
Nicky is a mum of two daughters and after several years as a full-time stay-at-home mum, has dared to reenter as a cabin attendant at Helvetic Airways</h1
A second family above the clouds
Nicky fulfilled her dream of flying at an early age, which accompanied her as a young girl. Today she is the mother of two daughters and after several years as a full-time mother at home, she decided to return to work as a cabin attendant at Helvetic Airways. She has been proving for 6 years that flying and family are perfectly compatible. What should you keep in mind when returning to work? How can family and duty schedule be combined? In an interview, Nicky gives exciting insights into her life as a cabin attendant and mother.
Has flying always been a dream of yours?
Even as a young girl, I had it in my head that I wanted to fly when I grew up. At that time, Swissair organized a roadshow in our town and presented all the professions related to aviation. That was 30 years ago. Before my children were born, I worked in marketing at Swissair and later at Zurich Airport. You could say that I lost my heart to aviation at a very early age.
How long have you been a cabin attendant at Helvetic Airways?
When my older daughter was already at school and the younger one was in kindergarten, I took the step back into professional life. The beginning was quite a change. The training to become a cabin attendant lasted two months full-time, even for me as a returnee. That was of course a huge change – for me, but of course also for my children. I’m lucky that my husband is very flexible in his job and can also look after the children at short notice. But above all, we received a lot of support from our in-laws. They live in the same place. Of course that was and is worth its weight in gold. I can rely on her 100%.
What particularly challenges you in everyday life?
Especially when my children are sick, I am faced with a difficult decision: Is it okay for me to go to work and only be able to be with them again after work is over? Or is it better if I stay at home? Of course, every working mother has to answer this question for herself. But you have to be aware of one thing when making the decision: As a cabin attendant, you can’t just go home at short notice. My children are now 12 and 14 years old and very independent. Of course, this makes it much easier compared to before.
What does a typical week look like for you? How do you organize family life and work?
I fly 40% and am at home the remaining 60%. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I have my so-called blackout days. I’m definitely with my family there. I can be scheduled for assignments from Thursday and will then be on the road for a maximum of two days until Sunday. Sometimes with an overnight stay, but that only happens every few weeks. And if it doesn’t suit me at all, I can easily swap night stops with my colleagues.
Some days I have to leave the house very early, but then I’m back home early in the evening. If I have a late start, I can have a leisurely breakfast with my girls and then drive to the airport. Personally, I also like to fly on weekends, so of course there is less to organize since my husband is at home. I always receive my deployment plan a month in advance. This gives me enough time to plan everything. This works really very well.
What do your children say about your job? Are you as enthusiastic about flying as you were when you were your age?
Yes! They really take after their mom. You have to say, the job still has a special magic to it. Flying fascinates – especially children, of course. My older daughter is slowly starting to think about her future and has already thought about whether she should follow in my footsteps. At the moment she is still a bit afraid of flying, but she still has some time.
You love your job – it shows immediately. What excites you the most?
It’s just good to be back in the professional world. To be on the move. The moment I stand on the plane with my colleagues, I am not a mother, I am simply Nicky. We all know each other because the team at Helvetic Airways is very small and changes with every assignment. Both my colleagues in the cockpit and in the cabin are like a second family to me. I am very proud to be able to work in such a great, family environment.
And of course I also love pampering my guests! I love putting a smile on my guests’ faces. And that the sun always shines above the clouds. Taking off always feels a bit like a vacation to me.
That sounds really nice. What advice would you like to give to other mothers who may be considering whether becoming a cabin attendant is right for them?
Just try it. At the beginning – especially when the children are still small – it is of course a challenge and you have to be able to let go a little. But it’s so much fun and feels so good. Therefore, mothers should just take the step. You have nothing to lose, but gain a second family with the Helvetic Airways team.
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