If you want to get into a career as a flight attendant, now's the time to start planning. The industry just keeps on growing as more and more people need to fly. However, you have to be the right kind of person. Flight attendants need to work together as part of a team. They have to be stable, mature, and in good physical condition. You need to have excellent eyesight and good hearing to detect problems on the plane. You also have to be able to stay calm and remain confident, even when you're under a lot of pressure. Flight attendants have to enjoy helping other people and making them happy. They also have to be willing to endure some discomfort for the sake of the customers.
Know the working conditions, too. Flight attendants do more than just hand out drinks and take a lot of plane trips. They also work on weekends and holidays, often need to be on the job overnight, and have unusual schedules with very long shifts. They have to be ready for work on even short notice, capable of flying even in bad weather and able to deal with all kinds of emergencies. In exchange, you get to see new places, meet new people all the time, and enjoy an exciting and rewarding job.
You have to be willing to answer the requests of passengers on the plane and get them what they need quickly and without a fuss. You must be able to store baggage, give safety instructions and orders, offer reassurance and still be persistent when a passenger isn't cooperating. An attendant must be able to help the disabled, elderly, and families with young children enjoy the flight. He or she also has to make sure that all equipment is in order and be at the plane on time to get last minute information. After the flight, the attendant needs to report any problems that might have happened.
While crises don't happen all that often, on board illnesses, accidents, and passengers that won't follow guidelines do occur. Flight attendants have to be ready to deal with them, and ready to instruct passengers if there's an emergency. They're also exposed to lots of people from all over the world. This means that they need to have all appropriate vaccinations and make sure that they have good hygiene habits to avoid contracting and spreading illnesses. Attendants must be neat and well spoken and a college education is preferred. However, you can get a position with a lesser degree. It may just be more difficult.
Benefits include medical and dental insurance, bonus pay, a regular salary and free airline flights for themselves and their families. Flight attendants have a reasonable chance of promotion, as well, and can become instructors, supervisors and ground managers. However, to get those types of positions, they have to show exemplary service and be great at what they do. Being a flight attendant certainly isn't easy, but it's also a wonderful career option. If you're interested in this type of position, take the time to find out what you need to get hired. Get all the education and skills that are required now, and you'll be ready for a great flight attendant's position in the future.
