Flight Attendants work on airlines and deliver incredible customer service, often at the cost of their sleep, food, love, laughter, and other joys of life. Continue Reading
USA 
UK 
Explore Career Flight Attendants work on airlines and deliver incredible customer service, often at the cost of their sleep, food, love, laughter, and other joys of life.
What are the typical responsibilities of a Flight Attendant?
A Flight Attendant would typically need to:
Flight Attendants work primarily in the cabin of air-borne passenger aircraft. They may also need to spend significant time on the ground, preparing flights, writing reports, and waiting for aircraft to arrive.
You will spend the workday on your feet interacting with passengers and other airline employees. Flight Attendants are frequently away from home and often sleep in hotels or apartments shared by a group of colleagues.
Variable schedules, including nights, weekends, and holidays are the norm since airlines operate 24/7/365.
Although a contract between the airline and the Flight Attendant union determines the exact number, a typical on-duty shift may last 12 hours per day. Most Flight Attendants typically fly 65 to 90 hours per month and another 50 hours on the ground, preparing or waiting for flights.
Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies. Individual airports usually list the airlines and tour operators operating from their airport. Temporary, seasonal opportunities may be available through airlines and tour operators to cover the peak summer period (May to October). Airlines recruit throughout the year, so check relevant websites regularly and make speculative applications. Permanent contracts are rare, and competition is fierce; it may take several years of seasonal work before you can apply for a permanent contract. Research the airline you are interested in thoroughly and target your application accordingly.
Flight Attendants are generally employed by:
Most Flight Attendants belong to a union. Professional associations and organisations, such as the International Association of Flight Attendants (IAFA), are a key resource for Flight Attendants interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks great on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications.
Most airlines prefer candidates with adequate work experience rather than academic qualifications.
Of particular relevance is part-time or temporary work in customer service or any profession that requires effective teamwork and communication. Any time spent in catering, hotels, travel, and tourism will also help build essential skills.
As a rule, new hires undergo a six-week-long structured training programme at their employer’s hub or headquarters to learn about safety equipment and procedures, first aid, aviation security and dangerous goods, customer service, food preparation, cabin service, and uniform standards.
Successful trainees can handle minor injuries, nosebleeds, illnesses, onboard births and deaths, emergencies involving dangerous liquids and gasses, and intoxicated passengers. They can safely evacuate passengers from the plane and fight fires.
In a decompression emergency or remote emergency landing in a jungle, sea or desert environment, trained Flight Attendants can use critical survival skills. Self-defence and use of deadly force prepare them for potential terrorist attacks or hijackings.
Impeccable personal grooming habits are an essential part of the training to foster a positive impression among the customers and prevent the spread of illness and disease.
The training may also include written and practical tests on assertiveness, cultural awareness, currency exchange, customs and immigration regulations, galley management, passenger care and customer relations, and product knowledge.
After the initial training, promising Flight Attendants may spend around six months in a probationary period, monitored by trainers or senior crew. Successful probationers qualify as full members of the cabin crew team.
Read about the profession and interview/shadow veteran Flight Attendants to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers.
A high school diploma demonstrating a sufficient grasp of English and Mathematics is typically required to become a Flight Attendant. Fluency in a popular foreign language will prove advantageous.
However, some airlines may prefer to hire applicants who have graduated from flight attendant academies or completed post-secondary courses in hospitality management, languages, leisure & tourism management, travel, public relations, or communications.
Focus on English, psychology, computer skills, and modern foreign languages in high school.
Remember that completing a particular academic course does not guarantee your entry into the profession. Be that as it may, professional qualifications and transferable skills gained may open up more than one door.
Do your homework and look into all available options for education and employment before enrolling in a specific programme. Reliable sources that help you make an educated decision include associations and employers in your field.
Certification in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), AED (automatic external defibrillator) and First Aid from an objective and reputed organisation can help aspiring Flight Attendants stand out in a competitive job market and increase their chances of advancement.
A combination of education, experience, and testing is generally required to gain certification, though requirements differ across regions. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.
In addition, most new hires undergo initial training at the airline’s flight training centre and are certified by the premier aviation authority in their location before they can begin working.
Trainees must learn emergency procedures, go on practice flights, and pass an exam to demonstrate their proficiency in ensuring passenger and crew safety. Prospective Flight Attendants are also certified for specific types of aircraft.
Prospective employers may require applicants to undergo an employment background check, including but not limited to a person’s work history, education, credit history, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), criminal record, medical history, use of social media, and drug screening.
Promotion of Flight Attendants is based on experience and performance. An accomplished cabin crew member with two to five years of experience can become a Purser/Chief Purser, responsible for the efficient management of premium (first-class or business) class.
From the role of Purser, you can progress to Cabin Supervisors, Cabin Managers, or Cabin Service Directors, responsible for all cabin crew on board the flight, training and supervising new recruits, and duly completed paperwork at the end of each flight.
