Despite turbulent airline travel this summer, widespread hiring continues for flight attendants

For many Canadians travelling by air this summer, navigating chaotic airports, airline cancellations and delays is daunting, but for flight attendants, it's their everyday working reality.

Part of their job these days is hearing all about those issues from passengers.

"They're on the plane with the passengers, so it's a captive audience. And people want to vent … people want to ask about their connections, their baggage, their pets down below,," said Wesley Lesosky, president of the component of CUPE that represents Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants. 

"It's all going to be on the flight attendant because that's the only person there."

Despite all the in-flight confrontations —  whether they're about recent air travel issues or COVID-19 regulations like masking —  some in the industry say the job still has an allure and there's still a lot of interest in it. 

This weekend, Emirates is holding a cabin crew open day in Toronto to attract new employees.

"Emirates, the world's largest international airline, is looking for candidates to join its multinational cabin crew team," the company's news release reads.

"The airline is looking for individuals who are passionate about delivering simple yet personalized and impeccable hospitality while creating memorable moments for its customers."

Lesosky says Air Canada has seen "incredible growth" in hiring despite the new difficulties of being a flight attendant.

"it comes with a lot more challenges," Lesosky acknowledged. But "there's still the travel perks. There's still great benefits."

Christina Ling, who runs a training school called the Flight Attendant Institute, agrees interest in the job isn't waning. 

"Despite the circumstances that are going on in the aviation world right now, there is no shortage of people that still want to pursue this career," she said.

"Because it is so unique and there's just this mystique about it and the allure of travel."

Ling says the sustained interest is largely because of the increased number of available jobs.