Why are airline crews quitting?

“I got burned out.” Griffin's not alone. Working as a flight attendant might sound like a dream job – but in a post-pandemic aviation landscape defined by delays, lost luggage, staffing issues and disruptive passengers, the dream is souring for some.



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There's still a widespread shortage of workers in the industry, including pilots, flight attendants, airport workers, and air traffic controllers. Airline employment data from June 2023 shows higher numbers than June 2019, but the industry is still clamoring for more workers.

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Airlines aren't growing, and unions lock people into jobs. The average age of a crewmember is much higher than it used to be. It'll be controversial to say, but most people don't consider older flight attendants to be as glamorous as younger ones.

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For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.

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For seasoned flight attendants looking for earning potential, JetBlue, $103,000, and Alaskan Airlines, $113,000, are the highest paying airlines. Being a flight attendant can be a great long term career path.

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Job Outlook Employment of flight attendants is projected to grow 11 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 16,600 openings for flight attendants are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

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Airlines and the air traffic control system have struggled to overcome bad weather, technology problems, staffing shortfalls and other disruptions over the past two years, contributing to major meltdowns like the one that Southwest Airlines suffered over several days in late December.

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While many airlines blamed it entirely on weather conditions, much of the chaos can be attributed to staffing shortages. We are not back to pre-pandemic staffing levels on either the airline side or the government side, says Citi Analyst and airline expert Steve Trent.

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Flight attendants take relationships very seriously and so should you if you are dating one. If you are crew then you can consider a serious romantic relationship easily as long the other person is not Married or CLEARLY playing around.

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“The fact that you're away from home, you're away from your social support, you miss your holidays, you miss your weekends. You're isolated a lot. It's going to be very, very lonely.

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Delta Airlines is one of the best airlines to work for in the US. They offer competitive salaries and benefits, excellent training programs, and a clear career progression path. Delta also has a strong safety record and a good reputation in the industry.

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United Airlines
Like JetBlue, United has one of the highest potential salaries for a flight attendant. After years of service at United, a flight attendant can bring home six figures.

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Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Singapore Airlines are commercial airlines that pay the highest pilot salaries.

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Steps to Take to be a Flight Attendant
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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Everyday Aviation notes that the main height requirement is related to the ability to reach an overhead compartment. Since most overhead bins are between 72 and 84 inches tall, you could be as short as 4'11 and still perform the duties of the job.

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At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

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At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

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While these are individual airline guidelines, there's still no internationally mandated retirement age for flight attendants, and no country has set any law that imposes a maximum age limit for flight attendants.

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At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.

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