The road to becoming a flight attendant - Part 4 * Bulgaria, Sofia Flight Training After Party * 3

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Flight Attendant Hiring Outlook

The hiring outlook for flight attendants has brightened considerably over the past few months. Led by United Airlines' recent announcement that they would immediately begin to hire up to 2000 new flight attendants, this news has sparked the most attention. If you are interested in becoming a flight attendant, the market is the best it has been in five years. Let's take a look at who is hiring or who can be expected to hire over the next year.

Legacy Carriers - Beaten up by high employee costs, surging fuel prices, competition from low priced carriers, and overall inefficiency, two legacy carriers [defined as those air carriers who have helped shape the US airline industry] are turning the corner and are hiring flight attendants. United Airlines and Continental Airlines are hiring for various bases within the US.

Discount Carriers - Southwest, AirTran, Mesa, and Alaska Airlines are all hiring right now. In fact, across the board hiring is taking place at virtually all discounters right now as they seek to strengthen their footing in the marketplace.

Regional Carriers - Chautauqua, Comair, Champion Air, and Air Wisconsin are all hiring. Like the discount carriers, most regional carriers are awash in cash and are expanding their routes. More routes means additional employees needed to fill the increased capacity.

Charter Carriers - Air Miami and several other airlines that fly unscheduled flights are hiring.

Start Up Carriers - The two newest air carriers, EOS Airlines and Maxjet Airways, have recently hired flight attendants and are expected to hire again.

So, if winging your way to Peoria or Paris is the kind of lifestyle you want to lead, then working as a flight attendant is certainly one of the ways to do just that. Air carriers are hiring and the pickings are good for the right candidates. Contact your desired airline directly for up to date hiring information and open houses.

Flight Attendant Training

Flight attendant training can take anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks and takes place at the airline's flight training center. Airlines often look for applicants who are presentable and have some experience with handling the public.

To become a flight attendant on international flights, applicants are usually required to know at least one foreign language (and some larger airlines require fluency in two foreign languages). Flight attendant training actually has physical requirements that must be met. Trainees must be of a certain height, build, and bone structure and must be at least 19 years old.

Once the trainees are selected, they begin their courses at their respective training centers. Trainees learn emergency procedures such as evacuating an airplane, operating emergency systems and equipment, administering first aid, and surviving in the water. A flight attendant must be prepared to handle any situation calmly, as they will likely be responsible for the lives of dozens of passengers.

Additional training focusing on customs and passport regulations may be required if an applicant wants to work international flights.

Part of flight attendant training also involves handling emergency situations in simulated environments in front of your instructors and fellow students. As your training progresses, you will be required to go on practice flights where you are observed and critiqued. After completing the training process, you gain a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency from the FAA (which you must periodically renew through additional training and tests).

Flight attendants typically work out of a home airport, which will be assigned upon completion of their training. The first few years of work with your airline will consist of covering shifts or reporting for flights with very short notice. This period is called reserve status. After you complete your reserve period, you are a full flight attendant, and you will begin to bid on regular assignments each month with the full pool of attendants.

Learn More About a Flight Attendant

One will be able to know more about a flight attendant by reading flight attendant job descriptions available on job postings given by airlines or through the internet. It is important to know what a flight attendant does especially if you are looking forward to taking a job as one.

An attendant should be at least 18 to 21 years of age with a pleasing personality. He should also pass certain health and height requirements that are important for him to be able to do his work properly. He should also be able to handle emergency situations with ease especially for unforeseen circumstances during the flight. He is generally responsible in ensuring that the people on board the plane are comfortable and safe especially the children who are flying without adult companions.

Aside from the said main responsibility, an attendant is also responsible for matters that are indirectly related to the passengers such as ensuring that there is adequate food supply, that the first aid kit is complete and inventories of blankets, headsets and any other materials that the passengers ask from them. It is also their task to greet the passengers and assist them to their seats, give them what they need and answer their questions regarding the flight. They are also responsible for people with medical conditions that should be properly observed and they are the people who need to assure passengers especially during emergency situations. She/he can also hold a supervisor position, in which case, he watches over the other flight attendants and ensures that they are doing their jobs properly.

Knowing all the tasks at hand for a flight attendant, it is important for them to have the qualities that will allow them to do their jobs well such as having grace under pressure, being organized and having knowledge about the airplane's procedures and also details about the flight.

Flight Attendant Resource Guide

Are you interested in becoming a flight attendant? Does the desire to fly to places hither and yon excite the primal beast within? Okay, I am being a bit dramatic! Still, for 75 years flight attendants have been providing much needed passenger service and safety assistance on aircraft ever since the original eight women from Boeing Air Transport took flight on May 15, 1930. Since then stewardesses, as they were originally were called, have flown to every destination imaginable on the planet. Read on for important resources available right online that can help you launch your flight attendant career.

