Julie Ardoin - cabin crew, Emirates
I’M FROM Dublin but, like a lot of cabin crew, I’ve a fairly multinational background. My Mum is from Cavan but my Dad is French and a diplomat, which meant we moved countries every six years. I’ve lived all over.
Prior to joining Emirates two-and-a-half years ago I was an IT recruitment consultant.
I’m based in Dubai and spend half my month there and half travelling.
We fly to 115 destinations and on the 22nd of each month I’ll get my roster.
The first thing I’ll do is check what’s on in each city I’m visiting and get in touch with friends to say I’m on my way.
I’m just back from an eight-day schedule from Dubai to Bangkok, Sydney, Christchurch, Sydney again, Bangkok and Dubai, with 24 and 48-hour layovers along the way.
On other occasions it could be short run flights, such as Muscat or Doha, where I’d be there and back in a day.
I’ve always loved travelling. Very often for my holidays I’ll head back to an Emirates destination to explore it in more depth.
This year I spent two weeks in New Zealand.
For each flight the first thing we do is have a briefing to introduce yourself to the other crew members.
We have over 13,000 cabin crew and are recruiting all the time so you’re constantly meeting new people.
We also need to know what languages and special skills the people you are flying with might have.
We have some doctors and nurses who gave up their former jobs in order to travel and they’re always good to know on a flight, even though the training we all get in first aid is pretty rigorous. We even learn how to deliver babies.
I work in business class so, once on-board, I’ll do safety and equipment checks and then see from the passenger list who is sitting where and be ready to greet them and take their jackets.
We get all sorts, from business people to honeymooners and families with kids.
I love meeting people from so many different cultures, and hearing their stories.
You wouldn’t go hungry in business class so I’m up and down serving drinks and food a lot. It’s good exercise.
If it’s a long flight we have our own on-board sleeping quarters.
I’m so used to it now I can fall asleep in seconds and be back working within minutes of waking up.
On layovers the crew will usually hang out together. Someone will have been there before so you’ll be told where’s the best place to go for a massage in one city or to shop in another.
When we land back in Dubai we collect our case from the crew terminal and an Emirates shuttle bus brings us the 10-minute trip to our accommodation complex. We’re well looked after like that.
In conversation with SANDRA O'CONNELL