Flight Attendant One of the Most Stressful Jobs
By Shane Cowlisha, Stuff.co.nz | Jan. 20, 2016
|
Long hours, days away from family, and rude, drunk passengers. Being a flight attendant is not easy.
That's the message from the union representing New Zealand's flight attendants as the behaviour of one of their own makes headlines across the world.
Former Air New Zealand flight attendant Jennifer Kilpatrick was fired in 2012 after a disastrous return flight to Rarotonga where she was accused of shouting at fellow staff and eating food meant for passengers.
She fought her dismissal all the way to the Employment Court, but had the case thrown out by a judge.
Kilpatrick claimed she was suffering fatigue and had not been provided the appropriate rest breaks.
Kelvin Ellis, director of organising for aviation workers at the union E tu, said that depending on whether they were working short, medium or long haul routes staff could be away from home for almost a week.
"One of the key stresses in flight attendants is because they're long hauls, they do have long periods of time away from home.
"They're traversing through different time zones, 10:00 p.m. you could be off to LA, end up in a foreign hotel away from the comforts of home then they have to jump back on a plane, fly home and slot back into New Zealand time."
While the factors did not excuse bad behaviour, it was difficult to deal with these factors while remaining vigilant of passengers' safety and keeping a smile on their face, he said.
Generally flight attendants got on well, but if there were problems they often happened in view of the public.
"For the most part the relationship between flight attendants is very strong, it's kind of like, not dissimilar to a sport team.
"But if someone gets stressed while working in a factory and throws a few tools about no-one hears but if something happens with a flight attendant...they're right in the face of the public."
During Kilpatrick's court case, another flight attendant on the Rarotonga flight, Michelle Coyle, gave evidence that Kilpatrick had been combative from the start.
During a pre-flight meeting of attendants, she said she asked Kilpatrick if she preferred to be called Jenny or Jen, which was met with the response: "Neither, I am neither of them and if you want to call me that I'm going home; it's over".
During the flight Kilpatrick was responsible for the galley and her attitude was described as poor by Coyle.
Kilpatrick had not programmed the in-flight entertainment screens to include food orders, leading to complaints from passengers about a lack of food.
The galley was described as "a shambles" with carts out and no replenishing of tea or coffee.
One passenger also saw Kilpatrick eating one of the pies, which were supposed to be available for purchase by passengers but had not been added to the in-flight screen.
The passenger made a pointed comment to Kilpatrick about the situation, who then "rudely berated him" for watching her while she ate.
After shouting at several other flight attendants and calling them "useless" she was told to stop shouting but said "I'm not shouting, I have a loud voice".
During the return flight, Kilpatrick broke protocol by going to the flight deck without clearance from the flight service manager to complain about her fellow flight attendants.
The two pilots formed the view Kilpatrick was trying to intimidate staff members and "had it in" for Coyle.
Because of her behaviour, it was decided Kilpatrick would be given her performance rating, mandatory for all flight attendants following a flight, when the plane landed.
Two managers boarded to assist in the debrief after the passengers had disembarked but Kilpatrick reacted badly, suddenly claiming she was sick.
Coyle refused to accept this and the feedback session took place, with Kilpatrick complaining throughout.
She proceeded to make disparaging comments about the in-flight services coordinator, for whom English was a second language, when he attempted to give her feedback.
"Can you speak English?" she said.
Following the incident Kilpatrick went on sick leave, providing a medical certificate from her doctor and claiming workplace stress.
She was later fired after failing to see an Air NZ medical officer.
Kilpatrick has not responded to requests for comment.