After gaining at least two years of experience in premium class, some Flight Attendants may wish to become Corporate/Executive Cabin Attendants in charge of prestigious clients on private aircraft, such as very important government officials or members of royal families.
It is also possible to move into ground-based operations, such as cabin crew recruitment and training, passenger services or crew control. Larger airlines may offer opportunities to try their hand at marketing, sales, HR, and safety training.
The desire to accelerate career growth and personal development has an increasing number of millennials choosing to job hop and build a scattershot resume that showcases ambition, motivation, and the desire to learn a broad range of skills.
Studies prove that job hopping, earlier dismissed as “flaky” behaviour, can lead to greater job fulfilment. Employees searching for a positive culture and interesting work are willing to try out various roles and workplaces and learn valuable, transferable skills along the way.
From the role of Purser, you can progress to Cabin Supervisors, Cabin Managers, Cabin Service Directors. Some Flight Attendants may wish to move on to working with significant private clients usually on private aircraft. Many VVIP positions are based in wealthy areas of the Middle East.
Some Flight Attendants may decide that they want to move into ground-based operations such as cabin crew training or recruitment, passenger services, or crew control. In larger airlines, the cabin crew role opens doors to many other roles. Cabin crew members can progress to working in marketing, sales, HR, and safety training.
Candidates with excellent communication and customer service skills, a diploma from a recognised flight academy, and relevant work experience have the best job prospects.
Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Flight Attendant build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. CPD also enables the regular renewal of desirable certifications.
Some airlines encourage their cabin crew to complete professional qualification courses. If they operate a range of aircraft, they will have customised training programmes for the cabin crew. Also offered are in-house courses focused on subjects such as crew resource management.
In addition, Flight Attendants appointed to new positions attend a structured training program tailored to that position. E.g. those who move from short-haul to long-haul flights will learn how to work in conditions unique to the latter.
Checklist for Aspiring Flight Attendants
Prospective Flight Attendants must be 18 or above, conform to height and weight measurements set by the airline, swim 25 metres unaided, and have a valid passport, a vision that is correctable to at least 20/40, and good hearing. Many airlines do not allow visible tattoos, body piercings, unusual hairstyles, or makeup.
Watch Out for Competition
Potential Flight Attendants face stiff competition from various candidates, from school leavers to those with significant relevant experience, since this is an attractive profession.
Chartered and Scheduled Flights
Airlines operate on a chartered or scheduled basis or a judicious mix of the two. Chartered flights usually run to the most popular tourist destinations during summer and skiing seasons. In contrast, scheduled flights operate regularly all year round and go to various destinations.
Within Easy Reach
Some airlines require their cabin crew, especially new hires on reserve status, to be on standby for work at short notice and live close to the airport. Positions on long-haul flights may require living abroad.
More Than A Tempting Pay Packet
The base pay may vary greatly depending on the airline. However, hourly payments for actual flying time, bonuses for performance, commissions for inflight sales, overnight payments for nights spent away from home, and seniority can greatly boost one’s take-home salary.
In addition, Flight Attendants receive an allowance for meals and accommodation while working away from home. Although you must purchase an initial set of uniforms and luggage, the airlines usually pay for replacements and upkeep.
One can get up to five days off between flights; Flight Attendants on long-haul flights may get up to four days off, all expenses paid, once they arrive at their destination.
Furthermore, most airlines offer their cabin crew free domestic or highly discounted international flights. They may also have a discounted travel policy for immediate family and spouses.
The Current Scenario
The employment outlook of a particular profession may be impacted by diverse factors, such as the time of year (for seasonal jobs), location, employment turnover (when people leave current jobs), occupational growth (when new roles are created), size of the occupation, and industry-specific trends and events that affect overall employment.
With many airlines replacing smaller aircraft with new, larger planes that can accommodate a significantly higher number of passengers, there is an increased demand for Flight Attendants worldwide.
Prepare for Take-Off
Flight Attendants are briefed by their captain, usually an hour before the flight, on weather conditions, possible turbulence, and flight duration. Also included are safety details and emergency equipment supplies relevant to the specific aircraft. They verify the number of passengers and make note of any special needs passengers, young children, or VIPs boarding the flight.
Safety First
In keeping with the mandate to preserve passenger safety at any cost, Flight Attendants show the passengers how to locate their nearest emergency exit, properly buckle their safety belts, operate safety vests/flotation devices, use the drop-down oxygen masks, and what to do in case of turbulence.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.
You know you are a Flight Attendant when you never unpack, name cities by their airport codes, can’t figure out where you are, love deplaning, inspect every fire extinguisher you see, and can eat all your meals standing.
On a more serious note, Flight Attendants spend very little time with their family and will sacrifice their special days so you get to make beautiful memories with your loved ones; they will always have a smile on their face to welcome you; they put their lives on the line to save yours. If you think you can find a happy medium between the two perspectives, let your dreams take flight!!
Flight Attendants can deliver a baby. Along with other medical instructions, part of their training includes helping bring life into the world.
What do Flight Attendants do?
A Flight Attendant would typically need to:
Accredited
$38,561
