Flight attendant Meg has been jetting around the world for a number of years, but she’s now opened up about the ‘dark side’ of the job and made a sad admission about the role
Despite the dreamy perception of being a flight attendant, one woman has revealed that it’s not all glitz and glamour. Meg, who shares her experiences on TikTok as @_itzmeggs, disclosed that there are some less spoken about downsides to the job.
She described her role as having “so many highs and so many lows,” acknowledging that while she’s “blessed” to see “amazing places,” around the world, it “comes with a cost”. Recalling a time in Rome, Meg shared: “I was looking at all of these beautiful ancient sites, marvelling at their beauty. But I remember thinking ‘this is beautiful, but I feel just a little empty inside because I would much rather be here with my mum, or my friends’.”
She emphasised that experiencing these beautiful moments with “loved ones,” means so much more than doing so alone.
While she appreciates her “really amazing crew that make work so much fun,” she admitted that not getting along with everyone can create an uncomfortable atmosphere.
Meg also confessed that she sometimes feels like she’s living in a “completely different universe” to her friends and family, making it difficult for her to “build a life” for herself.
She went on to express that her life feels as if it’s on “pause,” revealing that she’s single because men often hesitate to date her due to her being on the move “half the time”.
Meg confessed that the job can be “so lonely,” particularly at the end of a shift when you return to an empty hotel room.
She also mentioned that when she does get to go home and spend time with her family and friends, everyone else is on a regular work schedule, so she can’t properly see them – and this distresses her.
She acknowledged that she didn’t want to moan because she adores her job, but she just wanted to make people aware that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in her industry – and things can get challenging.
Meg continued to say she missed her best friend’s son’s first birthday, and it ‘killed her’ to not be able to be there. She said that she “can’t imagine” what it must be like for the cabin crew members who have babies and families, saying it must be “so hard” for them to navigate life.
She admitted she gets such good travel benefits, but Meg noted that when she’s not working she just wants to be at home because she’s knackered.
“I feel like I’m alone in feeling like this because nobody really talks about it that much and we only show the highlights of our lives,” she said.
In the comments, someone with the same job agreed, writing: “I totally agree. It’s either over socialising or complete isolation”.
Another said: “And yet being a flight attendant is so many young girls’ dream job, thinking they’re gonna enjoy seeing other countries”.