Does the life of flight attendants fascinate you? This professional figure plays a very important role in the airline industry. Its main task is to offer passengers comfort and safety. Stopping in hundreds of cities around the world, he has the opportunity to experience sights, smells and tastes that most people can only dream of. This article details the profession, the qualifications needed to apply and the secrets to finding a job at an airline.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Preparing to Become a Flight Attendant
Step 1. First, you need to know what such a job entails
A flight attendant takes care of passengers, takes care of customer service and knows what to do in an emergency. Its top priority is to make sure travelers have a safe and calm flight. Consequently, he must be able to manage everything that happens in the cabin. It is not an easy job, also because it must always be done with a beautiful smile. Here are some responsibilities:
- Greet passengers as they board the plane and thank them upon exiting.
- Help them find their seats and stow their luggage in the upper compartments.
- Submit the company's emergency protocol.
- Facilitate restaurant services by offering food and drinks.
- Answer passengers' questions and calm down those who are anxious or worried.
- Drive them safely in an emergency and, if necessary, provide first aid.
Step 2. Familiarize yourself with the pros and cons
In addition to having the opportunity to travel around the world for business purposes, flight attendants receive substantial discounts on airline tickets, both for themselves and their families. For many, this benefit compensates for the salary, generally quite low (the average annual income for a novice hostess or steward is 12,000 euros), and the often prohibitive working hours they have to endure. A particularly grueling journey could include a 10-hour flight, a 24-hour layover, and a 10-hour return flight. And so on. In addition to the actual salary, they receive a daily extra (the hourly rate is determined by the company); this depends on the type of flight (domestic or international) and serves to cover meals as well as ancillary costs that may occur away from the base (even during the stopover and outside working hours). Finally, in addition to the daily extra, they receive an additional daily amount of money (also decided by the company) if they find themselves exercising their profession in an airport other than the hub.
Step 3. Remember that you have to respect a hierarchy
The hiring of new flight attendants takes place at the end of a training that lasts a few months. After that, they become junior hostesses or stewards, who are constantly scrutinized, receive lower pay, and have fewer benefits than senior assistants. After a year of learning, juniors are promoted to seniors, provided they have done a satisfactory job. This way, they have the ability to exercise greater control over schedules.
Step 4. Make sure this lifestyle is right for you
Since flight attendants travel a lot, they often have to make personal sacrifices. However, the people who do this work tend to form a real family and support each other quite a lot. Here are the characteristics you must have to consider yourself suitable for this job:
- Great independence. Flight attendants are able to discover new places on their own and love to spend time alone, even if it means being away from family on long journeys.
- Knowing how to live every moment. Many flight attendants explore the nightlife of the cities they visit and take advantage of all the attractions it has to offer. They love to have new experiences and discover the most beautiful aspects of each destination.
- Be generous in terms of time and space. Flight attendants don't have many personal spaces. On longer trips, they share rooms with colleagues. When on duty, they have to put passengers first, no matter how exhausted they are after a 10-hour flight. They have a sunny attitude and lift each other up in the most difficult moments.
Method 2 of 3: Job Qualifications
Step 1. You should have certain physical requirements
Each airline requires certain characteristics, because each employee must adapt to the size of their aircraft. Companies want to make sure that attendants are tall enough to reach the upper compartments, but not so high that their heads can touch the ceiling of the aircraft. In addition, hostesses and stewards should be able to sit in the seats and buckle up without problems.
- For most airlines, the height should be approximately 1.65m to 1.80m for women and 1.70m to 1.90m for men. Some airlines have no such requirements, but still require the ability to reach a certain height with your arms.
- There are no requirements regarding weight, but many companies do a visual assessment, looking at it in proportion to height.
- In the 1960s, airlines only hired women to do this job. They had to be of a certain weight and retire before a certain age. Some companies continued to use these discriminatory practices in the 1980s and 1990s. Nowadays, even men can become flight attendants, there are no weight requirements and it is possible to work until you are at the right age to retire.
