What to expect after you are hired as a flight attendant

Being hired as a flight attendant is only the beginning of your journey. The game is not over. Actually, it’s the beginning of something for which you must work harder to prepare, namely, training and already putting yourself on the line. Therefore, allow me to explain what you may anticipate if you are hired as a flight attendant after passing the screening procedure.

Nothing is official after you’ve been hired as a flight attendant until six months after you start flying. It would thus take you approximately 8 months to become a regular flight attendant for the airline. Both the probationary term and the training period are included in this.

Flight attendant training

Airlines won’t train you before you accept a job offer from them. Prior to training, you must first go through the recruitment procedure. Unfortunately, many people offer their best effort during recruitment but not throughout training. What you should know is as follows. Even more work is required during training. Your ambition to join the cabin crew in the near future will be dashed if you fail it. Definitely more difficult is the training that airlines provide for the cabin crew. You cannot fail more than twice, and the passing mark is always more than 90%. There will be a constant barrage of written tests, practical exercises, and check rides. You think it’ll be easy? Throughout the training, several of the trainees sobbed. They didn’t know it would be that difficult.

For the time being, bid farewell to dates, barkada evenings, family gatherings, and ML nights. During your flight attendant training, you must devote 100 percent of your attention. Depending on the airline, training might last a month to around 70 days. A 500–1,000 page manual will need to be learned by memory and memorized. There are exercises like ditching in which you leap into a pool and try to remain afloat.

Passing is a must, not a choice. So after you’ve been recruited, please do get ready for training. When studying, particularly when it’s about safety, you need to be focused and use good judgment. Never undervalue the importance of training.

Probationary period

Once you “graduate” from training, being on the line presents a greater challenge. However, they will still evaluate your suitability for the position throughout your six-month probationary term. During this time, you won’t be flying with your other batchmates and instructors; instead, you’ll be with various groups. You may encounter several scenarios when you must really think and act independently. Since you’ll be working in a team, you should be a true team player.

Cowardly and lazy individuals have no place in the aviation sector. Keep in mind that one of your responsibilities as a flight attendant is to guarantee the safety and security of the passengers. You must be prepared to put your own life on hold in an emergency and put the lives of your passengers first. It is essential to act quickly and know what to do.

Additionally, you must take the effort to assist other passengers and crew members. You must assist your customers cheerfully and with a grin.

This time frame is important since it will decide whether the airline will hire you as a regular crew member and provide you access to all of the job’s perks. You will again go through a series of tests before getting regularized.

You must work even harder than throughout your training during the probationary term in order to succeed. The airlines will expect you to execute to the minimal requirements and in accordance with what is expected of you after you have been hired as a flight attendant.

Regularization

Your career as a full-fledged flight attendant starts after you have successfully completed the probationary term and have been regularized. There are still company regulations and procedures that need to be observed, so this is not the time to relax. You still need to give it your all. Always pay attention to the senior crew members since they have more experience and are already aware of what to do in certain circumstances. Do not be reluctant to ask of them as well.

Keep in mind that you are a member of the cabin crew because that is your job, not because it entitles you to free flights or presents a chance for Instagram posts. Your job is to guarantee the safety and comfort of passengers. Instead of using it as a platform for social media updates, you are there to work. You were employed by the airlines because they think you are crucial to the company’s safety and level of customer service.

Please keep this in mind, all of our future cabin crew. Being hired by the airline is not the end of the journey; rather, it is the beginning of a very significant role that you will play as stewards of aviation safety.