Flight Attendants - General Q & A
 

Hi cabin crew members!

I just want to find out how much catering experience we need to have to become a filight attendant. I worked in the hospitality industry for about 6years in my life with Hotel magmt diploma and changed my career into a beauty therapist.

Now I really want to challenge again to become a flight attendant as It's been my dream job of all time but failed a couple of times and never got an opportunity since then.

I've just been to the opening day for Qatar in Birmingham again (the 2nd time) but frustraingly to no avail.
I haven't got a clue as to why I failed. I dressed very smart and smiled all the time during the day. Now I feel that my CV must be not good enough and I wonder whether I need to work in the catering industry again to improve my CV for FA. Please give me advice as to what they look in our CV. I feel pretty depressed now.:sad:

Just keep trying. You don't even need Hospitality experience (although it is an advantage), you just need customer service experience which you obviously have. Its always a bit of a mystery as to why certain people get picked and others don't. When I read through the Emirates thread, it confused me that there were people who seemed to have almost identical experience, qualifications and were close to the same age, but some got through and others didn't.

Try a different airline, go to any and every OD you can (even if you dont want to work for the airline, its all experience and you can always say thanks but no thanks if you do get through). CC's first priority is px safety so you could look into night classes or courses your local college do to find something relevant but tbh I dont think you would need it.

And research, research, research. Read into everything you can find on CC - blogs, forums, websites, facebook groups, everything. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!


edited because of shpelling mistook

Hi Jaye,

Thank you so much for your kind comment, which makes me feel slightly better. However, I've been impatient and worried about having not even got through the OD as I'm now getting on for 34.
I don't think I've got much chance to go for it. :ugh:

Very Sad...:{

aww hun don't say that! You've got every chance! You're almost 34, not 74! lol.
Try European and American / Australian airlines. They're your best bet because Middle Eastern airlines tend to prefer crew in their 20s. But I know you'll be fine if you try airlines like Virgin or BA, just look into them all and work out which ones are best suited to YOU rather than the other way round.

(and stay positive and look up The Law of Attraction, I swear it changed my life :ok:)

I am in my thirties and am in the Airline Industry after 2 years of being away from it.

Remember you have experience in hospitality and customer service dont give up - the airline industry and present is very hit and miss cause of the circumstances its not against you.

Certain Mid-East airlines will look at your experience give it a go.

Hi
I have worked in the Flight Operations Department for 3 years and am used to seeing flight attendants of various age, shape, color, race etc.

i reckon the best way to go about it is to apply to ALL the middle eastern airlines (dont wait for them to advertise Open days etc), Aussie/NZ airlines as well as European ones. You never know if there is someone out there waiting for an applicant just like you! :ok:

Remember, there is a recession in place and everyone is going through a tough time. The airlines might have raised their standard about hiring etc. Its a big pond with lots of fishes out there !

Wish you all the best and keep us posted .

Sam

I'm 17 and I would like some help and advice
 

Hello Cabin Crew!

I have always wanted to do this as a career, and now I will be able to apply soon. But I have a few questions:

1) I understand that in the current crisis not many airlines are recruiting, only Ryanair and Easyjet - I am leaning towards Ryanair. Anything I should do or get in preparation? I would prefer not to have any bad or sour comments in regard to Ryanair - out of the few that are recruiting, they actually seem decent. I would not like to work for a charter airline.

2) What about living accomodation? Where do I have to live? How close to the airport etc?

3) What about being on stand-by does this happen?

4) I have done A level French, German, Spanish - will this be any use to becoming cabin crew? Any other qualifications or experience required?

5) Could I become based in another country either my choice or the airlines?

Thank you for your help.

Just a minor correction, its a job not a career! It was a career in the 1970s.

EasyJet seems to be only issuing fixed term contracts at the minute lasting anywhere from 6-10 months.

You won't get a job with Ryanair, as your employed by an agency that is seconded to FR. You pay for your training re-location costs etc etc. You will be moved and relocated at your own cost at their beck and call.

Typically you need to live no further than 1hr and 30 mins from your base.

Standby's happen on an adhoc basis. You might get one or two plus in a week or none for weeks at a time it just depends on the flying roster. Typically you have a 90 min call out time.

I speak French but can count with the fingers on one had how many times i use it, despite flying into France a lot. But it can come in handy and does look good on your CV.

Most airlines will base you at the base you have applied and the base they are advertising for.

FR will base you anywhere they like and with minimum notice on occasion. They are closing and down grading bases so read up on them (and don't bury your head in the sand and only read the good bits, there are very good reasons to why there is so much negativity with FR).

Good luck, its not the greatest time to start a flying job but there are some airlines that are taking on. Have you looked at Flybe?

