Air cabin crew

Air cabin crew is an important role on all flights, with the aim of making the flying experience pleasant and safe for passengers

As a cabin crew member, you'll provide excellent customer care to passengers while ensuring their comfort and safety throughout the flight. You'll serve refreshments and meals and will also sell gifts and duty-free items to passengers.

As part of your role, you'll be trained to deal with security and emergency situations, which can include administering first aid to passengers.

It's also your responsibility to ensure that all emergency equipment is in working order prior to take-off and that there are enough supplies on board. You'll then take part in a safety demonstration to make sure passengers know how to use the equipment and what the safety procedures are.

Responsibilities

As an air cabin crew member, you'll need to:

• be professional, punctual and courteous at all times
• attend a pre-flight briefing, during which you'll be assigned your working positions for the upcoming flight. Crew are informed of flight details, the schedule, the number of infants on board and if there are passengers with any special requirements, such as diabetic passengers or passengers in wheelchairs
• carry out pre-flight duties, including checking the safety equipment and doing security checks, ensuring the aircraft is clean and tidy and that information in the seat pockets is up to date and all meals, drinks and stock are on board
• welcome passengers on board, check documents and direct them to their seats
• inform passengers about safety procedures and ensure that all hand luggage is securely stored away
• check all seat belts and galleys are secure prior to take-off
• make announcements on behalf of the pilot and answer questions during the flight
• serve meals and refreshments
• sell duty-free goods (which can count towards personal targets for commission) and advise passengers of any allowance restrictions in force at their destination
• reassure passengers and ensure they follow safety procedures correctly in emergency situations
• deal with any difficult or inebriated passengers (who may be acting in a rude or anti-social way) politely but firmly, to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone on the flight
• give first aid where necessary
• ensure passengers disembark safely at the end of a flight and check that there is no luggage left in the overhead lockers and no stowaways or suspicious items on board
• complete paperwork, including writing a flight report and totalling duty-free sales.

Salary

• Base pay can vary greatly depending on the airline as some pay better than others, but you can expect a starting salary in the region of £14,000 to £22,000.
• Once you have some experience, you'll be able to earn a base rate of £17,000 to £24,000 a year.
• Base pay at senior cabin crew level, which can be reached after a few years, is around £28,000 to as much as £45,000. On top of your base rate, you may get an hourly flight rate for every hour you're on duty, performance bonuses and commission for inflight retail. Bonuses can amount to an additional £5,000 per year on average.

Some airlines offer additional allowances on top of base pay for the number of languages spoken. Most airlines also offer overnight payments for nights spent away from home.

The majority of airlines offer some kind of flight discount to cabin crew, which can include free domestic flights, discounted international flights and discounted travel for immediate family. The extent of these discounts can range dramatically depending on the airline so check for individual benefits.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Cabin crew work shifts, which usually involves irregular and unsocial hours. This can mean working early mornings, through the night, at weekends and on public holidays. Hours can vary from week to week with some airlines. Short-haul flights may provide more regular hours than long haul.

You may sometimes have to work or be flexible on your days off if your return journey is cancelled or delayed, but you'll be compensated in these cases.

Part-time opportunities are available, still involving unsocial hours.

What to expect

• Airlines catering for the package holiday market tend to recruit air cabin crew on a seasonal basis.
• Some airlines require staff to live within a certain radius/easy travelling distance of the airport, as you may need to be on standby for work at short notice. You might also be based abroad.
• The work can be demanding as cabin crew have to deal with, and often work through, tiredness and jet lag if crossing over different time zones. You'll work in confined spaces and will have to spend a lot of time on your feet. You'll need to maintain a positive disposition even when dealing with challenging passengers.
• The airline will provide you with a uniform, and you'll be expected to dress smartly and be well presented at all times. Tattoos and piercings must be covered in some cases.
• The amount of time spent away from home varies depending on the airline you work for, and whether you're working on short or long-haul flights. In short-haul you'll typically be back within the same day while long-haul flights will require nights spent away from home.
• You'll work with a variety of people from different backgrounds and cultures. On long-haul flights, you'll get to experience the destinations you're flying to although this may only be for a few hours/one evening at a time in some cases. With short-haul flights, you'll typically have a tight turnaround of between 45 minutes and 2 hours before flying back. That time will be spent getting the aircraft ready for the flight and you won't have time to see any of the destination.

Qualifications

A degree, HND/foundation degree or postgraduate qualification is not required for entry into work as a cabin crew member. Instead, most airlines expect you to have a good secondary education, with some requiring grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths.

Although not asked for by employers, a degree, HND or foundation degree in one of the following subjects can show the airline that you have an interest in the area:

• hospitality management
• languages
• leisure and tourism management
• travel.

Being able to speak other languages is particularly useful and this could put you at an advantage against other candidates.

Vocational qualifications (NVQs and BTECs) are available at different levels in various cabin crew topics, as well as apprenticeships. They are awarded by bodies such as:

• City & Guilds
• Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE)
• Gov.uk

Again, these are useful for showing your commitment and interest to the area. One and two-day taster courses, which give an indication of what cabin crew work is like, and other introductory courses are also available. For details, see course providers such as Cabin Crew Wings.

