We hope the article sheds some light on key issues, and will help you as you progress your cabin crew career. Elaine: How many cabin crew are currently employed in the UK?
It’s hard to say… British Airways employs in the region of 15,000 cabin crew and Virgin Atlantic has over 4,000 so with all the charter companies and low cost carriers and regional airlines, I would suggest somewhere around the 25,000 mark.
Nada: Is wearing dental braces allowed?
No, it is preferable not to wear braces even if they are invisible as image is very important to the airline. The best option would be to have removable ones that you wear only at night and then take them out for assessment day/work.
Jenny: Do you have to have a training course on your CV to apply for roles?
Absolutely not! I would discourage anyone from spending a lot of money for a cabin crew course when it is not necessary and most of the information can be found online, for example on this site… Airlines will offer their own training courses and like their crew to be taught their own way and having a cabin crew course on your CV will not change anything about your application. I would only recommend a cabin crew course if it is the standard NCFE further education course. You may wish to attend a 1-2 day course if you really need to boost your confidence or interview technique, but most of it can be learnt through research.
Tasos: Do you know the height to weight proportion for a male 183 cm, for EK and EY?
Height and weight proportion for all the airlines in the Middle East are based on bmi scale therefore for a male it should be between 22-25 and you can find body mass index calculators online if you want to check the actual weight range. However, I would not get hung up on these figures, as long as you are physically fit and look in proportion weight and height wise, there is nothing to worry about!
Anastasiya: Why do you think some passengers take their frustrations out on cabin crew, even though the cabin crew are trying to help them?
We think this is largely because most people are walking into an unpredictable environment that they may not have experienced before, or have little experience of. For many business men/women for example, they are used to being in control at work but then put them in a metal tube in the sky, they have total lack of control and this can make for very difficult passengers. There is also a total lack of understanding of the role of cabin crew which is ill perceived and unfortunately will probably never change.
Keiron: How long do airlines take to consider an application? I have applied for roles at both EXS and EZY. EXS got my application and an hour later asked for extra references and another hour later asked me to complete a maths and English online exam which I completed. I have yet to receive any feedback though.
How long is a piece of string? It really does vary airline to airline and can take anything from a few days to a few months. You might hear from the smaller airlines (regional or charter) a little quicker than for example Emirates or Etihad as the recruitment catchment area is so huge and the number of applications extremely high (hundreds of thousands…). You will not normally get feedback – this is just due to sheer numbers, there is not time to respond individually about the application.
Anisa: I am currently 17 years old and I'm studying a Cabin Crew course in which I will receive a certificate. I have previously worked for 6 months (Customer Service). I was just wondering with just 6 months experience along with the certificate, would it be of any use to apply as soon as I turn 18 next year? I'm very determined to gain this dream job and I really do not want to waste my time by not applying.
Some airlines do accept applications from 18 years old and some are from 21 so it will be worth you researching to find out who you can apply for. You can apply just before you are 18 as it usually takes a while to get as far as assessment days etc. During the waiting time between assessment days you can always gain more customer service experience. Be prepared to attend quite a few and apply for many as it usually is quite a long journey…
Graham: Do all airlines do background checks? Will we have to provide references and how far do they go back?
Yes, airlines do background checks as they need to know that you have never committed a criminal offence and you need this in order for them to apply for your airside pass. Especially with security being so important these days, it is a must! References may be asked for, about individual jobs but mostly it is just a service letter or phone call to prove that you were in a certain place at a certain time, a kind of security check. Some airlines also do a police check, especially if you have lived in other countries. These checks are usually for between 5 and 10 years depending on the airline and the country they are based.
Liz: How do you avoid colds and flu from passengers and stay healthy to fly?
The first 6 months you will probably get every bug going, but after that you do build up a good natural immunity. Vitamins are a bonus and trying to eat well and not eating too much airline food will really help – take healthier options with you. Sleep whenever you can too on your off time, as the body needs to repair itself. Onboard, using a antibacterial hand gel and hand cream will really help ward off bugs too.
Byna: Why are passengers not allowed to sit with a bag on their seats? (reader Jezleen has posted: ‘so whenever there would be an emergency evacuation your bag would not be an obstruction or hindrance to you and people around you.)
Exactly so! Also, a bag can become a lethal missile in an emergency landing or aborted take off, so every bag has to be secure and stowed safely away. In a decompression or even severe turbulence a bag can do a lot of damage to a person!
Madeira: Why do so many cabin crew moan about passengers and their jobs (when they could give someone else a chance to do the job!)
Sometimes, I guess it’s just having a bad day and sometimes after a long flight and difficult situations, some crew members may want to let off steam. Often with airlines there is a lot of ‘politics’ and it is difficult to not get involved in that. Tiredness is often a big factor too – we call it the ‘tired and emotional’ stage and it gets to everyone once in a while. If it is all the time though, they are definitely in the wrong job!