In principle, such a profession as a stewardess does not exist. Its proper name is the flight attendant. What other secrets does this type of activity hide, who can apply for a job, and what requirements do airlines put forward, now we’ll try to figure it out.
Requirements for Future Stewardesses
There are certain subtleties in the stewardess profession - requirements for applicants. The main qualities of a flight attendant should include:
- Knowledge of foreign languages;
- sociability, ability to communicate with people;
- diplomacy;
- tolerance;
- adequacy;
- quick wit and resourcefulness (the ability to find a quick and reasonable way out of various situations).
All skills of applicants and the presence of certain qualities are checked by a specially created commission.
The appearance of the future stewardess also matters - she should always look well-groomed and tidy. The weight of the flight attendant should be normal (in the literal sense of the word), and the stewardess should be tall enough to get luggage for short passengers (children, elderly people) if necessary.
How to become a flight attendant
There are two ways to replenish the ranks of stewardesses.
The first step towards heaven includes the following steps:
- Interview Getting a positive result and approval of your candidacy by the leadership of a particular airline.
- Training. A company that needs a flight attendant sends an approved candidate for training - special courses of stewardesses. Training takes place in a group of 15-20 people. The duration of the process takes no more than 2-3 months. The school day begins in the morning and ends in the afternoon. Training courses include theoretical and practical parts.
- Practice. Flying as an intern. At the end of the internship, a special exam is taken (flight with an instructor) and an admission to independent flights is issued.
- Obtaining full admission - passing another test with an instructor.
- Passage of a medical flight expert commission.
- Employment in the airline.
The second method contains the following actions:
- Courses of stewardesses. The duration of training is about 2 months. Those who wish to become a flight attendant, and not an airline, as in the previous version, pay for the courses. Education includes only theory, no practical training is provided in principle. Lessons are held in the evening every day.
- Passage of the medical commission.
- Work searches.
Anyone can study for a stewardess, but not everyone will get a job. This is the main disadvantage of the second method. And practical skills, even the most elementary ones, are not provided for by independent training.
Interview: what to prepare for
At the interview, questions can be asked the most unexpected and unpredictable. They may be interested in the size of clothes, registration, hobbies. There are completely discouraging questions: do you consider yourself so beautiful to work here? How do you react if a passenger declares your love or calls a fool? What do you do if you accidentally spill juice on a male passenger and find yourself in the most intimate place?
You will be informed that the work of a flight attendant involves an irregular working day and can provoke a number of occupational diseases (varicose veins, chronic fatigue), they warn about possible emergency situations on board (fights, threats, etc.).
Work in the sky: advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the profession of a stewardess include:
- the ability to combine work and leisure as efficiently as possible thanks to a flexible work schedule;
- free travel, visits to various countries of the world;
- meeting interesting people, representatives of different nationalities and statuses;
- work as a stewardess significantly expands and changes to the worldview;
- availability of a service ticket - makes it possible to pay the cost of a flight as a passenger only 10% of the total cost of the ticket, and once a year the airline pays for the flight at all;
- the possibility of additional income from the sale of Duty Free goods (at the same time, the cost of goods is the same as at airports, and the cabin crew gets a certain percentage of sales);
- receiving a “tip” for the provision of additional services (transferring a passenger from an economy class to a business class, selling alcoholic beverages, permission to smoke in the kitchen, etc.).
As for the costs of the profession, they are much smaller, but they are more tangible. So, the main disadvantage of working as a flight attendant is excessive stress on human health. During takeoffs and landings, the pressure fluctuates greatly. Also, walking in high-heeled shoes is reflected in the health of the fair sex - this leads to a disease such as varicose veins.
Stewardess Responsibilities
The main duty of the flight attendant is to provide high-quality service to passengers who are on board the aircraft. At the same time, flight attendants must monitor compliance by the same passengers with safety regulations, they are responsible for the safety of people throughout the flight, and in case of emergency they must provide first aid.
The flight attendant is the first person to open and close the doors of an airplane, meet passengers, check boarding passes and worry about the safety of baggage.
Previously, before the flight, the stewardess must check the availability and completeness of the first-aid kit, the serviceability of fire extinguishers, an
oxygen cylinder and other emergency equipment, and also make sure that food, drinks, blankets, etc. are present on board in the required quantity.
