practice.

We publish Anna's story in the first person.

How to start working as a flight attendant

At the age of 18, I was a second year student at the Kirovograd Flight Academy and did an internship at the Simferopol airport. She caught fire with airplanes, the sky, and in the same year got a job at a check-in at Boryspil Airport. To do this, I switched to distance learning at the university. Three years later, Air Emirates announced that they were starting flights to Ukraine, and I got a job with them as ground personnel. But six months later, a plane was shot down over Donetsk: the company immediately stopped flights to Ukraine and after a while our entire Ukrainian office was fired.

Then there was a crisis in the country and it was clear that you need to try to find a job abroad. In addition, in Ukraine, the competition for the place of a flight attendant is simply incredible. To get to the Assessment Days, where companies are recruiting employees, you need to go through a preliminary competition, and only then you can be invited to the main selection. And even after this dropout, 250-300 girls of model appearance with good knowledge of English and huge ambitions come to Assesment Days: the competition is very high. So I applied to Etihad in Amsterdam. The competition there was much smaller.

At first I passed a fairly easy English test. Those who successfully passed it were divided into groups of 7 people, where the participants discussed the most different questions... And recruiters at this time looked at who was behaving how - who did not know how to restrain themselves, who closed in themselves, and who, on the contrary, knew how to listen and calmly argue their point of view. Then there were personal interviews, where they could ask completely unexpected questions, for example, with whom from historical figures would you like to have dinner. I had to answer right away, and I said that I wanted to have dinner with the first president of independent Ukraine, all the same, it was not Ukrainians who took the exam, and they did not even know who I was. Well, that would be really interesting.

After that, I was assigned a personal interview, where they discussed working and organizational issues in more detail. They asked if I was ready for life abroad, if I had ever worked in international companies. And only after that the contract was sent. I spent two months on courses in the UAE: we were taught everything a flight attendant should do, including first aid. After that, I immediately started working. And yes, they really take flight attendants only if you are above 160 cm and below 175 cm. The lower bar must be matched in order to reach the shelf with passengers' belongings.

What does a flight attendant's working day look like?

I put on my uniform, put on my makeup, check for documents. I arrive at the airport an hour and a half before departure. There we always have obligatory briefings on the next flight - we study the route, flight features, some security updates. After boarding, I check my zone of the aircraft in which I will work - if everything is working properly, if there are oxygen cylinders, defibrillators, smoke masks, and I also see if there is anything extra on board. If a kitchen is included in my area on this flight, then I check for food and other kitchen items.

After that, I help the passengers find their seats and after takeoff I start to warm up the food that comes to us frozen. Some passengers think that I should bring them a hot lunch right after we take off, but this is not possible.

Why do flight attendants always look good?

We have a whole booklet with settings on how we need to look - the allowed shades of cosmetics for flights, how to apply foundation, lipstick, mascara, draw arrows, and so on. So looking good is part of our job.But flight attendants do have joint problems due to leg work and constant pressure drops. In addition, the air in the cabin is rather dry, so each stewardess must additionally monitor the condition of the skin. In addition, in the sky we are exposed to radiation, especially when flying across the ocean for a long time. If the level of radiation that we received exceeds the permissible norm, my schedule is changed and only short flights are given.

There is a common myth that flight attendants look good and young because of the special air on the plane. It's a bullshit. In this air, there is often not enough oxygen and due to oxygen starvation, the cells of the body only die off faster. In addition, constant changes of time zones lead to the fact that we get tired faster and sometimes do not understand what time it is outside the window, which also affects our health.

Why are there fewer male flight attendants?

It seems to me that this is due to stereotypes about the service. When you imagine a five-star service, you often imagine a woman, because she is the keeper of the hearth and so on. Advertising shows, for example, a flight attendant who shelters a child who is asleep on the plane. It looks cute. And if you show the steward in the same situation, it will also look cute, but it will sell fewer tickets. Although we have a lot of men in our company who do an excellent job of their work. About 15-20% of the total flight attendants.

