Flight Attendant

The Airline flight attendant is what passengers usually remember most when traveling on any airline. Flight attendants perform a vital job within the airline industry. The airline environment has gone through many changes in recent decades, which have increased the duties that flight attendants must be familiar with and perform at any given moment without warning.

Flight attendants are often hired and trained by major airlines at their own flight attendant training centers, which will administer an Aptitude Test to applicants, and are usually located at the company headquarters or their major hub. The length of flight attendant training may vary among airlines. There are now approved online flight attendant courses, which give a realistic account of what the job of flight attendant entails. Some smaller airlines may outsource their flight attendant requirements to private flight attendant schools, which will train for several airlines. At least one Asian airline requires their flight attendants to be trained in Kung Fu.

Besides having to know how to evacuate an airplane quickly while assuring passenger safety, they must also be ready for any medical emergency, know how to prepare and serve meals, and answer any passenger concerns. Recently flight attendants have also become the first line of defense against any act of sabotage aboard, and must continually monitor the cabin for any sign of suspicious activity. Major airlines will also require that flight attendants be evaluated by a Career Assessment, often once a year. Flight attendants who complete their training will be based at a major hub city of the airline they work for, and will start on shorter domestic flights. Flight attendants get promoted to international flights after years of service, with knowledge of foreign languages a requirement.

Beyond the major airlines where most flight attendants are employed, there are many smaller discount airlines and charter operators. On major charter airlines the need for experienced flight attendants may be more seasonal, as they primarily fly to popular resort destinations. Some larger private aircraft owners also hire flight attendants on temporary assignments when needed, such as on planes that transport company management to regional offices and board meetings.