23 Years old and in charge in the cabin
Getting up at 3:00 a.m., driving for two hours, and only then starting your workday: not many 23-year-olds would look forward to that. But Marit, who has been a cabin attendant at KLM Cityhopper for almost two years, absolutely loves her job. Of course, she sometimes finds the schedule tough, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything. “You never know what to expect. Every flight, every passenger is different. When I was little, I already dreamed of this job and now I realize every day why!"
Standing on your own two feet
“At KLM Cityhopper, you work with two or three people in the cabin, depending on the aircraft,” Marit begins. So it’s a small team, yet during a flight they are responsible for around a hundred passengers. In many situations, you’re basically on your own. “Overfilled overhead bins, grumpy travelers, the timing of the boarding process — there’s a lot involved in a flight like that.” Every day starts with a briefing at the crew center. There, the crew prepares for the flights ahead: destinations, passenger numbers, and any special circumstances.
Still, you can never prepare for everything. Not long ago, I had to deal with a passenger who was vaping. He denied it and walked to the lavatory at the back of the aircraft. Guess what he went there to do. When I knocked on the door, he exploded. I thought: this could easily get out of hand. After giving him some time to cool down and briefly consulting with the cockpit crew, I spoke to him again — calm, but firm. In the end, he left the aircraft without any further incidents. There are countless situations you simply can’t prepare for, but still have to solve while in the air. You need to be confident and stand your ground. Sometimes it’s exciting and challenging, but that’s also exactly what makes the job varied and fun.Marit, Senior cabin attendant at KLM Cityhopper
Moving up the ladder
From your very first flight, you’re given a lot of responsibility at KLM Cityhopper. That means you learn quickly and develop fast. “I’ve been working here for less than two years, but I’m already a senior cabin attendant: I work at the front of the cabin and supervise the colleague in the back. Often that person is older than I am, which can feel a bit strange. On the other hand, I may be younger, but I’ve simply experienced much more by now. In four months, I’ll already be able to apply for the next role: cabin supervisor. Then I’ll be managing two colleagues. After that, the next chapter is moving on to the ‘big’ KLM.”
Enjoying it for as long as possible
Marit is looking forward to eventually joining KLM, but she’s in absolutely no rush: she’s very happy with her work at Cityhopper. “It’s a demanding schedule with early shifts and lots of flights, and people often underestimate that. But you get so much in return. Spending a Tuesday afternoon on the beach in Valencia or wandering around Lisbon for a few hours. You can’t do that with an office job.”
“On top of that, you work with young, fun colleagues who are always enthusiastic. It starts right at the briefing: there’s always noise and laughter in the Cityhopper corner of the crew center. In the rest of the room, people are quietly waiting for their crew members. I know that in a few years I’ll probably be sitting among them too. Then I’ll be flying with larger crews to new destinations and I’m excited about that. But I’ll definitely miss the people and atmosphere at Cityhopper.”
Childhood dream
It’s clear that Marit is enjoying life as a cabin attendant at KLM Cityhopper. “When I was little, I already said this was what I wanted to do later in life, though back then I still called it being an air hostess. Still, I first started training to become a beautician and later a nurse. But neither of those really suited me. So I decided to apply to an airline. For someone from Limburg, Eindhoven Airport would have been the obvious choice because it’s closer by. But I thought: if I’m going to do this, I want to do it properly and work for KLM. Because of the great responsibility and the young colleagues, I chose Cityhopper. And I haven’t regretted it for a single moment!”
