What requirements do you need to be a flight attendant?

Applicants must meet minimum age requirements, typically 18 or 21; be eligible to work in the United States; have a valid passport; and pass a background check and drug test. They must have vision that is correctable to at least 20/40 and often need to conform to height requirements set by the airline.



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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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It's a physical job, but not all flight attendants must be slim and trim. You do, however, have to fit into the flight attendant jumpseat. Flight attendants have no set weight requirements, as body types can vary even if two people are the same height and weight.

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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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Typically, flight attendants work 12-14 days and log 65-85 flight hours each month, not including overtime. Flight attendant schedules can change month-to-month and some attendants may work more weeks than others.

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They often work nights, weekends, and holidays because airlines operate every day and have overnight flights. They may spend several nights per week or per month away from home. In most cases, a contract between the airline and the flight attendant union determines the total daily and monthly workable hours.

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One of the biggest issues is fatigue due to long hours away from home during certain times of the year such as holidays or peak travel periods when more flights are available. Another problem that can arise is dealing with unhappy or unruly passengers, which can make a flight attendant's job much more stressful.

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Do flight attendants get free hotel accommodation? Yes, flight attendants often receive complimentary hotel stays during layovers (also called a stopover) as part of their job benefits. However, this only applies when the flight attendants are on duty and are required to layover in a different city or country.

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Flight attendant school costs an average of anywhere between $3,500 to $5,000 to complete. However, there are flight attendant schools that can cost as little as $1,000, and as much as $25,000.

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They can expect to spend 65-90 hours in the air, and an additional 50 hours preparing the airplane, processing passengers during boarding and performing post-flight procedures. Typically, flight attendants work 12-14 days and log 65-85 flight hours each month, not including overtime.

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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.

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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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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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In the United States, many airlines had a policy such that only unmarried women could be flight attendants, as well as a mandatory retirement age of 32 for stewardesses because of the belief women would be less appealing and attractive after this age.

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The Top 30 Benefits and Perks of being a Flight Attendant
  • Get Paid to Travel the World. ...
  • Spend Your Days off Flying for Free. ...
  • Your Family and Friends Can Fly for Free too. ...
  • Earn a Very Respectable Salary. ...
  • Big Generous Package of Employee Benefits. ...
  • Your work schedule is flexible. ...
  • Pickup Extra Flights. ...
  • Trade Trips or Schedules.


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When they reach their destination, flight attendants are often provided with a hotel stay during layovers. The airline will choose a hotel for the cabin crew and cover the cost of the hotel for their stay; that includes transportation to and from the hotel and food eaten while in the hotel.

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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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In most cases, if you have a scheduled duty period of 14 hours or less, you must have at least nine consecutive hours of scheduled rest after your duty period before you have another duty period.

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Flight attendants may work nights, weekends and holidays while they travel the country or the world. Airlines and federal guidelines dictate attendants' flying hours, although individual flexibility can change the more seniority a flight attendant gains.

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PERSONAL LEAVE
1. A Flight Attendant may be granted a personal leave of absence without pay for a period not to exceed one hundred and eighty (180) days. Requests for personal leave and mutually agreed upon start and end dates shall be in writing.

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Whether the flight attendant is paid hourly or salaried is based on the particular contract with the airline. Some flight attendants start out at $15 per hour, others at $19 – or higher. When the airlines are scrambling to add flight crews, starting pay can be $21 to $27 per hour.

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