Step 2. You should have at least a high school diploma
Airlines do not hire people who have not graduated, but a degree is not required. That said, businesses look positively to people who have completed university or been there for at least a few years. This is an indication of ambition and the ability to accept challenges.
Some companies offer on-the-job training programs, but no experience is required to apply. You will take a course when you are hired as a flight attendant
Step 3. It would be better to have experience with customer service
As a hostess or steward, your primary role is to provide excellent passenger assistance, so having worked in this area is useful for you. There are many types of professions that count as customer service experience: answering the phone in a company, working in a store or at the reception of a small business. All of these jobs require some interaction with people and the ability to help them. It's not a mandatory requirement for all companies, but it will give you a competitive edge.
Method 3 of 3: Become a Flight Attendant
Step 1. Search airlines to find job vacancies
Access the sites of those that interest you and then visit the page dedicated to careers. Make a list of all the places that appeal to you and try to figure out if you meet the requirements before applying.
In some cities, airlines organize meetings to give prospective flight attendants a chance to learn more about their careers and meet the company's staff. Do an online search to find out if you can participate
Step 2. Apply for vacancies
Most airlines require you to submit your application by providing background information, a resume, and sometimes a cover letter. Make sure your documents are clear and well written. Emphasize your experience in the customer service industry.
- After a few days or weeks, you will receive a phone call or an email from the airlines you have applied to.
- Most airlines do job interviews at the company's base, so if you don't live in a big city, you'll have to travel. During a meeting, find out about the peculiarities of the company in question and be prepared to point out the qualities that make you perfect for this position.
Step 3. Try to shine in the interview
Airlines are quite selective in their choice of flight attendants. The right candidates must have a very special blend of rationality, resilience and the ability to offer excellent customer service. Show that you are pleasant, responsible, and able to care about people's safety and comfort. You also need to have a good presence and smile. Many interviews consist of two sections:
- During the first part, your customer service skills will be tested with a written exam.
- If you get promoted, the second part will be a test that will test your leadership skills. You will be asked how you would handle different situations that may arise in flight. For example, what would you do in an emergency? What would you do if the aircraft were to fail? How would you deal with a drunk passenger?
- Use anecdotes to illustrate times when you handled situations that required you to act as a leader because others in attendance were anxious or stressed.
Step 4. Pass the medical exam
If you are hired for a job, you will need to undergo a medical examination before the company can consider you a full-fledged flight attendant. Know what control involves and prepare yourself.
Step 5. Try to excel during the training period
Each airline has a slightly different training system. They may require you to take an online course and then practice in the field. They will teach you how to manage an emergency landing, evacuate a plane, answer customer questions, and use the food and beverage cart. Depending on the company, they may also give you instructions on how to make announcements to passengers.
- Many say the four to six week training program is difficult but rewarding. Learn from your mistakes and always try to have an optimistic attitude. Remember that all flight attendants started from scratch. You have a long way to go and always new horizons ahead of you.
- Getting through the training period is essential to be able to get a full-time job and call yourself a flight attendant. If you fail, the contract will be canceled. You could reapply after six months to a year, but this depends on the airline's policies.
Advice
- Knowing more than one foreign language can give you a great competitive advantage over other candidates. Of course you need to know English, but also speaking Spanish, French, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, German or Swahili (among others) is important. If you claim to know another language, they will test you to assess your skills.
- When attending an interview for this profession, dress formally. Wear a professional-looking suit.
- Be prepared to move to another city - flight attendants typically have to live near the airline base.
- These recommendations apply in most countries, but in some places or at certain airlines, the requirements and hiring practices may vary slightly.
- Having experience or a degree in a certain field (nursing, paramedicine, police or security) attracts many airlines.
- If you don't already have a passport, it goes without saying that you should apply for it as soon as possible, especially if you are interested in working on international flights (however, this is generally a prerequisite for applying).
