Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Grounded and Furloughed

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought air travel to a screeching halt in early 2020, flight attendants faced a sudden and devastating loss of work. As countries closed borders and airlines slashed schedules, many found themselves abruptly furloughed or laid off. For those who managed to keep their jobs, the number of flights - and therefore flight hours to be paid - dropped precipitously.

Southwest flight attendant Lyn Montgomery was set to celebrate her 10-year anniversary with the airline in April 2020. But with Southwest cutting its capacity by 50%, her flying time was reduced to just 20 hours a month. "My income was literally cut in half overnight," she said.

For Tiffany Fritts, 13 years at American Airlines ended abruptly when she was furloughed in the fall of 2020. "It felt like my livelihood had just been ripped away from me," she recalled. Though she picked up part-time retail work, it barely paid a quarter of her previous salary.

By the end of 2020, tens of thousands of flight attendants had been let go by struggling U.S. airlines. Those still employed faced plummeting wages, slashed benefits, and constant anxiety over potential furloughs. Travel restrictions also left many flight attendants stranded far from home between assignments.

"I was stuck in Chile for two months because the U.S. had closed its borders," said United attendant Chelsia Vardomskii. "It was incredibly isolating and stressful." Food and housing support from union relief funds helped get her through.

For junior flight attendants like United's Maddie Peters, the pandemic meant an abrupt end to coveted international routes. She went from regular London and Frankfurt trips back to short domestic hops. "It felt like starting my whole career over," she said.

Coping with the loss of camaraderie and in-flight teamwork only compounded the stress of furloughs and pay cuts. "Flying went from this joyful career to just making it through one day to the next," said American attendant Denice Collins. "The pandemic really heightened the uncertainty of our jobs."

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Mask Mandates Take Off

As COVID-19 vaccines rolled out in 2021, flight attendants looked forward to easing pandemic restrictions. But the CDC’s abrupt lifting of mask mandates in April 2022 thrust attendants back into turbulence.

For Southwest attendant Lyn Montgomery, the mandate reversal triggered instant chaos. “Passengers ripped off masks and got belligerent when asked to put them back on,” she said. Though Southwest soon made masks optional, attendants felt pressure to avoid escalating conflicts.

“We’d remind someone of the policy and they’d get in our face yelling,” said American attendant Tiffany Fritts. Without federal air marshal backup, she felt unsafe but powerless to defuse tensions.

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Turbulent Passenger Behavior

Unruly passenger incidents skyrocketed amid pandemic stresses, leaving attendants feeling threatened. For United attendant Chelsia Vardomskii, a simple mask reminder could spark verbal abuse or assaults. “I had people throw trash and full soda cans at me when asked to mask up,” she said.

“Passengers seem quicker to anger and aggression now,” said Maddie Peters of United. “Even minor things like asking someone to raise their seatback will make them irate.” She was shocked at rising cases of groping and indecent exposure.

Southwest attendant Lyn Montgomery was brought to tears when a passenger punched her after being told to wear his mask properly. “I didn’t feel management had my back. We were expected to take abuse as part of the job.”

The pressure took a toll on mental health. “Constantly being cursed at and belittled really wears you down,” said Tiffany Fritts of American. “Attendants dread going to work now, never knowing what abuse we’ll face.”

Though all U.S. carriers adopted zero tolerance policies, attendants felt professional discretion was still expected. “We know police involvement means that customer is lost for good,” said Montgomery. “So we take the hits and keep flying.”

“We need airlines to permanently ban abusive flyers from their system,” urged Vardomskii. “That would send a strong message to treat us with dignity.” Clear communication and enforcement of safety rules were also critical to restoring calm skies post-pandemic.

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Reboarding After Layoffs

“I’d been furloughed 20 months when United called about rehiring,” said attendant Chelsia Vardomskii. “I had 24 hours to decide whether to uproot my life again for a job with no guarantees.” With recall rights differing between airlines and individual contracts, the process left attendants in limbo.

The rapid recalls also led to understaffing issues. “American was woefully underprepared for how many attendants returned,” said Denice Collins. “Reserves were flying 95 hours a month trying to cover trips.” New FAA limits on duty times offered little respite.

Trying to maintain reserve availability while juggling recurrent training and new hire classes proved a logistical nightmare. Tiffany Fritts recalled desperately emailing schedulers to request days off for required training. “I was terrified of getting withheld from service for missing a deadline,” she said.

