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I’m a Flight Attendant

April 2026
By Carlos Merced as told to Ellen Song | Illustrations by Rafael Alvarez

Courtesy of Carlos Merced

Carlos Merced

Carlos Merced travels thousands of miles a day, multiple times a week, as part of his job. For the past 36 years, he’s worked as a flight attendant for a major airline. During flights, he’s responsible for ensuring the comfort and safety of passengers. That involves everything from serving snacks to providing medical help if someone becomes ill. Before each flight, he checks the plane’s safety gear, including the life vests and oxygen masks, as well as the exit doors and evacuation slides.

Carlos loves many parts of his job, but his favorite part is interacting with passengers and making their flight feel special. “For this job, you have to be people-oriented. You interact with hundreds of people every day,” Carlos says. “I don’t consider this a job—it’s a lifestyle.”

I was about 4 when I first saw an airplane. It was so exciting! Later, during car rides around Puerto Rico, where I grew up, my family would drive by the airport to spot the planes taking off.

When I was 23, I saw an ad for a flight attendant job in the paper. I applied and began a six-week training program. We learned all the skills for the role, including first aid.

Being a flight attendant involves a lot of physical activity. You have to lift heavy bags and push the refreshments cart, which weighs about 80 pounds.

One of the best parts of being a flight attendant is the chance to travel. We get free or heavily discounted tickets to just about anywhere. I’ve been all over the world!

I meet all sorts of people each day. Some passengers are really afraid of flying, so I always do my best to comfort them and let them know they’re safe.

Carlos’s Advice for Becoming a Flight Attendant

You need a high school degree or high school equivalency degree, as well as a valid passport, to become a flight attendant. And you must be at least 20 or 21 years old to apply, depending on the airline. Having some experience in customer service is a great way to strengthen your application.

Here are Carlos’s other tips for building the skills a flight attendant needs:

  • Learn other languages to help you communicate with passengers.
  • Join a sport or a club to gain teamwork experience.
  • Build your physical strength. Flight attendants must lift heavy items and stand for long periods of time.
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