Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant: Katy Perry inspired Owen Blundell to write tell-all book

A CREW member has revealed all the dirty little secrets that happened behind the first class curtain from his time at the flying kangaroo.

Former Qantas flight attendant Owen Beddall has launched his tell-all book Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant. Pictured is Owen with Katy Perry.

SHARING gossip with A-list celebrities such as Katy Perry, Lily Allen, Russell Brand and Cate Blanchett was all in a day’s work for Qantas flight attendant Owen Beddall.

Now the one-time trolley jockey has launched his book Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant, which reveals all the dirty little behind-the-scenes secrets during his time at the flying kangaroo.

In fact, it was pop star Katy Perry who inspired Beddall to write about the weird and wacky world of a flight attendant.

“I was chatting to Katy in 2008 and telling her about my stories,” he said.

“We got on so well and had such a connection, she encouraged me to write the book and turn it into something magical.”

There’s more to him than meets the eye, says former flight attendant Owen Beddall of Russell Brand.

Beddall has worked with Qantas since 2001, becoming a first-class flight attendant in 2005.

Travelling to more than 40 countries meant he has looked after countless celebrities in first-class from Perry and Brand to Kylie Minogue, Cate Blanchett, Kelly Osbourne, Venus Williams, Lisa Raymond, Owen Wilson, Caroline Wozniacki, plus bands Franz Ferdinand and Oasis.

DIRTY LITLE SECRETS

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Beddall said although the life of a flight attendant seemed glamorous, the reality was at times completely different.

“All sorts of things happen on a plane. I once looked after a man who was wearing an adult nappy,” he said.

“Then there were the people taking sleeping pills, who would walk around the plane like zombies and not realise what they were doing.

“You’re also trying to stop people from smoking in the toilets, and teenagers from having relations in there.”

Former Qantas flight attendant Owen Beddall.

The his tell-all book Confessions of a Qantas Flight Attendant.

While Beddall said he was fortunate to work in one of the only jobs in the world that was “completely gay friendly”, his most horrendous day was when he organised to work on board his boyfriend’s flight as a surprise — only to find him travelling with his wife.

Beddall breaks down many of the illusions of a glamorous life in the air, all there are plenty of cabin crew adventures and misadventures in and out of uniform in far flung places.

Lily Allen.

His many mishaps include breaking his jaw in London and being bitten by snake in Bangkok.

The worst, however, was a career-ending spinal injury in 2011 during a training exercise.

Beddall said the ensuing fight to keep his job gave him time and incentive to finish the book.

“It was done during such a dark time in my life, because I was fighting through the pain, to keep my job and struggling to live in Melbourne away from my family,” he said.

“Writing the book was cathartic and when I finished it, it wasn’t long before Random House picked it up.”

Beddall said initial reaction to the book had been overwhelmingly positive, however he was yet to hear from his former employer.

“I thought my grandmother would hate it, but she couldn’t put it down,” he said.

“Women are drawn to the book because the element of gossip, which they are drawn to.

“I haven’t heard from Qantas yet, but I know their publicity department has contacted Random House for a copy of the book.

“Current employees have called me a traitor on social media, but that’s fine because they’re promoting the book for me.”

For more about the book visit the Random House website.