Completion of these courses and qualifications demonstrates your enthusiasm for the career but won't guarantee you a job. They may give you an edge over other candidates, but most airlines do not require them before considering you for a vacancy.

Airlines do have a set of criteria, however, which candidates must meet. This usually includes some or all of the following:

• minimum age of 18, in some cases 21
• good standard of health and fitness, with the ability to swim 25 metres unaided
• minimum height requirement (for reaching overhead lockers), which may differ between airlines and are usually in proportion to weight. In the UK, this is often measured as reach rather than height
• good hearing and eyesight, although glasses and contact lenses are allowed
• valid passport permitting unrestricted travel worldwide
• a completed Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• a medical exam, although some airlines may not require this.

Skills

You will need to show:

• excellent communication skills
• exceptional customer service
• confidence in dealing with a range of people
• good co-operation skills as you'll work with different teams day-to-day
• compassion and the ability to support your colleagues
• competence in handling difficult situations and the ability to remain calm under pressure and in emergency situations
• the gift of being tactful and diplomatic with passengers but also assertive where necessary
• commercial awareness and sales skills
• the ability to use a hand-held device or computer
• flexibility in working unsocial hours on any day of the year
• the capability to work quickly and efficiently, often to tight time constraints
• numeracy skills for handling cash, including foreign currency
• the capacity to work in a confined space
• you can remain cheerful despite long working hours
• the ability to diffuse situations calmly and quickly.

Work experience

Airlines may wish to see evidence of relevant work experience rather than qualifications, as they're 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 teamwork and communication. A role within catering, hotels, travel and tourism will also help to show you have the necessary skills and knowledge.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

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 range of destinations.

Typical employers include large and medium-sized British airlines and international carriers. For a list of member, passenger and cargo airlines, consisting of around 325 airlines, see International Air Transportation Association (IATA). Individual airports usually have a list of the airlines and tour operators operating from their airport on their website.

Temporary seasonal opportunities are 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 you can apply for a permanent contract.

Business and corporate jet companies also hire cabin crew, sometimes for very very important (VVIP) cabin crew flight attendant positions for their prestigious clients. This role may also be advertised under the title of corporate or executive cabin attendant or VIP cabin crew.

Look for job vacancies at:

• All Flying Jobs
• Aviation Jobsearch
• Cabin Crew Wings Job Board
• Flightglobal Jobs
• Latest Pilot Jobs

Recruitment firms such as The Launch Group handle vacancies and provide support and advice.

You can also check individual airline websites for their job vacancies.

This is a highly competitive profession. You'll be applying against a variety of candidates, from school leavers to those with a significant amount of experience but stay focused and persevere.

Airlines recruit throughout the year so keep checking websites regularly and make speculative applications. Research the airline you're interested in thoroughly and target your application accordingly.

Professional development

Each airline provides its own structured training programme for new entrants, which can vary in length. Some of the training may take place virtually. Typically, it will last between four and eight weeks, though longer if you're in a specialist position such as First Class.

The primary focus of the training is passenger safety, including the aircraft's safety equipment and emergency procedures, security and first aid, as well as service and hospitality.

Training also involves topics such as:

• assertiveness
• cultural awareness
• currency exchange
• customs and immigration regulations
• first aid and resuscitation
• self-defence
• fire fighting
• food preparation and service
• galley management
• passenger care and customer relations
• product knowledge.

Following the basic training, you'll usually be under supervision for your first two flights where your performance will be monitored by trainers or senior crew. Once you're a full member of the cabin crew team, you;ll take refresher courses every year.

When appointed to a new position, it's 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 vary the training programme to suit the type of plane. Airlines also encourage on-going development through in-house specialist courses, in areas such as crew resource management.

Career prospects

Promotion for air cabin crew is based on experience and performance. From the role of cabin crew member, it's possible to progress to the position of purser or chief purser - which is the title given to the chief flight attendant.

Pursers have the same responsibilities as the general cabin crew but are also given the management responsibilities of a certain cabin, such as first class or business class. As purser, you'll ensure that all crew within your cabin deliver the highest level of customer service while encouraging the sale of duty-free items. Between two to ten years' experience is usually needed for this promotional step, check requirements with individual airlines for details.

From the role of purser, you can progress to senior cabin crew. This position is known at some airlines as cabin supervisor or cabin service director. The role is very similar to that of the purser except you'll have responsibility for all cabin crew on board, not just in one particular cabin. All cabin crew and the purser/chief purser will report to you. You'll usually be involved with training and supervising new recruits and will have to ensure all relevant paperwork is completed at the end of the flight.

Some air cabin crew may also wish to become very very important person (VVIP) cabin crew (also known as corporate/executive cabin attendants). This 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. The highest level of service is expected, and employers require experience of working in premium (business or first) class. Many VVIP positions are based in wealth areas of the Middle East.

Another option is to move into ground-based operations, such as cabin crew training or recruitment, passenger services or crew controller. Or, at larger airlines, you can move into other areas, including marketing, sales, HR and safety training.