Steward's job after the collapse of the airline. Julian Richardson reveals what's behind the scenes
This text in the form of a story was prepared based on an interview with Julian Richardson, a 42-year-old flight attendant from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I worked as a flight attendant at Spirit for almost eight years. It was my first and only job in this field and I definitely would have stayed there much longer if I had the opportunity.
When someone got off my plane and said, “That was the best flight I've ever been on,” it made coming to work every day worth it.
I had heard rumors for years that Spirit might go out of business, so I knew it was possible. Still, when I woke up and saw the early morning email announcing the company was closing, I was shocked. I guess I didn't think it would actually happen.
When I think about job security as a flight attendant, there's always a question mark in my mind, but I'm not ready to give it up.
The day before closing, everything looked as usual
When Spirit went out of business, it felt like everything just stopped existing.
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Luckily I wasn't on the road at the time, but the email said all flights were canceled and operations were phasing out. Currently, my insurance has been suspended, there is no severance pay, and the date I will receive my final paycheck is uncertain.
It's a difficult situation, but I deal with my emotions by reminding myself that everything happens for a reason. I'm not overly concerned about losing my income because I believe the skills I've gained will help me find a new job.
I don't know yet what my next role will be, but I've already applied to airlines that are looking for flight attendants.
I'm working on a side hustle, but I don't want to give up the benefits of being a flight attendant
I've been creating fun short videos on social media for a while now and it's definitely my side hustle. It's important to have this source of income in case of situations like this.
Social media income can be very erratic, but I'm currently working on getting more brand collaborations. Despite this, I have very fond memories of working at Spirit and I learned a lot.
As a flight attendant, I was largely responsible for myself. It was up to me to get up on time, get to the airport and catch the shuttle. It taught me independence and responsibility.
I also didn't experience micromanagement. In practice, you see your superiors, but not on a daily basis – no one is standing over you and controlling your every move.
I'm still relatively young and I feel I'm good at what I do, so I'd like to continue working as a flight attendant. Nothing compares to airline benefits. I like them very much. My family and I have been able to travel at reduced rates, so I would like to continue to take advantage of that. At the same time, I am open to other possibilities – I don't want to limit myself.
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Ultimately, I want to have my own business
There is no real job security whenever you work for someone, so I can't say that being a flight attendant offers that kind of security.
I believe that the only real security can be achieved by working for yourself and running a crisis-proof business. That's why my long-term goal is to have my own business.
Regardless, I would recommend working as a steward to anyone.
It gives great flexibility. I could live wherever I wanted. It's a bit like remote work. I had co-workers who lived in Spain, worked 15 days and then had 15 days rest. There are few professions that make this possible.
Flight attendants also have the opportunity to work with people and help them have a good trip – this is one of the things I like most about this job.
Spirit Airlines declined to comment for this story.
This article is a translation from American edition of Business Insider.
