Thank you to Lume Books for providing me with a free copy of Saskia Swann & Nicola Stow’s book, Above and Beyond: Secrets of a Private Flight Attendant, in exchange for an honest review.
Londoner Saskia Swann was a commercial airline flight attendant, who was having a ball traveling around the world, partying at exclusive clubs and dining in fancy restaurants. The job was amazing, but she found it difficult to indulge in a young flight attendant lifestyle on her low salary. Quickly, she racked up thousands in debt by using her credit card to pay for things, such her lavish wardrobe. Realizing that her situation was spiraling out of control, Swann quit her flight attendant job to find something more sustainable.
Shortly after quitting, she met a man in a bar who had a connection in the private flight industry. Swann is immediately interested when she learns that the pay is much higher and it will allow her to continue in a profession that she loves. She is given a three week trial on the private jet of a wealthy Russian man.
Swann soon learns that being a private flight attendant is very different than a commercial flight attendant. Privacy is a must and beyond signing non-disclosure agreements, she can’t even tell her family or friends about her flight routes. The requests of her bosses can be both demanding and change on a whim. She must turn a blind-eye to affairs, treating her bosses wife and mistress with equal respect, depending on whom is aboard the plane. The stakes are further raises, when Swann learns that her boss expects a “little extra” from his flight attendants and he has his eyes on her.
Swann’s memoir hooked me. It’s scandalous and shocking. I have a weak spot for memoirs that give me a glimpse into other professions or lifestyles, and this memoir hit that mark. I read it in a single afternoon, unable to resist reading “just one more chapter.”
Beyond the shock-value of the memoir, I was gripped to the pages because of Swann. She’s likable and I felt compassion for her situation. I believe that Stow was primarily responsible for both shaping Swann’s memoir and with a bulk of the actual writing. To this end, Stow’s descriptions and scene settings were fabulous. I was reading Above and Beyond at a break-neck speed, yet I found myself pausing to admire the writing, which is honestly something that I don’t often notice in memoirs.
If you’re looking for a fun, yet affecting memoir, I recommend adding Above and Beyond to your list. It is also the perfect read for travel season.