The stewardess explains to passengers how to behave in case of emergency, what emergency equipment to use, and how to do it. During the flight, the flight attendant offers passengers various drinks and food, sells print media (newspapers, magazines).
Professional suitability
After the obstacle called “flight attendant courses” has been overcome, and your work is already “in your pocket”, you can relax a bit. In the future, professionalism must be systematically confirmed. For this company, about once every 6 months they arrange exams for the staff.
There is also such a thing as continuing education courses. Each flight attendant should visit them once every 24 months.
What does the stewardess's salary depend on?
The size and calculation of the flight attendant’s salary is different and depends on a number of factors. The salary of a stewardess is determined by the following criteria:
- country of employment;
- the state and level of development of the industrial industry;
- the extent and credibility of the airline;
- company social policy regarding the state;
- type of flights and route features;
- the presence of a specific education;
- the presence of skills and experience as a flight attendant.
Cabin crew salary in Russia
Salaries in this sector of labor can vary significantly, and the minimum and maximum limits cover a fairly wide range. The amount of wages is calculated depending on the number of hours spent in flight.
The monthly salary of a stewardess, who has just begun to learn the basics of the romantic profession, as a rule, ranges from 15 to 20 thousand rubles. Gradually, depending on the quality of work, acquired skills and experience, the size of wages increases and can reach 50-60 thousand. The work of highly qualified employees of the airline is estimated from 80 to 100 thousand rubles per month. In addition, for conscientious and high-quality work performance, additional payments and allowances to the basic salary are provided.
Depending on the total number of hours spent in flight and the knowledge, skills and experience gained on this basis, an employee is assigned a certain rank.
1st rank - flight attendant of the 3rd class.
2nd rank - flight attendant of the 2nd class (assigned after 2000 hours of flight and passing a certain test of knowledge).
3 rank - flight attendant of the 1st class (after 3000 hours of flight and passing the exam).
4th rank - instructor.
5th rank - head of service.
The average salary (according to the results of February 2014), which the stewardesses of Russia receive, is 54 thousand rubles. Moreover, there is a visible upward trend in this indicator. So, already in March of that year, the average cabin crew salary increased by 5 thousand rubles and stopped at the level of 59 thousand rubles per month. If we consider the average salary indicator by geographical feature, then Moscow and the Moscow region are in the lead. The stewardess in Moscow earns 64 thousand rubles.
The possibility of additional earnings is not excluded. Escort of charter commercial flights is a significant bonus to your salary!
How much do stewardesses earn abroad
The salary of a flight attendant abroad, as in Russia, can vary significantly depending on the determining factors (discussed above). If we take the newcomers to the profession, then the pay for their work is about 1.5-2 thousand dollars, and professionals in "celestial business" receive 7-8 thousand dollars.
Wage billing depends on the hours spent in flight. The average rate of payment for one hour of flight can be from 20 to 60 dollars.
Based on statistics provided by the US Labor Bureau, the average monthly salary of an airline employee in the flight attendant profession is $ 3,500. Almost at the same level are the salaries of flight attendants and the UK, Australia. There, the work of a stewardess is estimated at 4 thousand dollars a month.
How much stewardesses earn in the largest commercial and reputable private airlines? Here, cabin crew pay figures are the highest - they reach 10 thousand US dollars. Such companies include US Airways, Southwest Airlines.
“Only girls in jazz”, or Can a man be a flight attendant
Flight attendant is a profession that does not put forward any specific requirements regarding gender. Cabin attendants can be both the fair sex and men. As practice shows, there are significantly more female flight attendants - it has always been, is and will be! However, there are situations when only male stewards are taken on a flight. So, if a plane is ordered for a flight of a football company, then a man will be taken on board as a guide.
Heavenly angel or earthly man?
Work as a stewardess is considered difficult, but, despite this, her demand does not fall. Moreover, the flight attendant profession is a competitive activity. When a competition is announced for one vacant flight attendant seat in the first two hours, the airline-employer receives about 13 resumes.
How can such an excitement be explained, why is the profession so attractive to applicants?
Firstly, this is a flexible work schedule and a long vacation. Secondly, working as a flight attendant is a great opportunity to see the world (and for free!) And make shopping trips in different countries.
Tell me, at least one other earthly profession gives such opportunities to a person ?!