Air cabin crew
The role of an air cabin crew member is to provide excellent customer service to passengers while ensuring their comfort and safety throughout the flight. They are trained to deal with security and emergency situations which may arise and can administer first aid to passengers.
Cabin crew ensure that all emergency equipment is in working order prior to take off and that there are enough supplies for passengers. They also help passengers to board the plane and give a demonstration of safety procedures and equipment.
Air cabin crew strive to make the flying experience a pleasant one for the passengers and will serve refreshments and meals and sell gifts and duty free items. Cabin crew may work on short or long haul flights.
Tasks may vary slightly depending on whether it is a short or long haul flight and the size of the team you are working in. However, they typically include:
Salary data from Go Skills. Salary figures are intended as a guide only.
A degree or HND/foundation degree is not required for entry into work as a cabin crew member. Instead most airlines require a good secondary education, with some asking for grade C or above in English and maths.
Studying a degree/HND/foundation degree in one of the following subjects may be useful however in showing the airline you have an interest in this area:
Being able to speak other languages may be particularly useful and this could put you at an advantage against other candidates.
A postgraduate qualification is not required.
Vocational qualifications (NVQs and BTECs) are available at different levels in various cabin crew topics. They are awarded by bodies such as Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE) , Edexcel and City & Guilds . Taster day courses (which give an indication of what cabin crew work is like) and other introduction courses for people who are new to cabin crew work are also available. See Cabin Crew Courses for details. While completion of these courses and qualifications will demonstrate your enthusiasm and interest in the career, it will not guarantee a job. They may give you an edge over other candidates but most airlines do not require them to be completed in order to consider you for a vacancy.
The majority of airlines do have a certain list of requirements however which candidates must meet. This includes some or all of the following:
Candidates also need to show evidence of the following:
Airlines may wish to see evidence of relevant work experience rather than qualifications as they are keen to see that candidates have the required skills. Part time or temporary work in customer service roles will be particularly useful, as will any work that demonstrates skills in teamwork and communication.
This is a highly competitive profession and candidates compete for jobs with a wide range of people, from school leavers to those with a significant amount of relevant experience. Airlines recruit throughout the year so keep checking relevant websites regularly and make speculative applications.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Each airline provides its own structured training programme for new entrants, which can vary in length depending on the airline. It typically lasts between four to six weeks. The primary focus of the training is passenger safety, including aircraft’s safety equipment and emergency procedures, security and first aid.
Training also involves a series of written and practical tests on specific areas such as:
Following the basic training, the first three to six months are usually spent in a probationary period and are viewed as a continuation of the initial training, during which performance is monitored by trainers or senior crew. At the end of the probationary period, assuming all goes well, new recruits become full members of the cabin crew team.
Some airlines also enter their cabin crew onto professional qualification courses such as the NVQ in Aviation Operations in the Air, or the Certificate or Diploma in Cabin Crew. These courses are offered by a variety of places such as Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE) and City & Guilds .
When appointed to a new position, it is usual for air cabin crew to attend a structured training programme tailored to that position. For example, air cabin crew who have previously worked on short-haul flights but have recently obtained a job working in long haul, will attend a training programme tailored for long-haul positions. Additionally, airlines that operate a range of different aircrafts will vary the training programme to suit the type of plane. Airlines also encourage ongoing development through in-house specialist courses, in areas such as crew resource management.
Promotion for air cabin crew is based on experience and performance. From the role of cabin crew member, it is possible to progress to purser or chief purser. The same responsibilities as the general cabin crew are still held but the purser is also given the management responsibilities of a certain cabin, such as first class or business class. As the purser, you would ensure that all crew within your cabin deliver the highest level of customer service. You would also give feedback on their performance and try to boost sales of duty free items. Most airlines require between two to five years of experience to become a purser.
From the role of purser you can progress to senior cabin crew. This position is also known at some airlines as cabin supervisors or cabin service directors. The role is very similar to that of purser except you have responsibility for all cabin crew on board, not just in one particular cabin. All cabin crew and the purser and/or chief purser would report to you. You would usually be involved with training and supervising new recruits and would have to ensure all relevant paperwork was completed at the end of the flight.
Some air cabin crew may also wish to move on to become VVIP cabin crew. This is type of work is carried out with very important private clients usually on private aircraft. The clients are typically prestigious and may include government officials or royal families. Therefore, the highest level of service is expected and employers usually require at the very least two years experience of working in premium (business or first) class. Many VVIP positions are based in wealth areas of the Middle-East.
Some cabin crew members may decide that they want to move into ground-based operations such as cabin crew training or recruitment, passenger services or crew controller.
Airlines operate on a chartered or scheduled basis (with some operating a mixture of both). Chartered flights usually run during the summer and/or skiing seasons to the most popular tourist destinations, whereas scheduled flights operate at regular times all year round and go to a wider range of destinations.
Typical employers include large and medium-sized British airlines and international carriers. International Air Transportation Association (IATA) has a list of member passenger and cargo airlines, consisting of around 240 airlines in over 115 countries. Individual airports also usually have a list of the airlines and tour operators operating from their airport on their website.
Temporary seasonal opportunities may be available through airlines and tour operators to cover the peak summer period (May to October).
Permanent contracts are rare and competition for them is fierce - it may take several years of seasonal work before cabin crew can apply for a permanent contract.
Business and corporate jet companies also hire cabin crew, sometimes for VVIP positions for their prestigious clients.
Speculative approaches to airlines are also common. Research the airline you are interested in thoroughly and target your application accordingly.
Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
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