The Essential Guide to Becoming a Flight Attendant

by Kiki Ward

  The Essential Guide To Becoming A

  FLIGHT ATTENDANT

  Kiki Ward

  Copyright © 2002 by Kiwi Productions

  All rights reserved. No part of this manuscript may be reproduced without the written permission of Kiki Ward and/or Kiwi Productions.

  ISBN# 0-9701843-0-1

  Table of contents

  Introduction…Page V

  Welcome aboard

  Chapter one…Page

  Oh miss…

  Chapter two…Page

  The basic requirements

  Chapter three…Page

  The inside story

  Chapter four…Page

  How to apply

  Chapter five…Page

  The interview

  Chapter six…Page

  Flight attendant training

  Chapter seven…Page

  Final approach

  Chapter eight…Page

  Prepare for departure

  About the author…Page

  The twenty-four hour clock…Page

  City codes…Page

  IV

  Introduction Welcome aboard!

  Are you prepared for takeoff on an extraordinary career that will allow you to travel the world, enjoy incredible benefits, work with fun and exciting people and best of all, be paid to do it? I can tell you from my own experience as a flight attendant for one of the largest, most successful airlines in the world, it is truly a dream job!

  I have been afforded a fascinating career with American Airlines with virtually unlimited opportunities and a lifestyle most people could never even imagine and it can be the same for you! I know how interested you are in this career because I have been there myself. When I received my wings and embarked on this journey, I had no idea how rewarding it was going to be. Many people have stopped me in airports and aboard the airplane and asked me endless questions about my life, my career and how they too could become a flight attendant. I have always had an interest in assisting others achieve this career and I wrote this book with that in mind.

  I have always felt extraordinarily lucky to have been gifted with such a wonderful career and it is so rewarding when my readers are able to also become a member of what is truly one of the most sought after careers in aviation.

  Throughout this guide I will reveal the necessary information, as well as the secrets, that will be essential to your success in your flight attendant interview. You will get a detailed look into the career itself and a better understanding of what being a flight attendant means. It is my goal to provide you with the insight and the detailed preparation you are going to need in order to stand out in the highly competitive flight attendant selection process. This is truly information that could only be gathered by an airline insider and I am so excited about sharing it with you.

  Read and follow the tips, guidelines and suggestions carefully, they are the most current and accurate available. I know this guide will prove to be invaluable in successfully steering you through all phases of the flight attendant selection process.

  There is almost certainly a place for you in the exciting airline industry and with the information you will find in this guide, you will be on your way to a flight attendant career. Don’t waste a moment, the hiring has begun!

  Chapter one Oh miss…

  Since you have interest in pursuing a flight attendant career you have probably noticed flight attendants working aboard the airplane or in airports and wondered about their life, their career and most of all, how they got there! A lot of mystery surrounds the flight attendant career mostly because those unfamiliar with the world of aviation know very little about it and even less about how to attain a flight attendant position. You will find the real world of a working flight attendant quite different from the glamorous image we are all so familiar with. Keep in mind that most portrayals of flight attendants are a little more fantasy than fact. The public truly seems to love the perception of the “stewardess” we’ve all seen in movies. It isn’t necessarily true, but it has made our profession famous and that in turn has made the position highly sought after.

  As far as glamour within the flight attendant position, you will definitely be enjoying some exotic destinations and you may find yourself with celebrities and famous entertainers as passengers from time to time. I’ve had many famous actors and entertainers as passengers and that is indeed one of the most exciting parts of the job. It makes for a much more interesting flight when you have someone famous on board and perhaps a great story or memento to tell about the time you spent with that famous person. But it isn’t just about mingling with the rich and famous and spending long layovers on a Caribbean beach, it truly involves hard work and a lot of dedication. Most flights are routine, and when you find yourself with a spilled drink down the front of your uniform during turbulence, you will undoubtedly realize that the glamour part of the job is a little overrated! The flight attendant job is demanding but the rewards are countless. You’ll be enjoying the absolutely incredible benefits, (which we’ll get to later) and the respect and admiration that comes with holding an extremely coveted position. Plus, the flexibility in your work schedule and an exciting work environment help make it an exceptional and unique career choice. Coffee, tea or me?

  In the very early days of commercial aviation, flight attendants or stewardesses as they were then called, were always women, usually nurses and were forced to retire when they got married or turned thirty-two! These women were recruited from around the world and were selected based primarily on their exceptional beauty. It was truly a glamourous era in aviation when only the very rich or famous could afford to travel aboard airplanes and these early flight attendants were hand picked to serve that select group of passengers.

