April 30, 2021 • travel
Serena Chew Talks 'Amazing' Flight Attendant Career: Celeb Encounters, Perks, and More Secrets!
She’s so fly! Serena Chew took to social media on Thursday to share insight into her “amazing” job as a flight attendant.
“Just in case you were wondering what it’s like to be a flight attendant,” the standout star of “The Bachelor” Season 25 wrote alongside an Instagram Reel. “Welcome to the first video of this mini series of My Life as a Flight Attendant! This is just a lil FAQ I get while flying the friendly skies, stay tuned where I explain how I got this amazing job and ALL the craziness that comes along with it.”
In an accompanying video, Serena answered a series of fan queries, prompting her to dish on celebrity encounters, flying perks, and more secrets from her career in aviation.
Asked about the famous faces she’s seen in the air, the New York City resident replied, “Oh my gosh, OK, so I’ve met A$AP Rocky. I wasn’t working, but he was sitting in front of me in first class and that was definitely my fave encounter. I was, like, shocked. I didn’t say anything until the end of the flight.”
Serena has also caught a glimpse of James Franco. “He was in the business section of a different flight and that was pretty fun,” she said. “But that’s about it.”
Elsewhere, the franchise alum broke down the benefits of being a flight attendant.
“I get to fly domestically completely for free. Honestly, I pay more for the Ubers to get to the airport. But if I want to go somewhere internationally, I have to pay the taxes on those tickets,” she said. “I get one companion pass, which would be my special person that also gets the same benefits as I do. And then my parents get to be on my benefits and fly for free as well.”
Serena added, “I also get 16 flight passes for friends at a discounted rate and they would be on standby. It’s all standby. I don’t get a confirmed seat, so that’s the only risk of doing it. But it’s worth it. I never have any issues.”
The travel enthusiast then revealed her “favorite” and “least favorite” parts of her profession. “My favorite part is the flexibility. You’re kind of your own self-managed person. You only have to report to someone when you’re calling out and you get to make your own schedule. And, obviously, you get to travel and see the world,” she noted. “My least favorite part about it is definitely the early morning waking up and commuting to the airports. It’s difficult but it’s doable.”
Later, Serena spoke about the “most scandalous” thing she’s ever witnessed on a flight.
“This guy was canoodling with his girl and he AirDropped her a nude but accidentally AirDropped one of our flight attendants the nude and it was the funniest, most awkward thing ever,” she said. “It wasn’t me, but it was right up there, and it was hilarious.”
Toward the end of the clip, Serena — who assured fans she is not part of the “Mile High Club” — discussed the widely accepted myth that pilots are “players.”
“I’ve only hung out with a few pilots and there are some who are sleazy, some slimy. But for the most part, they’re kind,” she said. “Whatever stereotypes you hear are the stereotypes I hear, so I don’t usually try to mess around with any of the pilots. And, plus, they’re pretty old by the time they’re on the main line. I feel like, if anything, the pilots that are on the regional airlines, the younger ones, I bet they’re probably a little more scandalous.”
Hear more about Serena’s experiences below.
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