Now more flight attendant aspirants have the chance to become a flight attendant for our local airlines. Recently, PAL Express and Cebu Pacific have lowered the minimum height requirements for cabin crew aspirants. This means those below 5’3″ in height, particularly females, have the chance to become a flight attendant.
However, this does not that airlines have lowered their standards. It just means that the some of the physical requirements have been adjusted while maintaining standards in searching for flight attendants.
Let me just make it clear that a minimum height or arms reach requirement is very important. Flight attendants have to be able to reach the safety equipment located on the overhead bins of the aircraft. Height or reach requirements are not in place for the purpose of stowing passenger luggage.
Below are the adjustments of our local airlines when it comes to height requirements.
PAL Express
Philippine Airlines’ subsidiary PAL Express has lowered the minimum height requirement from 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 2 inches for females only. They now also allow undergraduates, or those with at least 2 years of college, to apply as cabin crew.
At 5’2″, female flight attendants are able to still reach for the safety equipment located on the overhead compartment of the aircraft. This new development was made official only today, August 6. Definitely good news for more cabin crew aspirants.
Other requirements such as weight to height ratio still hold.
Cebu Pacific
Cebu Pacific has ditched the minimum height requirement, but in place is an arm reach requirement. The minimum arm reach for aspirants should be 210cm, enough to be able to reach the overhead compartment of the aircraft. So regardless of your height, for as long as you have a reach of 210cm and beyond, you have the chance to become a flight attendant.
This arm reach requirement is mostly used by foreign carriers such as Emirates and Saudia. Cebu Pacific has now adopted the same for those who want to be their flight attendants.
Cebu Pacific however has placed on hold its hiring of a new cabin crew. Should they reopen this opportunity again, the minimum arm reach requirement will still be applicable.
It’s still not going to be easy
Please do not think that it will be easier for you to be a flight attendant for our local airlines. It does not mean that just because the height requirement was lowered for cabin crew, it doesn’t mean all standards will follow. They will still uphold the other standards such as clear skin, a pleasing personality, a good set of teeth, and someone of upright moral character.
In fact. our local airlines are now looking for flight attendants who see a long-term career with them. The local airlines are shying away from aspirants who will treat them as a “second option.” They are also looking for aspirants who genuinely care about helping the airline reach its goals.
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!
