Initially, on passenger flights, the co-pilot was engaged in passengers, which was risky from a safety point of view. In 1928, Germany began to include a third member, a steward, in the crews of passenger aircraft. In 1930, in the United States, the idea arose to attract young attractive girls to work as stewards. This was supposed to serve as an advertisement for passenger air travel, besides, the girls weighed less, and any extra kilogram mattered.

Helen Church is the world's first flight attendant

When asked when the new female profession "stewardess" appeared, historians passenger aviation there is no clear answer. But in many reference publications, Ellen Church, a registered nurse from Iowa, is called the world's first flight attendant. She was able to persuade Boeing Air Transport management to recruit female doctors. In 1930, eight nurses were selected for flight. Helen Church embarked on the San Francisco-Chicago flight first, on May 15, 1930 (on a Boeing Model 80).

Sky girls

The stewardesses (who were then called Sky Girls - "heavenly girls") had to not only provide first aid or, smiling sweetly, serve coffee, but also perform a number of other duties, which are not easy for men. V job description it was said that the flight attendants had to greet passengers warmly, punch their tickets, weigh the passengers themselves and their luggage, and handle the loading and unloading of this luggage. Before departure, the flight attendants had to clean up the cabin and the pilot's cabin, check if the passenger seats were securely attached to the floor, and kill the flies if necessary. During the flight, distribute chewing gum, blankets, slippers, clean boots for passengers, clean the toilet after a visit by passengers. In places of intermediate landings, they had to carry buckets of fuel for refueling the airliner. And when the plane arrived at its final destination, they had to help the ground personnel to roll it into the hangar. The girls worked 100 hours a month, earning $ 125.

Boeing Air Transport hired flight attendants on a three-month probationary period, but the practice turned out to be so successful that they were not only enrolled in the staff, but also decided to continue hiring mostly female flight attendants. The requirements for applicants were as follows: to be unmarried, to have a nurse's diploma, age - no more than 25 years, weight - no more than 52 kg, height - no more than 160 centimeters.

The emergence of the term "flight attendant"

In September 1998, at the assembly of the International Organization civil aviation ICAO representatives of all States agreed to consider that the existing official name professions of stewardesses and stewards - Flight Attendant (literally translation - "flight assistant") must be replaced by Cabin Crew (literal translation - "crew of the ship's cabin" - flight attendant) in order to increase the role and status of these specialists in ensuring safety on board aircraft.

To the uninitiated, the work of flight attendants seems to be a wonderful pastime with flights to the sea, intrigues with passengers and other air romance. Stewards and flight attendants themselves tend to recall other stories. "Lenta.Ru" spoke with flight attendants about violent passengers, charter flights to the sea and flight clearances.

Alina, "Transaero": "Ours is not Europe"

“Domestic flight. We have already closed the doors, sat down and prepared for takeoff. Suddenly I hear someone calling us. I run up and see: the passenger has opened the emergency exit to the wing. I ask him: why? He replies: "It has become hot." When they had already taken off, the entire flight was afraid of depressurization. The hatch was closed by the pilots, and the co-pilot could not cope, the commander had to connect. If this happened in Europe or the United States, after such a trick the man would have been removed from the flight and severely punished, and here he flew to his destination. Upon arrival, a police squad was waiting for him, who simply talked to him.

Evgeniya, Aeroflot: "They demand a book of complaints"

“Once on a flight, a heavily drunk passenger was impatient with the wind right on takeoff. At this time, the toilets are still closed, and everyone is sitting with their seat belts fastened. The man tried to cope with a small need for the passage, but we managed to persuade him to be patient.

Another time, even before takeoff, two passengers did not share the luggage rack and, swearing heavily, began to scatter each other's things around the cabin. We were going to fight, but we didn’t let them.

Sometimes passengers think that they are in a restaurant and get very upset when they get fish instead of meat. This happens, for example, when you sit at the end of the salon. A scandal ensues, cries of "give me a complaint book!"

Children are a separate topic. Some mothers refuse to fasten their children on takeoff and landing, because "suddenly they will cry." The fact that, first of all, the safety of the child himself depends on this, and at the same time those around him - this does not bother them. By the way, screaming kids are not a problem for us. Now, if the children are running around the cabin, then there is a risk of hitting them with a trolley with food (very heavy, by the way). Well, in general, they really interfere with the service of passengers. "

Photo: Alexander Kryazhev / RIA Novosti

Irina, "Yamal": "We have to pump out"

“I have been able to help when someone did something bad, or if a child choked. The impressionable then write to the book of proposals and on the website, admire how we are fighting for the life of the passenger. Once a kid of about three choked. We helped, of course. So the eyewitness then shook our hands and thanked us, although he was a stranger to this kid. This is, of course, very nice. In situations like this, passengers really understand why they need a flight attendant on the plane.

One day a young man became ill. He was shaking and throwing it hot and cold. It didn't look like an epileptic seizure. We did not leave him for the entire flight. The doctors later said that he was poisoned. "

Olga, UTair: "They didn't let me rest"

“Flight Moscow - Murmansk. Everything is as usual: we made the people sit down, prepared for takeoff, flew. While serving passengers, I heard loud screams, someone was swearing. Turning around, I saw that a conflict broke out between six women. Half flew to celebrate something, half to bury someone. The women flying to the party were tipsy, playing cards and laughing loudly. In general, the passengers quarreled, threw some small objects at each other. We, of course, reassured them, but I also listened to a lot of things in my address. In Murmansk, a police squad was called, as the women violated the rules of conduct on board the aircraft and insulted the crew members.

