I have been a flight attendant for the better part of my adult life. I started when I was barely 21 years old. The first airline I worked for was small and poorly run. As such it went out of business within 3 years. I got a job with another airline about a year later and I have been keeping the skies friendly ever since, which amounts to 20 years now! Wow! Time really does “fly”. You can groan, it’s okay, I did.
My roller bag has destination patches all over the side. I wanted it to look like one of those old steamer trunks. My hope was that people wouldn’t get it confused with their own black-roller-bag-with-wheels-and-a-handle and mistakenly take it…. It would also stand out at the baggage carousel or lined up with all the other crew bags in front of the hotel. Win/win. After about the five hundredth time someone commented on how cool my bag was with all the patches, I decided to start making merit badges/patches for flight attendants.
In 2008, armed with 14 years of stewardess experience and a ridiculously talented designer/computer literate husband, we came up with Peanut Proficiency, I Survived Barbie Boot Camp, Serving Drinks Saving Lives, Deadhead Diva, Cockpit Queen and Stew U. I then thought it would be cool to represent your base as we are always so curious to know where someone is based. Why? I don’t know. We had a lot of fun getting creative while designing patches based on their city codes.
From there we came up with some button designs flight attendants could wear on their aprons while doing service. These were definitely tongue in cheek fun items to have. My first event was an airline party in Las Vegas and it was an absolute riot watching people’s faces as they read the buttons. This by far is my favorite part, seeing the hysterical responses to a product I make!
Stickers were a natural progression of almost all of the patch designs, in theory so pilots could put them on their brain bags. After that came t-shirts and clutches, then magnets. So now we offer 34 patch designs, 12 magnets, 29 buttons, 4 different options for clutches as well as 33 stickers and 5 shirt designs in male and female!
How it works is…. my husband does all the pretty designs on the computer per my request and I do all the heavy lifting! Meaning making, marketing, selling, and distributing the product. More on that in the Product Information sheet. I couldn’t do it without him or rather I could but that would mean getting over my fear of technology and going to school for years and years….. I am almost positive he wouldn’t do it without me. So we keep our day jobs, have time for family and enjoy each other in the process!
Will there be a Denver Base Patch soon?
Hmmmm. The long and the short of it is…. maybe. You see the problem is, I like to do everything myself. Quality control issues, fair wage issues, etc. I don’t mind not paying myself! I love this company and work for free A LOT! In fact, I make everything myself except for the stickers (made in Denver) and the patches. There are three options: I have tried to find an embroiderer in the US but it is just not cost effective. I would have to raise my prices to cover the cost dramatically. Option 2 is to buy an embroidery machine, which would be $8-10,000. At the rate in which the patches sell….. I would have that paid off in about 45 years! Option 3 is to have them made in China in bulk. SIGH. That is not an easy decision for me. Actually there is a fourth option and I am working on it but it is not my main focus right now.
So… yeah…. maybe.
Tara
Hello Tara,
My name is Alyssa Grant and I have a product that is perfect for Flight Attendants and would be a great addition to your website. I make a Travel Laundry Bag to put your dirties in when you are away from home. They are odor-, water- and mildew- resistant. Please take a look at my website and, if you are interested, give me a call. I would truly like to work with you.
My friend Darren Ane told me about your products and your site…it is fantastic!
Warmly,
Alyssa Grant
TLC – Travel Laundry Company
tlc.alyssagrant@yahoo.com
Thanks Alyssa, I will check it out. I love it when people come up with something new and useful. Do you make them yourself?
This design is steller! You definitely know how to keep a
reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved
to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job.
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented
it. Too cool!
Here is my blog: Paramotor hang gliding – Paramotoring Instruction
I have videos? Cool. Where?
Paramotoring sounds fun. You should start your own Blog, then I might know what that is!
Bonjour Betty,
I finally found you! :) yay!
A year ago I saw on a carry on an embroidered badge of this red lady serving drinks saving lives.
My very best friend is a flight attendant and I’ve been looking to buy her one!
Her birthday is now passed but it’s never to late to do well :)
I’m wondering if you still sell this embroidered badge.
Please let me know, and I’ll keep looking on the product you have on your website!
Merci
Isabelle
Bonjour Isabelle,
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I have the Serving Drinks, Saving Lives in sticker form only right now. However your friend my like the”Saving Lives One Drink At A Time” shirt. http://jetsetbetty.com/product/saving-lives-shirt-female/
The patch sold out and right now I’m working on finding a local embroiderer.
Tara
Hey there! Would you mind if I share your blog with my facebook group?
There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate
your content. Please let me know. Many thanks
I wouldn’t mind at all. Share away!
Dear Betty,
Hello there, great blog. I have flown all over the world and admire the
patience that you and other attendants show. I know your primary role is one of safety so I know how much safer we are with you on the flight.
I happened upon your blog while looking for ways to improve the flight
for you and your fellow attendants. I eventually will get through all
your blog postings, but it would be great if there were links on your
main page that gave a list of do’s and don’ts to aid me and others
to be more cognizant of what we can do to make your flight better.
Thanks for you work on the blog,
Best regards,
Douglas Lane
Douglas,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate you appreciating me! I wrote a few snippets for an article recently that you will definitely be interested in. http://yhoo.it/1OzTwlj Check it out.
Keep flying!