  These early flight attendants were also required to maintain a very rigid image dictated by their airline including very strict weight guidelines and appearance standards. Each flight attendant wore the exact same shade of lipstick and nail polish and were weighed before each flight! Their many inflight duties included shining passenger shoes, catering the airplane, calling each and every passenger by name and even checking luggage! It may sound unbelievable today but those early flight attendants shaped the role and prestige of the flight attendant profession. It is always fascinating to work with those flight attendants who have been around since the early days and hear the incredible stories they tell.

  As a flight attendant today you certainly won’t be shining shoes or catering airplanes but you will still be a carefully chosen front line representative of an airline and responsible for the safety and comfort of its passengers. Airline travel has become transportation that everyone can afford and airlines look now for applicants who can simply provide the best customer service to all types of people with enthusiasm and professionalism. No longer does a perfect appearance play the role it once did and so the playing field has been leveled and each applicant has a much better chance of being selected based solely on personality, personal customer service work ethics and employment history.

  Although the requirements have changed one thing remains the same, it was a very coveted position in the early days of aviation and the tradition continues today.

  Is it for you?

  The flight attendant position has become a great career choice for men and women of all ages and backgrounds. Flight attendants are respected professionals responsible for keeping safe and providing comfort and service to hundreds of thousands of passengers around the world every day.

  Although each flight attendant is of course an individual, they certainly all possess similar qualities that make them perfect for the
position. Flight attendants are adventurous, personable, outgoing, self-disciplined, hard working, energetic, motivated individuals who learn to make a hotel room their home away from home and an airplane galley their “office”!

  The flight attendant corps is also rich and varied making it one of the most interesting professions available. Airlines are equal opportunity employers who hire and train individuals from all walks of life. You will work with other flight attendants from around the world, from different cultures and with different ideas and attributes. Your ability to be a team player working toward a common goal is paramount.

  A unique brother/sisterhood is a part of the profession and no matter what airline you work for, you become a part of the society of flight attendants. You will never meet a more fun, diverse group of individuals and you will certainly learn to look at life in a whole new way. But like any career it may or may not be for you. The business of transporting people by air can sometimes make for a challenging environment. Your abilities will be tested each time you go flying. It will be you as a flight attendant who must calm and reassure a frightened passenger one moment and confidently placate an irate passenger the next. It requires deft handling of any and all situations. It is important to consider your individual personality and flexibility concerning the following issues before you begin applying.

  Relocation

  Nearly every airline will require that you relocate as a condition of employment. You will be relocated to a city in which the airline operates a base. A base or domicile is a designated city from which an airline dispatches flight crews and maintains a large percentage of its operation. Most airlines maintain numerous bases within their respective systems, whereas smaller airlines may operate out of only a few cities. Major airlines operate their bases in large cities for instance, New York, Chicago or Miami, whereas smaller airlines usually operate bases out of smaller cities. Since all flying operations originate in these cities, a flight attendant must reside in their assigned base city or commute to the city in which they are based. Following are some important things to keep in mind.

  -A very integral part of being hired as a flight attendant is your ability and willingness to relocate. It is one of the most important questions you will hear in your interview. Relocation is going to entail you actually moving to a new city and taking up residence there for the duration of the time period required by the airline.

  -After a specified amount of time of employment with the airline you will receive your unlimited travel benefits making commuting to your base city from wherever you choose to live a viable option. Over 31% of all flight attendants commute to the city in which they are based. Flexible scheduling options usually allow commuters to report to their base city the same day their trip departs and to commute home the day their trip returns.

  -After a specified amount of time with the company you will also become eligible to transfer to another base of your choice within the airlines system.

  It is important to keep in mind that as a new hire flight attendant right out of training you are going to be expected to report to your assigned base and fly from there until you have your travel benefits or can transfer to another base. Most airlines offer new hire flight attendants hotel lodging for a few days at the expense of the airline to allow for apartment hunting, etc.. As a new hire you will also be provided transportation to your new base city. It is for the purpose of relocation that airlines require trainees to bring a suggested cash amount to training, as new hires must be prepared to possibly relocate immediately following graduation. Time away from home

  As a flight attendant you will be traveling for a living. Although you will have an inordinate amount of time off in comparison to other jobs, you still will be required to leave town about once a week. Although the length of each trip varies the most common airline trip is a three day trip. For example, you would depart your base city on a Tuesday, be gone all of Wednesday and return on Thursday. An average trip will equate into about fifty hours away from home at a time. There are of course trips longer and shorter in duration. This is a consideration for parents or those who need to be home each night for other reasons. It is very important to note that most flight attendants have families, pets and other obligations and are able to work out various personal arrangements for the time spent away from home.

