Air Cabin Crew Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Air cabin crew

Hours

30-40 per week
Starting salary

£12,000 + per year

If you like meeting different people and enjoy travelling, this could be ideal for you.

As an air cabin crew member you would help make sure that airline passengers have a comfortable, safe and pleasant flight.

You will usually need to have a good standard of basic maths and English. But entry requirements can vary between airlines, so you should check with them directly.

Air cabin crew members need to have a polite but firm approach when dealing with difficult customers. Excellent ‘people’ skills are really important, as is the ability to work as part of a team.

The work

Before a flight you would:

go a meeting about the flight and schedule
check that there are enough supplies on the plane and that emergency equipment is working properly
greet passengers and direct them to their seats
demonstrate emergency equipment and procedures to passengers.

During a flight you would:

make sure that passengers are comfortable and deal with any requests
serve food and drinks, and sell duty-free items
make announcements on behalf of the pilot
reassure passengers in the event of an emergency, and make sure that they follow safety procedures.

At the end of a flight you would:

make sure that passengers leave the plane safely and with all their hand luggage
write a flight report, including about any unusual incidents
add up and record food and drink orders, and duty-free sales.

Between flights, you may have some spare time to relax and explore the destination you have flown to.

Hours

You would work shifts that include weekends, nights and public holidays. The amount of time you would spend away from home would vary depending on the flight routes that you work on.

You would be expected to be neat and smart, and your company would provide you with a uniform.

The work can be physically demanding, as you would spend a lot of time on your feet and work in small spaces like the kitchen galley. Bad weather could make it uncomfortable in the aircraft.

Income

Starting salaries can be between £12,000 and £14,000 a year.

With experience, this rises to between £15,000 and £21,000 a year. Senior crew can earn up to £25,000 a year. Overtime and flight allowances can increase salaries.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements can vary between airlines so you should check with them directly. You will usually need to have a good standard of basic maths and English. Some airlines may ask for GCSEs (grades A-C) in maths and English, or equivalent qualifications.

You will also need:

a good level of fitness, normal colour vision and good eyesight
the ability to swim at least 25 metres
a smart appearance
a valid passport that allows you to travel anywhere in the world.

You should not have any visible tattoos or body piercings.

You must be over 18 to work as an air cabin crew member, and some airlines set the minimum entry age at 21. Height and weight requirements also vary between airlines, so you should check with them.

Some airlines look for air cabin crew who can speak a second language. Previous experience in customer service is also helpful, and nursing, or hotel and catering experience may be particularly useful.

Although not essential, there are several college courses that could help you gain useful skills for this career. These include:

BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Preparation for Air Cabin Crew Service
City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Air Cabin Crew (New Entrants)
NCFE Level 2 Certificate for Airline Cabin Crew.

Check with local colleges for more information.

Training and development

Once you start work, you would be given basic training lasting between four and six weeks. This covers:

security, customs and immigration regulations
safety and emergency procedures
first aid
customer relations and passenger care
currency exchange
food preparation and service, and galley management
personal grooming (appearance).

After this you would normally have a trial period of three to six months. During this time your performance would be checked by trainers or senior crew members. You would have to pass regular exams to test your knowledge of safety and emergency procedures, and to make sure you meet official first aid requirements.

You could also work towards NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Aviation Operations in the Air (Cabin Crew). This is offered by City & Guilds.

Skills and knowledge

To become an air cabin crew member, you will need to have:

excellent 'people' skills
a confident and friendly manner
tact and discretion
a polite but firm approach when dealing with difficult customers
a clear speaking voice
the ability to work as part of a team
calmness under pressure and in emergencies
sensitivity towards people who are anxious or upset
good maths skills for handling cash, including foreign currency.

More information

People 1st (Opens new window)
2nd Floor
Armstrong House
38 Market Square
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1LH
Tel: 01895 817 000
www.people1st.co.uk

NCFE (Opens new window)
www.ncfe.org.uk

Royal Aeronautical Society (Opens new window)
4 Hamilton Place
London
W1J 7BQ
Tel: 020 7670 4300
www.raes.org.uk

City & Guilds (Opens new window)
1 Giltspur Street
London
EC1A 9DD
Tel: 0844 543 0000
www.cityandguilds.com

Edexcel (Opens new window)
www.edexcel.com

Opportunities

Competition for places with airlines is strong.

You will usually need to live within an hour's travelling time of the airport where you are based. You could also be based overseas, as part of a British Airline's international air cabin crew.

You can find jobs online, in the local press and by contacting airlines directly. For a list of member airlines, see the membership section on the International Air Transport Association website.

