Cabin crew members, or flight attendants, are tasked with looking after airline passengers and ensuring they have a safe, comfortable and pleasant flight.
As a flight attendant, your tasks will vary depending on whether it’s a short or long-haul flight, as well as the size of the team you’re working in, though typical day-to-day duties include:
Attending a pre-flight briefing about the flight and its schedule (you’ll also be informed about things like passengers with any special requirements, for example: diabetic passengers)
Carrying out pre-flight duties, including ensuring there are enough supplies on the plane and that emergency equipment is working properly
Greeting and welcoming passengers on board and directing them to their seats
Carrying out safety demonstrations
Ensuring all hand luggage is securely stored away
Checking all seat belts and galleys are secure before take-off
Making sure passengers are comfortable during the flight
Serving meals and refreshments
Selling duty-free goods to passengers and advising them on any allowance restrictions
Making announcements on behalf of the pilot
Answering passengers’ questions
Reassuring passengers in the event of an emergency, and ensuring they follow safety procedures correctly
Giving first aid, where necessary
Making sure passengers disembark the aircraft safely
Checking there is no luggage, stowaways or suspicious items left on board
Writing a flight report, noting any unusual incidents
Essential Skills and Qualities
To succeed in this career, you’ll generally need to:
Have excellent communication skills
Have exceptional customer service skills
Be discrete when dealing with VIPs or royalty
Have team working skills (you may have to work on different teams each day)
Have numeracy skills (for handling cash, including foreign currency)
Be flexible in working unsocial and irregular hours
Be confident in dealing with a range of people
Have commercial awareness and good sales skills
Be able to work quickly and efficiently
Be tactful and diplomatic, and assertive when necessary
Be able to work in a confined space
Be able to diffuse situations calmly and quickly
There are no formal education requirements to pursue this career path, though you will typically need to:
Be at least 18 years of age (21 for some airlines)
Have GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent in English and maths
Have a good level of physical fitness
Be a good swimmer
Have colour-normal vision
Have a valid passport with no restrictions for the destinations the airline travels to
Pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Each airline has its own structured training programme which you’ll need to undergo to become a cabin crew member. This programmes can vary in length from one airline to the next, and typically takes anywhere between three to eight weeks to complete.
Training includes a combination of theoretical and practical components and covers things like:
Safety and emergency procedures
Safety equipment
Fire fighting
First aid
Galley management
Food preparation and service
Product knowledge
Cultural awareness
Passengers care and customer relations
Grooming
Aircraft knowledge
Customs and immigration regulations
Crew resource management
Some airlines require cabin crew members to take professional qualification courses such as the NVQ in Aviation Operations in the Air or the Certificate or Diploma in Cabin Crew, which are offered by City & Guilds and the Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE).