Being a flight attendant is one of the most wanted jobs in the world. This career path has a huge amount of benefits. For example, flight attendants are able to fly around the world, explore new places and get to meet new cultures.
Per the airline's guidelines, visible tattoos aren't allowed while wearing the flight attendant uniform, even if covered by makeup, jewelry, or a bandage. The policy prohibits tattoos in areas visible while wearing the cabin crew uniform, such as the face, ears, hands, wrists, and neck.
Fortunately, most successful candidates pass the training period and exams successfully and start working for the airline immediately. But the training is hard. As in, really hard. Training can last anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks, 11 hours a day with just one day rest a week.
It isn't uncommon or some international airlines to have specific weight requirements and be willing to remove flight attendants that go over this weight limit by so much as a pound. There's even a court case where a flight attendant sued after being grounded for coming in 1 pound over the weight limit.
Most attendants are usually limited to working 12 hours shifts but some are allowed to work 14 hour shifts. Those working on international flights are usually permitted to work longer shifts. Attendants usually spend 65-90 hours in the air and 50 hours preparing planes for passengers monthly.
Shyness or social anxiety, not meeting the minimum requirement of height or education or age can disqualify you from being a flight attendant. A tooth gap, a scar, a cut mark, or a tattoo on visible body parts can also make a difference and stop you from getting selected in the interview of the cabin crew.
As a flight attendant, you'll be eligible for free flights – sometimes for your friends or family, too! – and maximum time off to enjoy the destinations of your choice during your free time. You'll also get discounts on hotels, car rentals, other airlines' flights, and vacation packages.
A flight attendant earns an average of $18 $20 per hour, however, he or she is only paid per actual flight hour. They don't get paid during boarding or deplaning, and they don't get paid during flight delays, layovers or cancellations. That can really add up to a lot of unpaid working hours .
California average flight attendant salary: $51,990.
9 Benefits of being a Flight Attendant
10 Airlines With The Highest Paid Flight Attendants In The United States
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, flight attendants make an average of $56,000 per year. ... While flight attendants have better salaries than your average service worker who gets paid around $30,000 a year, they make a little less than the average professional worker, who gets paid around $60,000 a year.
Attendants typically fly 75 to 100 hours a month and usually spend another 50 hours a month on the ground, preparing flights, writing reports, and waiting for planes to arrive. They can spend several nights a week away from home. Most work variable schedules.
How do I become a flight attendant (with no experience)?
You're probably not getting the job on the first try Travel + Leisure writes that for every 100,000 applicants, only 1,000 will actually become flight attendants. For the non-math majors out there, that's just 1%. Harvard has a higher acceptance rate than that.
Applicants must have a high school degree or GED, the ability to work in the U.S., English fluency and be at least 21 years of age by Jan. 1, 2020. Flight attendants must be willing to fly both international and domestic routes, and have a flexible schedule, since Delta flights operate day and night, year-round.
Flight attendants must have at least a high school diploma and preferably an associate's or bachelor's degree. Instead of going to college, some people enroll in flight attendant school. If you want to work on international flights, you might need to take foreign language classes.
Flight Attendant Salary
Bette Nash
Flight Attendants need at least a high school diploma but some airlines may prefer applicants who have completed some college courses or an Associate's degree program. Earning an Associate's degree in Hospitality, Communications, or Public Relations could give you a competitive advantage over other applicants.
Flight Attendants, Senior Flight Attendants, Pursers, Onboard chefs – all of them are part of the Cabin Crew. ... Obviously, the pilots fly the aircraft. The flight attendants instruct how to act in an emergency, prepare and serve meals and just generally take care of the passengers.
Personal Pros and Cons
Another bad thing about being a flight attendant is the salary. A flight attendant often only makes about $25,000 in their first year. Salaries can ultimately go up pretty high, but you do have to start so low! Many flight attendants have to have other part time jobs to get by at first.
Flight attendants may be away from home for several days in a row including weekends and holidays and therefore must be flexible. The maximum number of flying hours per day is set by union agreement, and on-duty time is usually limited to 12 hours per day, with a daily maximum of 14 hours.
Flight attendants check that seatbelts are fastened the old fashioned way - by looking and confirming each passenger has correctly fastened them. There is no indicator anywhere around each seat which indicates as such.
Flight attendants and pilots get there own designated sleeping areas on long-haul flights. While, flight attendants are supposed to sleep in bunk beds, pilots take rest in separate sleeping compartment.