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Aircraft Flight Attendant (Cabin Crew)
Although the majority
of flight attendants (cabin crew) are employed by the airlines, the
Air Force and some charter operators also require flight attendants,
on a free lance basis.
Flight attendants, both male and female, are primarily safety officers
who assist passengers in case of emergencies. Next, they have to look
after the comfort of the passengers and, as such, are very much the
ambassadors of both the airlines and the country they represent.
Personal checklist
You will need
* intelligence
* the ability to give sympathetic attention to passengers, especially
the elderly, babies and children
* a friendly, spontaneous personality
* efficiency
* an attractive appearance
* the ability to give sound advice in a friendly way
* patience
* previous experience in working with the public and fluency in more
than one language are advantages.
Training
An initial training course covers simulated safety and emergency
procedures (e.g. evacuating an aircraft full of passengers), first aid
and aviation medicine.
This is a very important aspect of a flight attendants job, as the
safety of the passengers is largely in their hands. In addition you
will be taught deportment and make-up, catering, and the finer details
of attending to passengers.
The course usually extends over about eight weeks and may begin with a
fourteen-day training period in ground duties, including reservations,
ticketing and international travel requirements.
Once you have successfully completed the training course, you will go
on to practical flying training for two to three months, when you will
be expected to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. During
this period, instructors or co-ordinators will fly with you to
evaluate your practical ability and, if successful, you become a
fully-fledged flight attendant.
Aspects of the training for flight attendants are carried out by the
respective airlines. The safety & emergency procedures training is
often provided by specialist training centres
Prospects
There is always a demand for flight attendants. With time and
experience, flight attendants are promoted from serving in the economy
class on domestic flights to the first class on international flights,
with the possibility of being appointed senior cabin controller. He or
she is in charge of all flight attendants and, after the
pilot-in-command (captain), is responsible for the safety and welfare
of passengers.
Watchpoints
The life of a flight attendant tends to sound quite glamorous.
However, negative aspects include being away from home for long
periods, irregular hours, and the tiring nature of the work.
If you are career-minded, you may become frustrated, as there is
limited scope for promotion and after a few years you may no longer
find the work challenging. For this reason there is a high turnover of
flight attendants. However, the work provides an excellent
introduction to other careers that involve dealing with people (e.g.
public relations).
Career Fields:
Aviation
Travel and Tourism
Courtesy: CareerExpo
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