Privileges for flight attendants

We have two types of discounts: 90% and 50% on ticket prices excluding taxes and fees. In the first case, your seat has not been confirmed, and if there is no free space on the plane, then we have a choice - either to fly in the so-called jump seat, a folding chair for aircraft crew members, on which it is impossible to sit for more than five hours, or wait for the next plane ... In the second case, for half the price, the flight attendants have a confirmed seat in the cabin, but if suddenly the carrier company sells maximum amount tickets, then your ticket can also be sold to someone for the full price. So there is never a 100% certainty in discount tickets.

If our flight is more than five hours, then the carrier company is obliged to give us a daily rest in the city in which we arrived, the so-called layover. For us, this is all of Europe except Greece, where you can fly from the UAE faster. We are accommodated in a hotel and there we can already decide for ourselves how to spend this day. You can sleep all day, you can walk around the city. Thus, in two years of work, I have visited almost all corners of the world. There are cities where layover "s more than 24 hours. For example, Toronto. According to Canadian law, after such long flights as Abu Dhabi - Toronto, the team is supposed to rest more than 48 hours.

And my vacation is the same as everyone else's - 30 days. I have to say exactly when I want a vacation at least six months in advance. Also, I often have a good schedule, sometimes I can spend five days at home. Before and after long-distance flights, for example, to Sydney or Los Angeles, our company is obliged to give the team two days of rest. Therefore, my young man does not take my work with hostility.

Things that annoy passengers

I do not like it when people think that they are kings and kings, and they do not care about others. When you travel in such a confined space, you need to think about the people around you and act accordingly. To put it bluntly, if you know that you have a problem with the smell of your feet, do not take these shoes off. Passengers do not always realize that an airplane is not a restaurant, and a flight attendant is not a waitress. If I say that there is only chicken and pork on the menu, then I really have nothing else, and I will not take fish anywhere at an altitude of 4,000 miles. It is annoying when people constantly press the flight attendant call button, which, in principle, is conceived for emergencies and ask for some trifle.

I love flying to Japan because the Japanese are very polite and think of others. They try to minimize any discomfort, even for the personnel who fly with them.

What stewardesses can't talk about

We can talk to passengers, but we have taboo topics. We all, of course, try not to talk about politics, religion, personal things, because you never know what beliefs a passenger adheres to. We really can't talk about aircraft breakdowns and malfunctions. If we see something unusual overboard or inside, or hear an unpleasant smell, we must inform the captain of the plane and he will already decide whether this information is worth reporting to passengers.

If we see that the passenger is afraid to fly, then more often than not we talk to them, distract from their worries. We ask where and where they fly from, we can tell something ourselves.

About sex on an airplane

I didn't catch anyone, but I know it happens. Most often in an airplane toilet. But I, to put it mildly, do not advise doing this. Of course, I am a supporter of the idea that adults can do what they want, as long as it does not break the rules, but this should not be done on the plane.

The toilets on the plane are always clean, special workers are engaged in this while the plane is at the airport. But sometimes they can have 30, 45, 60 minutes to clean, so, of course, they cannot do a complete disinfection.

Scary stories from flight attendants

Like many professions, we also have our own professional stories and horror stories. Some seem plausible, some are just fairy tales. I don’t remember everything, but here is an example of such a story. She goes not only to Etihad, but in general, probably, in all airlines. We have a special compartment on the plane, like a compartment on a train, where we can lock ourselves up and sleep. If the flight is more than 10 hours, then we are entitled to three hours of rest. And then one day in this room the stewardess was awakened by one of the passengers, an old man. He came to ask for water. The passenger was not allowed to be in that part of the plane and the flight attendant asked him to take his seat. When the flight attendant brought water to the place indicated by the old man in the cabin, she saw an elderly woman there. When she heard that her husband asked to bring her water, she burst into tears. It turned out that he was flying the same plane, but in the cargo hold, with a load of 200.

There is another story about an Asian flight attendant who committed suicide in a German hotel. After that, according to the hotel staff, her spirit disturbed and frightened the guests. The medium, who was called to calm down the ghost, said to hang in each room of the hotel one painting with an Asian-looking girl. It is said to have helped. I also stayed at this hotel and was quite uncomfortable. But I did not notice anything unusual there.

How it all began ...

Qatar Airways, Air Arabia Jordan, Etihad Airways, UIA

About a year ago, I had no idea that one day I would want to become a flight attendant. I got the second higher education and dreamed about scientific activities BUT life, as always, is not predictable!

