Overview
As a cabin crew member, you’ll provide excellent customer service to passengers while ensuring their comfort and safety throughout the flight. You’ll serve passengers refreshments and meals, as well as sell them gifts and duty-free items.
You’ll be trained to deal with security and emergency situations, which may include administering first aid to passengers, as part of your job.
It’s also your responsibility to make sure that all emergency equipment is operational and that there are enough supplies on board before taking off. After that, you’ll take part in a safety demonstration to ensure that passengers understand how to use the equipment and what safety procedures to follow.
Duties
As a member of the air cabin crew, you must always be professional, punctual, and courteous.
Attend a pre-flight briefing where your working positions for the upcoming flight will be assigned. Cabin Crew members are informed of flight details, the schedule, the number of infants on board, and if any passengers have special needs, such as diabetics or passengers in wheelchairs. Crew members perform pre-flight duties, such as checking safety equipment and performing security checks, ensuring the aircraft is clean and tidy, and that all meals, drinks, and stock are on board.
Greeting and directing passengers to their seat Passengers should be informed about safety procedures, and all hand luggage should be secured.
Income
Base pay varies greatly depending on the airline, as some pay more than others, but you can expect to earn between £12,000 and £14,000 as a starting salary. After gaining some experience, you can expect to earn a base salary of £15,000 to £19,000 per year.
Pay ranges from £20,000 to £23,000 at the senior cabin crew level, which can be reached after a few years.
You’ll get an hourly flight rate for every hour you’re on duty, as well as a subsistence allowance when you’re flying, on top of your base rate. Inflight retail also has performance bonuses and commissions. Depending on your base rate, this extra income could bring your annual salary up to £28,000.
Hours of work
Cabin crew members work shifts, which are typically irregular and unsociable. This may entail working early in the mornings, late at night, on weekends, and on holidays. Some airlines’ hours change from week to week. Short-haul flights may offer more consistent hours than long-haul flights.
If your return journey is cancelled or delayed, you may be required to work or be flexible on your days off, but you will be compensated. Part-time jobs are available, but they still require unsociable hours.
What can you expect?
The majority of airlines that cater to the package holiday market hire air cabin crew on a seasonal basis.
Some airlines require employees to live within a certain radius of the airport or within easy driving distance. Staff may need to be on standby for work at short notice, so flexibility is essential. You could also be based in another country.
The cabin crew must deal with, and often work through, tiredness and jet lag when travelling across time zones, which can be demanding.
Academic credentials
For entry into work as a cabin crew member, no degree, HND/foundation degree, or postgraduate qualification is required. Instead, most airlines expect you to have a good secondary education, with some requiring English and math grades of 4 (C) or higher.
Although employers do not require it, a degree, HND, or foundation degree in one of the following subjects can demonstrate to the airline that you are passionate about the subject:
Languages, leisure and tourism management, and hospitality management are some of the topics covered in this course.
Being able to communicate in other languages is particularly advantageous, and it may give you an edge over other candidates.
Different levels of vocational qualifications (NVQs and BTECs) are available in various cabin crew topics. City & Guilds Pearson Northern, for example, bestows them.
Skill sets
You’ll need to demonstrate excellent communication skills as well as excellent customer service. self-assurance in dealing with a diverse group of people. Because you’ll be working with different teams on a daily basis, you’ll need good cooperation skills as well as compassion and the ability to support your co-workers.
When dealing with VIPs, maintain discretion. The ability to remain cool under pressure and in emergency situations, as well as competence in dealing with difficult situations. the ability to be diplomatic and tactful with passengers while also being assertive when needed commercial awareness and sales skills
Experience in the workplace
Airlines may prefer to see evidence of relevant work experience over qualifications to ensure that candidates possess the necessary skills.
Part-time or temporary customer service work, as well as any work that demonstrates teamwork and communication, will be especially beneficial. Working in the catering, hotel, travel, or tourism industries can also help you demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and knowledge.
Employers Airlines fly chartered or scheduled flights, with some flying a combination of the two. Chartered flights to the most popular tourist destinations are usually only available during the summer and/or skiing seasons, whereas scheduled flights are available all year and fly to a variety of locations.
Training and development
Each airline has its own structured training programme for new employees, which varies in length depending on the company. It usually lasts for four to seven weeks.
Passenger safety, including the aircraft’s safety equipment and emergency procedures, security, and first aid, is the primary focus of the training.
A series of written and practical tests on topics such as assertiveness, cultural awareness, and currency exchange are also part of the training.
food preparation and service galley management passenger care and customer relations personal grooming product knowledge customs and immigration regulations
Following the basic training, you will be placed on probation for six months, which is considered a continuation of your initial training. Trainers or senior crew will be watching your performance during this time.