Airline Flight Attendant Room - Hosted as an MSN group, the Airline Flight Attendant Room is a place for veterans and wannabes to gather together to discuss the latest news on airline hiring, work conditions, passenger attitudes [ugh!], and so much more. This site also features a nifty list of companies that are currently hiring. Updated frequently too! Visit http://groups.msn.com/AirlineFlightAttendantRoom for more information.

Association of Corporate Flight Attendants - For the private jet flight attendant based in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Rim, the AOCFA is an organization dedicated toward furthering your area of interest. Visit http://www.aocfa.org for details.

CabinCrew.Com - based in Britain, this site has all the information you need about air carriers around the world. The site features a chat room, hiring information, and online courses you can take to help launch your career. In case you haven't already figured out the web address it is: http://www.cabincrew.com Cheers!

Corporate Flight Attendant Community - For those of you aspiring to find work as a private flight attendant, this site is for you! Offering relevant articles, training information, job listings, an active forum, and a whole lot more. Flying on a private jet isn't for everyone and the training standards and service level brings new meaning to the term, premium class. You can access the site at http://www.corporateflyer.net or by visiting http://www.cabinmanagers.com

Flight Attendants Central - This is a password protected site, but new members are being accepted. The site operates similarly to the Airline Flight Attendant Room. One of the special features of this site is the multitude of airline specific forums available which can be a good way to measure what current flight attendants think of their company. You can access this site at http://www.flightattendants.org

Another site of interest is Air Crew Health at http://www.aircrewhealth.com This site features health news and tips to help you stay well before, during, and after the flight. The web site is managed by Dr. Bobbie Sullivan, an independent research psychologist based in Hawaii. Her primary research interest is the health and well-being of those who work in the aviation industry.

Of course, visiting any particular airline's home page will give you plenty of information about flight attendant requirements, interviews, training, hiring information, and more. Lots of rumors on the internet, so be careful what you read and ask the hard questions!

Corporate Flight Attendant Training Options

Finding work as a corporate flight attendant can be an arduous process as, unlike the commercial carriers, most business jets do not require a flight attendant to work onboard an aircraft. Add to the mix that many operators do not opt to use flight attendants and the market tightens up even more. Still, there is work out there for those who aspire to fly on a private jet. Before heading down that road, many companies do require that you have some sort of corporate specific training before you can even apply for a job. Let's take a brief look at various types of training programs available and what they have to offer.

Culinary Training

If you already have a culinary background, you have a leg up in this industry as the food customarily served to passengers on business jets is akin to the food served at five star restaurants. Still, it is important for the successful candidate to know how to order catering, how to accurately plate food, understand what exemplary food service is, know proper food handling and safety techniques, and have a strong background in wine service. Training companies such as Integrity Flight Crews, LLC, The Corporate School of Etiquette, Corporate Flight Attendant Training, and Corporate Flight Solutions can all be beneficial in teaching you food service techniques. Most of these types of classes are one to three days in length.

Basic Indoctrination

If you have never flown before or if you have never flown on a corporate jet, companies offering training geared toward working on a private jet have training programs in place. These programs usually include food service techniques, cabin safety training including security training, emergency evacuation, fire safety, first aid, and ditching. Some programs meet certain FAR requirements including those found under FARs 142, 135, and 91. Training companies such as Corporate Flight Solutions, Alteon Training, LLC, FACTs/AirCare, FlightSafety International, and Beyond and Above Corporate Flight Attendant Training all provide training geared toward helping people find work as a corporate flight attendant. Most of these types of classes last up to five days.

Specialized Training

While not a necessary part of flight attendant training, there are companies offering specialized training that goes beyond the training offered by the atypical corporate flight attendant training program. These programs include Jeff Hare Safety and Survival Systems, S.T.A.R.K., MedAire, as well as a few others. These types of classes are typically for one or two days.

Keep in mind, since the FARs do not specifically require a corporate flight attendant to be onboard an aircraft with less than twenty passenger seats, that no training that you take makes you a certified corporate flight attendant. There is no such designation recognized by the FAA. People take training to learn the skills necessary to work private jet cabins and galleys as well as to give them an edge when it comes to hiring. Most people who call themselves corporate flight attendants pay for their own training which can cost them upwards of $5000. There is no guarantee that you will find employment once you complete your training either.

Finally, not all programs are equal and not all programs offering "corporate flight attendant training" are programs that are recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration or by members of the National Business Aviation Association. Shop around and learn more about what business aviation is all about on reputable forums and web sites including the Corporate Flight Attendant Community [please click on the link in the resource box].