Flight attendants ensure passenger safety and comfort, performing pre-flight inspections, providing information, and catering to needs. Training is required, and jobs are available in commercial airlines and private companies, with opportunities for advancement into supervisory and management roles. Private flight attendants often have previous experience and must be friendly and helpful to passengers.
Flight attendants ensure that passengers on the plane are always safe and comfortable. They inform people about safety measures and cater to their needs. Flight attendant jobs can be very fast-paced and stressful, although flight attendants enjoy perks such as free travel to new locations. There are several different flight attendant jobs available in commercial airlines and private companies. With sufficient training and experience, individuals have the opportunity to advance into supervisory and management careers.
Most flight attendant jobs are found in large commercial airlines. Flight attendants perform pre-flight inspections of seats, safety equipment, and emergency doors to ensure everything is in working order. Flight attendants often need to stock up on restrooms and food carts before takeoff. They help passengers board planes, find their seats and store their belongings. Flight attendants provide passengers with flight and destination details, explain emergency procedures, and provide merchandise such as pillows, beverages, headphones, and magazines.
To become a flight attendant for a commercial airline, you typically need to have at least a high school diploma or GED. New employees must take a formal training course, which can last between three and eight weeks. New flight attendants learn about safety and emergency procedures, first aid, customer service and company policies. Upon completion of training, attendants in the United States receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. Other countries have specific government agencies that provide licensing or certification for new flight attendants.
New flight attendants typically assume reserve status. Reserve flight attendants are usually on call to fill in sick or vacationing flight attendants on short notice. After at least a year of booking, agents generally find more stable work, although hours, times and destinations can still be uncertain. Those with greater seniority receive scheduling priority and more stable schedule.
There are several opportunities to move on to other flight attendant jobs. Lead flight attendants oversee teams of flight attendants as they perform similar tasks. Leaders are typically flight attendants who have been in the business for several years and have proven capable of managing onboard operations. Attendants can also find jobs as employee trainers, human resources personnel, or general administrative professionals with an airline.
Some companies and governments hire flight attendants for private flights. Private flight attendants often have previous experience with commercial airlines. Typically, they don’t have set schedules or prior knowledge of what will be required of them. As with commercial flight attendant jobs, those working for a private company are expected to be extremely friendly and helpful to passengers at all times.
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