Hello and thank you for your reply!

Why do you say "not a career but a job"?

Correct me if I am wrong, but with Ryanair don't you eventually get to a FR contract? After 12 months you can apply or do they appoint the best from the agencies?

Personally, I wouldn't mind working around different bases - after all I did 3 A levels on languages!!!

90 minutes seems fair. Could a airline just ring and say "Come Now"?

I have read many, many things on FR cabin crew jobs - some excellent; some totally awful! But then, I have read the same for loads of other airlines. Just to say, I personally want to do long-haul, but most long-haul airlines are not recruiting. But if things change, then I would go BA, Air France or Lufthansa - anything required there, i.e special qualifications?

I did look at Flybe, but I think out of Easyjet and Ryanair. I would rather work for one of those.

Many thanks!

Hi, just so you know... I am a guy... Sorry I should of said in my first post! I have wanted this job since I was 8. After a horrible few years - I managed to finally find the dream again. And now, nothing will stand in my way!

I really want to speak in different languages, so probably a European airline would be for me!

I find that some FR crew are like that - but some really seem to love it! I think I need to find some FR crew and have a chat...

How much do FR pay? Likewise with Easyjet? It is quite confusing on there websites!

I hope other airlines start recruting soon!

And I won't stop smiling!!! :):):):)

Thank you!

Flight attendants
 

Do flight attendants make 45,000 pounds and they get sleep as well on the plane because that's what i heard. Also does everyone get there own room in a hotel.

Dear airbus02,

If you want to be taken seriously here, you really should spend some time reading through PPRuNe for a while before you start asking a lot of questions. I thought that on the other thread which you posted, most folks were pretty polite, but given that this thread has not had any replies, there may be a reason.

I would offer that unless you do a little homework first, you run the risk of being generally dismissed.

That said, you are absolutely welcome here and your enthusiasm will be encouraged, but it may be better not to wear out your welcome quite so quickly.

Best wishes.

11Fan

Okay firstly i want to know what i said in the aviance and airlines forum wrong i thanked everyone and also said what i meant about replying seriously i said it in a good way thats what i even said to make that person understand. Also im only young and interested in the travel industry and if this is what i heard from a person who works in the travel industry i thought it must be true but wanted to check and see from other people so if everyone can reply to my post i would really appreciate and if i said somethings wrong which i dont know please tell me so i can make you understand.

Hello again airbus02,

Again, I applaud you for your enthusiasm. I did not suggest you did anything wrong at all, in fact, quite the opposite. What I am attempting to do is to encourage you to spend some time reading through these forums. It is from this that you will gain a wealth of knowledge. Then with this knowledge, your understanding of the industry will increase and as a result, your questions will become more focused, as opposed to the appearance of random thoughts.

That said, salaries vary greatly between airlines and seniority. Read through the Terms of Endearment and Wannabes. A lot of good information there. As for the hotel rooms, yes, for the most part, you don't need to share a room, unless it's the Crew Room and there's only one couch.

Enjoy reading and keep your interest. This is a fascinating industry. Take some time to learn about it from those here who have already experienced it.

All the best.

11Fan

when you go into your interview just ask them "Is it true I get paid 45k and get to sleep on the job?" They'll give you a straight answer.

Hi grapefruit

Don't give up! - When I applied (a good 11 years ago now) the competition was tough and I felt I didn't have much of a chance. I was only 22 at the time with CV that wasn't exactly heavy on experience.

However I think what swung it for me was the voluntary work I'd done. I'd joined a local charity helping the elderly a couple of years before, visiting people that were living alone and simply having a chat or acting as a taxi to those who couldn't make it to the doctors or supermarket.

Lots of crew I know still volunteer with organisations like the Samaritians and St Johns Ambulance and I think it does add crucial extra cv points (as well as giving you a great sense of making a difference.)

Hope this helps!

Once again im young and so dont know that much and 11 fan thanks for telling me a bit about cabin crew also jaye this is what i heard so therefore if you heard it from someone in the travel industry then i was guessing it was true also the sleeping part i heard from some one who works on a plane and they have seen the room on top of the plane where the crew sleep and im sorry if your offended taht i have no aprreciation for cabin crew and hard work but i do so please give me a chance because i am only young and im sure you beleived things from people when you were young.

And that straight answer will be YES!!!!!

We certainly have FA's who earn that amount of money and sleep on the job :)

Mutt

Thanks mutt what airline is that and also do you get to do it or is that person the manager and gets to do it.

...... airbus02, a lot of our aircraft have crew rest facilities where the crew take breaks during long flights.

As for the money, well as you are young, i wont discuss how thats earned :)

Mutt