Experiences of Thai Flight Attendants Gaining from Working with Foreign Airlines Being Based in a Foreign Country

Abstract

           The study was a qualitative research aiming to examine experiences of Thai flight attendants gaining from working with foreign airlines being based abroad. The key informants consisted of 12 Thai flight attendants, selected by purposive sampling and snowball sampling. A combination of semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and diaries from the respondents was used to collect the data. The data were then analyzed with thematic analysis.

          The research findings showed that the experiences of these flight attendants consisted of 6 dimensions including: 1) experiences gained from physical attributes of the country consisting of the terrain of Middle East is desert and hot climate; 2) experiences involving the image of the country including social is international and high security; 3) benefits including salary, remuneration gained based on flying hours, allowance, medical benefits and accommodation; 4) meaningful values including self-development ​​and having broader mind; 5) social interaction consisting of working with colleague, meeting with local people and contact with family member in Thailand; and 6) experiences of cultural interaction including learning local culture.