It didn't end there. I was asked to go with the passengers to the police for further investigation. In theory, at this time I had to rest before the return flight. The result - a fine for violent passengers for breaking the rules, the prospect of a lawsuit and my four-hour stay at the police station. "

Irina, UTair: "Saved a life"

“Flight to Gelendzhik from Moscow. Passengers were offered hot meals, about an hour left to Gelendzhik. An aged woman got up, wanted to go to the toilet, but collapsed in the aisle - she lost consciousness. She flew alone. We stopped serving and rushed to her. We tried to measure the pulse, but it was poorly felt. Her face was pale gray, her lips were blue, and sweat was pouring down her face.

The plane was loaded completely, but understanding people were found, gave up their seats, and we were able to put her on a row of seats. We tried to bring the woman to her senses. Unfortunately, in our first-aid kit there are no serious drugs and equipment, so we can only provide first aid, with the simplest means. Among them are stimulating napkins for breathing (replacement for ammonia), nitrospray (for cores), as well as an oxygen cylinder - it, like nothing else, helps out in such situations, since with heart failure, as a rule, there is always not enough air. One of the passengers, a doctor, also helped. Together, we literally fought for the life of this woman. She periodically came to her senses, muttered something incoherently. She did not answer questions.

Did a heart massage. It was scary that a person might die in front of your eyes, but you are not able to help him. In agreement with the commander, the crew decided to land at the nearest airport in order to hand over this passenger to the doctors. Forced landing we performed in Rostov. At the moment of decline, the woman felt a little better, she reacted to our questions. The most important thing for us was to determine if she has heart problems, maybe she is hypertensive or something else. The passenger did not know any chronic diseases. Preparing for landing, they soldered it off with water.

A team of five doctors came to Rostov. We told them about what had happened and what means we tried to help - everything that we used. They threw up their hands and offered to continue the flight. They said something like "there are only 50 minutes left to fly, and in Gelendzhik she will receive medical treatment." It was obvious to us that the passenger would not endure another takeoff and landing. Rostov doctors did not want to take responsibility for themselves. As a result, passengers intervened in our skirmish, and the woman was nevertheless taken to the hospital.

Surprisingly, there were also such passengers who were indignant, snorted and declared that our company would not fly again - "with such unplanned landings and delays."

One more time we flew by charter from Hurghada to Moscow. The passengers, of course, were tipsy - after all, from the rest. But a number of passengers escaped from one woman with spoiled children. They tried to make comments to her, then they came to us to complain: their neighbor began to be rude to them and threaten them with reprisals. We were allowed to change seats first to one passenger who complained about a lady with children. Then another girl - again from the same row. In general, we did everything to extinguish the conflict. "

Natalya, UTair: "They ask for oxygen, then vodka, then sew up trousers"

“At that time I was still working for Siberia Airlines (S7). A week or two before this incident, two of our planes fell. We flew from Domodedovo on a large "carcass" (TU, Tupolev Design Bureau family of aircraft, - approx. "Lenta.ru"). The man in the last row was very nervous. He asked for water, then he demanded oxygen, then vodka. We were waiting for the documentation on board and were about to close the door and remove the gangway when a Muslim-looking passenger ran into the cabin at the last minute.

She walked through the cabin with a suitcase that was difficult to fit on the shelves above the passenger seats. I had to put it in the oxygen compartment, between the toilets in the rear. She herself also sat down at the end - not far from the nervous man.

The situation strained us. There was a "rocking" in our brigade, and we asked him to be in the tail section for the entire flight and watch these two passengers. Most of all, four hours in the air, our foreman panicked. She understood all the responsibility and possible consequences. We, of course, only fantasized, but at the same time we were on the alert.

Once again, we operated a daily flight to Kharkov from Moscow's Vnukovo. The plane is small, and the passengers are constantly the same - people flew every day to work and returned home. Once a businessman flew to Kharkov, with whom we exchanged a few words. The next day we returned to Moscow. During the flight, the man turned to me with despair in his eyes - he was having a business meeting, and his trousers came apart at the side seam. Since I always have threads with a needle with me (tights or stockings can easily catch on during our work), I decided to help him out. He looked as happy as a child's. The man had to take off his trousers, but I gave him a blanket, which he wrapped around like a skirt. Itself in about ten minutes I figured out his split seam. The passenger was happy.

I once worked on a flight with three landings. From the destination, they flew back in the same way. And, of course, there were transit passengers who flew with us to the very end. Before each takeoff in the cities of transfer, I announced the entire route with all landings. Then - the destination to which we flew in this moment... Parking at the airports was for a maximum of 50 minutes. I somehow got lost and forgot where the plane was flying this time. I had to ask the passengers for help to remind them. They, of course, helped me out. "

Victor (the name of the company is not disclosed at the request of the flight attendant): "They wanted to solve us"

“We were flying Moscow - Irkutsk. There were 3 guys working, there were no girls. Passengers came in, took off. A rather drunk citizen in the housekeeper demanded brandy. He was once answered that there was no alcohol - he began to shout and be indignant, he had to come up again. The passenger announced that if he was not poured cognac, he would "decide" for everyone. We were tired of this, and we qualified his actions as a threat to the crew and passengers. In fact, of course, just a drunk man wanted another drink. In general, they tied up and sat down in the service part of the plane. In this form, he spent the rest of the flight - all three and a half hours. Upon landing, he was handed over to the police, what happened to him next, I don't know. "