International Air Transport Association

With experience, you could be promoted to senior air cabin crew member, or transfer to ground-based roles with an airline.

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

The aviation industry is represented by People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism. The passenger transport sector incorporates rail, aviation, bus and coach, taxi and private hire, light rail and metro, driver training, and UK waterways. The sector accounts for 735,000 jobs, most of which are within the bus and coach, taxi and private hire, rail, and aviation industries. The passenger transport sector comprises a myriad of roles, from pilots and transport planners, to essential support roles in finance, marketing and human resources.

The aviation industry is a large employer in the UK and includes 30 commercial airports, plus numerous private airports and airfields. It includes people employed in:

highly skilled and technical roles, such as pilots and air traffic control
customer service roles, including passenger check in and support, terminal and airport management and cabin crew
ground services undertaking tasks, such as baggage and cargo handling, aircraft preparation and flight planning

The UK aviation industry is dominated by a small number of companies. The introduction of the low-cost airlines changed the structure of the industry, but growth in this area is expected to slow.

Key facts:

There are 138,000 people working in the aviation industry
Only 4% of companies employ more than 100 people, but this 4% employ 86% of the UK aviation workforce
The average age of an employee is 40
There are female dominated roles in the industry, the main being cabin crew. Male dominated roles include baggage handling and aircraft ramp services
The average working hours for an aviation industry employee are 38 per week.
Just 10% of the workforce is employed part-time
In 2009, more than 218 million passengers were handled by UK airports

Jobs in the industry fall into the following areas:

Ground handling services – such as baggage/ramp handling, aircraft preparation, load planning officer, ramp supervisor, aircraft dispatcher
Airport operations – such as airport duty staff, support officer to team supervisor, airport terminal manager, customer support staff, air traffic control
Airline operations – such as passenger services staff, ground handling, cabin crew, first officer pilot, flight captain, cabin crew officer, aviation operation passenger services

National and regional data

[N.B. Regional data presented are for the aviation industry and the passenger transport sector as a whole. Data derived from the Labour Force Survey, 2007.]

East Midlands – There are 4,900 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 14% of the workforce in the region is female. 14% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 6% of the workforce is under 25 years, 62% is 26-49 years and 32% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; Welsh language; job related IT; and safety/accident management.

East of England – There are 13,600 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 25% of the workforce in the region is female. 9% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 7% of the workforce is under 25 years, 52% is 26-49 years and 41% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; job related IT; Welsh language; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.

London – There are 25,300 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 20% of the workforce in the region is female. 42% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 4% of the workforce is under 25 years, 70% is 26-49 years and 26% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: job related IT; foreign languages; safety/accident management; booking operations; and logistics and scheduling of services.

North East – There are 2,100 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 17% of the workforce in the region is female. 3% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 51% is 26-49 years and 41% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: job related IT; foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; Welsh language; and safety/accident management.

North West – There are 13,600 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 16% of the workforce in the region is female. 14% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 6% of the workforce is under 25 years, 61% is 26-49 years and 33% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; disability awareness; Welsh language; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.

South East – There are 49,100 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 25% of the workforce in the region is female. 11% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 6% of the workforce is under 25 years, 48% is 26-49 years and 36% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; and job related IT.

South West – There are 6,100 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 19% of the workforce in the region is female. 4% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 4% of the workforce is under 25 years, 56% is 26-49 years and 40% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; job related IT; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.

West Midlands – There are 6,500 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 19% of the workforce in the region is female. 27% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 7% of the workforce is under 25 years, 65% is 26-49 years and 28% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: job related IT; safety/accident management; foreign languages; maths/working with numbers; and disability awareness.

Yorkshire and the Humber – There are 2,200 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 13% of the workforce in the region is female. 18% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 62% is 26-49 years and 30% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; job related IT; and Welsh language.

Northern Ireland – There are 2,200 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 21% of the workforce in the region is female. Data are unavailable on the ethnicity of the workforce. 9% of the workforce is under 25 years, 74% is 26-49 years and 17% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; safety/accident management; job related IT; and disability awareness.

Scotland – There are 10,400 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 16% of the workforce in the region is female. 2% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 56% is 26-49 years and 36% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: foreign languages; vehicle maintenance and engineering; and disability awareness.

Wales – There are 1,800 people working in the aviation industry in the region. In the passenger transport sector as whole, 18% of the workforce in the region is female. 4% of the workforce is from an ethnic minority background. 8% of the workforce is under 25 years, 54% is 26-49 years and 38% is 50 years or older. Skill gaps include: Welsh language; foreign languages; disability awareness; safety/accident management; job related IT; and vehicle maintenance and engineering.