I’ve been observing and analyzing the aviation industry over the past year and I’ve noticed a clear upward trend in capacity. Airlines continue to accept more planes, increase destinations, and expand capacity. While we saw a lot of flight attendant recruitments in 2023, I am expecting even more in the future. In fact, I feel that local airlines in the Philippines alone may hire more than 1,000 cabin crew in 2024, provided no crisis or untoward events occur, like the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
However, it’s important to note that just because airlines need more flight attendants, it doesn’t mean they will lower their standards.
Revenge Travel
With all the pandemic restrictions lifted, revenge travel continues to soar. Major airlines in the Philippines, namely Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia Philippines, are adding more capacity due to high travel demand. Domestic capacity has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and I see this trend continuing to grow.
The local airlines will be acquiring more aircraft by 2024 and 2025, necessitating more cabin crew due to these major expansions. Frequencies will be increased, and hopefully, more routes and destinations will be added.
With this increase in capacity, local airlines are expected to stage more cabin crew hirings by 2024 and beyond. A recent study by Boeing predicts that Southeast Asia alone will need 89,000 cabin crew between 2023 and 2042. Divided among the Southeast Asian countries, that’s about 6,357 cabin crew per country. So, for the Philippines alone, we can expect to see numbers between 3,000 to 5,000 more cabin crew in the coming years (excluding replacements for retirees and resignations).
If demand continues to rise and capacity grows further in 2024, then yes, we can expect airlines to hire more than a thousand cabin crew combined.
Know the Job of the Flight Attendants
In the Philippines, airlines are looking for cabin crew who are there primarily for the job, not just for the benefits. It’s crucial to understand the primary duties of a cabin crew, which revolve around ensuring the safety and security of all passengers. While they are also there to attend to needs and ensure a comfortable flight, never forget their primary role related to passenger safety.
Salaries for airlines in the Philippines have become more competitive and are improving as the financial status of the airlines continues to improve. Hence, now is the best time to prepare for a career as a flight attendant in the Philippines. The standards may be high, but it’s all worth it once you reach them. Losers often question the standards, while winners strive to surpass them without making excuses.
You have enough time to prepare. You can browse this website for more tips that will help you prepare for a cabin crew career.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