Artem (the name of the company is not disclosed at the request of the flight attendant): "Shout in unison"

“Most of the screaming children that interfere with normal work, of course, are during the holiday season. And they all scream in unison. Extremely annoying passengers who consider themselves very important persons. It seems to them that they have come to a restaurant, and we have to dance in front of them for their five-thousandth ticket. Usually these are men who also write all sorts of nonsense in the book of complaints. Scary stories in my practice, fortunately, was not. Of course, it happened - it threw up half a meter on a descent. But this is, in general, quite normal. "

The names of some of the heroes of the material have been changed at their request

Alina, "Transaero": "Ours is not Europe"

Evgeniya, Aeroflot: "They demand a book of complaints"

Irina, "Yamal": "We have to pump out"

Olga, UTair: "They didn't let me rest"

Irina, UTair: "Saved a life"

Did a heart massage. It was scary that a person might die in front of your eyes, but you are not able to help him. In agreement with the commander, the crew decided to land at the nearest airport in order to hand over this passenger to the doctors. We made a forced landing in Rostov. At the moment of decline, the woman felt a little better, she reacted to our questions. The most important thing for us was to determine if she has heart problems, maybe she is hypertensive or something else. The passenger did not know any chronic diseases. Preparing for landing, they soldered it off with water.

Surprisingly, there were also such passengers who were indignant, snorted and declared that our company would not fly again - "with such unplanned landings and delays."

Natalya, UTair: "They ask for oxygen, then vodka, then sew up trousers"

“At that time I was still working for Siberia Airlines (S7). A week or two before this incident, two of our planes fell. We flew from Domodedovo on a large carcass. The man in the last row was very nervous. He asked for water, then he demanded oxygen, then vodka. We were waiting for the documentation on board and were about to close the door and remove the gangway when a Muslim-looking passenger ran into the cabin at the last minute.

Once our crew spent the night in a city on the seashore. We decided to take a walk and drink local wine, but the commander refused. He is an interesting person, he likes to joke, but at the same time speaks extremely slowly. We are accustomed to this manner of communication, but from the outside it may not seem quite adequate. In the morning we go through a medical examination to get admission to the flight. The doctor decided that the commander was under the influence of psychotropic substances and did not allow him to fly with the conclusion “inability to control the crew and the aircraft”. After lengthy proceedings, we were finally allowed to fly, albeit with a two-hour delay.
Once again, we operated a daily flight to Kharkov from Moscow's Vnukovo. The plane is small, and the passengers are constantly the same - people flew every day to work and returned home. Once a businessman flew to Kharkov, with whom we exchanged a few words. The next day we returned to Moscow. During the flight, the man turned to me with despair in his eyes - he was having a business meeting, and his trousers came apart at the side seam. Since I always have threads with a needle with me (tights or stockings can easily catch on during our work), I decided to help him out. He looked as happy as a child's. The man had to take off his trousers, but I gave him a blanket, which he wrapped around like a skirt. Itself in about ten minutes I figured out his split seam. The passenger was happy.

I once worked on a flight with three landings. From the destination, they flew back in the same way. And, of course, there were transit passengers who flew with us to the very end. Before each takeoff in the cities of transfer, I announced the entire route with all landings. Then - the destination to which we flew at the moment. Parking at the airports was for a maximum of 50 minutes. I somehow got lost and forgot where the plane was flying this time. I had to ask the passengers for help to remind them. They, of course, helped me out. "

Victor (the name of the company is not disclosed at the request of the flight attendant): "They wanted to solve us"

Artem (the name of the company is not disclosed at the request of the flight attendant): "Shout in unison"

“Most of the screaming children that interfere with normal work, of course, are during the holiday season. And they all scream in unison. Extremely annoying passengers who consider themselves very important persons. It seems to them that they have come to a restaurant, and we have to dance in front of them for their five-thousandth ticket. Usually these are men who also write all sorts of nonsense in the book of complaints. Fortunately, there were no scary stories in my practice. Of course, it happened - it threw up half a meter on a descent. But this is, in general, quite normal. "

Their work is a dream for many, a limit, a bar to which they strive. Often this dream is unrealizable, but every girl would like to be in their place at least once in her life. They are always flawless, smiling and friendly, they make films about them, sing songs and write beautiful stories... They are flight attendants. The very ones, in a pencil skirt, with perfect styling, the luggage of foreign languages behind their backs and ... a very difficult job.

What is needed to become a flight attendant, and what thoughts come to you when cities and countries sweep under you? We asked real flight attendants.

Taisiya Orekhovskaya, 24 years old

Ukraine International Airlines

Taya never dreamed of aviation and a career as a flight attendant. She, like many girls, was sometimes visited by the thought of the sky, the plane and pilots, but this was never the purpose of life. Circumstances developed by themselves - the time and place coincided, and the sky itself chose Taya.

The job of a flight attendant, according to the girl, is very difficult.

The hardest part of our work is people. They are all different and you need to be able to understand and help everyone. Sometimes with deed, sometimes with advice, and sometimes just with a smile.

All travelers love the attention, affection and care that the stewardess must provide them. Taya says that sometimes the passengers on the plane remind her of children, and compares the work of a flight attendant with pedagogy.

