How to Be an Airline Steward

Flight attendants have the most contact with passengers.

Airline steward is another term for male flight attendant. The main responsibility of a flight attendant is to make sure that the airline safety procedures are adhered to during a flight. Other duties include assisting passengers and on-board catering. As a flight attendant you can receive travel benefits from your own airline and discounts from others and see a lot of places you might never have gotten to otherwise.

Instructions

1. Start by visiting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website to learn more about employment as a flight attendant, its requirements, its pay and its future economic outlook.

2. Look for current employment openings specifying the search terms "flight attendant" or "airline" on large national job site search engines like Monster, Career Builder, Indeed, or Simply Hired. If you meet the position requirements, submit an application according to the site's or employer's instructions.

3. Visit specific airline websites and see what cabin crew openings the companies themselves list. Their employment opportunities may be less plentiful but more up-to-date than those listed on third-party sites.

4. Ensure that you meet the minimum requirements, starting with a high school education. Most airlines require you to have at least your GED and some require further training, although much can be learned on the job. In most cases you must be 21 or over and submit to random drug screening.

5. Learn a foreign language. Having multiple languages can make you more employable to an airline that flies to other countries as you can communicate with passengers of different nationalities more easily.

6. Make sure that you have a presentable appearance. Flight attendants are a public relations side of the airline, having direct personal contact with the passengers. As well as having a presentable appearance you might need to meet certain height and weight requirements to fit in the cabin and reach luggage racks.

7. Be prepared to work irregular hours. Airlines do not fly only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., so you should be prepared to work when required by your roster. You should also be prepared to put up with time changes and jet lag on longer routes.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure you can live on the beginning salary which, according to the Bureau of Labor Standards, averaged only $16,191 a year in 2009, although this can rise substantially as you gain more experience.

References

• Delta Jobs: Flight Attendants
• Qantas Flight Attendants: International from the UK
• British Airways: Cabin Crew Careers

Resources

• Career Builder: Airline Jobs
• Indeed: Flight Attendant
• Simply Hired: Flight Attendants
• Monster: Job Search: Flight Attendant