“I’ve been a flight attendant for over 20 years. Even after two decades, I still feel proud every time I put on my uniform. It makes things easier as well, as I don’t have to think about what to wear! Before we fly, I will cross-check passenger and meal information and take note of any special requests or special needs. Safety is our top priority so we always review the safety procedures for the specific plane before boarding the flight. On the day of the flight, we will have a team briefing and do a final cabin check to ensure that the plane is clean, safe and well-equipped. When boarding begins, I’ll put on a big smile to welcome our passengers. People always wonder where we sleep: we take turns to take naps in the bunk deck at the back of the plane. The entrance is discreet so it’s not easy to find. It’s a good place to recharge! This job has taken me all around the world but my favourite destination so far is Poland. It’s a beautiful country with a stunning contrast between old and new - the architecture, the culture, the people.”

「我做咗空中服務員超過20年了。做咗兩個十年，每次著上制服嘅時候都仲係會自豪。有套制服好方便㗎，唔使諗著咩呀嘛！喺航班起飛之前，我會再三檢查乘客資訊同埋餐飲安排，留意有冇特別要求或者要特別關顧嘅乘客。安全係我哋嘅首要考慮，所以我哋喺乘客登機之前一定會重溫嗰班機嘅安全措施。喺起飛當日，我哋成個團隊會集合做簡報，喺機艙做最後檢查，確保飛機係乾淨、安全同埋設備充足。當乘客開始登機嘅時候，我就會掛上一個大大嘅微笑去迎接佢哋。大家都會好奇我哋會喺邊度瞓覺：我哋會輪流喺機尾嘅床舖度小休。個入口係好隱蔽嘅，所以唔係咁容易見到。嗰度係一個充電嘅好地方！呢份工帶我環遊全世界，但我目前最鍾意嘅地方係波蘭。佢係一個好美麗嘅國家，新同舊嘅對比好強烈，無論係建築啦、文化同埋啲人都係。 

“I grew up in Shek Kip Mei, and would always see and hear planes flying over my home. I always wondered what it would be like to fly. I got on a plane for the first time in my twenties, for a university trip to Australia. I remembered feeling scared when the ‘big bird’ was taking off. But then I looked out at the sky and saw all the clouds and beautiful colours. I was in awe of the vastness of it and have been in love with the sky since. I did a film studies degree, and after graduating I wasn’t sure what to do. I knew that I wanted a job that brings people happiness. So when the opportunity came up to train as a flight attendant, I decided to give it a go! I love my job as it enables me to meet lots of different people and broaden my horizons. This might sound like a silly reason for loving my job but it’s true - I really enjoy aeroplane meals!”

“Sometimes when we fly over interesting sights such as the Northern Lights, the pilots will let us know and invite us into the cockpit to have a better view. Did you know that each of the pilots have to eat a different meal? It’s to minimise any risk of them being affected by anything at the same time. Covid has had a huge impact on our industry. I’ve been part of the ‘closed-loop’ three times. Each cycle is 28 days, where we go between flights and hotel quarantine and are not allowed to venture out during that time. It was challenging but has also brought me some wonderful experiences. On one of the flights we were asked to present some gifts to our passengers. I realised that we were the crew responsible for transporting our Olympic athletes back to Hong Kong! Another time I met a foreign domestic worker who was flying back to the Philippines after four years away. She left home pretty soon after she gave birth to her daughter and was so overjoyed to be able to see her family again that she almost ‘flew’ off the plane when we landed. What makes my job so special is that I get to meet people from all walks of life, backgrounds and personalities. I made friends with an old man over our mutual love of Sam Hui oldies. I became a companion for a girl who was flying for the first time and was afraid of starting a new life away from home. I can’t wait for flying to resume as normal; it’s the full range of human connections and experiences that make my job so meaningful.”

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「我喺石硤尾長大嘅，以前成日會見到同埋聽到飛機係屋企上空飛過。我成日好奇喺㗎飛機上面會係點樣嘅。我喺廿幾歲嘅時候第一次搭飛機，跟大學去咗澳洲。我記得隻『大鳥』離開地面嗰陣，我係驚㗎。但係當我望出去窗口見到天空，見到啲雲同埋好靚嘅顏色，我就被眼前廣闊嘅景象震撼咗，自此就愛上左天空。我讀咗一個電影研究嘅學位，畢咗業之後我唔係好知道自己想做咩。我知道我想做一份會帶俾人歡樂嘅工作。所以當遇到個機會去學做空中服務員嘅時候，我就決定去試吓！我鍾意我嘅工作，因為佢帶我認識咗好多唔同嘅人，令我見識多咗。呢個原因可能聽落好無聊，但係我鍾意我份工都係因為我好鍾意食飛機餐！

「有時當我哋飛過啲有趣嘅景色，例如係北極光咁，機師會話我哋知，邀請我哋去駕駛艙睇風景。你知唔知道呢，我地會儘量安排我哋嘅機司食唔同嘅餐㗎, 以防佢哋身體唔會同時感到唔舒服。新冠疫情對我哋航空業嘅影響好大。我飛過三次閉環式航班，每個出勤周期係28日，我哋要來回飛機同埋隔離酒店，唔可以出外。係一個好唔容易嘅經歷，亦帶俾我一啲難忘嘅體驗。喺其中一個航班，我哋收到指示要送一啲禮物俾乘客。後來我先發現，原來我哋班機係負責送奧運港隊嘅運動員返香港！另一次，我遇到一個菲律賓籍傭工，佢係4年嚟第一次搭飛機返菲律賓。佢喺菲律賓生咗個囡之後，好快就離開咗屋企，所以佢極之期待見返佢嘅屋企人，㗎機降落嘅時候佢差啲衝咗出去。我工作嘅特別之處就係有機會識到各式各樣嘅人，有唔同嘅行業、背景同埋性格。我同一個老伯伯成為咗朋友，因為大家都鍾意許冠傑嘅舊歌。我又做過一個女仔嘅同伴，佢第一次搭飛機，戰戰競競咁離開屋企去展開新生活。我好期待航班可以快啲正常返，就係呢啲同人嘅接觸同埋經歷，先至令我嘅工作咁有意思呀。」