Air Cabin Crew

Air cabin crew are the main point of contact for passengers and are responsible for them having a safe and comfortable journey.

Cabin crew may be responsible for:

• checking the plane is clean, tidy and stocked
• checking that emergency equipment is working
• overseeing boarding of passengers on and off the aircraft
• making sure that passengers' hand luggage is safely stored and that passengers are wearing seat belts
• informing passengers of aircraft safety procedures
• serving and selling meals, drinks, gifts and duty-free products during the flight
• dealing with problems or issues that passengers have during the flight.

Air cabin crew work irregular hours on a rota including nights, public holidays and weekends. They may also be required to spend periods away from home. The working environment is demanding as cabin space is restricted and lots of time is spent moving around the cabin.

Salaries range from £12,000 to £16,000 when newly qualified, to more than £25,000 for senior air cabin crew.

Air cabin crew should:

• have a confident, friendly and calm manner
• have excellent communication skills
• be tactful and assertive
• have common sense and be ready for any situation
• work well as part of a team and enjoy providing a high level of customer service.

Competition for jobs can be intense and opportunities for new recruits have become less common.

Entry requirements vary between airlines, but all applicants should be educated at least to GCSE standard or equivalent including English and maths. Qualifications in foreign languages and travel, leisure and tourism can also be useful as can knowledge of first aid. Airlines tend to have height restrictions and applicants also normally need to be physically fit, with good eyesight. Most airlines require applicants to be at least 18 years old, with some having a minimum age of 21.

Airlines run their own training programmes, which usually last from four to six weeks. Training includes safety, first aid and customer care. Newly qualified air cabin crew normally have a probationary period of three to six months.

Promotion prospects vary from one airline to another, and depend on levels of competence as well as experience. There may be opportunities to move into flight management or airport services, or to work as a trainer.

Further details