You may be wondering how you can become a flight attendant for an international airline. There are many steps that you need to take to become an international flight attendant, but it is not difficult if you know what you are doing.
First, you need to get a job as a flight attendant. This is the most important part of becoming an international flight attendant because it will allow you to gain experience in the industry and prove yourself as a good candidate for employment by an international airline. You can apply for jobs at any major airline with whom you would like to work as an international flight attendant.
When applying for a job as a flight attendant, make sure that your resume is up-to-date and reflects all of your qualifications and experience working with other airlines or even just working on airplanes themselves! It’s important that you send out applications early so that they have time to process them before they start hiring new employees!
How To Become International Flight Attendant
What Does an International Flight Attendant Do?
An international flight attendant provides service to airline passengers and assists the pilot and crew on international flights. As you fly between countries, your responsibilities include participating in preflight briefings, ensuring passengers wear their seatbelts at the appropriate times, coordinating medical care as necessary, and demonstrating the proper use of emergency and safety equipment. Your duties include ensuring that the cabin is clean, serving meals, drinks, and snacks to passengers, helping passengers with their luggage, assisting those who have special needs, conducting preflight inspections, and giving direction about how to evacuate the plane in case of an emergency.
How to Become an International Flight Attendant
The minimum qualifications to become an international flight attendant are usually either a GED certificate or high school diploma. However, some employers prefer applicants who have at least some college experience and a work history including customer service skills. You must obtain your Federal Aviation Administration certification before you can work as a flight attendant. You must have a valid passport since you be going abroad for work. Airlines may have height requirements that you must meet to work for them. Flight attendants usually need to pass a medical evaluation, background check, and drug test before they can begin working.
How to Become a Flight Attendant[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Flight Attendants near you!
Flight attendants receive training from their employer and must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Flight attendants need a high school diploma or the equivalent and work experience in customer service.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, 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. Flight attendants also may have to pass a medical evaluation.
Flight attendants should present a professional appearance and not have visible tattoos, body piercings, or an unusual hairstyle or makeup.
Education for Flight Attendants
A high school diploma is typically required to become a flight attendant. Some airlines may prefer to hire applicants who have taken some college courses.
Those who work on international flights may have to be fluent in a foreign language. Some enroll in flight attendant academies.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation for Flight Attendants
Flight attendants typically need 1 or 2 years of work experience in a service occupation before getting their first job as a flight attendant. This experience may include customer service positions in restaurants, hotels, or resorts. Experience in sales or in other positions that require close contact with the public and focus on service to customers also may help develop the skills needed to be a successful flight attendant.
Flight Attendant Training
Once a flight attendant is hired, airlines provide their initial training, ranging from 3 to 6 weeks. The training usually takes place at the airline’s flight training center and is required for FAA certification.
Trainees learn emergency procedures such as evacuating aircraft, operating emergency equipment, and administering first aid. They also receive specific instruction on flight regulations, company operations, and job duties.
Toward the end of the training, students go on practice flights. They must complete the training to keep a job with the airline. Once they have passed initial training, new flight attendants receive the FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency and continue to receive additional on the job training as required by their employer.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Flight Attendants
All flight attendants must be certified by the FAA. To become certified, flight attendants must complete their employer’s initial training program and pass an exam. Flight attendants are certified for specific types of aircraft and must take new training for each type of aircraft on which they are to work. In addition, attendants receive recurrent training every year to maintain their certification.
Advancement for Flight Attendants
Career advancement is based on seniority. On international flights, senior attendants frequently oversee the work of other attendants. Senior attendants may be promoted to management positions in which they are responsible for recruiting, instructing, and scheduling.
Important Qualities for Flight Attendants
Attentiveness. Flight attendants must be aware of any security or safety risks during the flight. They also must be attentive to passengers’ needs in order to ensure a pleasant travel experience.
Communication skills. Flight attendants should speak clearly, listen attentively, and interact effectively with passengers and other crewmembers.
Customer-service skills. Flight attendants should have poise, tact, and resourcefulness to handle stressful situations and address passengers’ needs.
Decisionmaking skills. Flight attendants must be able to act decisively in emergencies.
Physical stamina. Flight attendants push, pull, and carry service items, open and close overhead bins, and stand and walk for long periods.
Flight Attendant Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for flight attendants is $61,640. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $81,400.
The median annual wages for flight attendants in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Scheduled air transportation | $61,870 |
| Nonscheduled air transportation | $61,830 |
Flight attendants receive an allowance for meals and accommodations while working away from home. Although attendants are required to purchase an initial set of uniforms and luggage, the airlines usually pay for replacements and upkeep. Flight attendants generally are eligible for discounted airfare or free standby seats through their airline.
Attendants typically fly 75 to 100 hours a month and usually spend another 50 hours a month on the ground, preparing flights, writing reports, and waiting for planes to arrive. They can spend several nights a week away from home. Most work variable schedules. Some flight attendants work part time.