  Working closely with the public and coworkers The flight attendant career requires a tremendous amount of self governing. There are no supervisors with you at 30,000 feet! In fact at a major airline you aren’t going to see any supervision on a daily basis. Airlines provide extensive training to allow flight attendants to work independent of supervision. You must make the decisions as to regulations and requirements and you must be able to guarantee consistency in your work. There is no one to wake you up and get you to the airport for your scheduled departure and there is no one to tell you how to effectively handle any on board situation. Basically you are on your own relying on your training and personal maturity to steer you through every situation. You will also be working very closely with your fellow crewmembers and although the sister/brotherhood relationship is seemingly inherent, there may be times when you simply don’t get along with someone but must put your professionalism over your feelings in order to best serve your airline. Consider your ability to be a problem solver, an enthusiastic worker, a responsible employee and above all, a professional in any situation.

  Getting physical

  The flight attendant position is very physical. What you might see as a passenger is quite different than what is happening behind the scenes. As a flight attendant your body will incur the effects of time zone changes, very early mornings and very late nights and the ever present gravitational effects. Flight attendants occasionally suffer from aching feet and legs, dry skin and at times, severe fatigue. As a flight attendant you must try to stay well despite coming into contact with hundreds of different people each time you fly and remaining on board an aircraft at high altitudes with recirculated air for long periods of time. You will work odd hours, often flying in the middle of the night. The physical aspects also include abrupt changes in climate. For example, taking off from a hot sunny location and landing in a snowy cold one. As a flight attendant you will also work with beverage carts that weigh in at close to three hundred pounds, often pushing those carts up the steep aisle of an ascending aircraft in order to complete a quick beverage service on a very short flight. Flight attendants must also tolerate constant high noise levels from aircraft engines. Most importantly, as a flight attendant you must possess the physical strength to open a heavy aircraft door or window under just about any circumstance and evacuate an entire aircraft full of passengers. You must also be able to perform basic first aid that requires a certain amount of physical dexterity, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Flexibility

  Flexibility is a favorite all encompassing term in the airline industry. It is also essential. Simply stated, as a flight attendant you must be willing to accept and conform to whatever standards are required by your airline. This includes appearance and uniform standards. Relocation and training also necessitate flexibility. Initial training will require that you possibly alter your appearance, change the way you conduct yourself and conform you into a particular standard. Once you have earned your wings and are a seasoned flight attendant, flexibility will still be essential because although airlines operate on schedules, changes in those schedules are inevitable. Weather, mechanical delays, duty regulations and a myriad of other factors often serve to disrupt planned scheduling.

  Put the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally…

  The aforementioned considerations are not meant in any way to deter you from pursuing this truly wonderful career, so relax! They are simply issues that you should be familiar with before you apply. You may be surprised at your interviews at the number of applicants who won’t know or understand these aspects of the career and will be shocked during the career overview each airline presents. You on t
he other hand will understand these issues and will be able to move forward in your interview prepared to answer questions regarding these issues effectively and with professionalism.

  Enjoy the flight…

  The flight attendant career is definitely about hard work but also about an incredible lifestyle including the enjoyment of tremendous benefits. How many people actually have fun at work, enjoy their jobs, work in a stimulating environment and see the world all at the same time? Flight attending is a career that will excite you and challenge you each time you go flying. I can tell you firsthand that the positives of the career far outweigh any negatives. As a flight attendant you will enjoy a lifestyle very different from most and once you become accustomed to that lifestyle it would be incredibly difficult to imagine going back to a scheduled work week in the same place every day. Flight attendants lead what is in a way a very privileged life simply because we have the opportunity to visit new places and meet new people each time we go to work, be exposed to exciting opportunities, enjoy tremendous perks and benefits and have a great time while being paid, which is certainly beyond the reach of most careers.

  Chapter two The basic requirements

  Each airline has in place basic height, weight, vision and educational requirements for employment as a flight attendant. These requirements will vary at each airline. Be familiar with the requirements of the airline to which you are applying and be sure you meet those requirements before applying. The requirements regarding vision and general health are in place for specific reasons and are normally strictly adhered to. Airlines are much more lenient when it comes to educational requirements. For example, nearly all airlines will allow you to substitute life experience or customer service work for a college/secondary education.

  Experience

  We are all accustomed to prospective employers asking the all important question about experience within a field. As far as the flight attendant position, no previous flying experience is necessary. I am often asked whether you must complete a course in travel or hospitality in order to be a successful flight attendant applicant and the answer is no. Each airline has in place an extensive training program covering all aspects of the career that you will undergo before beginning your actual flying career. Many travel schools offer courses in becoming a flight attendant but it is important to remember that these courses are no guarantee of employment by an airline. Furthermore, these courses may even cause confusion for you later when you undergo training at a real airline as it is vastly different since each airline has in place very different training procedures.