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Cabin crew member quits after 5 years, reflects on leaving ‘dream job’: ‘No more 2 am flights’
A cabin crew member shared an emotional post after quitting her job.
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A woman has gone viral after sharing an emotional account of leaving her career as a cabin crew member. Taking to Instagram, Nitika Mehta posted a video reflecting on her last day in the role, offering a deeply personal glimpse into a profession many dream of.
(Also read: 'Felt unsafe even in the sky’: Woman’s mid-flight video sparks discussion on passenger behaviour)
In the video, she said, “This was my last day as a cabin crew. I flew for 5 years, but life moves on, so with a heavy heart still full of love for flying, I put my papers in. I thought to myself: No more 2:00 AM flights, no more missing birthdays and festivals and meals. But it also meant no more walking alone on the streets of Hong Kong at sunrise, no more watching nervous first-time flyers relax after one conversation, and no more playing peek-a-boo with babies while their parents finally got 5 minutes of peace.”
She continued, “No more jump seat sunsets, and that satisfying feeling of sending overconfident drunk men back to their seats with one look. Also, no more friendships that started at 35k feet and lasted for the length of that flight. No more living a life where every week the map looked different. I wasn't just leaving a job, I was leaving a life millions of young girls dream of—and in all honesty, I'll always be grateful I got to live it.”
‘It was never meant to be a career’
In the caption accompanying the video, Mehta revealed that the job was never meant to be a long term career but rather an escape from the pressures of competitive exams.
She wrote, “The truth is, it wasn’t supposed to be a career. It was an escape. From the rat race, the rank lists, the whole circus of competitive exams that India runs like a religion. Flying found me when I needed a way out, and it gave me a life I didn’t know I was allowed to want.”
Reflecting on her journey, she added, “5 years. Thousands of flights. A number of experiences I genuinely can’t count, some good, a lot hard, and a few that made me question every choice I’d ever made. But here’s the thing about a life lived at 35,000 feet: it changes the shape of you.”
She further noted, “I’ve been sitting on this content for six months now because some things take longer to become words… Six months later, and I still haven’t figured out how to casually tell people I used to be cabin crew without it turning into a whole thing.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The clip has garnered several reactions online, with users sharing their thoughts on her journey.
(Also read: 'We smile even when our body is screaming for rest': IndiGo cabin crew shares 'reality' of life in the skies)
One user wrote, “This made me emotional, such a beautifully expressed goodbye.” Another said, “People only see the glamour, not the sacrifices behind it.” A third commented, “The way you described small moments like babies and sunsets is so touching.” One more added, “Wishing you all the best for what comes next, you will do great.” Another said, “This is so real, quitting something you love is never easy.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
