The Flight Attendant's Dilemma

As Savannah sat in her jump seat, mentally preparing for Take-off she wondered how much longer she could do this job. She had been a flight attendant for three years and initially loved every aspect of the job. She loved the travel, of course, but also enjoyed meeting the passengers and the community of the crew. There were lots of benefits. She liked the flexible schedule, free flights, hotel discounts, car rental reductions, and discovering new regions and sites of interest. She had met some amazing people. And let's face it! The position was still highly coveted; It had been a very competitive process getting accepted into the training program and securing the position, working for a major airline.

However, the industry had gone through major changes, not the least which had been affected by Covid. There were fewer flights and decreased numbers of passengers flying for sure, but the responsibilities were 10 fold and increasing every day.

Dealing with irate passengers who didn't want to wear their masks or follow the rules was wearing her out. There was so much "air rage" now it was hard to comprehend. If she had to comply, and wear a mask and sterilize constantly, so did the customers, for their safety and her own. "Comply or don't fly." had become her motto. Easier said than followed!

At first she had been grateful that she had not lost her job. Flying had been her girlhood dream and she had achieved it. She loved the way she looked and felt in her navy blue uniform, with the smart scarf and little cap. So svelte and fashionable. She was a company person and fit in very nicely with the organization.

But lately she resented being away from home for long periods of time and missed her fiance desperately when gone. She missed his comforting hugs, kisses, and reassurance. She missed just hanging out with him and listening to the great Indie band, Lord Huron, or The Verve on their CD player or MP3. She missed their romantic dinners out.

She also had begun to fear for her health and well-being. She kept saying, "After this trip, I'm done." But the end never happened. She just kept accepting trips and flying. This actually would be a good time to quit and they would understand her reasons for leaving the industry. Yet, the lure of travel kept seducing her to continue.

Today she was flying from JFK Airport to CDG Airport in Paris, France. She's always enjoyed visiting Paris, although it rained a lot, but now her excitement was diminished. She had committed to this trip, but it meant missing her step-sister's engagement party and her nephew's birthday.

When she previously complained about being away from home during holidays and other special occasions her friends would "poo-poo" her saying, "Poor you. Spending the holidays in London, or Dubai, or Barcelona must be rough, huh?" Lately they hadn't expressed the same sentiment. Her airline friends understood though. They didn't want to loose their jobs either, regardless of the hardships and inconvenience at times.

Savannah felt the jolt and lift of the Boeing 767, as they took off up into the sky. This had always given her a thrill and expectation of adventure. Today she was just resting cautiously as she looked out the window at the disappearing airport beneath her , as the plane pitched slightly to the right.

When they were finally at cruising altitude Savannah pulled out her Little Black Book and looked at her schedule. Three days in Paris, two days in London, one day in Amsterdam and then back to the states.

She thought about the Chiltern Firehouse in Marylebone, London, a converted 1880's former fire station offering elegant dining . The crew had always stopped there on their trips. It was a favorite watering hole along with The Lamb & Flag in Covent Gardens. She wondered if it was even still open? Many of the Pubs were closed temporarily, for longer than they had planned. The world had changed so much.

She had planned to meet a business associate in Amsterdam. Katherine Martin was a foreign coins dealer and bitcoin investor. She had explained to Savannah numerous times how bitcoins appeal was due to the fact that governments can't manipulate it. Though some folks spoke negatively about bitcoin saying it was all speculative, the currency was at a tipping point, making some investors very rich indeed.

Savannah had taken the bait and made an investment. She also believed bitcoin could ostensibly become the "currency of choice" for global trade. Regardless of whether she continued to fly for a living she knew she would always travel, so this made sense to her.

The seven hour flight was thankfully uneventful. The beverage service went smoothly with only one passenger drinking a bit more than she should have, probably so she could remove the mask. They landed at CDG Airport and headed to the Hotel Bedford at the 8th arrondissement. It was raining of course. Ils pleuvait! Il faisait nuit noire et il pleuvait. It was pitch dark and it was raining.

So Savannah splurged on an over-priced taxi ride and went to her favorite book store, Shakespeare and Company. There of all places, she found a book on bitcoins, as well as classic literature. She purchased a discounted copy of "The Works of Moliere." Then she took a little stroll, a promenade in the area. The rain had ceased. She found a cute little cafe', Cafe' de la Rotonde and bought a coffee and a croissant. She was pleasantly surprised to learn they had an almond milk alternative for her hot beverage. In France! See, there was progress! Being Vegan was always a challenge in France, but they were catching on.

She knew she would miss this (visiting other countries so easily) if she decided to stop working for the airline. It would be a challenge to be grounded in one location permanently. But life is about change and she would adapt. She had always been very adaptable.

That evening back at the Hotel Bedford, Savannah signed into her Bitcoin account and discovered she had accrued $20.000. (or 16,509.55 Euros.) Savannah was ecstatic.

This would indeed give her the financial flexibility she needed to take a leave from her job. That is what she would do. Ask to be temporarily furloughed like so many other airline employees. That way she would leave the door open, if at some point she decided to return. Never burn your bridges.

Savannah had made her decision and was able to sleep well that night. Now there was just the fact of having a safe flight back to the States. She looked forward to returning and informing her fiance Daryl of her plans.

Unfortunately, when her return flight landed in Boston, Mass. as the first leg of her journey home, the plane skid off the icy run way. It was frightening, but luckily no one was harmed. This further cemented her resolve to cease flying at least for a while until things got relatively back to normal.

Savannah knew in her heart she had made the right decision. It was no longer a dilemma. It was fact. She was grateful for the experiences she had had, but it was time to forge a new path. Maybe become a travel writer or a Yoga instructor. The options were endless and exciting.

The End.