We’re all in it together at 35,000 feet in an aluminium tube, again: An ethnographic study of what stress, coping and resilience looks and feels like for cabin crew

Marsh, Lynne (2024) We’re all in it together at 35,000 feet in an aluminium tube, again: An ethnographic study of what stress, coping and resilience looks and feels like for cabin crew. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

This is an autoethnographic research project, situated within the context of the lifeworld of long-haul cabin crew in the United Kingdom, written by a retired cabin crew member of a major airline. Cabin crew work long hours in demanding physical and emotional environments and experience high volumes of stress when performing their work. However, even though crew experience these high levels of stress, many crew cope with these hardships and attain long careers suggesting they are resilient. This study aimed to perform a qualitative exploration of the lifeworld of long-haul cabin crew as to how stress, coping and resilience looks and feels like in their daily lives. Design Autoethnography and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Method Following university study ethical approval, long haul cabin crew from an international airline were asked to participate and to share their experiences of their flying careers. Autoethnography allowed for a deep contextual understanding of the crew’s often hidden lifeworld and one that is often victim to stereotyping. Data was collected using diaries (n=7) and semi structured interviews (n=6) with the aim of producing knowledge that informs the understanding of how crew have coped and survived to sustain long careers. Results Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis resulted in the development of two core themes: The first was The psychological cost of flying: Surviving work induced stress and anxiety. Within this theme there were six subordinate themes: The home space to workplace transition: Managing the anxieties and stress of leaving home and family; A stressful journey to work: Balancing a desire for control against feelings of helplessness; Preflight briefing stress: Navigating uncertainty, unknowns and loneliness with their new crew family; Aircraft emergencies and situational stress: Denial of danger in a supportive collegiate environment; Confronting aggression from passengers: Coping with fear, isolation and powerlessness with nowhere to run; A changing and hostile work culture: Coping with a lack of trust, autonomy and relatedness and the fear of redundancy. The second core theme was Positivity undoes negativity. Within this theme there were four subordinate themes: Seeking a world of contrast and variety: Changing the mundane day to day job into a positive experience; Social comparison emphasises the good; Travel broadens the mind: Wonderous experiences and leisure opportunities; Jump seat counselling: Actively seeking social support through shared conversations, collective experiences and emotions with colleagues. Conclusions The crew narrative reveals the high level of workplace stress and anxiety they experience throughout their working day from the daily hassles as a result of their work environment and a hostile organizational culture and what this feels like for them. In order to address this workplace stress, cabin crew implement self-care as they call upon a myriad number of coping strategies throughout their working day that allow them to negate the psychological stress they experience and build their resilience that sustains their long careers. Lazarus & Folkman, 1980 Transactional Theory of Stress, Hobfoll’s, 1989,Conservation of Resources and Fredrickson’s, 1998, Broaden and Build Theory were all evident in the numerous coping strategies embedded in the themes that cabin crew called upon to ease the many stressful situations they encountered during their working day: preparation, planning, seeking information, rationalization, social support, self-control, denial, reappraisal, distancing, social comparison, self-evaluation, acceptance, reframing, recalling positive events and experiences and benefit finding. Whilst cabin crew bear some responsibility for their psychological wellbeing it is recommended that the organization also must accept that management practices add to the experience of workplace stress. The organization should recognise and implement the need for training in coping strategies and resilience that will better support the crew’s wellbeing. Further implications for cabin crew training in safety and emergency procedures are highlighted as the maladaptive coping strategies identified in this research may impact on aircraft safety.