Passenger asks me why I'm studying

[AirHostess]

Quiet night flight, I'm sat on my jumpseat in the galley doing some studying as I'm doing my English degree. Passenger asks me why I'm reading Dickens and making notes, I explain, his response is "why do you need a degree to serve tea and coffee?"

I gave him a nice lecture explaining cabin crew are onboard for safety as laid down by aviation law, we have lots of exams to pass, lots of my co-workers have higher qualifications, we have lots of flexibility etc and he shuffled back to his seat.

But why would you say such a thing to someone? How dare I try to better my education!

[IT Grunt]

'Asshole' doesn't even begin to describe that douchewaffle. Ah, if only passenger planes were equipped with ejector seats.

[SteeleDragon78]

i believe that his next drink would contain the "special" creamer. dont criticize the person trying to better themselves. i work with attendants everyday, and most of them have at least an associates degree. i commend you on your studies and wish you good luck on the exams

[Interior Desecrator]

Obviously, this brilliant specimen of humanity doesn't understand the concept of simply bettering oneself through higher education. In college, I took lit courses simply because I enjoyed them. They had nothing to do with my major (interior design), nor did I need them to graduate. (I did have to maintain a certain number of hours each semester for my scholarship.) I took them because they sharpened my reasoning skills and opened my mind to more of the world around me. This guy apparently sees education only as a means to an end. It's sad, really.

On a different note, which Dickens were you reading? My favorite is "A Tale of Two Cities."

(BTW - my mother and my future mother-in-law were both English majors.)

[AirHostess]

Great Expectations for a forthcoming essay.

I am loving my Lit course so far, I can choose some modules I want to do and do one module oustide of the English department such as psychology or philosophy.

Brings me back to the one moronic woman at my previous (low cost) airline who told her young daughter to study at school or she would end up a 'flying waitress.' Yeah I'm sure the flight attendants who died trying to protect their passengers on the 9/11 flights would love to hear themselves called that. It makes me so cross when I think of all the incidents crew have been involved in and the ones who have died whilst on duty

I would never make assumptions about people working in a supermarket or a restaurant...why do SC's not understand that because someone works in the service industry they are thick and can't get a better job?

[auntiem]

A 'flying waitress' that can save your ass in any number of ways thankyouverymuch. Why are people so rude the the very people that potentially have their lives in their hands?
English major here *waves* be prepared for people asking "what possible use is that degree?". Apparently, they think unless it has a direct, practical use then it might as well be an Underwater Basket Weaving degree. Mine has served me quite well over the years.
My studying at work story: Taking Russian Lit, working at an adult toy store. Several customers commenting "oh, that must be interesting" with a leer. Wait, don't get ahead of me y'all. I was reading Crime and Punishment. I would launch into a discussion of the plot and themes until they wandered off.

[Crazeyal]

The person speaking has very little imagination. You are in their immediate sight and you serve coffee and tea. They can't see you doing anything else, simply because they do not possess that ability. I find that these people get VERY indignant if you point out their handicap to them. It's best to pretend that they AREN'T disabled.

Then giggle at them behind their backs...

[Jester]

Passenger asks me why I'm reading Dickens and making notes, I explain, his response is "why do you need a degree to serve tea and coffee?"

HEADLINE: "Flight Attendant Kills Obnoxious Passenger. Jury Acquits Her of Any Wrongdoing."

Brings me back to the one moronic woman at my previous (low cost) airline who told her young daughter to study at school or she would end up a 'flying waitress.'

HEADLINE: "Killer Flight Attendant Strikes Again; Ruled Justifiable Homicide."

...working at an adult toy store.

I was reading Crime and Punishment.

Just a guess here, but they probably thought what you were reading was something completely different. After all, many of them have probably had fantasies involving some of your store's merchandise that involved "crime" and "punishment."

[fireheart]

I hate people who assume that anyone who works in retail/sales/hospitality is immediately stupid and dropped out of high school and/or didn't go to college/uni.
I am just waiting for someone to try that at work, where about 85% of us are studying a degree in some form. (about 10% are high school, the other 5 or so % are full-timers) So if they try and insult me and then accuse me of lying, my response can be "Oh, and if you're gonna complain to the service desk? Well, one of them is studying Archaeology, we've also got an Engineering student, a Paramedic student, a Business student, a Psych student...should I go on?"
And for the record, I'm doing a double major in French and International Affairs

[Golden Phoenix]

*growls increasingly loudly*

I can't abide people like that.

People who looked down on me because i was a checker at Tesco, last laugh's on them, i am probably better educated than most of them.

People who assumed that because i worked in a callcentre i was a highschool droput.

Same for when i was a waitress.

Same for working at the power company on the phones, it was paying my university tuition.

*takes meat cleaver to a few fools*

I feel better now

[corporateslave]

told her young daughter to study at school or she would end up a 'flying waitress.' Yeah I'm sure the flight attendants who died trying to protect their passengers on the 9/11 flights would love to hear themselves called that. It makes me so cross when I think of all the incidents crew have been involved in and the ones who have died whilst on duty

Wow, yeah, her daughter probably shouldn't have been in a position where she'd have to, ya know, be in charge of safety, or save people's lives or anything. Gah.

[Imogene]

I hate people who assume that anyone who works in retail/sales/hospitality is immediately stupid and dropped out of high school and/or didn't go to college/uni.

Yes, ma'am, I dropped out of highschool because my teachers were coming to ME for answers.
(not true. I didn't drop out of highschool, even after missing most of the beginning of my senior year, thanks to the stroke)

[Igorina]

I have to wonder, how many people realize that some airlines use former military for their flight attendants? I saw that when I flew Air India, and I want to say maybe Air Garuda as well..


Good luck on your courses PrincessKatieAirHostess

[iradney]

My word - way to diss the person who has to know how to stay CALM in a high-pressure situation in order to help asshats like THAT survive any accidents...

Plus, you're not a "flying waitress". Your job is so much more than "just serving coffee". You have to check the doors, the safety equipment, assist elderly, young and struggling passengers, know how to open those emergency doors... Plus, if someone hijacks a plane, you're on the front line...

PLUS you get to travel to all sorts of groovy locations!

[pyxee]

What gets me, is that I can out smart most of the ass-hats in a second, and I did drop out of school when I was 16.