Arta, a VIP flight attendant for a private jet spoke to Express UK about her experience working with wealthy people. She even shared one story of a client’s “poor behavior.”
One Of Her Worst Experiences
“Probably the worst experience I have to say is this one that comes to mind,” she explained. “If somebody would qualify as bad in my eyes that would be when somebody intentionally does something patronizing.”
“I used to fly for somebody who would require his plane to be kept immaculately clean, which we all tried to do. Pilots and I would sometimes almost crawl through the cabin from front to aft looking for the smallest fallen hair on a carpet. But also that particular guest would hide small papers on the plane just to see if you find them, testing you if you had looked through the plane thoroughly enough.
“We had small Evian bottles throughout the cabin, the guest would open one and then close it and check next time if you have noticed. This would qualify as not nice behavior in my eyes,” she explained.
No Job Security
Arta said the “worst thing” about being a private flight attendant is that “you are replaceable at any given moment.”
She said it’s more common to get laid off for a private owner than to work for a charter company.
“For example, I have personally been laid off because I am too young at the request of the wife of an owner of the plane,” Arta revealed.
Clients that own their private jet can hire and fire as they please. The owners can also can fly their planes themselves if they wish to do so and have the right license and qualifications.
However, most of the time they hire a crew of two pilots and one flight attendant to be on call for 24 hours. Therefore, a private jet owner can fire anyone at any given moment they choose.
Don't Make Eye Contact
Arta also shared one story of a request made by a private jet owner: “A colleague of mine once flew with an A-list celebrity whose request was not to make eye contact.
“I would find that awkwardly weird as what is the first thing you want to do once told this? Probably look in those eyes!”
She has even had owners ask her to change the cushions if they weren’t happy with the plane’s decor. And others would get upset if she didn’t have their choice of beverages.
Although, Arta did express that many owners send a “preference sheet,” A list of food and drinks or any other items they would like to have before they board the plane.
“I have had bad complaints after the flight where they were not within reason, when guests after the flight complain about everything, even how the plane is decorated with the color of pillows. Something that is not in your control at all. When guests complain about certain things not being there even though it was not on their preference sheet, we simply cannot carry all the items as the galley space is limited.”
Birthdays And Holidays
Another con about working for a private jet owner is that “you miss events at home like birthdays or Christmas.”
“But I don’t consider them to be the worst things as you are at home for so much more in comparison to working every day from 9-5. It also doesn’t mean you always miss those things. One year you are home, the next you might be at work, and next year there is another birthday and another Christmas.”
Related: A Day In The Life Of A Black Private Charter Flight Attendant