I love flying to Georgia. The atmosphere is a very warm flight. This is not a flight, but a big wedding, where before takeoff everyone already knows each other, communicate, drink to the health of the flight attendants.

Taya dreams that Ukraine would become even more open for other countries, so that people would fly to us more often and admire our country.

In the future, I would like to help all passengers who are afraid to fly (and there are a lot of them) to love the sky and the flight process itself, because this is wonderful.

There are many pleasant moments in the practice of a flight attendant. Taya recalls a flight from Beijing to Kiev, when there was a whole children's dance group on board. They were not at home for a long time, and therefore, upon entering the plane, they hugged the flight attendants and shouted: "Aunties, we love you", and during landing they loudly sang the anthem of Ukraine. These moments are very touching.

The most basic myth about flight attendants that I want to dispel is that people think that flight attendants are flying in beautiful country, walk and rest there. In fact, the flight plan is made in such a way that in the morning you fly out of the house and arrive in the evening. Common workday. Only someone drives ten kilometers in a day, and you have flown several thousand.

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Alena Rybalchenko, 22 years old

Emirates airlines

The dream of becoming a flight attendant settled in the soul of a girl at the age of 20. At first, she was influenced by stereotypes - it seemed that becoming a flight attendant would turn into a smiling and seductive girl in uniform.

When you get to know this job better and start changing your lifestyle, then you really "take wings". The selection in this area is quite tough. But if you really want it, nothing is impossible for you.

Alena admits that her job is not easy, but it also provides some advantages. Being a flight attendant means being multitasking, collected and very attentive.

Checking rescue equipment, taking meals, preparing the cabin - it's hard to even imagine how many tasks lie on our fragile shoulders even before the passengers on board.

Sometimes flight attendants are suddenly taken from the "night reserve" - that is, you are flying an unfamiliar route with an unfamiliar crew on your day off.

I was once called on a flight like that. I had to pack my suitcase in a matter of minutes and cancel all "civilian" plans. As a result, I received as an award simply the best crew in the world!

As Alena says, many come to this profession to get to know the world better. And if you get into the right team, where team spirit and mutual understanding prevail, you get unimaginable pleasure from work and truly learn and different countries, and different people.

As long as age and health allow, I want to build a career in this area. However, as practice shows, the work of a flight attendant is very addictive, and then you don't want to change your habits and mobile lifestyle. I personally know many girls who were again drawn to the sky immediately after giving birth.

Alena assures that this work is never boring, because funny moments happen on board, you can meet some kind of celebrity, and sometimes a view opens up in the window that will take your breath away.

1. The first independent flight

Today is my first day at work. The day when I go on a flight without the supervision of an instructor. The planes in our squadron are small, "Annushki", as they are affectionately called among the people, but their size does not matter to me.
I walk through the airport building and my whole view radiates the pleasure of my life! I am wearing a beautiful, in my opinion, blue uniform, a garrison cap on my head….
“Have you flown airplanes before?” The instructor asked when we met.
“Of course, every year, with my parents,” I answered without batting an eye. I just didn’t specify that, having a railway worker’s mother, every year my "planes" carried me along the sleepers.
I remembered that when the plane took off for the first time, I didn’t even feel the takeoff. I was overwhelmed with euphoria of feelings. Finally, my dream of the sky has come true!

… I walk along the silver field and see a snow-white bird in front of me. She has already spread her wings to rush me into a fairyland ...

I climbed the plane and went inside. The crew is coming soon. In the movies, stewardesses do nothing but wave their hands in greeting and carry carts with drinks around the saloons. And instead of a cart, we have ordinary trays. It's not like that in life. You need to get up at five o'clock in the morning, get ready - take a spare pair of tights, if suddenly the first pair breaks; take a spare white blouse if the main one gets dirty; do not forget to put a workbook, cosmetics, etc. in your bag, in case you suddenly have to replace one of the sick girls and spend the night in a hotel in another city; get on the service bus, which arrived at six o'clock; go through a daily doctor's examination (temperature, pressure, general well-being), get instructions from your boss (who is very strict and, by the way, forbids us to talk about ourselves as a "flight attendant", we need to say "flight attendant"), come to the plane, check the preparation of the plane for the arrival of morning passengers (the presence of head restraints on the chairs, napkins in the seat pockets), get drinks, check the quantity with the statement, sign, check the dishes, and then wait for the dear passengers, for whom, in fact, all this is being done.

... Cinderella fluttered, and everything in her hands was done quickly and accurately. Oh! I would like butterflies here and decorate the walls with them. And also air clouds, so that instead of pillows to put guests on chairs ...

And so the bus brought my passengers. There are only 48 seats in the plane. One stewardess. On some planes, if the microphone does not work, we have to go into the cabin in front of the passengers and speak our information in a loud, set voice. Flights usually take an hour or two. Our squadron operates only domestic flights. Therefore, we offer passengers only drinks and sometimes sweets, if they are delivered to us.

... Here are my overseas guests - kings and queens, princes and princesses, marquises and countesses ... Come in, come in. I have been waiting for you in my castle since the morning. The musicians greet them with jingling music. How smart and beautiful you are. You will not regret arriving here. You will like my visit ...

Passengers get out of the bus and for a moment, something inside me thumped down with great speed.
…Mum! Not! Only not on the first day of my independence such surprises! ...

