Career opportunities and challenges as Air Hostess/Flight Steward

Vijay GarG *

Air Hostess/Flight Steward is a professional who welcomes passengers on board, performing all the safety procedures prior to taking off and ensuring that passengers are made comfortable during the flight. This profession is an all-time dream of many young and energetic faces of society.

With the commercialization and opening of the sky, many more can cherish this dream and fulfil their wish of flying in the sky throughout the world. This profession is considered as glamorous as any profession of the fashion world.

But this profession is most suited to those who love to travel a lot and are comfortable in the company of strangers. Moreover, they should also have a knack to work at odd hours. Truly speaking, to be in this career, one should have strong conviction and commitment to learn and cope with challenging conditions on-board.

The job requires a lot of hard work, stamina, alertness of mind, adaptability to follow difficult time schedules, good team spirit as well. To discharge his duties efficiently and effectively he/she requires special training which is provided by some of the best-given institutions in India.

Air Hostess/Flight Steward Eligibility

Air Hostess Qualifications

To be eligible for becoming an Air Hostess/Flight Steward in India, one should be 10+2/Graduate with a diploma/degree in Tourism Management or Hotel Management. Fluency in English, Hindi and knowledge of an international language is an added advantage in this field.

Age Limits

A female aspirant should be below 25 years and a male counterpart should be below 26 years of age and should hold an Indian Passport.

Physical Standards

A female aspirant should be 157.5 centimetres long whereas a male aspirant should have at least 163cm of height. The weight should be in proportion to height.

Marital Status

One must be unmarried, with normal eyesight of 6/6 uncorrected vision in each eye.

Air Hostess/Flight Steward Required Skills

For adopting Air Hostess as a career one should have discipline, patience, sense of responsibility, punctuality, commitment, self-confidence, and above all a friendly outgoing pleasing personality. They also possess good communication skills; confidence in dealing with a range of people; the ability to work as a team member and be supportive of colleagues.

They should also be competent in handling difficult situations and the ability to remain calm under pressure and in emergency situations; the ability to be tactful and diplomatic but also assertive when necessary. They also have commercial awareness and sales skills; flexibility in working unsocial hours on any day of the year.

How to become an Air Hostess/Flight Steward?

To be an Air Hostess one has to follow the given steps:

Step 1 : As and when advertised in the National Newspapers or other mass media, the aspirants have to apply in various airlines for the required post with demanded certificates.

Step 2 :Once shortlisted after the initial screening airline company calls the most eligible candidates for a written examination, usually an objective type multiple choice one. Successful candidates in this written test are called for a group discussion followed by a personal interview.

Step 3 : Successful candidates of the second step are trained for 2 to 3 months in various fields in which they learn about service, grooming, safety and first aid etc. After successful training in the technical and non-technical aspects and grooming in the required field, the prospective Air hostess is put on trainee flights before assigning duties on to full-fledged commercial planes.

Institutes offering Courses for Air Hostess/Flight Steward

o Air Hostess Academy (AHA), Bangalore
o Air Hostess Academy (AHA), Chandigarh
o Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training (FIAT), Mumbai
o Kingfisher Training Academy, Mumbai

Air Hostess Job Description

The job of an Air Hostess/Flight Steward is not less important than the job of the Pilot of the plane itself. If it is the responsibility of a pilot to carry the passenger to their destination safely, then it is the responsibility of an Air Hostess to see the comfort of the passenger well above 10,000 meters above the ground level.

This is not a less demanding task by any means. An Air hostess is the one who sees the well being and comfort of the passenger and that also in quick time.

He/She is one who boosts up the morale of the passengers when there is any kind of challenging moment during the flight. We can say that from welcoming the passenger’s to the aircraft, till their boarding, she/he is the sole representative or one must say the human face of the airlines.

Air Hostess Career Prospects

After starting her/his carrier as an Air Hostess/Flight Steward one can be promoted to the post of Senior Flight Attendant and ultimately to the post of Head Attendant with the experience and efficiency in her/his field of work.

Air Hostess/Flight Steward Salary

Depending upon the Airlines and one’s capabilities, one can expect to nearly Rs.35,000 to Rs.40,000 with a range of benefits and allowances in addition to housing facilities, medical expenses and outstation allowances etc.