Career: Flight Attendants
Pilots aren’t the only ones lucky enough to fly the friendly skies. And they aren’t the only ones making sure you get to your destination safely. Behind every flight attendant’s smile, there’s someone making sure you have a smooth, safe ride. In the event of an emergency, it’s up to him or her to guide you through what may be one of the most difficult experiences of your life.
Don’t be fooled by the glamorous image of the flight attendant, though. The day-to-day reality of this career is about service. If you become a flight attendant, you’ll spend much of your time passing out food and drink and responding to passenger requests.
Flight attendants have a variety of pre-flight, mid-flight, and post-flight duties. They do everything from helping passengers find their seats to demonstrating safety tips.
Did You Know?
- Because airlines operate year-round and around-the-clock, flight attendants may have to work nights, holidays, and weekends.
Are You Ready To...?
- Wait on passengers
- Learn about safety and teach it to others
- Stay calm under pressure
- Work with a team
- Travel the world
- Work long hours
It Helps to Be...
Confident, strong, and open to change. It’s also good to enjoy helping people and be able to stay calm under pressure.
Make High School Count
- Take advantage of English, history, speech, and drama classes to polish your oral and written communication skills. As a flight attendant, you’ll be speaking with customers daily.
- Sign up for psychology. Understanding the way the human mind works might help you deal with a variety of personalities on the job.
- Learn a second language. If you hope to fly internationally, you’ll need to be fluent in one or two.
Did You Know?
- Although flight attendants must be high school graduates or hold a GED, many airlines today prefer a college degree.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for flight attendants to grow as fast as the average for all careers between 2006 and 2016. A growing population and improving economy will likely increase the number of airline passengers. As airlines fly more planes, they’ll need more flight attendants.
Keep in mind, though, that there’s a lot of competition for flight attendant jobs. And remember that travel is very sensitive to the ups and downs of the economy. Flight attendants may be laid off in slow times.
Compensation
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average yearly earnings of flight attendants in 2008 were $39,840.
Although flight attendants are guaranteed a minimum monthly salary, they can earn incentive pay for flying extra hours. Serving on international flights, working holidays, and taking on additional responsibilities are all other ways to make more money.