IT WAS A MEN'S TEAM OF ATHLETES, EACH OF WHICH HAVE HAVE HAVE HIS STICK IN HAND. Yes. And that's not it! It was the TEAM OF GEORGIA in field hockey!
Okay, I can handle it! Smiling, I greet the young, tall handsome men, trying not to show that my hands and knees tremble from their fiery looks.

... SPACE - PROTECTION! And I feel a ray of light falling on me from the sky, enveloping me in a safe mirrored cocoon and now I'm not afraid. Now I am protected and my anxiety disappears ...

Having seated the passengers, I go to the cockpit to the crew. After a short report to the crew commander about the readiness of passengers for departure, I return to the cabin.
Co-oh-no-oh-no, the microphone does not work! And I'm sure this crappy thing pretended to be a broken piece of iron in order to laugh at me when I was forced to go out in front of my Georgian guests. Well! Let's go ...
- Good afternoon, dear passes ... - and then a funny thought came to my head that the rest of the word sounds like "fat". And seeing in front of me athletes with large shoulders, arms and apparently the same large other parts of the body, I accidentally highlighted this part of the word, and the aircraft cabin exploded with deafening laughter. Everyone was amused, and I blushed ka-a-ak! And then the coach stood up, turned to the team and waved his hand. Everyone was quiet and sat smiling. I was silent, wasting precious minutes before takeoff. The coach turned to me and said:
- Daughter, do not worry. We fly so much that we already know by heart everything that you want to tell us. Go dear, sit down. And don't be offended by the guys, it's hard to be serious when you see such a girl.
- Thank you, - I smiled, - I can handle it, have a seat. And when the coach sat down, I perfectly read the welcome speech to the end. Then I checked whether the passengers' seat belts were fastened and my day began….
... Today there were seven take-offs and landings. But it seemed to me that I was just a little tired. Probably, give me freedom, I would never leave the plane.

... The ball is over. The guests dispersed. The sound of the wheels of the last leaving carriage has already died down on the alley. My musicians have already laid down their instruments. I walk through the empty hall, and dancing couples in smart clothes are still circling in front of my eyes. Oh, how wonderful the past day was! Oh, how wonderful tomorrow will be! ...

2. The plane of Nadya Kurchenko

After working for some time, I, having shown diligence and hard work (which did not cost me any work, so I liked what I do), was honored to fly on an airplane named after Nadia Kurchenko. This girl is a flight attendant who was killed by terrorists. In the salon, her portrait hangs on the front wall. Suddenly it turns out that she and I have some similarity in the face, and passengers constantly ask me if we are not sisters? Once my father flew with me, returning from Kamchatka, where he lived for some time. He, seeing our similarity, was upset. I imagined that it was no accident, and that something like this could happen to me too. Barely reassured.
... In the morning, entering the aircraft cabin, I always greet you - Hi, Nadia! Well, let's fly? How is your mood? I hope that it is good - and, seeing your smile, I know that today I will not be alone again ...
Every day is different. Each has its own pros and cons. I hardly go home. In our team of female flight attendants, I am the youngest. I don't have time to make friends with anyone. All the time in flight. But recently I still managed to get closer to one of the girls. Basically, we all meet in the instructor's office, where our five minutes, or "window" between flights take place.

This girl was called an unusually wonderful name - Lily of the Valley. At first I thought I had misheard. And then she admired her name. Her parents even surpassed mine. My mom and dad both served in the army as telephone soldiers, got married. While waiting for my birth, they watched a film about Jeanne D, Ark. And they decided that this is what they would call their daughter. But to name your daughter after a flower ... Lily of the valley! Oh, how beautiful it is!
I asked Lily of the valley how she was with personal life? Coming home, I always find a bouquet of flowers at home from a guy I met on the plane. I liked him so much that we agreed to meet at my house. And I gave him my address. But they did not manage to meet. Lily of the valley replied that this is the problem of all flight attendants. Always busy flying, that's why there are so many old maids. And she shared with me a secret - when she has another romance, she just does not go to work. For absenteeism, as a punishment, she is temporarily "written off" for three months in the laundry shop to wash the head restraints. But the working day is from 9 to 5 hours. And there is time for privacy.

… Not. Decisive - no! How can you trade it blue sky, this heap of snow clouds, these golden pillars of light in the night sky, rising from the ground from the bright illumination of cities? No I will not be able to…
During the day I flew with the crew, the commander of which was a man named Dubrovsky. Once passing through the salon, he asked:
- You look out the window all the time. What did you see there?
- I would like to be a heavenly ballerina, - I laughed in response, - here I imagine myself in a long, fluffy white dress and barefoot jumping from cloud to cloud. So beautiful!
He laughed and called me strange. Well, thanks for not being stupid.

We have our last flight. It's already late at night. But I was so tired that I even got lost in time. Hour difference always gives me inconvenience. In three months I had a day off only twice. There were not enough girls, and, seeing my desire to work, I was constantly put on the “reserve”. I spent the night at a hotel near the airport. I wonder who comes up with these anecdotes about flight attendants?

... "He looked at her and her heart seemed to skip with anticipation of a kiss." Kiss. And who will kiss? In general, I am an extremely romantic person. She studied relationships on Dreiser's novels, and therefore the ideal man for me is Lester from "Jenny Gerhard". Where can you find such a thing? And in general Chekhov, Goncharov, Dreiser, Leskov - all these writers have shaped my inner world in such a way that it is difficult for me to adapt to modern concepts of free relationships, where the main trump card is “do not complex”! ...

