International Flight Attendant Day, also known as International Cabin Crew Day or World Cabin Crew Appreciation Day, is an annual commemoration observed on May 31. The objective of this day is to pay tribute to and celebrate the dedicated professionals in the field of civil aviation who not only ensure the comfort of passengers during flights but, more significantly, prioritize their safety.
This celebration was initially established in Canada in 2015 by a Canadian union to recognize the role of cabin crew with the aim of honoring the remarkable contributions of Flight Attendants to the airline industry. Since then, International Flight Attendant Appreciation Day has been recognized and celebrated in numerous countries for several years.
While a number of misconceptions about the role of Flight Attendants persist, there is no confusion among the dedicated professionals committed to this work that our foremost responsibility is to ensure the safety of passengers on board every flight, every day. A notable example of our professionalism is evident in the well-known Hudson River landing, where Flight Attendants played a crucial role in successfully evacuating all passengers without any fatalities.
Our duties are many and varied and, often times imperceptible to the traveling public. These encompass conducting pre-flight safety briefings and checks, assisting passengers with their carry-on baggage, ensuring the preparedness of passengers seated in exit rows in the event of an emergency, conducting safety demonstrations, securing the cabin before takeoff, providing continuous customer service throughout the flight, administering first aid when necessary, and managing emergencies.
Moreover, we understand that being a Flight Attendant entails physically and emotionally demanding work. We spend a significant amount of time on our feet, working to meet the needs of the passengers in our care, often experience disruptions in our sleep patterns due to irregular work schedules and potentially face an increased risk of developing various health conditions as a result of our unique working conditions. Despite these challenges, our efforts in maintaining passenger safety and comfort, while not always acknowledged, remain our paramount concern.
While our professional demeanor and exceptional customer service are evident to our passengers, our unwavering commitment to safety may go unnoticed by casual observers. Above all else, we are safety professionals, always prepared to swiftly respond to emergencies.
On this day of appreciation, let us take a moment to recognize and value ourselves and our fellow Flight Attendants for the tireless work we carry out day in and day out.