Working as cabin crew is a really exciting career choice that could take you all over the world. It is an ideal option for those with a passion for travel and a tireless ability to deliver excellent customer service.
Before you read on and find out about the skills you’ll need, there are a few requirements you’ll need to meet to work as an air hostess at most airlines.
Basic job requirements
The following skills are required if you want to be a member of cabin crew:
- Minimum age of 18 to 21
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) for a level 2 course
- There is usually a minimum height requirement
- Must be able to swim 25 metres
- Good eyesight
- Fluent in English and a second language if possible
- Previous experience in customer service role
- Valid passport
Responsibilities
The main duties of the role involve welcoming passengers on board, performing all the safety procedures prior to take off, and ensuring that passengers are comfortable and safe during the flight.
Cabin crew will often be serving in-flight meals and drinks from a trolley, assisting passengers who have any concerns or queries, handling seating arrangements and selling duty-free items. They may also be responsible for making announcements on behalf of the pilot, and answering passenger questions during the flight.
To be successful as an air hostess, it’s important to be interested in world travel, to be very good at customer care, and to be highly sociable and good at carrying out a variety of tasks under time pressure.
Many of the leading airlines such as KLM, United Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa pride themselves on delivering service excellence, so having the skills to perform customer service effectively will be essential.
At assessment days, when many air hostesses are recruited, these employers are looking for professional people with a positive outlook and an empathetic nature.
It also helps to have good English, cultural awareness and a second language. Recruiting airlines and travel companies are looking for well-educated people to become air hostesses – ideally with GCSEs – and most training is done in-house.
Larger airlines will train their air hostesses over a six or seven week period, often in state-of-the-art cabin crew training facilities. There’s a big focus on safety and emergency procedures, first aid, security and customer service.
If you have the following skills, then you will be a good fit for a role as an air hostess:
- Punctuality
- Team player
- A calm and reassuring manner
- Efficient
- Approachable
- Pride in appearance
- High level of fitness
- Common sense
- Excellent communication skills
- Clear speaking voice
- Problem solver