Realizing that graduate school does not shine for me, I was terribly disappointed ... BUT my world turned upside down in an instant! Last summer (2015) I was sitting in social network and accidentally saw the page of a girl I knew from the university, curiosity got the better of it! I flipped through its wall and I was shocked! 6 countries in one month! Yes, for me it was a lot, because I never left the borders of Ukraine) After scrolling a little more, I saw that she was a flight attendant! But how?!! We studied at the same university and she is a flight attendant, but I still have not completed my second education and my future work as a teacher only made me more depressed ...

Without hesitation, I decided to write to her and find out the story of her becoming a flight attendant! Honestly, I was very afraid that she would not even want to communicate with me, but she turned out to be a very nice girl))

After communication, I just caught fire with this idea! BUT I did not have a resume, and I also did not understand how to draw them up correctly for such a position. Fortunately, an acquaintance who studied at a German university helped me and threw me his own, as an example. I wrote it for a very long time, it seemed like an eternity ... Having written, I began to actively search for international airlines, went to their sites, sent my resume ... after that it dawned on me that not all airlines hire Ukrainian women ... the list of all kinds of companies was narrowed to a minimum (

And so, what did the GUGL leave me:

• Qatar Airways
• Etihad airways
• Emirates
• Air arabia
• Air arabia jordan

It seems there is plenty to choose from, but not everything is so easy and simple ...

For myself, I set a goal - TO BECOME A STEWARDESS FOR 1 YEAR ... or accept my fate and go to work in school ... although I'm lying, I wouldn't go there for any money ...

The first invitation to OD (Open Day) I received from Qatar Airways.

10/24/16 I came to my first interview in my life. I was like a lost child) All the girls looked just perfect: black suit, white shirt, hair pulled back, and red lipstick on their lips. Although I was in a black skirt and white shirt, for myself I looked like some kind of waitress, and my lips were nude ...

We were met by two recruiters: a Polish woman and a French woman. It all started with the fact that we went to the recruiter one by one and gave our documents (yes, I also managed to disgrace myself here: instead of a copy of my passport, I brought a copy of my Ukrainian passport, but I really didn't give it). I got to a nice Polish girl, the only question she asked me was: Do you have any work experience? I had no experience, but I kind of moved out, that the headman at the university and constantly work in a team ... She smiled and handed me a leaf, said that this is my number for tomorrow's AD (Assessment Day). I was sooo glad to go on.

The second day of the interview began with an English test. The test, in principle, was not difficult, everything was in test form, and all tasks were already related to the work of a flight attendant. But there were also difficult tasks for me: to calculate how much food should be given out in the economy and the like ... But the main “star” of the test was the essay. The recruiters came up with the topic on the go. I had: "Difficulties that you have faced in life." Here, as I understand it, I failed. I could not think of something sensible, I wrote something about the university, in two words: VODICHKA and BRED.

After that we were shown a presentation and weeded out according to the test results, of course, me too ... But I learned from the girls what happened next! And so, at first they took turns approaching the recruiter, stretching to the 210 cm mark, they were asked one question to understand how you react to different types questions. Questions such as “What are you most afraid of in life” ... After that, screening out and group assignment. The recruiters divided the girls into two groups and gave each of them their own task. My friend had: Make up a tour of Kiev. After the presentation - dropout. Those who stayed passed the FI (Final Interview) face to face with the recruiter. After that, the results were expected for 2 months. This is the interview process. at Qatar Airways.

The next experience of passing was an invitation to a Skype interview from Air arabia jordan.

This is a low-cost company, but I was ready for such a start. The first stage of the Skype interview was 10/13/15. Rasha's girlfriend called me on Skype, talked to me for half an hour: she asked me for height, weight, hobbies and work experience, we even managed to discuss a book I recently read. In principle, I really liked this type of interview, you are sitting at home in a comfortable situation for you, you don’t worry about anything ... But there was also a huge minus, because I didn’t see the girl Rush, I only heard. And this is very alarming ... And after that - silence ...

