How to Become a Flight Attendant

Flight attendants, sometimes also known as cabin crew, are individuals who work as part of a wider team onboard an aircraft. Their primary role is to ensure that the passengers on board the aircraft have a safe, comfortable and enjoyable flight. If you love to fly, want a people-facing role where you will meet a wide range of different people on a daily basis, and are keen to travel and see the world, then becoming a flight attendant could be the perfect career choice for you.

There is currently a huge demand for cabin crew, with the positions available outstripping the number of qualified crew members. Over the next 20 years, North America alone will require some 170,000 new flight attendants. This makes training as cabin crew a great choice if you’re looking for a role with career stability, and training as a flight attendant also offers transferable skills that you can use when you’re ready to hang up your wings. From how to become a flight attendant to what kind of flight attendant salary you can expect, here’s everything you need to know about pursuing a career as a flight attendant:

What is a Flight Attendant?

One of the most appealing aspects of becoming a flight attendant is that you never know what your role will entail from one day to the next. You’ll rarely work a 9-5 shift pattern, and you’ll be able to visit a huge number of different countries, whilst also spending a significant amount of time travelling at 37,000 feet.

Being a flight attendant involves so much more than serving drinks: it is a vital position, with flight attendants playing an integral role in ensuring passenger safety as they fly. As well as attending to the comfort of your passengers (which will include serving meals and drinks) the main focus of your role will be to ensure that everyone on board is aware of, and adhering to, aviation regulations. A flight attendant will have excellent customer service skills, and if you have a customer service background (having worked in retail or hospitality before applying for a flight attendant position) then this will stand you in good stead for this role.

As a flight attendant, your work environment will usually be on an aircraft, though you may also work within an airport, at the boarding gate or within the departure lounge. The nature of working on an aircraft is physically demanding, meaning that you will need to have a good level of stamina and physical fitness. You will also need to be prepared to work in a cramped working environment.

Flight attendants wear uniforms in the workplace, these are provided by their employers.

Personal Qualities of a Flight Attendant

To be a successful flight attendant, you’ll need to possess the following personal qualities:

• Be a people person who is happy working in a customer-facing role and possesses excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, helping them to feel comfortable and at ease throughout their airline journey.
• Foreign language skills are not required but would be considered advantageous, particularly if you plan to frequently travel on the same international route.
• A high level of patience and understanding when passengers are experiencing high emotions during their flight and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. A calming and soothing manner can be particularly beneficial when dealing with nervous passengers.
• A friendly and outgoing nature. To be a flight attendant you should genuinely enjoy working with other people and being an integral member of a wider team.
• You should enjoy flying and feel comfortable working in tight or confined spaces. If you have a fear of heights or experience claustrophobia, this might not be the right role for you!
• You should have an understanding of public safety and security. This will usually be taught as part of your flight attendant training. You should adhere to rules and understand why adhering to the rules is so important, particularly in the air.
• You will need a thick skin and be able to accept criticism. For many passengers, flying is a stressful and high-pressure situation, and those passengers may choose to take this out on the flight attendants who are working on the aircraft.
• You should be sensitive to the needs of your passenger and be able to anticipate what they may want yet. When a passenger is stressed or nervous, you should be able to deal with them with kindness and understanding
• You should have a genuine desire to make people happy, and a friendly and welcoming disposition.
• You should be computer literate and able to carry out basic tasks on both a computer and a hand-held device.

As well as possessing these personal qualities, from a practical point of view you will also need the following in order to apply for a flight attendant role:

• You must be over the age of 18 at the time of your application. Some airlines may have higher minimum age requirements, so you should check this with each airline before applying for a role.
• You must be able to demonstrate your right to live and work in the UK, with any applicable work visas if required.
• You must be free from criminal convictions
• You must hold a valid passport that permits you to fly to all the locations serviced by your chosen airline.
• You may be required to live within 90 minutes of your base airport.
• You’ll also need to have a good level of physical fitness and will be required to pass a medical check before you can fly.
• The height and weight requirements for cabin crew tend to vary from airline to airline, but a good rule of thumb is that you should be between 5ft 2in (157cm) and 6ft 2in (188cm) and your weight should be in proportion to your height.

