MARIAL | Calendar

Drew Whitelegg (Emory University)

LIFE IN THE AIR VS. LIFE ON THE GROUND: FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Flight attendants face unique challenges as they try to juggle work and family duties. Intensified shift work means that they are often away from home for long periods of time. The mobility of their jobs also means they often work far from home, particularly if they are scheduled to work on international flights. How do they do it? Former and current flight attendants will participate in a panel discussion moderated by Drew Whitelegg, a postdoctoral fellow at the MARIAL Center. Whitelegg is researching the largely unexplored area of how flight attendants juggle work and family responsibilities. The panelists will discuss the challenges they face, and the strategies they use to compensate for long absences. They may also talk about the rituals they perform to disentangle work and home, how they feel about the events of Sept. 11, and how they are affected by layoffs and job cuts in the airline industry.