Flight attendant (Stewardess)
Information on this skill...
A flight attendant or steward works on board an airliner and is responsible for various activities, which have to do with safety and service. As a flight attendant you are part of the cabin crew and you work under the purser. The main task of a flight attendant is to ensure safety on board the aircraft and not to bring food and drinks around, despite the fact that this task belongs to the work of a flight attendant. A flight attendant is an important calling card of the airline and can therefore be seen as a hostess. The profession of flight attendant has a great attraction for people who would like to see more of the world, and can be considered a popular profession within the travel world. Becoming a flight attendant is not for everyone, as most airlines have strict admission standards. The training can also be called tough, because a flight attendant has to go through various training courses. Think of carrying out evacuation procedures, firefighting and acting in the right way in emergency situations. Providing in-flight service is also an important part of the training. An important addition to this is that a flight attendant is primarily responsible for monitoring safety. The provision of service is in all cases subordinate to safety. For example, a flight attendant will not offer food or drink during turbulence. In that case, a flight attendant will check whether passengers are wearing their seatbelts and check whether the tables are folded. Because most flights run normally, flight attendants can offer in-flight service. Other activities include greeting passengers, checking boarding passes, helping with hand luggage, answering questions and giving safety instructions.
A flight attendant is therefore responsible for overseeing the safety and on board of an airliner and is also responsible for providing in-flight service. Another name for flight attendant or steward may also be an aviation service provider. As a flight attendant you are responsible for various activities. Think of designating the right seats, supervising the hand luggage (not too big), giving safety instructions and helping passengers who are less mobile. Other activities include preparing food, selling food and beverages, and offering other products, such as perfume or watches. Before the start of the flight, the cabin crew will receive a briefing on all the details of the flight. During the briefing, all aspects of the flight are discussed, such as the number of passengers, the weather conditions and the route of the flight. If all passengers are on board, the flight attendant or steward will explain to the passengers what to do in case of an emergency. Also during the flight, a flight attendant will pay attention to the safety rules, such as wearing the seat belt and folding the tables.
WORKING AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT
The profession of flight attendant should not be underestimated, because working as a flight attendant is fairly difficult. Flight attendants flying within Europe in most cases have to deal with several flights in a day. In addition, a flight attendant has to deal with fixed protocols every time, so that the work can be regarded as one-sided. Another acceptance is that flight attendants may have to deal with irritated passengers. A flight attendant must be able to handle this and remain professional. Also, making long days and the different time zones is something that a flight attendant should be able to deal with. Another important point is that aircraft make a relatively large amount of noise and that the humidity on board aircraft is low. The profession of flight attendant is a beautiful profession, but the profession must suit you. Nowadays, flight attendants are also increasingly responsible for cleaning the plane after the passengers have left. This can differ per airline.
BECOME A FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Becoming a flight attendant has a great attraction for people who want to see more of the world. Airlines receive many applications from people who aspire to a career as a flight attendant or steward, and have strict requirements before anyone can start training. The requirements may vary per airline, but some important requirements are that a flight attendant or steward must be at least eighteen years old, have at least a havo diploma, master the English language, have no criminal record, must be able to swim, must not have a major eye defect, must be friendly and that the weight must fit the height. It's not that a flight attendant has to be a model. Appearance is not decisive for eligibility for a job as a flight attendant. It is true that candidate flight attendants and stewards have to deal with a recruiter and psychologist. This mainly relates to undergoing a role play to test suitability.
MAKE-UP AND CLOTHING OF A FLIGHT ATTENDANT OR STEWARD
As a flight attendant or steward you are the calling card of the airline and you have to deal with strike rules regarding company clothing and external care. Not only the clothing is recited, also the way of wearing is recorded. Another important point is that a flight attendant or steward should not have visible tattoos. Tongue piercings and nose piercings are also not allowed. Wearing make-up is also subject to rules. Furthermore, the external care must be neat and fit in with the work. Think of the length of the nails and not wearing ostentatious watches or jewelry. In other words, a flight attendant must radiate the right image.
WHAT DOES A FLIGHT ATTENDANT DO:
- Checking the safety equipment
- Preparing food and drinks
- Giving help during an emergency
- Helping less mobile passengers
- Giving safety instructions
- Handing out pillows and blankets
- Answering questions
- Greeting passengers
- Designating the seats
WHAT DOES A FLIGHT ATTENDANT DO:
FLIGHT ATTENDANT TRAINING
Those who aspire to a career as a flight attendant or steward can now choose from various training options. There is also an MBO flight attendant/steward training, but this training is more focused on ground stewardesses. In addition, there are plenty of external training institutes where you can follow a course. The selection procedure that a flight attendant or steward has to deal with is strict, and not all candidates are allowed to participate in the training. The training duration to become a flight attendant can vary per course between six months and two years. After the training you can call yourself an aviation service provider, and you are ready for the real thing.
COMPANIES WHERE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT CAN BE EMPLOYED
A flight attendant or flight attendant works for an airline. In addition, a flight attendant or steward may work for companies that offer private flights. In that case, you are dealing with influential people, such as artists, directors or ambassadors. Obviously, most flight attendants and stewards work on airliners.
COMPETENCES FLIGHT ATTENDANT
The most important competence of a flight attendant is that you must have the right motivation. In addition, you must be able to be regarded as a hostess or host. Wanting to provide service is highly regarded for a flight attendant or steward. Another important competence is a sense of responsibility. A flight attendant is responsible for overseeing general safety. Because you are dealing with different passengers, you must have good communication skills. Generally important words are cooperation, control, inspection, vigilance, energy, passion, service, planning, organizing and stress resistance.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT
The labour market perspective of a flight attendant or steward is good. Most airlines are constantly looking for new flight attendants and flight attendants. However, it is true that not all candidates are allowed to start the training. There are many people who want to work as stewardess or stewards, and that makes the competition great. Career opportunities of a flight attendant or steward should be seen in growing into a purser.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY FLIGHT ATTENDANT
A flight attendant or steward will in most cases fall under the collective labour agreement cabin crew, in which the terms and conditions of employment are regulated, depending on the employer. A flight attendant or steward will in most cases earn a salary between 2000 and 3000 gross per month, depending on age, years of service and further responsibilities. Flight attendants and stewards have to deal with daily allowances, travel allowances and irregularity allowances, which can increase the salary. This can differ per airline.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
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