There are a lot of men around, there are enough compliments. And when to melt from the fire of compliments? As soon as you find free time, you give up on everything, and - this is the sweet word "sleep" ... Arriving in the cities where the crew was supposed to spend the night, I cannot immediately leave the plane. You need to wait for the arrival of the autocart, and hand over the remaining drinks and empty containers. Those. I had to go to the warehouse, hand over it all there, draw up the paperwork. And then go to the special dining room, which was usually somewhere, but not nearby. And since I didn't know where these canteens were, and I didn't really want to wander around a strange city in the dark in search of her, I always went hungry. Then the girls were taught that you should at least carry cookies in your bag. And everything calmed me down - you get used to it. Yeah, I'll get used to it. Already the uniform hangs like a robe on a prisoner of a concentration camp. I somehow found such a dining room. We were given food stamps. When I got there, the hall was full of men in flight uniforms. Having taken myself dinner, I could not eat, feeling intently staring at me. In the end, she could not stand it, and left.

So this is the last flight. They brought passengers, and it turned out that they were all Japanese tourists. Even without a translator. The translator was supposed to meet them upon arrival at the airport. It's night anyway, and everyone will sleep. After everyone was accommodated, our plane gained the required altitude, and a sleepy kingdom reigned in it.
I went to the cockpit to find out the weather. It is stunningly beautiful outside the cockpit windows. Below the earth is darkness, but shimmering beams of light from house lights, street lamps and signage, reaching towards the sky, pierce it. And the sky itself is purple, or some other unusual shade (and in the morning the sky is pink! And it can also be from pink to all shades of crimson. And the sun! Now red, now orange, now golden! As in girls' dreams of a fairyland , where fairy princes live on white horses! Awesome picture!). Suddenly I see a blot in the distance in front of us. To my question about her, the navigator answered:
- Yes, it's a small cloud. Go check, let everyone buckle up.

I went to the salon, showed the awake passengers that they had to buckle up, woke the sleeping ones and did the same.
As soon as I reached the end of the cabin, the plane began to shake. I don't like these airy surprises so much. Due to the fact that some of the passengers might get scared, I had to be very attentive all the time. The last two chairs were empty. I barely managed to grab my bag when I sat down in one of them.

... Attention, Nadia! Look after the front rows there, and I'm here for my ...

And then the plane began to be thrown so that I had to grab the handles of the chair so as not to fly out! A man fell into the middle of the cabin, who apparently unbuckled his belt as soon as I walked away from him. The man, falling to the floor, got on all fours and crawled back into the chair. And then, after a fraction of a second, I saw a slow-motion shooting of a movie in the gloomy-flickering light of lighting lamps, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE PRESENT IN IT!
First, for some reason, some fastening buttons holding the headlining were unfastened. And the ceiling became wavy. Then, floating gravely through the air, a crate of lemonade emerged from the rear compartment. Also, without haste, he lowered himself onto the carpet in the salon, and for some reason the bottles that had flown out of him shattered into many fragments. And these fragments also slowly dotted the floor. Then the carpet runner began to wriggle because of the fasteners popping out of it, and soon ran away, turning into a steering wheel. I was looking at these slow actions with surprise, and suddenly looking up, I saw that all the passengers, turning, were looking at me! And one elderly Japanese woman, clutching her head with her hands, opened her mouth in silent horror, ready to explode into a hysterical cry.

... People jumped out of their seats, and, pushing each other, began to rush around the cabin of the plane. The plane could not keep its balance and with a drawn-out groan rushed to the ground ...

Well, no really! This is not a movie for you. Watch the film about the disaster at home!
An icy wave of peace swept over me. I looked at the Japanese, and it seemed to me that if anyone thought of starting a panic, I would just shoot him down in the name of saving the plane. I got up from my chair, trying to keep my balance in this frantic jump of the plane through the air pockets, and smiling, vexedly spread my arms out to the sides and shrugged my shoulders - that's a nuisance, they say, but it happens. Then, still smiling with the most charming smile that I could, made a gesture with her hand so that everyone would not get up, and again sat down in a chair. Unhurriedly, she pulled a bottle of nail polish out of her purse. EVER I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PAINT MY NAILS IN SUCH CRAZY CONDITIONS! The brush slid past the nails, I smeared my fingers, smiling annoyedly, erased the varnish with a piece of bandage, and continued to smear again. From time to time I raised my head, saw the eyes of the Japanese who were in complete shock from what was happening, nodding her head to them, waving her hand gently and painting-painting-painting again ...

... Nadia, Nadia. You are there ahead. You see my Japanese people. Help me, watch them. We need to hold out a little longer. It will be all right soon. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine …

And people calmed down. They probably thought that we Russians always fly so extreme. During landing, something happened to the chassis. We sat down on the grass, as one of my acquaintances, a technician, said, "on the belly." But after reckless throwing in the night sky, my passengers did not particularly react to such a landing. When they got off the plane, many of them scribbled something in their notebooks. Someone even took pictures of me. An elderly Japanese woman just came up, hugged and kissed me on the cheek. Then technicians entered the plane. Defeat reigned everywhere. One of the technicians said that something happened to the "tail" of the plane (something cut off there), and the wing suffered a little or something else. I didn't listen to them, being in some kind of disconnected state. I seemed to be looking at all this from the side. The flight mechanic who came up to me also said something to me for a long time, smiling. I could only grasp that there was no need to tell anyone about what had happened and about the blot that I saw in the sky from the cockpit. It seemed that we were in a hurry to finish the last flight, it was necessary to bypass this thundercloud, but they caught us, and the discharges patted us. I stood, listened and said nothing, smiling with a smile glued to my face. Then she turned to the front wall and looked at the portrait of Nadia. We exchanged knowing looks.