After losing seniority and accrued benefits, returning felt bittersweet at best. “I finally got rehired, but lost the amazing London route I’d worked years for,” said United’s Maddie Peters. Starting back at junior domestic assignments after international experience felt discouraging.

Rapidly reinstated flight volumes also outpaced rehiring. “There weren’t enough flight attendants to fully staff some planes,” said Southwest’s Lyn Montgomery. “We randomly got assigned extra flights we could hardly prep for.” Pushing back against punishing schedules risked being seen as ungrateful.

Months without flying raised safety concerns as well. “I had to relearn skills and protocols I’d been doing for years,” said Fritts. Fears of inadvertently breaking FAA rules induced severe anxiety.

Though glad to regain work, the lack of support and rapid pace of changeover took a toll. "Just when you start feeling settled, they revise the whole system again," said Collins wearily.

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Coping with COVID Restrictions

As air travel rebounded, flight attendants faced evolving COVID-19 protocols that challenged their agility and composure. Mask mandates flipped on and off without warning, leaving attendants struggling to enforce ever-changing rules.

“Just when you’d adjusted to a new policy, it would switch again,” said American Airlines attendant Denice Collins. “Passengers expected us to magically know if masks were required that day.” Unclear guidance from both U.S. airlines and aviation agencies heightened attendants’ distress.

Basic tasks like in-flight service became fraught with anxiety. “I agonized over keeping drinks and snacks sanitary,” said United flight attendant Chelsia Vardomskii. “Distancing was impossible so every interaction felt risky.” She took to obsessively sanitizing her hands after passenger contact.

Southwest attendant Lyn Montgomery took it upon herself to wipe down seatbelt buckles and armrests whenever possible. “I just had this constant fear of spreading germs,” she said. But short turnarounds between flights left little time for thorough cleansing.

Tight spaces and recycled air meant attendants felt especially vulnerable to infection. “We were frontline workers without frontline pay or protection,” said Maddie Peters of United. Without access to N95 masks, flight crews resorted to double-masking for protection.

Quarantine restrictions wreaked havoc on attendants’ schedules and mental health. “I got stuck in Miami for a week after a passenger tested positive,” said Tiffany Fritts of American Airlines. “The isolation was devastating.” Time off required for recovery was unpaid.

Rapid test results could strand attendants far from home at a moment’s notice. “I had to sleep in the Munich airport after a last-minute positive PCR,” said United’s Vardomskii. Lack of global testing standardization only complicated her efforts to get home.

Flight attendants agreed that clear cross-agency protocols were desperately needed. “Confusion around contact tracing and quarantine rules has to be addressed,” urged American’s Collins. “We need coordination between federal agencies and transparency from airlines on case reporting.”

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Passenger Interactions at New Altitudes

As pandemic restrictions eased in 2022, flight attendants found passenger interactions fundamentally changed. Mask mandates, zero tolerance policies, and COVID anxieties altered social dynamics at 35,000 feet. Attendants struggled to reconnect with travelers emerging from two years of isolation and uncertainty.

For Southwest flight attendant Lyn Montgomery, chit-chat felt challenging after prolonged tension around masking. “Passengers seemed to want to keep to themselves more,” she said. “Even basic greetings could be met with grunts.” Making small talk took on a tiring awkwardness.

American Airlines attendant Denice Collins sensed heightened suspicion in passenger body language. “People bristled at the most basic safety reminders,” she said. Once routinecompliance now signaled implicit distrust between attendants and travelers.

Without inflight mingling to liven long hauls, boredom and frustration mounted. "Passengers fixated on minor things like wifi glitches," said United's Chelsia Vardomskii. Her jokes fell flat with stone-faced travelers focused on phones or screens.

For junior United attendant Maddie Peters, the lack of smiles and banter seemed sad. “I became a flight attendant to connect with people,” she said. “Now passengers just want robotic service with no warmth.” She felt reduced to an anonymous uniform.

Coping with unruly flyers left attendants wary of provoking further conflicts. “I hesitate to even make small talk now in case it sets someone off,” admitted Tiffany Fritts of American. Laughter and levity gave way to tense silence.

Many found their enthusiasm for engaging passengers drained by the barrage of belligerence. “My job went from hospitality to just trying to avoid threats,” said Southwest's Montgomery. Safety meant emotional distance - even if it contradicted an attendant's nature.

Some hoped easing policies would reopen doors between attendants and flyers. “I think trust can be rebuilt, but airlines have to empower us to exercise discretion again,” said Collins. Clear communication of shared responsibilities would help smooth interactions.

