Each year, more than 180,000 flights take off
for Emirates airline, carrying about 60 million passengers.
And the people in charge of all those travelers onboard?
The 21,000 flight attendants and pursers
that make up Emirates cabin crew.
It's a pretty sweet gig.
Free housing in Dubai, discounted tickets,
and getting paid to travel the world.
But with long hours and busy schedules,
the job is not always as glamorous as you'd think.
Here's what it's like to be a flight attendant
for Emirates.
Siti Nurazlin: My name is Siti Nurazlin,
and I am a first-class crew
working for Emirates.
Narrator: Like the 200,000 applicants a year,
Siti had to meet the airline's qualifications.
A minimum age of 21 years old,
a height of at least 5-foot-2,
an arm reach of about 7 feet on tiptoes
to reach those overhead bins,
fluency in English, at least a high-school degree,
and no visible tattoos when in uniform.
Just like every other new hire,
Siti started her Emirates career
at the bottom, in economy on short-haul flights,
and, through the years, she's worked her way up
to first class.
Today, she crews an average
of nine long-haul flights a month.
Her schedule changes every week,
but she's always on flights
that last anywhere from six to 16 hours.
And for a lot of that time, Siti is on her feet.
She estimates about 11 hours
out of a 16-hour flight.
Siti: The job could be quite challenging physically,
so we need to maintain our physique
and also be quite fit.
Narrator: But, thankfully, she's not in heels
the whole time.
Siti: We do change our uniform after takeoff,
so we get to put on our flats,
because the high heels
wouldn't get really comfortable
in 16 hours.
And we change into our waistcoat.
Narrator: Siti is also required to look the part.
Siti: Usually we keep to a natural makeup.
Like, eyeliner and mascara usually is a must,
and, you know, the Emirates red lipstick definitely.
Narrator: And just like makeup,
hairstyles, jewelry, and nails are also pretty strict.
As for jewelry,
they can wear diamond or pearl stud earrings,
but no necklace.
And their nails have to be clean,
with either a nude or red polish or a French manicure.
Now, these requirements are for female flight attendants.
Males have to be clean-shaven
and style their hair
with minimal product.
But there's an added level of responsibility
for first-class attendants like Siti.
For starters, she knows who the regular fliers are
and what they like.
Siti: We do have information on our customers.
So, on every flight, we will observe the preferences
and the likes and dislikes of the customers
so we get to write it down for future flights.
For example, like,
pajama size or their preferred drinks,
so the more someone flies with Emirates,
the more we can cater to their personal preference.
Narrator: She's also required
to have an expert understanding
of the entire first-class menu.
She knows options for passengers
with dietary restrictions,
the perfect wine pairing for dishes,
and the tasting notes of 60 cheeses.
And since she's typically serving
international travelers,
Siti is a master at communicating
across different backgrounds,
but she's not the only one.
Like most of the cabin crew,
Siti knows more than one language.
For her, it's English and Malay.
But there are over 60 languages spoken
across Emirates cabin crew
and a staff of 140 nationalities.
Now, onboard, Siti's duties are pretty standard.
Do a safety check of the plane
before passengers board,
provide food and drink service during the flight,
and go through the cabin after everyone de-boards.
But off the plane, the perks of the job are substantial.
Flight attendants get a base pay
depending on experience,
with an hourly rate stacked on top.
Starting out, that equals about $32,000 a year.
Plus, they get free housing in Dubai
not far from the airport.
They get 30 vacation days, one free flight a year,
and can nominate friends and family
for discounted tickets.
Siti: The perks of this job especially would be
the concessionary tickets
that we get, and not just for me,
but for my family and friends as well.
So I don't really have to travel on my own
or travel with just my crew friends;
I can travel with my friends who are not flying as well.
Narrator: For the veteran and first-class
flight attendants,
they even get to staff events like the US Open
or make special appearances.
But the best part?
Layovers in 161 cities worldwide
with accommodations and meals covered.
Siti: The best part of my job is traveling, definitely.
I've been to over 100 destinations with Emirates.
I have never,
and I don't think I would ever travel
to all these exotic places that we fly.