Singers, Rappers, Psychics—The Hidden Talents of Flight Attendants

Is your flight attendant a secret pop star?(Thinkstock)

Being a flight attendant isn’t a bad day job. They do get to see the world, after all. But corralling 100 people in a tight space, answering questions about arrival gates, and clocking miles up and down the aisle aren’t the only things flight attendants dream of. Some have hidden talents. Just last week, when faced with a rain delay, American Airlines FA, Robynn Shayne did what any other aspiring singer/songwriter would do: She busted out her guitar and sang her own rendition of Lorde’s hit song, “Royals.” There’s also TSA agent Damien Lawson at LAX who made all four judges turn their chairs and now is a semi-finalist on The Voice. A lot of the staffers manning our friendly skies have hobbies and gifts that make the rest of us look like serious underachievers. Here are just a few:

Related: Best Delay Ever? A Flight Attendant Performs While Stuck on the Plane

The Dancing (and Skating) Machine

Tongko in action (Michael Tongko/Facebook)

During a Virgin America flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles steward Michael Tongko put on quite a show for passengers. When the pre-recorded musical safety instructions started to play, he broke out his best dance moves reenacting the exact choreography seen in the official #VAsafetyvideo. But his dancing skills are just a hint to his real hidden talent: professional figure skating. On Tongko’s Facebook page, an image of him doing a Toe Loop jump during a competition is accompanied by the caption: “Did I mention I love to fly?!?! Whether in the air or on the ice.”

Watch: The Dancing Flight Attendant

The Rap Star

It gets good at around 55 seconds!

Southwest flight attendant David Holmes was only seven months into his new gig when he quickly made a name for himself as the “Rapping Flight Attendant.” During training, Holmes, who had always had a give for spitting a beat, started kidding around trying to make the safety instructions into a rap song. “I didn’t know I was ever going to do it on a plane,” he has said. “But the first time I did, they loved it.” After a video of his performance went viral, he became an instant YouTube sensation. While most airlines struggle to get passenger’s attention, SWA travelers attentively wait for Holmes to start perform the safety instructions. Now that’s a rap to be proud of.

The Professional ‘Extra’

Alegre’s acting headshot

Flight attendants need to be good actors. Who else could keep a smile on their face when a passenger asks you to throw out their child’s dirty diaper. But that’s what gives Anthony Alegre an edge in his job as a flight attendant for an airline based out of Newark. “I started acting in 2013. It was just something fun that I would do on my days off. Now, I’m a professional background actor.” While his work schedule is hectic (to say the least), his days off he crams in acting gigs via central casting. Alegre has appeared on a ton of great shows including, The Following, Nurse Jackie, The Affair, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, and Annie. And that hidden talent comes quite in handy while on the job. “I use my acting at work all the time,” he laughs. “When I’m frustrated I hide it. I am good that.”

The Makeup Artist

Wright and her makeup handiwork (Daria A. Wright)

Travel as perk is what got Daria A. Wright into aviation – even thought she serious talent as a makeup artist. The flight attendant/beautifier has national campaigns for Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and Jeep under her makeup belt (among many others). Just this fall she prepped the models at New York Fashion Week and recently finished a stint doing hair and makeup for the hit Broadway show, How The Grinch Stole Christmas in between routes. But while these two jobs couldn’t seem more different, Wright thinks that are similar in many way. “Both environments change all the time, they are both high pressure and fast-paced and they both keep me social.” But have her worlds every blended together like a good concealer? “I’ve never done anybody’s hair or makeup on a plane – but I’ve wanted to,” she laughs. “Sometime I just want to say, ‘Girrrl, we need to upgrade your look!’”

The Comedian

Did anyone actually get the safety info?

Southwest Flight attendant Marty Cobb knows the secret to getting passengers to pay attention to the sleep-inducing safety instructions: humor. “My ex-husband, my new boyfriend and their divorce attorney are going to show you the safety features aboard this 737, 800 series,” she begins in the video that went viral in April. “Position your seat belt tight and low across your hips, like my grandmother wears her support bra. Everybody gets a door prize in the seat back in front of you, along with dirty diapers, chewing gum wrappers, dirty diapers and all the other gifts you leave for us from time to time.” Cobb’s comedic take on the must-read manual got more than 2 million hits and landed Cobb appearances on The Ellen DeDeneres Show and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Related:��Have Airline Safety Videos Gone Too Far?

The Traveling Triathlete

Zouhar cleans up nice! (Ondrej Zouhar/Facebook)

With a demanding flying schedule and poor eating and exercise habits, FA Ondrej Zouhar started having seizures and fainting spells during flights. “I decided I needed to make a change,” Zouhar says. That lead to a serious life transformation that included getting in shape, eating organic food, and awakening his spiritually. Zouhar went on to compete in two Ironman competitions – in Boulder and Hawaii. The 33-year-old now helps others tap into their potential. He founded Healthy Body Synergy, a business that focuses on exercise, nutrition, and spirituality. He also co-authored Reverse, a book on personal growth. But Zouhar won’t quit his day job. “I’ve been a flight attendant for eight years,” he says. “It makes me more appreciative of the abundance of everything I have in my life.”

Tarot Card Reader

Thornborough takes an airplane selfie. (Kate Thornborough)

While most flight attendants can anticipate your needs, Kate Thornborough has a gift for reading people’s energy and body language. “Before I started working for US Airways, I used to work as a psychic,” she says. “I would read tarot cards for people at a renaissance fair. It was a very interesting job and the ability to closely read people’s body language and behavior has definitely come in handy on the plane!” Whether a passenger is going to be sick or is acting suspicious – Tarot reading has help Thornborough tune into subtle signs like facial ticks, jittery legs and odd behaviors. “It forces you to really pay attention and tune in.”

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