02/17/16 they remembered me and invited me to take an English test online. Since I was really delusional with the work of a flight attendant, I agreed. I sat all day preparing, remembered grammar, covered myself with cheat sheets just in case ... BUT something went wrong as always)) Rasha called me on Skype again, and said that now I would take a test for IQ level and knowledge of mathematics. What is the IQ ?! What kind of math ?! I can't stand her since childhood ... and I don't even remember the multiplication table. And if before that I was not worried, then after what I heard, my knees began to shake ... The questions were in a test form, but she threw me one at a time. Honestly, I was solving the first 5 questions for a very long time, while Rasha was discussing something in Arabic with colleagues ... in those seconds I thought that they were discussing something like: "What a fool she is" huh) ... yes, I can't take away low self-esteem).

Here are some of the questions she sent me:

1. Which one of the five is least like the other four?
A. Bear B. Snake C. Cow D. Dog E. Tiger

5. Which one of the five makes the best comparison?
Milk is to glass as letter is to:
A. Stamp B. Pen C. Envelope D. Book E. Mail

8. Jack is taller than Peter, and Bill is shorter than Jack.
Which of the following statements would be most accurate?
(A) Bill is taller than Peter.
(B) Bill is shorter than Peter.
(C) Bill is as tall as Peter.
(D) It is impossible to tell whether Bill or Peter is taller.

10. Were you tired after the trip in the mountains?
A: We was tired and also wet from the rain.
B: Yes, was I very tired.
C: We been tired and hungry.
D: Yes, we were, but we were happy.
E: Yes, and we were happy to be to home.

Fortunately, a calculator helped to cope with math ... the first time it came in handy on a laptop

After counting the results, I was congratulated on the successful passing of the test, asked to send some documents. And then I thought that everything, I’m a great smart girl, went through, and was even ready to move to Jordan ... and then I would receive a letter that on 28.03.16 I would have a file ... and again via Skype! On this day, I prepared a speech, sat waiting for the call and the funniest thing - THEY FORGOT TO CALL ME! They never sent the new date, but somehow I was not very upset))

The next step, and probably the most coveted one, took place on 02/08/16 - passing AD in the airline of my dreams - Etihad Airways.

Yes, this form haunted me!) I saw myself exclusively in it! But everything is in order.

The beginning of the interview was no different from the previous ones: a few hours of queue to go up to the recruiter (by the way, there were 4 of them), give documents, answer a trivial question about work, show your hands (this was already a novelty) and reach the 210 cm mark. I got to a Slovak, she spoke sooooo quietly and quickly, I could hardly understand her. And one recruiter was dressed in the Etihad uniform, I couldn’t stop looking at it))

After that we were given 15 minutes to write a test from English. The test itself is easy and is mainly based on comprehension of texts. Texts are related to aviation, so if you are not strong in vocabulary, please tighten up. In one task, you need to insert words from a table into the text. This text is about the airport in Abu Dhabi, terminal 2 (maybe it is on the Internet, since I met an insanely similar one in Wikipedia about Dubai airport).

Next - Impromptu Speech. What is it. And so, you all leave the conference room and go out into the corridor. Recruiters are seated around the perimeter of the hall. And you go in one at a time, go to one recruiter (by the way, it is not allowed to go to the one who accepted your documents), DO NOT SIT on the chair opposite him, as it is intended for your purse. You stand straight and beautifully, smiling, and you are asked only 1 question (they may ask more, but it will concern the first). I came across this: "When was the last time you felt embarrassed?" Yes, the questions are very crazy and different. Here is a list of the ones that were asked most often:

1. What are you going to do this weekend?
2. What would you do if you became invisible?
3. How do you prepare your favorite meal?
4. What super power would you like to have?
5. If you win $ 1 million, what will you spend on it?
6.Which historical person would you like to have dinner with?
7. If you had a chance to give a speech on a famous talk show, what would it be about?
8. Who would you like to become if you had the opportunity to become famous?
9. Why do you think manners are important? If you had a child, when would you start teaching him manners?
10. What does a rich person mean to you?
11. The most embarrassing moment in your life?
12. Weirdest food you've eaten?

13. Favorite book? (Or the last one you read and what did you learn from it?)
14. What is the most difficult thing in life?
15. What is the most valuable thing in life?
16. If you became president, what kind of law would you pass?
17. What excites you the most? (What would be the subject of your protest actually?)
18. What did you have to be taught in school that you weren't taught?
19. What did the university give you? How does this help the cabin crew work?
20. Who was the last person you tried to impress?
21. What kind of decoration do you associate yourself with?
22. What celebrity would you like to meet on your flight?
23. Who did you forgive the last time?