What a Flight Attendant Does

Whilst the routes and the times that you fly may vary, the role of a flight attendant rarely changes, providing you with the opportunity to hone your skills and become the master of your craft, the more that you fly. You should also be aware that the role of the flight attendant demands much more than simply attending your assigned flight. The day-to-day duties of a flight attendant will include:

• Attending staff meetings with other members of cabin crew working in your team, and your team leaders. These meetings will often involve planning staff schedules and discussing flight routes.
• Before the passengers board the plane, you will ensure that you have all the supplies you will need for the flight on board and that all emergency equipment is also on board, and working correctly.
• As each passenger arrives at the boarding gate you will greet them and check their documents, including their boarding pass and their passport. You may then direct them to their seats and ensure that they are in the correct seat.
• Once all your passengers are seated you will lead a safety briefing, ensure that all of your passengers are comfortable, and respond to any requests and queries they may have.
• During the flight, you will make announcements, serve food and beverages, and sell duty-free items to your passengers.
• In the event of an emergency, you will follow all safety procedures, reassuring your passengers and ensuring that they evacuate the plane in a safe and orderly manner.
• At the end of the flight, you will ensure that all the passengers disembark the plane safely and ensure that no lost property has been left behind.
• You will write a detailed flight report outlining any unusual incidents that occurred during the course of the flight.
• On some airlines, you may also be required to keep a record of any food and beverage sales, as well as any duty-free sales.

How Much Does a Flight Attendant Earn?

The average salary for a flight attendant in the UK is around £18,000, but this will depend on where in the country you are based and which airline you work for. The average flight attendant working for TUI from a London airport, for example, will earn £27,396. Your salary will also increase the longer you hold your position, with senior cabin crew, or cabin crew supervisors, earning considerably more than trainee flight attendants. You may also be eligible for additional payments to cover trip pay and any commissions, on top of this basic salary.

As well as your salary, there are also perks and benefits of choosing to work as a flight attendant. Discount travel is perhaps the most obvious of these. As well as being paid to take layovers in the countries that you are travelling to for work, you will usually also be eligible for discounted flights and holidays with your airline outside of your working hours. The amount of discount available will vary from airline to airline, with some airlines also providing discounted travel rates to your friends and family. Most airlines will also provide access to a defined contribution pension plan, helping you to save for your retirement, and health insurance access too.

Qualifications Needed for a Flight Attendant

Many airlines will have their own cabin crew training programmes. If you work with Virgin Atlantic, for example, you must attend a full-time 4 ½ week training programme. This will offer a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know to work as a flight attendant. Airline-specific training programmes usually cover essential information, such as what to do in an emergency or if a medical situation arises on board, customer service skills, and flight-specific details.

In addition to completing the cabin crew training programme for the airline you wish to fly with, other qualifications that may be beneficial to help you secure a cabin crew role include:

• Studying for a relevant vocational qualification in college. There are specific college courses available for flight attendants, such as the Level 2 Certificate or Diploma in Air Cabin Crew. If you don’t want to narrow down your skillset so specifically, then you could also consider studying for a relevant qualification with broader transferable skills. Courses focusing on travel and tourism, hospitality, or customer service would all be beneficial for a career as a flight attendant. You will usually need to have two or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent in order to secure a place on a level 2 course.
• If you’d rather learn on the job, it is still possible to find a route to becoming a flight attendant. You can undertake a cabin crew advanced apprenticeship where you undergo extensive on-the-job training, and then undertake studies with a college or training provider to develop the more academic skills that you will need for the role. If you’re interested in securing an advanced apprenticeship then you will usually need to demonstrate that you have 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, and this should include English and maths.

On-the-Job Training

There are excellent progression opportunities for qualified flight attendants. Experienced flight attendants are often selected to become cabin crew supervisors or senior flight attendants. These roles are not only better compensated, but they also offer greater responsibility and more opportunities to showcase your skills. If you feel that you no longer wish to fly, then you could also undertake on-the-job training to sidestep into a ground-based position with the same airline. Roles such as cabin crew training or recruitment are a great way to utilise your existing skill sets and experience. Alternatively, you could work in passenger services, marketing, or sales position.

Professional Bodies

If you become a qualified flight attendant, then there are many benefits of joining a professional body that represents your profession. The two largest professional bodies for flight attendants in the UK are:

• The Association of Flight Attendants (LHR). This is the British section of the International Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, a trade union that represents flight attendants all over the world. This body falls under the Trade Union Council (TUC) umbrella. The benefits of joining this body include the opportunity to work with your peers to maintain and improve wages, benefits and working conditions for flight attendants across the country. The body also works to promote the work of flight attendants within the community and provides a news portal for its members. You will also find access to integral resources and educational opportunities and materials, making membership a great option if you’re keen to enhance your career.
• British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association (BASSA). This is the largest cabin crew union at Heathrow Airport and boasts an on-site office that enables it to provide 24-hour support to its members. This means that if you have any concerns or queries, no matter what your shift pattern or what time they arise, this professional body can give you access to the support you need. Some of the other benefits of membership to BASSA include access to industry news and developments, as well as support with career development opportunities.