What qualifications do I need to be a flight attendant?

Flight attendants receive training from their employer and must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Flight attendants typically need a high school diploma or the equivalent and work experience in customer service.



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It's difficult and can take a long time. Airlines can take 3-6 months to get through the hiring process, that's if your resume makes it through the first cut. Intense Competition. We estimate there are 1 – 1.5 million flight attendant applications for 5,000 – 10,000 jobs.

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Airlines provide a three- to six-week training program for their flight attendants. You will typically attend training for eight hours a day throughout the duration of the program. This training prepares you to use airport codes, make PA announcements, perform routine job duties and handle in-flight emergencies.

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Average Flight Attendant Pay vs. Flight Attendants earned an average salary of $62,280 in 2021.

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Airlines provide a three- to six-week training program for their flight attendants. You will typically attend training for eight hours a day throughout the duration of the program. This training prepares you to use airport codes, make PA announcements, perform routine job duties and handle in-flight emergencies.

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Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this occupation include:
  • Foreign Language.
  • Hospitality.
  • Psychology.
  • Safety and First Aid.
  • Travel and Tourism.


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A high school diploma is typically required to become a flight attendant. Some airlines may prefer to hire applicants who have taken some college courses or who have a college degree. Those working on international flights may need fluency in a foreign language.

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Crew require a minimum of three hours rest when the flight duty period exceeds 14 hours (from when crew 'sign on' to 15 minutes after engines off). For flight duty periods longer than 18 hours, 4.5 hours bunk rest is required. The crew take turns for rest breaks. The first group will rest after the first meal service.

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Published Research. U.S. flight attendants have a higher prevalence of several forms of cancer, including breast cancer, uterine cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, thyroid cancer, and cervical cancer, when compared with the general public, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

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At some airlines, the minimum age requirement to be a flight attendant is 18, but for most, it's 20-21. As a flight attendant, age is just a number. You can be too young to be a flight attendant but not too old if you are in good shape and can work long hours and do some heavy lifting.

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Free flights and travel opportunities
This means many flight attendants can fly for free on their company airlines even when they are not working. Airlines typically offer these free flights on standby, which means the paying customers get on first, and then any extra seats can go to crew members .

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Cabin crew do not have to demonstrate extraordinary abilities for swimming, but must be able to swim for up to 50 meters, across a pool about 2 meters deep.

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New flight attendants typically work a reserve schedule and must be close to the airport, or sometimes wait at the airport for a call to duty. Senior flight attendants enjoy more flexibility in their schedule and choice of destinations. Both roles enjoy the same travel benefits with about 12 days off per month.

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Flight pay is paid for the hours the flight attendant is on the plane. The rate of flight pay typically increases after every year of employment until the top rate is reached. The higher the seniority, the higher rate of flight pay. Per diem is paid for every hour the flight attendant is away from home.

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Your job may require you to perform some basic mathematics. This could include checking the number of passengers on the flight or managing financial transactions if passengers make in-flight purchases. You may also need to have an understanding of how to use exchange rates for calculating currency conversions.

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