24. If given the opportunity, what kind of athletic sport would I do?
25. Are pets only for children and single people?
26. Who is your favorite singer / band?
27. What would you change in your country?
28. Are there good lies?
29. Do you believe in faith?
30. What's behind the stars?
31. What are you most afraid of?
32. What is Karma?
33. What quality would you like to have, but do not have?
34. What is the nicest compliment you have ever received?
35. What is life?
36. When was the last time you laughed and why?
37. How do you see yourself in the future?
38. What's your favorite restaurant?
39. Which are two things you are good at?

40. What will you do in 24 hours?
41. What is unique about you?
42. Why do teenagers smoke?
43. The culture of which people do you respect the most (after yours)?
44. What famous (historical?) Woman inspires / admires you?

BUT this is not the whole list! Therefore, my advice: ALWAYS ask those girls / boys who leave the room about the question. For I came across just such. And you can already come up with an answer in advance.

After that - elimination! Unfortunately, I also flew out after this stage. But personally, I realized because of what: I did it on the English test, since I didn’t know the basic vocabulary of aviation topics, I was simply confused about some words. What I noticed: that at this stage they mainly pay attention to the TEST. Based on the results of writing it, they did the screening.

But I'll tell you briefly about the other stages. The next one is a group assignment. My friend and her group came across this: "Think of a vacation for Mr. Smith and his family for 3 days." After that, there is another dropout. Those who stayed pass FI during that evening and the next day. The wait for results in Etihad is very fast.

My next, but not the last attempt was 02/23/16 at UIA.

Me and the rest of the applicants were scheduled for 11 am. I arrived on my head earlier ... As a result, we stood still in a small room near the elevator until 12 o'clock. Yeah, UIA does not shine with punctuality ... So, they finally took us to a small room (they don't even have a dressing room), so we looked like gypsies in the market with our clothes and changeable shoes ... huh, just kidding)) but we looked not presentable. There were 2 recruiters, we were divided into 2 groups and given an assignment: within 1 minute, talk to our neighbor, and then we must introduce each other (in Russian). The recruiter asked her age, height, weight ... And then, one girl (as it turned out later - a former flight attendant of another Ukrainian airline) was asked to leave the interview, since she is 28 years old, and according to their words, she is already old for this profession, another was eliminated because she she is a student of the correspondence department, and they do not take students .... as for me, they clung to my height, like too small (163 cm), but I diligently proved that I could reach the mark - I was allowed to stay.

The next task was to come up with and tell in English in 1 minute interesting fact that nobody knows. This task puzzled me a little, it seemed that everything that I knew disappeared from my head, so I decided to tell a fact from the history of Ukraine (I can tell it at night, although in a foreign language).

After that, they gave the last group task - to sell a duty free product to the recruiter. Here, as never before, we turned on our creativity, began to present our ideas. But as soon as we decided to tell our decision, one girl started first and .... TOLD EVERYTHING WHAT WE DISCUSSED, and said: and my colleagues want to continue! WE DON'T EXPECT SUCH SUBSTANCES! As a result, we got out one by one as soon as we could ....

The group assignments at this stage ended, everyone was asked to leave, and I was asked to stay. And then it rushed ... First, they told me to reach the top of the doorway, while they were forbidden to climb on their toes (although in other ak it can be done), I was just a little short of .... Then they brought an employee of their airline, and leaned us back (naturally, she will be taller: I stand barefoot, and she is in boots!). Then they apologized and said that my height was not enough for work. I was not surprised when my whole group was eliminated (they said learn English), and the girl who framed everyone was left! It was about this airline that I had negative impressions: they thought too much of themselves, despite the fact that VLEK (at its own expense - UAH 2000), shoes and a handbag also at its own expense, the salary is about 9 thousand UAH, and the contract is only for half a year!

This is purely my opinion, but, in principle, this is not a bad start to career growth. Therefore, try yourself at UIA.

The list of my attempts did not end there)

IN FACT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I SO GOT THE JOB OF A STEWARDESS.

And which of the famous airlines, read the next blog!

Good luck to everyone on the way to your dream!

Your Yasya.

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