... How's your girlfriend? - Yes, everything is fine! - Great tossed us, huh? - Yes. Like in the movies. - And my passengers were lucky that they did not twitch, they probably would have knocked the alarmist in the head for sure! - Come on, pour in, you wouldn't hit anyone. I would help you sit him down and calm him down. - Well, Nadia, let's go home? - Went…
Another surprise awaited me near the airport building. Usually you had to wait two o'clock in the morning. It was at this time that the service bus was making its last trip to the city.

... Once an incident happened to me, because of which I no longer risked taking a taxi in order to come home early. The taxi driver, having learned that I had not been in the city for two days, referring to the repair of the road, took me to the edge of the city and, having left for a non-residential area where there was a vacant lot, began to pester me. I fought in silence, determined not to give up. In my mind, I had already bitten off everything I could and gouged out both of his eyes. And then my sadistic dreams of revenge were interrupted by the noise of the car door opening. The traffic police car passing by saw that the rear lights of the car were shining on the vacant lot. They drove up and, getting out of the car, saw the struggle between the driver and the passenger. But my superman taxi driver was so carried away by his actions that he could not see or hear anything. So the traffic cops saved me, or maybe him from me. Later, the police took me home. Then they caught me, because I was at work all the time so that I wrote a statement about the attempted murder. But the taxi driver also came and talked to my mother. On his knees he begged him not to sit him down, only recently got out of prison, got married, had a child, his own uncle gave him this job, and if his relatives find out about what happened, they will beat him up themselves. Mom persuaded me to forgive him. Since then I have always waited for the service bus ...
And then the pilots, sitting in a passenger car, suddenly called me and offered to take me home. The flight crews were different all the time, and I didn't even have time to memorize the names. Approaching the car, I saw my today's carriage. I was kindly given a ride home.

Washing the white collar of my shirt for tomorrow, I suddenly thought that my life could end today. I felt scared for a moment. I knelt right next to the bathtub, frozen in horror. But the tears never came, because something else, stronger and more decisive, shot up inside me and with a loud decisive "NO!" tore down the dark wall of fear that bound me. Not! I'll still live! It's too early for me to leave, because I have so many plans ahead! ...

3. Farewell to heaven

I am writing the last and saddest chapter of my diary. Even now, when so many years have passed, I cannot calmly remember my farewell to heaven. And the bitterness of loss fills my soul again and again.

... Ah, who doesn’t walk, but draws with thin heels on the tarmac of the runway? Oh yes, this is the same girl who was able to break into the future from the past ...

My friend Fayka, Faina, came to me. The most beautiful girl. I didn't even try to envy. A wicked number. My only consolation was that it was not in vain that I was bullied at school with the nickname “long-legged heron,” and that at least this could not be taken away from me. She told me that in our squadron there is a recruitment of girls for the position of flight attendants. In short, an hour later we were already in the personnel department of the squadron. Fayka's documents went to the HR officer's desk almost immediately. He looked at mine for a long time, and then said that the set was only for girls of 18 years old. And my passport belonged to a 16-year-old girl. I immediately, possessing a literary gift, convincingly told the story that, having received a passport, I did not notice the date of birth incorrectly written in it. And then I brought it to show my permanent residence permit, and then I’ll take it back to the address desk so that the unfortunate date could be changed for me. I looked so sincerely in the eyes of this middle-aged man, tortured by official troubles, and the lack of guides was "somewhat acute" that they took me. Of course, I promised to bring my passport after the correction.
Then we talked with the instructor - the chief of the flight attendants. She asked us about our families, looked at how we could smile, made us walk a little on a thread stretched on the floor, and then let us go through a medical examination in order to start our training as a flight attendant later.
And then something happened to Fainka. Under various pretexts, she did not want to go to the gynecologist, who was obligatory for us. Yet she passed it, somehow managing to avoid being examined. Later, having taken off on her maiden flight, she spent the entire flight with nausea in the toilet of the plane, and no one else in the squadron saw her again. It turns out that she was three months pregnant from her friend, knew about it, but wanted to have time to work before the maternity leave. Her mother then took the work book herself, Fayka never showed up. I, too, have since lost sight of her. So our life paths parted. I passed the commission, then I went through training that lasted several months, another month of flights with an instructor, and then I flew myself ...

