Working as a cabin crew member can present opportunities which would be hard to come by when working in other industries – one of these opportunities being the chance to live in another country.
Whether you’re relocating to the Middle East, Australia, Africa or South East Asia, each move can present its own challenges and rewards. This article outlines the pros and cons of relocating from the UK for a cabin crew job.
What To Consider
The main thing to think about is how you feel you would cope being so far away from your friends and family members? While you’re settling into your new life, you may feel lonely or homesick, which will be a major test in the first few weeks.
However, with more ways to communicate across continents today, the initial struggle is not as difficult as it may have been a couple of decades ago. Video messaging software can make it very easy to stay in touch with people back home and prevent the feeling of homesickness.
As well as staying in touch online, working for an airline usually means discounted flights, so visits home can be frequent.
It is also wise to have worked in the industry for a number of years before making a big move – you may suddenly realise that a job as a cabin crew member is not for you in the long term – you don’t want to discover that after uprooting your entire life to another continent.
Before moving to a new country and city, you should be prepared for a settling in period. Not knowing where your local supermarket or post office is could be frustrating at first. Finding new hobbies, new friends and ways to entertain yourself will come with time.
You can’t expect an instant transition, so be prepared for new, every day obstacles before you start to feel at home.
What Are The Pros To Working In Another Country?
The main positive to working abroad is… it’s exciting!
Interesting cultures, new people, a change of scenery, new delicious food to try… what is there not to like?
Growing up and living in the same place can become very monotonous and make you desperate for change. Working as a cabin crew member offers you fantastic opportunities to move to different countries, adding more excitement.
Working abroad makes you more culturally aware and can make you more open to experiencing new things. Living in another country can not only improve your life from a professional perspective (it looks great on your CV!), but it can help your development on a personal level too.
Accepting your dream job abroad can also be financially rewarding, especially if you are moving to places like the Middle East, New Zealand or Canada. We will talk more about the financial benefits in the next section.
What Are The Financial Nenefits?
Some countries lack the relevant local talent to fill a role, so will be willing to pay a premium to secure the services of qualified, experienced and enthusiastic individuals.
Companies based in areas such as the Middle East, North America and Australasia generally pay much higher salaries than the United Kingdom, which can be the main incentive for leaving the country. The Middle East can also have a lower cost of living than the UK, which can result in a very comfortable way of life.
The average base pay for a cabin crew member in the United Kingdom is £15,000, whereas the average salary for the same job in the United Arab Emirates is over £25,000 and over £35,000 in the United States.
What Are The Professional Benefits?
First of all, being able to include the fact that you will relocate for work on your CV shows commitment to the career. If you’re willing to up and move your life for your cabin crew job, you’re instantly a more attractive candidate to recruiters who need flexible staff.
Learning a language shows a real commitment and that the person has excellent communication skills, and is willing to adapt to new situations.
As well as showcasing your skills it can also be a great way to boost your professional network. strengthening your global contacts can help you discover new opportunities you may have missed while living in the UK and your international colleagues may be able to put in a good word for you which can only strengthen your position.
What Countries Rank The Highest as Places To Work?
A recent study made by internations.org ranks the following countries as having the best life/ work balance.
- Denmark
- Bahrain
- Norway
- Czech Republic
- New Zealand
- Sweden
- Costa Rica
- Netherlands
- Oman
- Malta
Scandinavia consistently ranks high in polls judging a nation’s standard of living, helped by high salaries & quality working conditions, while Denmark has the shortest working week in the world. Another bonus for any expat considering a job in Scandinavia is the short and inexpensive flight home.
Middle Eastern countries are always well represented in these sort of polls due to the ever improving infrastructure, strong economy and luxury living. Cabin crew staff can secure much higher wages than they would in the UK, which can be spent on the range of fun activities in the area.
Wherever your career as a cabin crew member takes you, the pros typically outweigh the cons in this exciting and rewarding industry.
