Working as a flight attendant: Kiwi shares Emirates reality

Elizabeth Mosquera shares the many perks of moving to Dubai to work as a flight attendant. Photo / Supplied

If you love bright lights, big cities and travelling around the world, then Elizabeth Mosquera may just have your dream job.

Working as a flight attendant for Emirates certainly does have its perks according to the New Plymouth local, who has just returned from a Greece holiday with a Kiwi colleague and friend from Aotearoa.

In August, she plans to travel to Spain to hike the Camino de Santiago with her sister who lives in London (which Mosquera describes as her ‘second home’ due to how often she flies there).

“I never would have had the opportunity before Emirates to just take two weeks off and fly to Spain, so I’m thrilled to have that experience,” she told Herald, describing the personal travel as a “surreal bonus”.

“Being from NZ it’s hard to imagine that a quick flight and you’re in Europe. So, for me, personal travel has been a huge benefit of the job.”

Elizabeth Mosquera was thrilled to secure a job as a flight attendant. Photo / Supplied

For many young Kiwis, student loans can make big overseas travels difficult to save for, especially if they live overseas and the loans earn interest.

Mosquera said this wasn’t an issue; living in a tax-free city like Dubai, combined with annual bonuses means she’s paid off “a lot” of her loans while still being able to save and travel.

From New Plymouth to Dubai

Mosquera has always been fascinated by the aviation industry.

“Whenever I flew on planes, I was in awe of how beautiful and kind the cabin crew were to me,” she said.

New Zealand’s distance from the rest of the world meant she’d mainly travelled around the Pacific and Australia but the Kiwi was hungry for more.

So, when she finished up at Wellington University and learned of an Emirate recruitment day happening in Auckland, she jumped at the chance to work as a flight attendant.

“The stars aligned for me and the prospect of travelling the world, moving to Dubai, and finally wearing that red hat was too good to resist,” she said.

After being accepted, Mosquera headed to Dubai, where everything from training to friendships was intense from day one.

“That first day was when I made some of my best friends in Dubai,” she said, adding that the camaraderie helped them get through training, which involved learning everything from dishing out meals to delivering an unexpected baby during a flight.

“The training process can be challenging at times, you’re learning so much by the book and then in the evenings implementing them in a real aircraft simulator,” she said.

Elizabeth Mosquera said she's loved the ability to travel while working for Emirates. Photo / Supplied

The highs and lows of life abroad

Of course, moving to Dubai isn’t like hopping over to Australia, said Mosquera, who said the “bittersweet” move did involve a few tears and adjustments.

“I don’t think you could get any two places more different from each other,” she said of her hometown, which has a population of 80,000, and Dubai, with its 3.3 million people.

However, Mosquera said there was no place she’d rather be during this season of her life as she loves the energy and pace of the big city.

“I felt like Alice in Wonderland when I first got here, I’d never seen so many buildings and lights, it’s a beautiful city, especially at night,” she said.

While she still values her family and tries to visit them as often as possible, Mosquera has noticed how friendship plays a huge role in Dubai.

“When you move to Dubai you’re dropped way outside your comfort zone, so the memories and friendships you make become all the more important,” she said, adding that friendships were a ‘huge part’ of her life currently.

Plus, Mosquera says Dubai has a large Kiwi community, with an annual ball and groups who gather to watch All Blacks games, so she can always experience a slice of home when she needs to.

Surprises as a flight attendant

Two things quickly surprised Mosquera when she began working at Emirates; how sheltered she’d been in New Plymouth and how fast she adapted.

“I’d lived a bit of a sheltered life in New Plymouth and not known many people from other places,” she said, adding it had been a surprise to encounter so many new nationalities during training and then work.

“I have so many friends now from all over the world, and I cherish those friendships. One of my best friends is from Serbia, I’m hoping to visit her next time we both have leave. I also have two wonderful flatmates - one from Japan and one from Lebanon.”

Friends are a key part of life abroad according to Mosquera. Photo / Supplied

Despite these differences, Mosquera said she’s been surprised by her adaptability.

“Emirates is this huge multinational organisation and I felt so confident in getting on that 17-and-a-half-hour flight to a country and city I’d never been to before,” she said, attributing her confidence to the supportive way Emirates run their selection and recruitment process.

What is life like off the aircraft?

When she isn’t working as a flight attendant or travelling for leisure, Mosquera said she’s never bored in Dubai and typically spends her days at Dubai Mall shopping, running errands and hanging at the beach or a pool with friends.

During special occasions, the crew often enjoy going out and enjoying the “amazing” nightlife, something Mosquera said may surprise many Kiwis.

“If I get the chance on a day off, I love to go to Hatta there are some great restaurants and it’s such a cool place to do kayaking and water sports,” she added, referring to a village in Dubai, high in the Hajar Mountains.

Mosquera has been able to travel while paying off her student loan and saving. Photo / Supplied

The intense nature of the job also requires Mosquera to spend a bit of time looking after herself physically.

“As Emirates crew, there’s a real focus on keeping healthy as the job can be demanding on your body,” she said, and often runs down by the canal in winter and hits the gym in summer.