Take-off, turbulence and turnaround

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to explore the evolving nature of the work of cabin crew in a Scandinavian carrier in three eras, drawing on theories of gender and emotional labour.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on ethnographic data from fieldwork, interviews and documents.FindingsFrom being a feminized and temporary occupation for young, upper- and middle-class women in the 1970s, the occupation became a full-time job and with greater diversity of cabin crew. Today there are signs of the job becoming a precarious and temporary one of demanding and devalorized work in a polarized and class-divided labour market. Changing circumstances impact on the emotional labour requirement and terms and conditions at work.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation is that the research design was not initially longitudinal in the sense that the author does not have exactly the same kind of data from each era. The author has, however, been involved in this field for two decades, used multiple methods and interacted with different stakeholders and drew on a unique data material.Practical implicationsThe development in aviation is contributing to new discriminatory practices, driving employee conditions downwards and changing the job demands. This development will have practical consequences for the lives and families of cabin crew.Social implicationsThe analysis illustrates how work ‘constructs' workers and contributes in creating jobs that are not sustainable for the employees. Intensification of work, insecurity and tougher working conditions also challenge key features in the Nordic model such as proper pay, decent work and a life-long employment. Much indicates that the profession is again becoming a temporary one of demanding work with poor working conditions in a polarized and class-divided labour market.Originality/valueThe research contributes to the literature on emotional labour, gender and the evolving nature of the work of cabin crew. The unique data material, the longitudinal aspect of the research and the focus on a single network carrier are good in charting changes over time.

Effects of trust in organizations and trait mindfulness on optimism and perceived stress of flight attendants during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis research adopts the conservation of resources (COR) theory to examine the effects of trust in organizations and trait mindfulness on optimism and perceived stress of flight attendants in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachOnline survey data were collected from 234 flight attendants who work for five low-cost airlines based in Thailand. The data were analyzed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results show that trust in an organization and trait mindfulness are negatively associated with the perceived stress of flight attendants. Their associations are also partially mediated by optimism. Moreover, the moderating effect analysis reveals that trait mindfulness intensifies the positive association between trust in organizations and optimism.Originality/valueThe evidence from this research broadens COR theory by showing that different aspects of resources can be combined to strengthen the ability of individuals to gain more resources to lessen stress.

Outcomes of servant leadership among flight attendants: test of parallel and serial multiple mediating effects

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the parallel and serial multiple mediating effects of job insecurity (JIS) and occupational self-efficacy (OSE) in the association between servant leadership and work engagement (WENG).Design/methodology/approachData collected from 296 flight attendants in Korea were tapped to assess the study hypotheses. The linkages were tested via structural equation modeling. The phantom variable was used to estimate the parallel and serial indirect impacts of JIS and OSE.FindingsServant leadership fosters OSE and WENG, while it alleviates JIS. Both JIS and OSE parallelly mediate the effect of servant leadership on WENG. Contrary to what has been hypothesized, the findings lend no credence to the serial multiple mediating impact.Practical implicationsManagement should pay utmost attention to the promotion of employees to supervisory positions based on "stringent selection and hiring of people.” Flight attendants high on WENG should have job security. This is important because such employees exhibit good performance at work. Management should also organize training programs that would enhance flight attendants' OSE.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the relevant knowledge base by relating servant leadership to flight attendants' WENG through JIS and OSE. Because of the number of rising disengaged service workers across the globe, this study also gauges the factors influencing flight attendants' WENG and reports whether servant leadership, JIS and OSE influence their WENG at the same time. Unlike the preponderance of the empirical pieces, this study contributes to the literature by assessing the indirect effect of servant leadership on WENG via JIS and OSE as the parallel and serial multiple mediators using the phantom variable.

How COVID-19 Perceived Risk Causes Turnover Intention Among Chinese Flight Attendants: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Purpose: This study examined the influencing mechanism and boundary conditions underlying the relation between COVID-19 perceived risk and flight attendants' turnover intention by investigating the mediating role of job insecurity and the moderating effect of job crafting. Methods:  A two-wave survey was conducted with 240 Chinese flight attendants. We used structural equation modeling to test the moderated mediation model. Results: The results indicated that perceived risk of COVID-19 positively affected flight attendants' job insecurity and turnover intention. Moreover, job insecurity plays a fully mediating role in the relationship between perceived risk and turnover intention. Furthermore, the mediating role of job insecurity was moderated by job crafting; for higher levels of job crafting (opposed to low), the effect of job insecurity on turnover intention was significantly weaker. Conclusion:  Our findings indicate that dissipating job insecurity and increasing job crafting behavior are critical to employees' work-related attitudes and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outcomes of servant leadership among flight attendants: test of parallel and serial multiple mediating effects

Purpose This paper aims to examine the parallel and serial multiple mediating effects of job insecurity (JIS) and occupational self-efficacy (OSE) in the association between servant leadership and work engagement (WENG). Design/methodology/approach Data collected from 296 flight attendants in Korea were tapped to assess the study hypotheses. The linkages were tested via structural equation modeling. The phantom variable was used to estimate the parallel and serial indirect impacts of JIS and OSE. Findings Servant leadership fosters OSE and WENG, while it alleviates JIS. Both JIS and OSE parallelly mediate the effect of servant leadership on WENG. Contrary to what has been hypothesized, the findings lend no credence to the serial multiple mediating impact. Practical implications Management should pay utmost attention to the promotion of employees to supervisory positions based on "stringent selection and hiring of people." Flight attendants high on WENG should have job security. This is important because such employees exhibit good performance at work. Management should also organize training programs that would enhance flight attendants' OSE. Originality/value This paper contributes to the relevant knowledge base by relating servant leadership to flight attendants' WENG through JIS and OSE. Because of the number of rising disengaged service workers across the globe, this study also gauges the factors influencing flight attendants' WENG and reports whether servant leadership, JIS and OSE influence their WENG at the same time. Unlike the preponderance of the empirical pieces, this study contributes to the literature by assessing the indirect effect of servant leadership on WENG via JIS and OSE as the parallel and serial multiple mediators using the phantom variable.

Impact of perception of COVID-19 on NPI, job satisfaction, and customer orientation: Highlighting three types of NPIs for the airline industry.

Without vaccines or pharmaceutical treatments for a viral pandemic, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as washing hands and wearing masks are likely the most effective ways to control infections at airports and on airplanes. Although the aviation market is a major entry point for viruses, little is known about how flight attendants view the risk of COVID-19 and whether they follow individual-organizational-governmental NPI protocols. Guided by protection motivation theory (Rogers, 1975), this study proposed an NPI model tailored specifically to the airline industry and examined how an extended NPI would affect job satisfaction and customer orientation of Korean flight attendants (n = 371). Results revealed that perceptions of COVID-19 are positively related to three types of NPIs, which in turn positively influenced job satisfaction and customer orientation. Given that the examined three types of NPIs had not been paid attention in previous research, the study's proposed conceptual model should better guide the airline industry in protecting its flight attendants with NPI strategies inside and outside aircraft.