But attendants agreed lasting change depended on passengers treating crews with respect again. “We need travelers to see us as people too," urged Fritts. Compassion shown in tough moments could reignite the spark of human connection at the heart of the friendly skies.

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Landing Support and Solidarity

The pandemic underscored the vital need for flight attendants to support one another, both on the job and off. Attendants leaned on their unions, airline colleagues, and tight-knit community to cope with furloughs, health risks, unruly passengers, and punishing schedules.

“If it wasn’t for my union, I’d have been destitute and despondent,” said American Airlines attendant Tiffany Fritts. Union-funded healthcare and COBRA subsidies helped her survive months on furlough. Food banks run by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) provided groceries when her unemployment checks lagged.

The APFA’s crisis support line fielded calls from anxious attendants struggling to adapt to ever-changing COVID rules. “Just being able to talk through fears with people who understood was so helpful,” said attendant Denice Collins. Peer counseling services, temporary housing, and emergency financial aid offered critical stopgaps.

Online support groups allowed isolated attendants to share stories and feel less alone. “We could vent, ask advice, or send each other funny memes,” said United attendant Chelsia Vardomskii. Virtual happy hours maintained a sense of community when in-person gatherings ceased.

Attendants not as active in unions relied on airline colleagues. “My work family really had my back when I got sick with COVID,” said Southwest attendant Lyn Montgomery. Fellow attendants covered trips so she could fully recover without salary loss. Informal phone trees helped attendants swap shifts or give away unwanted flights.

Onboard, teamwork flourished between attendants determined to withstand turbulent times. “We shared sanitizing duties, reminded each other of mask policies, and agreed to tag team unruly passengers so no one felt singled out,” said Maddie Peters of United. Having each other’s backs preserved solidarity in the face of adversity.

Many attendants found their most steadfast allies were spouses and partners who patiently endured long separations. “My husband was my rock when I got furloughed,” said Fritts. Attendants’ partners frequently sacrificed their own careers to accommodate unpredictable flight schedules and last-minute route changes.

Layovers too became essential opportunities for attendants to console one another about grievances large and small. “We’d meet up at hotels to vent and say ‘I understand, I’ve been there’,” said Montgomery. Cafe meetups, gym sessions, and shared Ubers to the airport preserved a sense of community.

Turbulence and Tailwinds: Flight Attendants Weather Pandemic Storms - Clear Skies Ahead?

Clear policies, robust support, and restored public trust will be essential for helping crews regain confidence in the friendly skies. Attendants urge airlines to promote compassion for frontline staff by permanently banning abusive flyers. "Airlines need to demonstrate zero tolerance for harassment of their employees," says United attendant Chelsia Vardomskii.

Consistent enforcement of federal mask mandates would also reduce conflicts arising from unclear guidelines. "If rules constantly flip-flop, it just creates tension between crews and passengers," notes American attendant Tiffany Fritts.

Access to high-quality PPE is another critical issue. "We need N95s provided like healthcare workers, not flimsy masks," says Southwest flight attendant Lyn Montgomery. Paid quarantine leave would likewise ease the burden of potential exposures.

After operating on razor-thin staffing throughout the pandemic, attendants want schedules aligned with safe FAA limits. "We need guaranteed minimum rest between duty periods honored," insists Maddie Peters of United. Reasonable duty caps will curb punishing hours that elevate fatigue and burnout.

Restoring onboard service levels without overtaxing reduced crews remains an open question. "Airlines have to balance service expectations with safety," notes American attendant Denice Collins. Gradually ramping up catering and amenities as staffing stabilizes could help avoid undue strain.

Rebuilding a sense of stability and security after months in limbo poses another challenge. "I'm still uneasy, wondering if I'll get furloughed again," admits United's Chelsia Vardomskii. Advance notice and transparent recall policies would provide greater confidence.

After struggling with inadequate training upon return, attendants want guaranteed recurrence without risk of disciplinary action. "We need time to reacclimate without pressure," says American's Tiffany Fritts. Education on updated protocols and technology is essential for success.

And fostering teamwork and trust between crew members grounded for long stretches could smooth turbulence. "It's been hard syncing back up after so much time apart," acknowledges Southwest attendant Lyn Montgomery. More team-bonding exercises may enhance onboard cooperation and communication.

From an industry-wide standpoint, clearer coordination between government agencies, airlines, and unions is needed to deliver consistent safety messaging. "The confusion over changing guidelines has been nonstop," notes Maddie Peters. A unified voice would ensure alignment.