First, they’ll typically check your physical abilities, such as height, visible tattoos (airline-dependent), and reaching skills. At my airline, you had to be able to reach 6.5 feet (tippy-toes permitted), which is the standard height to reach emergency equipment. However, some regional airlines have less strict height limitations.
Successful passing of this stage then brings you to the group exercise round—a daunting stage where recruiters look for your teamwork abilities. When I participated, the practice group scenario involved an aircraft that had landed in Abu Dhabi en route to Muscat but was significantly delayed due to a sandstorm. With a very limited supply of catering onboard, the challenge was determining how to distribute the remaining food so that everyone, including the crew, received something to eat. At this point, you’re not expected to know the airline’s specific policy. Your role is to find an amicable solution—don’t attempt to be a shining star or be too reserved—the most important thing is to demonstrate that you are a team player.
The interview
If you have made it as far as the interview, congratulations. Regardless of the outcome, you have done incredibly well. During the interview, you will be questioned about relevant experience and most importantly, real-life scenarios. My top tip is to write down examples of times when you were presented with a problem and found a solution, as many questions revolve around this formula. You also might encounter one of the trickiest questions: “Can you tell me about a time you broke the rules?” This isn’t the moment to divulge your deepest secrets. Instead, think of an example where you bent a policy in a way that resulted in a positive outcome for both the company and the customer.
Training
Welcome to boot camp. In order to officially become a flight attendant you have to complete and pass a training course that is overseen by the aviation regulatory body of the country you are in. These can last from three to eight weeks; Most major airlines will pay you a basic stipend during training (with the exception of American Airlines), but be sure to have some savings in the bank to cover incidentals.
The format and length of flight attendant training differs by airline, but you can expect to learn about—and be thoroughly examined on—safety, medical, survival, and customer service skills. The first section is typically devoted to safety and medical training. Depending on the airline, this is referred to as SEP week (safety and emergency procedure). In this stage of training, you will learn how to evacuate an aircraft in less than 90 seconds and fight fires at 35,000 feet. Many aspiring flight attendants do not make it through the first week.
Next, you will learn about aircraft-specific manuals and where safety equipment is located. Medical training swiftly follows, where you will be taught how to deliver a baby and cut the umbilical cord. Once you have successfully passed safety and medical exams, it will get much easier from there on out. In the industry, we call the service section of training the “charm farm,” where you are taught to walk the walk and talk the talk. This means learning how to serve with elegance and poise, and handle different customer service scenarios. When all is said and done, you’ll graduate training and finally get your wings—after which the sky is, truly, the limit.