A man has finally appeared in my life. I first heard about him from a conversation with my fellow girls. Sometimes we had joint meetings where free pilots and flight attendants could finally get together. And there, I heard by chance that among the "cargo" pilots (that is, those flying on Annushkas, carrying cargo), there is one very nice guy with whom one of our flight attendants was familiar. The girls praised his appearance and character so much that it became interesting for me to see him.
And one day I accidentally met a young man in a flight uniform who was traveling with me and my colleague in a minibus. This girl, her name was Natasha, always amazed me with her love for cleanliness. Even in the rain, she walked so that not a drop of dirty water from the puddles dared to touch her. I, like a monkey, copied her, sympathizing with her. I also polished my boots and shoes, crunched the snow-white collar of my blouse, and even started to copy her smile, but soon gave up. In any circumstances, I always returned to myself. I was just me.
And so, there, in the minibus, this pilot managed to make Natasha talk with random phrases, with whom I agreed to go to work that day. Each of us had three evening flights. I mostly smiled and said nothing, because I was sure that I was the odd one out there. And suddenly, the next day, he met me and offered to accompany me home. I could not believe my eyes and ears! And then Natasha told me that this was the pilot that the girls talked about at the meeting. And when I "spun", if I can name those short meetings because of the busyness of our flights, the novel - the girls wildly envied me. Wow, how proud I was that such a man was looking after me! His name was Anatoly, he was nine years older than me, and this further fueled my interest in him. Later he proposed to me and I agreed. And then I completely moved to his bachelor's apartment.

... What are you doing, girl? Why do you need all this? Remember, you wanted to travel the world! You wanted to see countries! Why bind your hands if you are still so young? ...

But I did not listen to the inner voice, and the wheel of my life rolled on, gaining momentum. The wedding date has already been set. Now the wedding dress is hanging in my parents' house in my room. Now my friends, envious, congratulate me on the upcoming events. Already Tolik was given a month of vacation after the date of the wedding, so that he could spend Honeymoon at home with my parents, taking me there to get acquainted.

... Lord, why am I so bad? What happened with me? I'm afraid. Why did I get involved with all this. I felt so good, I was free as a bird! What have I done?

Once we had a fight. Tolik annoyed my manner of falling asleep, turning my back to him. And I suddenly thought that this was just the beginning. That then he will not like something else of mine, and something else. And I will have nowhere to go, I will be a ringed bird.

... What have I done? ...

At work I was given a week off because of the upcoming wedding. When there were two days left before the wedding, I ran away.

... I have nothing more to lose. I can not! I can not! If I get married now, I will ruin everything! ...

Late in the evening, I hastily left some things in my bag and went to my grandmother, who lives in another city. At night while I was driving to intercity bus I didn't sleep a wink. I was shaking with small shivers. It was scary to think about what would happen tomorrow, when my parents found out about my escape. I didn't even want to think about the reaction of the failed husband.

... I'll think about it later. I will think about it tomorrow…

In the morning, the grandmother called her parents and said that it was too early for her granddaughter to get married. A few days later I returned home to my parents' house. Tolik came immediately after his mother's call to him, and pretended that nothing had happened. Then, realizing that he could not get me to talk, he asked me to see him off. Saying goodbye, he said:
“Well, I’m not going to beg on my knees.
He left, and I stayed, wildly rejoicing at my freedom, but realizing what a trash I am!

The people at work briefly discussed our failed wedding. Not he, nor I - did not begin to explain anything to anyone. Two months later, Tolik was transferred to another squadron.

... And again I am free! I'm happy! Again, just the sky and me! Only heaven and me! Never again will I bind myself to a man. Silly and tiresome. Lord, how good it is to be free again! ...

There is a commotion in the detachment. The annual commission arrived from Moscow. Checking documents and health. Someone will be written off to the ground in old age, someone in health. And I was written off in my youth. Since I got a job, everyone has forgotten about my date in the passport. I earned several letters of gratitude from passengers, and the incognito flying inspectors (yes, there are some) did not complain about me.
The commander, the head of our squadron, summoned me.
- What have you done? - he asked. - Was it really incomprehensible to you that if something happened, you would set up many people with your deception?
I was silent in response.
- Well, what am I to do with you? And you have no comments. And you are among the leaders. So so. You will take passengers on the bus to the planes until you come of age. Deal?
- Not. I don’t change heaven to earth! I said firmly.

Leaving the commander, I wandered home dejectedly, not even trying to get on a bus or hail a taxi. Someone called out to me, but I didn't even turn around. Everything is over. Never again will I fly. Never.

I vaguely remember those days. My grief crushed me, and it cost me enormous efforts not to lose the thread of reason connecting me with this new life... Then my instructor came to me. She persuaded me to agree, promised to send me later to the school of flight attendants of international lines. But I gave up everything. I have already turned this page in my life, and began the next. Later, as an external student, I passed the exams of the last year of the art school, in which I did not finish my studies, having broken off to work at the airport, then I defended my diploma. I did not want to meet with any of my former colleagues. It hurt me to remember the lost job.

Soon after defending my diploma, I got married and went to live in Germany. There was a different sky. But just as beautiful. And when in life I have to make some kind of firm decision, I repeat the words of a girl in love with heavenly heights:
- I DO NOT CHANGE THE SKY FOR EARTH!

Flight attendants' stories about passengers. Several stories of pilots and flight attendants about incidents. In case of emergencies

Helen Church is the world's first flight attendant

Sky girls

The emergence of the term "flight attendant"

Alina, "Transaero": "Ours is not Europe"

Evgeniya, Aeroflot: "They demand a book of complaints"

Irina, "Yamal": "We have to pump out"

Olga, UTair: "They didn't let me rest"

Irina, UTair: "Saved a life"

Natalya, UTair: "They ask for oxygen, then vodka, then sew up trousers"

Victor (the name of the company is not disclosed at the request of the flight attendant): "They wanted to solve us"

Artem (the name of the company is not disclosed at the request of the flight attendant): "Shout in unison"