You could do a college course like a Level 2 Certificate in Air Cabin Crew or study a cabin crew module as part of a broader travel and tourism course.
Entry requirements
You may need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) for a level 2 course
Cabin crew
Alternative titles for this job include Flight attendant, air steward, air stewardess
Air cabin crew help make sure that airline passengers have a comfortable, safe and pleasant flight.
Average salary (a year)
£12,000 Starter
to£30,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
30 to 40 a week
You could work
evenings / weekends / bank holidays away from home
How to become cabin crew
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
Apprenticeship
You could start by doing a cabin crew advanced apprenticeship.
This will usually take one year to complete. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time with a college or training provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), usually including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More information
Direct application
You could apply directly to airlines for a cabin crew job. Entry requirements vary but good customer service skills will be expected.
More information
Career tips
Some airlines and private providers run 2-day cabin crew courses, which may help your chances of getting a job.
Further information
You'll find details about working as air cabin crew from Careers That Move.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- customer service skills for working with passengers
- excellent verbal communication skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to enjoy working with other people
- knowledge of public safety and security
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- sensitivity and understanding for dealing with customers’ needs
- a desire to help people and a friendly manner
- being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- be over 18 years of age
- have a good level of fitness
- pass a medical check
- pass enhanced background checks
Usually you'll also be expected to:
- have a smart appearance
- have a valid passport with no restrictions for the countries the airline travels to
- live within 90 minutes of your base
Many airlines also ask that you're able to swim up to 25 metres.
There are rules about height and weight - these vary between airlines. As a general guide, most look for people between 5ft 2in (157cm) and 6ft 2in (188cm) with weight in proportion to height.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
Before a flight you could be:
- taking part in a meeting about the flight and its schedule
- checking that there are enough supplies on the plane and that emergency equipment is working properly
- greeting passengers
- demonstrating emergency equipment and procedures
During a flight you might be:
- making sure passengers are comfortable
- serving food and drinks, and selling duty-free items
- making announcements
- reassuring passengers in the event of an emergency, and making sure they follow safety procedures
At the end of a flight you'll often be:
- making sure passengers leave the plane safely
- writing a flight report, including details about any unusual incidents
- adding up and recording food and drink orders, and duty-free sales
Working environment
You could work on an aircraft.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and cramped.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could progress to cabin crew supervisor or a senior air cabin crew role.
You could also work in a ground-based role like cabin crew training, recruitment, passenger services, marketing or sales.
Training opportunities
Apprenticeships In England
We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for cabin crew right now.
The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.
Courses In England
Air Cabin Crew
- Provider: CITY COLLEGE PLYMOUTH
- Start date: 09 September 2019
- Location: PLYMOUTH
Air Cabin Crew Award L2
- Provider: Bath College
- Start date: 04 March 2019
- Location: Bath