FlySafair's "braced landing’’ at King Shaka International Airport on Sunday is another example that flight attendants are heroes of the sky.
According to the passengers on board, the crew did everything in their power to ensure a safe brace landing.
For those unfamiliar with a brace landing, it is a position that passengers take for an emergency landing of a plane. The passenger usually sits, bent forward, with their hands behind their head.
Besides dealing with emergencies on board, flight attendants wear many hats. Here are some of them:
The 'ensure everyone is happy' hat
While the pilot is responsible for getting you to your destination safely, it is up to the flight attendants to ensure that you are happy throughout the journey. Flight attendants have to smile and be cheerful to ensure that their passengers enjoy a comfortable trip.
The 'tolerate rude passengers' hat
Flight attendants have to deal with rude passengers all the time. Most passengers take out their frustration on the attendant when things in their personal lives go wrong. Sadly, it is the unfortunate task of the attendants to ensure that all their demands are handled politely. Next time you deal with a flight attendant, show some compassion.
The 'deal with sick passengers' hat
Flight attendants also take on the role of a nurse if a passenger is unwell, whether it is to implement first aid or assist in other medical emergencies. Flight attendants go through extensive training to treat passengers during health or any other emergencies.
The 'I will answer anything' hat
As much as flight attendants would probably want to throw something at the person asking a million questions, they have to grin and bear it. Some of the questions asked by attendants include "What are we flying over?", "Can you check to see if I can get an upgrade?" and “Can the pilot land the plane?”
The 'first-time flyers' hat
From sighs to hysterical fits, first-time flyers can be a handful. It is the attendant’s job to calm them, reassure them and be a shoulder to cry on when things go wrong. While it sounds pretty simple, it isn't for the faint-hearted.