The Rerouted Skytress

If you truly know me, you will know I pride myself on making my one week of vacation into at least 3 weeks off. I’ll admit. It’s definitely one of the perks of being a Skytress. Well, at least it is for me. The only downside of this system is that I eventually have to go back to work. I can’t explain it, but, the anxiety of going back to work starts to set in a few days before I have to fly. It’s been this way since I became a Skytress many years ago. Yessiree. My anxiety slowly increases as my vacation days decrease. Luckily, it’s never been as sky high as it was on my first trip as a Skytress. That anxiety was off the charts! Almost thirty – four years later I can still remember that anxious feeling. My first trip back from vacation I had a new Skyter on my crew. There was no doubt about it, he had sky high anxiety. Of course, he looked calm and collected. But, I could hear the first trip anxiety alarms going off. Fortunately for him, I have years of experience of successfully deactivating the Skytress-Skyter anxiety alarms.

You may be wondering why I would have anxiety going back to work after all these years. Heck. I wonder about this all the time. The crazy flying dreams I start to have days prior to flying could be a contributing factor. I’m certain my nonsensical flying dreams could unnerve the most stalwart crew member. I assure you the stress of commuting definitely plays havoc with my anxiety. This trip I had the added stress of knowing I would be the Skytress In-Charge. I used to fly this position all the time. These days, though, I just dabble in it. Fortunately, I would be the Skytress In-Charge on aircraft I regularly fly on. Unfortunately for everyone, especially me, I had never been the Skytress In-Charge once on these particular aircraft. Egads! In addition, I had first class meal services. Oh, boy. I haven’t had to serve meals on a plane since before Covid. Believe me….I take great pride in this statistic. I haven’t had the responsibility of counting meals and manifesting in a very long time. Counting meals and manifesting is a major pain in my backside. You would be amazed how upset passengers can get if you run out of the preferred meal choice. Yessiree. Watching adults pout over a meal can get on my last Skytress nerve. I did take comfort knowing my meal services were on my flights in and out of Bozeman, Montana. Most passengers are relatively happy going in and out of Bozeman. I did ease my meal manifesting anxiety before I left for my trip. I made a color-coded seat map of first class to make manifesting more enjoyable. It was the most artistic thing I created in my art room while I was on vacation. It wasn’t a Picasso, Rembrandt or Monet. No siree. It was an Eileen Gaffney original!

Thankfully, my elevated anxiety took a major dip when I arrived in Atlanta. I asked Ron for a penny from Heaven as I walked up the jetway. I knew a penny from Heaven would ease my anxiety. Well,…I found my penny when I walked into the gatehouse. Never underestimate the power of the Heavenly penny. Yessiree. My unsettling Skytress In-Charge stress was quickly evaporating thanks to the penny in my pocket. I, also, gave myself the ultimate pep talk as I walked to the crew lounge. I told myself I was an easygoing, effervescent Skytress In-Charge. I reminded myself I survived being in-charge on the L1011 numerous times. That airplane was a beast. More importantly, I reminded myself I was flying with a junior crew. I knew my junior crew would be ecstatic they weren’t flying in-charge. Heck. I could do almost anything and not have any one of them bat an eye.

I met Skyter J, Skyter Patrick and Skytress Akita at the gate. Skytress Akita was the one that informed me it was Skyter J’s first trip. I immediately started the process of deactivating Skyter J’s sky high anxiety. I asked him questions I knew he could answer. Confidence building is a huge deactivation tool. Next came the laughter. Laughter is an automatic anxiety reliever. I joked with Skyter J. I told him this was the perfect first trip to fly. After all, he was flying with me! I was going to be a great mentor. Yessiree. I would help ease him into his new career. Since he would be working up front with me, I told him to just greet the passengers at the boarding door. I would take care of everything else on the ground. Then I reminded him I was just coming off 24 days of vacation. Heck. The passengers would never know which one of us the was new person. Thankfully, this comment made him laugh….instead of terrifying him. Which I realize now could easily have happened.

