The Glamour Girls

By Gary Yeo (4th October 2006)

The first female air stewardess was a 25-year-old nurse by the name of Ellen Church. The year was 1930 and commercial air travel was still new. People were not used to air travel and had many concerns. The United Airline Air Stewardess instilled confidence in passengers as she was a registered nurse and was better able to attend to passengers than the rest of the “cabin boys” or stewards.

These days, the job title is more politically correct – “Flight Attendant”.

But little else has changed. Flight Attendants still play an integral role in the operation of commercial airlines, making every passenger feel at home, 30,000 feet from the ground, anywhere around the world.

The passage of time, however, has seen them evolve into the most glamorous frontline service in the world. Donning elegant uniforms, flying around the world, buzzing through the world’s busiest airports everyday, it is no wonder that many young women like ex-Singapore Airline (SIA) Flight Attendant, Jasmine Quah, dreamt of being a flight attendant as a young girl.

“I decided from a young age that I wanted to be either a model or a Flight Attendant,” Jasmine laughed. “I prayed very hard and when my application was finally accepted by SIA I was thrilled!”

Jasmine described her first round of interviews in Kuala Lumpur as an informal session for the SIA recruiters to get to know the applicants. Jasmine and other candidates were made to read passages out loud in front of her interviewers for them to access how well spoken and confident the applicants were of themselves. Girls who made it past the reading were put through a formal interview where they were asked why they wanted to join the industry and why they were suitable candidates.

After 2 agonising weeks of waiting, Jasmine received a letter with a ticket to Singapore. “The second round of interviews was more exciting. They flew me down from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and it was the first time I was on a plane and it was so exhilarating. I was one step closer to being a Flight Attendant!” related the ex-SIA Leading Stewardess.

Under the close supervision and scrutiny of the professional SIA recruiters, she was put through a comprehensive medical and fitness check which included a water confidence test. “Before we jumped into the water we had to parade in our swimsuits. It was a little embarrassing but rather fun now that I think back about it.” said Jasmine.

Like Jasmine, fellow ex-SIA stewardess, Goh Hui Miang, made it through the interviews and was hired. Stringent requirements set by Federal Aviation Authority required them to go through a comprehensive training program that covered areas such as safety, basic first aid and evacuation procedures.

Naturally, professional airlines like SIA also provided lessons on service excellence, customer handling and personal deportment. Hui Miang explained that they were given tips on how to handle difficult customers and made to memorise the many procedures that they have to carry out during their duty.

She said: “It is not just about looking good and smiling. A flight attendant’s job is more complex than it looks. There are pre-flight procedures, pre-landing procedures, safety presentations and evacuation procedures to memorise. Every country has unique requirements and regulations that we had to observe.” She added that flight attendants are also expected to be prepared to serve people from different cultures and nationalities. Knowing their cultures and practices puts them in a better position to relate to and serve them.

As Jasmine and Hui Miang found out once joining the profession, there was a lot more to a flight attendant than just its glamorous front. “In the 5 years that I was with SIA I got to travel around the world. I have been to too many countries to name. But flying all around can be taxing at times, especially during long haul flights. You have to be there an hour before the passengers board, security checks, and organising things for the on-flight service. And once the passengers are boarded, you could be working for the next 6 hours straight.” said Hui Miang.

However having worked as a Flight Attendant for 5 years, and rising up the ranks to Leading Stewardess, she has no qualms promoting the charms of the career to anyone thinking of sampling the high life. “I would do it all over again if I had the chance. I enjoyed every minute of it. I fulfilled my childhood dream of travelling the world. Every country that I visited is unique and there was so much to explore – the food, the people and the heritage.” said Hui Miang.

“You will also get to meet the occasional celebrity. So far the prominent celebrities I have met include Tina Turner and Leslie Chong (Zhang Guo Rong). I was so thrilled when I met Leslie Chong and got to take a picture with him.” added Hui Miang.

“I would definitely recommend it as a career to anyone,” said Hui Miang. “No other career can provide you the kind of global emersion experience that a Flight Attendant position can.”