About Air Hostess
Flight attendants also known as air hostess/ cabin crews/ stewards are the employees of airlines whose work is to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers in national and international flights. Air hostess can be employed in national, international, commercial, chartered and in some military aircraft. The job of an air hostess mainly involves coordinating with the security, make air travel comfortable for every passenger onboard and much more. An air hostess has many responsibilities on a plane. He/ she greets every passenger, guides each to his or her seat and settles them in, coordinates security, and much more.
Responsibilities of an Air Hostess
Given below are some responsibilities and duties that an air hostess has to fulfil.
- Conduct pre and post-flight checks
- Assist passengers in deplaning
- Attend to the comfort and safety of the passenger
- Briefing passengers about the flight rules
- Checking the safety equipment, aircraft cleanliness, seat pockets is up to date and that all meals and stock are on board
- Welcoming passengers and directing them to their seats
- Informing passengers of the aircraft safety procedures and ensuring that all hand luggage is securely stored away
- Checking all passenger seat belts
- Making announcements on behalf of the pilot and answering passenger questions during the flight
- Serving meals and refreshments to passengers
- Preparing flight report
- Managing emergency situation onboard
- Ensuring the health and safety of the passengers at all time
- Maintaining Cabin Systems on the aircraft
- Operating the aircraft equipment and system
- Providing medical care and advice
- Providing the relevant information to the passengers
Eligibility to become Air Hostess
The basic eligibility criteria for becoming an air hostess have been listed below.
- Aspirants must have passed class 12th or equivalent examination with a minimum aggregate of 45-50%. The minimum pass percentage varies from institute to institute.
- Only those aspirants who are between the age group of 17-26 years can apply.
- The candidate must be fluent in spoken English.
- The candidate's height should be at least 157.5 centimetres and weight should be proportionate to the height.
- He/ she must be eligible for an Indian Passport
Types of Job Roles Air Hostess
After pursuing a certificate or diploma programmes in cabin crew management, there are variety of air hostess job profiles. The air hostess job profiles are not limited to cabin crew these days, and there are many job options to choose from. Listed below are some of the job profiles for air hostess/cabin crew:
- Air Hostess/Cabin Crew: They are required to oversee everything related to passengers once they board the flight and after the take-off.
- Airline Steward/Stewardess: Their job involves ensuring the safety of passengers throughout the flight and guiding passengers about the emergency procedure in the flight.
- Senior Flight Attendant: They demonstrate the use of safety and emergency equipment in the flight and ensuring the safety of passengers.
- Ground Staff: The ground staff are ensured with multiple responsibilities such as checking in passenger for flights, providing passengers with information about flights, providing assistance to passengers, answering all their enquiries etc.
- Trainer/Recruiter: They are responsible for coordinating and providing training to air hostess/cabin crew regarding the on-flight duties, security systems, and emergency procedures.
- Crew Scheduler: They are charged with a job of the plan, prepare and manage the schedule of crew and the pilots.
- Crew Manager: The crew manager is responsible for the welfare of all the crew and members of an airline.
Employment Opportunities for Air Hostess
Unlike earlier times, employment opportunities for air hostess are just not limited to commercial airlines, there are various job opportunities for air hostess/cabin crew. Some of the top sectors that hire air hostess are listed below:
- Commercial Airlines
- Corporate Airlines
- Air Hostess Training Institutes
- Chartered Airlines
- Military Airlines
- Personality Development Institutes
- Airports
- Top Recruiting Companies for Air Hostess/Cabin Crew
Top Recruiting Companies for Air Hostess
Some of the leading companies where a cabin crew can find relevant job opportunities are given below:
- Indian Airlines
- Air India
- Go Air
- Jet Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- British Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Lufthansa
- Virgin Atlantic
- Go Air
- Cathay Pacific
Pay Scale/Salary of Air Hostess
The salary of an air hostess depends on many factors. The average approximate salary offered to an air hostess at every level has been explained in the table given below.
|
Job Profile |
Starting Salary per annum (in INR) |
Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR) |
Senior Level Salary per annum (INR) |
|
Air Hostess/Cabin Crew |
4,20,000 |
6,00,000 |
9,00,000 |
Note: The above salary packages are an estimate may vary from organisation to organisation.
Pros of becoming a Air Hostess
- One of the biggest pro of working as cabin crew is that one get to see new places in the world.Not many jobs in the world offer you with an opportunity to travel around the world.
- You get to meet new people and experience different culture.
- Most of their airlines offer their employees with discounted or free tickets.
- One of the other perks of being a cabin crew is that you will not be micromanaged.
- The career as an air hostess/cabin crew will lead to a holistic personality development which most of the careers do not offer.
Cons of becoming a Air Hostess
- Tiredness and exhausting work schedule can lead to unhealthy lifestyle.
- One of the biggest cons of being a cabin crew is not getting enough time to spend with family as most of the airlines fly every day of the year.
- The career of a cabin crew is short-lived and issues like early retirement is one of the biggest cons.
- The job of the air hostess/cabin crew is very tough as you have to experience all sorts of people which can be exhausting and tiring at times.