Ward - The essential guide: to becoming a flight attendant

The Essential Guide To Becoming A

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Kiki Ward

Copyright 2002 by Kiwi Productions

All rights reserved. No part of this manuscript may be reproduced without the written permission of Kiki Ward and/or Kiwi Productions.

ISBN# 0-9701843-0-1

Table of contents

Welcome aboard

Oh miss

The basic requirements

The inside story

How to apply

The interview

Flight attendant training

Final approach

Prepare for departure

IV

Are you prepared for takeoff on an extraordinary career that will allow you to travel the world, enjoy incredible benefits, work with fun and exciting people and best of all, be paid to do it? I can tell you from my own experience as a flight attendant for one of the largest, most successful airlines in the world, it is truly a dream job!

I have been afforded a fascinating career with American Airlines with virtually unlimited opportunities and a lifestyle most people could never even imagine and it can be the same for you! I know how interested you are in this career because I have been there myself. When I received my wings and embarked on this journey, I had no idea how rewarding it was going to be. Many people have stopped me in airports and aboard the airplane and asked me endless questions about my life, my career and how they too could become a flight attendant. I have always had an interest in assisting others achieve this career and I wrote this book with that in mind.

I have always felt extraordinarily lucky to have been gifted with such a wonderful career and it is so rewarding when my readers are able to also become a member of what is truly one of the most sought after careers in aviation.

Throughout this guide I will reveal the necessary information, as well as the secrets, that will be essential to your success in your flight attendant interview. You will get a detailed look into the career itself and a better understanding of what being a flight attendant means. It is my goal to provide you with the insight and the detailed preparation you are going to need in order to stand out in the highly competitive flight attendant selection process. This is truly information that could only be gathered by an airline insider and I am so excited about sharing it with you.

Read and follow the tips, guidelines and suggestions carefully, they are the most current and accurate available. I know this guide will prove to be invaluable in successfully steering you through all phases of the flight attendant selection process.

There is almost certainly a place for you in the exciting airline industry and with the information you will find in this guide, you will be on your way to a flight attendant career. Dont waste a moment, the hiring has begun!

Since you have interest in pursuing a flight attendant career you have probably noticed flight attendants working aboard the airplane or in airports and wondered about their life, their career and most of all, how they got there! A lot of mystery surrounds the flight attendant career mostly because those unfamiliar with the world of aviation know very little about it and even less about how to attain a flight attendant position. You will find the real world of a working flight attendant quite different from the glamorous image we are all so familiar with. Keep in mind that most portrayals of flight attendants are a little more fantasy than fact. The public truly seems to love the perception of the stewardess weve all seen in movies. It isnt necessarily true, but it has made our profession famous and that in turn has made the position highly sought after.

As far as glamour within the flight attendant position, you will definitely be enjoying some exotic destinations and you may find yourself with celebrities and famous entertainers as passengers from time to time. Ive had many famous actors and entertainers as passengers and that is indeed one of the most exciting parts of the job. It makes for a much more interesting flight when you have someone famous on board and perhaps a great story or memento to tell about the time you spent with that famous person. But it isnt just about mingling with the rich and famous and spending long layovers on a Caribbean beach, it truly involves hard work and a lot of dedication. Most flights are routine, and when you find yourself with a spilled drink down the front of your uniform during turbulence, you will undoubtedly realize that the glamour part of the job is a little overrated! The flight attendant job is demanding but the rewards are countless. Youll be enjoying the absolutely incredible benefits, (which well get to later) and the respect and admiration that comes with holding an extremely coveted position. Plus, the flexibility in your work schedule and an exciting work environment help make it an exceptional and unique career choice. Coffee, tea or me?

In the very early days of commercial aviation, flight attendants or stewardesses as they were then called, were always women, usually nurses and were forced to retire when they got married or turned thirty-two! These women were recruited from around the world and were selected based primarily on their exceptional beauty. It was truly a glamourous era in aviation when only the very rich or famous could afford to travel aboard airplanes and these early flight attendants were hand picked to serve that select group of passengers.

These early flight attendants were also required to maintain a very rigid image dictated by their airline including very strict weight guidelines and appearance standards. Each flight attendant wore the exact same shade of lipstick and nail polish and were weighed before each flight! Their many inflight duties included shining passenger shoes, catering the airplane, calling each and every passenger by name and even checking luggage! It may sound unbelievable today but those early flight attendants shaped the role and prestige of the flight attendant profession. It is always fascinating to work with those flight attendants who have been around since the early days and hear the incredible stories they tell.

As a flight attendant today you certainly wont be shining shoes or catering airplanes but you will still be a carefully chosen front line representative of an airline and responsible for the safety and comfort of its passengers. Airline travel has become transportation that everyone can afford and airlines look now for applicants who can simply provide the best customer service to all types of people with enthusiasm and professionalism. No longer does a perfect appearance play the role it once did and so the playing field has been leveled and each applicant has a much better chance of being selected based solely on personality, personal customer service work ethics and employment history.

Although the requirements have changed one thing remains the same, it was a very coveted position in the early days of aviation and the tradition continues today.

Is it for you?

The flight attendant position has become a great career choice for men and women of all ages and backgrounds. Flight attendants are respected professionals responsible for keeping safe and providing comfort and service to hundreds of thousands of passengers around the world every day.

Although each flight attendant is of course an individual, they certainly all possess similar qualities that make them perfect for the position. Flight attendants are adventurous, personable, outgoing, self-disciplined, hard working, energetic, motivated individuals who learn to make a hotel room their home away from home and an airplane galley their office!

The flight attendant corps is also rich and varied making it one of the most interesting professions available. Airlines are equal opportunity employers who hire and train individuals from all walks of life. You will work with other flight attendants from around the world, from different cultures and with different ideas and attributes. Your ability to be a team player working toward a common goal is paramount.