About Corporate Flight Attendants
Deciding to make a living at 30,000 feet in the air while serving corporate hotshots food and beverages isn't a career choice made lightly. The life of a corporate flight attendant has its ups and downs between take off and landing, as well as beyond the tarmac. Only those who love to serve need apply.
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Identification
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A corporate flight attendant provides cabin service to business passengers on privately owned aircraft. Corporations are not required to have a flight attendant on board, but do so as a courtesy to their clients, potential clients and employees. On smaller jets, seating less than 10 people, a flight attendant is rare, because the plane isn't big or crowded enough to warrant cabin service. On the larger planes a company will usually hire one attendant through an agency that provides crew services for private aircraft, or keep one on staff.
Duties
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The duties are very similar to the duties of flight attendants on the major public airlines, except the service is more specialized. Instead of being a part of crew serving 100 or more people, the corporate flight attendant usually works alone or with one other person to provide service to a handful of people. Think of an attendant in first class, rather than coach, on the major airlines, though providing more attention to detail, like a waiter in a five-star restaurant. The corporate flight attendant is expected to provide high-end food and beverage service, as well as to give in-flight safety information and first aid in the event of an emergency.
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Training
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The agencies that hire out flight attendants to corporations have a rigorous training and screening process. All flight attendants must pass FAA certification, which ensures they know about in-flight safety, evacuation procedures and medical emergencies. Any applicant must also be willing to undergo a thorough 10-year background check, which includes criminal history and drug screening. Beyond these security and safety measures a corporate flight attendant must also have a strong background in high-end food service, which includes food preparation and safety. An attendant-in-training is expected to pay for her own expenses, including a fee to have a resume listed with an agency.
Salaries
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The salary range for corporate flight attendants varies wildly according to the location of operation and experience. A beginning flight attendant for a major commercial airline will make anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 a year, while a corporate flight attendant, just starting out, rarely makes less than $25,000. Depending on experience and the markets of operation, the average salary is between $30,000 and $80,000 a year. Those in the higher-end range are hired directly by the owners of the aircraft, without going through an agency.
Considerations
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Unlike their commercial counterparts who work for the major airlines, corporate flight attendants are free agents. Every flight they make and the price they command is negotiated by them and the company or agency with which they are dealing. They may land a good gig, but it's only on a contractual basis, not as an employee. A corporate flight attendant is a self-employed freelancer unless hired directly by the company that owns the aircraft.
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