A flight attendant explains what happens when a plane is struck by lightning, from the sudden flash to the safety checks that follow. He also shares the unpredictable reality of life in the skies, sleepless layovers and surprising global adventures.
Anyone who has flown through a storm knows that uneasy feeling when turbulence picks up and the sky begins to flash. For many travellers, the idea of lightning striking the aircraft is terrifying. But what actually happens in those moments?
According to Mateusz Kowalewicz, a globetrotting flight attendant, it can be startling — but rarely dangerous.
Mateusz, who has spent years flying around the world, shared his experiences of life in the skies, including the time his aircraft was hit by lightning mid-flight. The 29-year-old from Białystok, Poland, recalls the moment vividly.
“It felt like someone had taken a camera and flashed it directly into my eyes,” he said. “A moment later, the cockpit informed us we needed to turn back to Warsaw. The aircraft was fine, but logically, it’s better to return and switch planes than risk discovering a fault after landing in Rome.”
From First Adventures to a Life in the Air
Mateusz’s love for travel started early. As a teenager, he joined a school exchange trip to Israel — his first time abroad. That experience sparked a passion for exploring new places. He soon began travelling across Europe on a budget, hitchhiking to save money, and later realised he wanted a job that let him see the world full-time.
Becoming a flight attendant offered exactly that. Today, he lives in Warsaw and flies to destinations across multiple continents. With his airline operating three types of aircraft, no two months look the same, and every roster brings new surprises.
The Highs, Lows and Unpredictability of the Job
One of his biggest achievements so far is visiting all of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Four were ticked off during layovers, and another through the discounted staff tickets that come with the job.
But even dream careers have challenges. For Mateusz, sleep deprivation is the hardest part.
“Not being able to fall asleep, especially during long-haul layovers in the East, is awful,” he said. “I’m a heavy sleeper, so waking up in the middle of the night because of time zones is the worst.”
Yet the unpredictability of the job is also what he loves most. One memorable layover in Chicago led to him meeting a Polish priest who invited him to an American christening with nearly 200 guests — where he unexpectedly ran into a passenger he had met months earlier.
“Absolutely incredible,” he said.
Chasing Bucket-List Adventures
Flying for a living has also helped Mateusz pursue once-in-a-lifetime experiences. He has gone skydiving in Dubai, taken a seaplane ride in Mauritius, and travelled to dozens of destinations many only dream of visiting.
And he’s not done yet. High on his bucket list is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and exploring more of Africa — the continent he has visited the least.
From lightning strikes in the sky to unpredictable adventures on the ground, Mateusz’s story shows that life as a flight attendant is far more than serving meals at 35,000 feet. It’s a whirlwind of wonder, exhaustion, surprise encounters and unforgettable moments — and he wouldn’t have it any other way.