How to Become a Flight Attendant

Benefits of a Flight Attendant include Free Travel and all the pretzels you can eat

Anyone who has been in a plane has probably wondered how one goes about getting a job as a flight attendant. These jobs are not for the faint of heart. It is a job with high competition for a limited number of open jobs and low pay at first but the benefits allow for free travel for family and friends, as well as discounted fares.

The primary job of a flight attendant is to ensure the safety of the passengers in the "unlikely event of an emergency". Serving drinks and crappy sandwiches is secondary. Are you interested in becoming a light attendant?

Basic Requirements to become a flight attendant

To become a flight attendant, you must have at least a high school diploma, while many airlines prefer having a college degree. You should also have experience working with people in a hospitality or customer service role.

You must be able to work with customers from all over the world, who may or may not be happy to be traveling with you. It can be stressful at times dealing with problem passengers and standing on your feet for hours at a time. For proof just ask Rene Foss, who was so affected by her job as a flight attendant she wrote a book about it called Around the World in a Bad Mood!: Confessions of a Flight Attendant.

Each airline has their own physical requirements based on height, weight , age, vision and more. You should be well spoken and comfortable speaking in front of people. It also helps to know another language, especially if you want to travel internationally or communicate with anyone from Miami.

A background check is also necessary to work as a flight attendant. The reasons for so many requirements is that to be able to properly carry out the daily workload, they must really fit the bill.

Airline specific hiring information can be found on the airlines employment information section on their website or at the end of this article.

To work onboard as a flight attendant, one must also acquire a certification by the FAA. This is to prove their knowledge of safety procedures onboard in the event of fire, evacuation, medical emergency and any other scenario that may arise while working onboard. These are all taught to new hires either at the specific airlines training facility or at an independent Flight Attendant Training School.

What about a flight attendant school?

Many recruits find that attending a flight attendant school or flight attendant training is an effective way to get into the industry. Flight attendant schools offer the same training that airlines will give new recruits. Attending a Flight Attendant School, while it doesn't guarantee you will be placed, does offer a significant advantage.

At flight attendant school they teach you geography, first aid, airline terminology and offer tips on writing resumes and getting that first interview. Consider taking a flight attendant school if you don't have other experience in hospitality or the travel industry.

Remember: Flight attendant schools can cost several thousand dollars to attend, so while it can be beneficial in getting hired by an airline, it is not necessary. If you have relevant experience and the airline wants to hire you, then they will, whether you have been to training or not. And if you have not been to a flight attendant school, they will send you to one of their own or another airlines training facilities to get your certification.

How much do flight attendants make?

Flight attendants make anywhere from $20,000 to $65,000 per year, with the average pay being $35,000. The newest flight attendants are on the bottom of the scale, with the more experienced getting paid more. Flight attendants are only paid for there flight time.

In addition to the wage, they are eligible for benefits such as medical, dental, retirement plan, sick leave, etc. As with most airlines they get free flights anywhere the airlines fly as well as discounts on other airlines.

New flight attendants are initially put on the reserve list and relocated to a home base, where they essentially wait to be called in on last minute jobs. This can keep up for a year or more until they have enough seniority to get regular shifts.

Where to find flight attendant jobs

To start applying for a flight attendant job, just make a list of all the airlines you would like to work on. Go to each airlines individual website and look for their Employment or Careers page. The link for it is typically at the bottom of the airlines web page, or under the company information section.

Go through the list of airlines and send an individual resume to each hiring manager, HR department or recruiter. If you put some work into getting this flight attendant job, then you can expect some call backs. Of those, you should be able to get at least one job offer.

Remember: it takes work to get a job.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Flight attendant jobs are on the rise and will continue to be in the coming years as our economy recovers and airline travel picks back up. As well, with the promise of free travel everywhere planes fly, it is a very tempting job for the unattached traveler.

Delta Flight Attendant Jobs - This is who I'd work for as they go international. The only downside: you might have to live in Atlanta.
Southwest Jobs - Might be a good airline to work for because the passengers are happy they didn't have to pay for bags.