There are professions that are surrounded by a halo of romance. An example is the stewardess specialty. It provides the opportunity to travel a lot, communicate with foreigners, walk in a neat and feminine uniform. But earning the right to work in this area is not so simple. Applicants must meet a range of criteria. If you want to learn how to become a flight attendant, you will have to take this matter seriously.
Personal qualities
Every girl who wants to master this profession is required to have certain characteristics of her character. If you are a nervous person by nature and tend to take everything to heart, you are unlikely to be allowed on board an airplane. Here are some more features that are important:
- fast reaction;
- sociability;
- stress resistance;
- balanced character;
- hard work.
During the flight, emergency situations are often accompanied by panic. In the circumstances, the stewardess must create a favorable psychological environment. Her tone of conversation, as well as facial expression should inspire calm.
If you think that you meet the above criteria, you can proceed to the next step. You should choose an airline that seems more attractive to work with. In this case, you can be guided by certain conditions, for example, salary. Let's say Aeroflot stewardesses earn $ 1,600-1800 a month. But this is possible only with a large number of hours worked and solid experience. The average earnings of flight attendants who have just started to work vary between $ 600-800.
Competition
Next, you need to undergo training for a stewardess. In large airlines, it is paid by the employer. In small organizations, candidates will have to take care of the financial side of the issue themselves. That is why preference should be given to a prestigious company. In addition, working in it in the future will affect the size of your salary.
Specialized schools are present throughout Russia. The largest of them is operating at Sheremetyevo Airport. All candidates initially pass competitive selection. It consists of several stages. First, the employer will invite you for an interview.
External features
Appearance is very important. This does not mean that you should look like a supermodel. Enough to have nice facial features. But not only that matters. Other features will be evaluated during the selection. For example, the growth of a stewardess should be 165-175 cm. Sometimes there are exceptions to the rules, but girls above 185 cm are not accepted anywhere. A short candidate also has little chance. She simply will not be able to reach the upper shelf to help the passenger put luggage on it.
Potential applicants thinking about how to become a stewardess must know that full candidates are denied for a number of reasons. The optimal weight is 54-65 kg. If it is more than these indicators, it will be difficult for a girl to move on an airplane. There is little space between the rows, and therefore the stewardess will encounter difficulties. Too small body mass is also not welcome, because a girl should cope with not the simplest manipulations without any problems. In particular, it is she who is obliged to open the hatch, and this is not so simple.
How old should the applicant be?
This is another indicator that matters to everyone who wants to figure out how to become a stewardess.Representatives of the fair sex from 18 to 30 years are allowed to work on board the aircraft. Some airlines apply this criterion more strictly and set the upper bar at the level of 25 years.
Whatever the age of the flight attendant, the maximum period during which a girl can fly can be no more than 10 years. Many manage to get additional education, continuing to work in their specialty. One does not interfere with the other. This approach is correct, because one day you will have to leave the plane and return to normal life. It is at this moment that a new job will be required.
Before you go to the courses of stewardesses, you will have to get rid of any tattoos located on the open parts of the body. Piercing, permanent makeup, scars and large moles are not allowed.
Education
Before becoming a stewardess, girls need to be tested not only for their appearance according to established criteria. Large airlines prefer candidates with a diploma of higher education in the field of medicine, management or psychology.
Foreign languages must be known, at least English. If you manage to finish specialized courses and get an official certificate, you will have an advantage. But the presence of a certificate of secondary education in a school with in-depth study of the language is also sufficient. You should prepare well, because the employer will provide you with the text for translation, as well as a special grammar test.
Body check
So, suppose the interview is left behind. So what does it take to become a flight attendant if this stage has already been completed? Now you are waiting for a medical commission. As a result of her inspection, 2/3 of the applicants are screened out. Good health is a must. There are various unfavorable factors in the air. Not everyone is able to withstand them. These are pressure drops and climate change. In the presence of chronic diseases under their influence of these factors, exacerbations occur.
There will be several inspections. Specialists will find out in what condition are the vital organs, hearing, vision. They will also check how you tolerate turbulence. The stewardess should stand firmly on her feet. The candidate is planted in special chairs, rotating for several minutes. After that, you are asked to walk in a straight line. You cannot step back from it a single step. The flight medical commission will issue a certificate of flight suitability if all of these tests are successfully passed.
At the last stage, a psychologist talks with the candidates. Part of his testing will be a special role-playing game. It involves the artificial reproduction of critical situations arising on board. After that, the expert observes your behavior. Thus, the suitability of employees is determined emotionally, the ability to withstand stress. In accordance with the results, a psychological portrait of the candidate will be formed.
Studying proccess
Are all the steps completed? So, the main difficulties are left behind. Ahead of study, which lasts 3 months. If the flight attendants of Aeroflot pass it for free, then small companies do not have such opportunities. Prestigious organizations cover all financial expenses, even if candidates have to leave for other cities to undergo training.
Once you are in school, you are assigned to groups of 15 people. You will learn:
- What types of modern aircraft exist.
- How to provide first aid on board.
- How to ensure the safety of passengers during the flight.
- What are the cultural and political features of foreign countries.
Study will consist of a theoretical part and practice. You will be awarded a scholarship, like all students. Be sure all students are trained in such a subject as psychology.Conflict situations are not uncommon during flights. For this reason, the stewardess must be able to find a common language with any people.
Practice is necessary in order to reinforce the learned information. For example, you will be taught how to evacuate all passengers from the airliner in 90 seconds. Sometimes the plane is forced to land on the water. Students are prepared for such a situation. To do this, they practice in a huge pool.
At the end of the study, a complex multi-level exam is expected. You will be tested in each discipline. Verbal and written forms are available. School management usually independently determines which one to assign to a particular candidate.
Finally, you can get to work. According to its results, a flight attendant class is assigned. It depends on the flight hours, which should be at least 30 and not more than 77 for the whole month. In certain cases, an international flight attendant certificate is issued. To do this, study abroad. Candidates have the opportunity to do this for free and even receive a scholarship.
Classification
The first class corresponds to 3,000 hours. Stewardesses of a lower rank make more than two years of continuous flights. Thus, an increase can be expected after about 2 years of work. During this time, you must monthly earn the required number of hours.
Positive points
Flight attendants receive a high salary. It grows in accordance with the length of service, as well as the prestige of the airline where you are listed. Another plus is that you will always look good. It cannot be otherwise, as the employer makes increased demands on the physical form of his employees. Have to regularly visit the gym. For those who have just left the walls of a school or college, it is difficult to find a more profitable option for building a career.
During the flight to foreign countries, the airline pays every day spent abroad. Stewardesses spend at least a few days before the next flight. Free high-quality food is also provided. On your free days, you can stroll through the streets of the city in which you are.
Flight attendants can take 45 days leave. In general, the profession is recognized as harmful to health, as it is associated with exposure to electromagnetic radiation, vibration, and so on. For a similar reason, age limits have been set.