I’ll admit. I tried my hardest to follow all the proper protocols they teach the new Skytresses and Skyters in training. Unfortunately, I reverted back to my old-set ways more than I would have liked Skyter J to see. It should be noted I actually had the PA announcement section open on my Skypro. I even started to read the announcements verbatim. Unfortunately, the printed announcement are too wordy. So, I did the old improvised Eileen announcements. They are short and sweet. They hit the high points in half the time. Heck. I am convinced the person that wrote the written announcements has never been a Skytress or Skyter……and quite possibly has never has been a passenger, either. Gee wiz. Some of the announcements are as long as some of our flights!

Mother Nature took great pity on me and Skyter J. She graciously provided us with the perfect amount of rough air. We had to start and stop our service several times. Fortunately, everyone eventually got a drink and snack. That’s all that really matters, right? The truth be told, Skyter J and I spent most of the flight strapped into our jumpseats talking. I did make an announcement when we landed in Syracuse that this was Skyter J’s first flight. I’m sure I embarrassed him. However, the Syracuse passengers couldn’t have been nicer as they deplaned and congratulated him. I hope when Skyter J reminisces about his first flight, he will remember this part of his trip most. Although, if he is anything like me, he will also remember the sky high anxiety he felt that day, too. I’m pretty sure on the scale of 1 to 10 most Skytresses and Skyters would say their first day anxiety rated an eleven. Later in the day when we were heading to Huntsville our Captain told us to remain seated the entire flight. I don’t know who was more relieved Skyter J or me. Skyter J was looking forward to our long Huntsville layover. He turned down offers to go to dinner the next day. His plan was to sleep the entire layover. He told me the last time he had felt this exhausted was when he was first in the military. Thankfully, Mother Nature once again took great pity on Skyter J. Yessiree. She provided us with severe storms for our layover. The only thing all of us could do was hunker down in our hotel rooms the entire layover.

The last day of our trip Skyter J worked in the back of the airplane. Fortunately for him, we don’t have a scheduled service in the main cabin from Huntsville to Atlanta. Of course, our flights in and out of Bozeman were considerably longer. I know Skyter J felt more comfortable knowing he didn’t have to rush through the in-flight service. I’ll admit. I felt more comfortable, too. Skyter Patrick was sitting up front with me on the last day of our trip. When I told Skyter Patrick I didn’t need any help with my first-class meal service, he enthusiastically headed back to the main cabin. I admit. I was a wee bit envious of Patrick. I wanted to enthusiastically head back there, too. Instead, I nonchalantly pulled out my my color-coded seat chart and went to work. I’m proud to report my color-coded seat chart was a game changer for me. I whipped those meals and drinks out in a flash. While the passengers were nibbling on their meals I got the galley and meal carts set up for our return flight. Alleluia! My Skytress In- Charge rhythm had finally returned in full swing. Yessiree. The passengers coming out of Bozeman would never know I had been dabbling in the Skytress In-Charge role.

The testament to a good trip is when the crew walks up the jetway laughing and chattering the entire time. I’m happy to report this was the case when we finished our trip. Skyter Patrick and Skytress Akita were going to make their commuter flights home. Skyter J had survived his first trip. His sky high anxiety was gone. Skyter J was happily talking about his next trip. He swapped his trip with Skyter Patrick and would be heading out to San Diego the next day. I was giddy. I survived being the Skytress In-Charge again. Yessiree. My pre-trip anxiety was a distant memory. I was heading to the hotel to get some sleep before my trip the next morning. I was excited for that trip. I was looking forward to the layovers. Plus, we barely had any beverage services in the main cabin. Ah yes, the main cabin. I wouldn’t be the Skytress In-Charge on that trip. Someone else would have that pleasure. Even better,….In three days I would be heading home to start another long vacation. I knew without a doubt as the vacation days dwindle my anxiety would return. However, I took solace in knowing that it wouldn’t be sky high anxiety. No siree. I’d leave the sky high anxiety for the new Skytresses and Skyters working their first official flights.