Flight attendants are among the most popular careers that require travel. They focus on offering excellent customer service while adhering to passenger flight safety rules.
Working as a flight attendant may be a rewarding career for many people. This could be especially true for people who enjoy helping others and traveling.
In this article, we’ll go over what a flight attendant is and what they do, as well as how to become an international flight attendant in canada.
What is a Flight Attendant?
A flight attendant is someone who focuses mainly on customer service and ensuring client safety.
A passenger’s satisfaction and comfort throughout the trip are other duties of flight attendants.
The larger group of professionals who operate and manage aircraft is made up of cabin crew members.
The aircraft that they will be working on is the focus of flight attendant training. To enable them to explain emergency plans to passengers, several airlines train their employees on the unique safety procedures of that particular aircraft.
What Does a Flight Attendant Do?
The main responsibility of flight attendants is passenger safety. Providing outstanding customer service is another major aspect of their work. Flight attendants are taught to deal with a variety of personalities because they encounter them on a daily basis.
The captain of the aircraft gives a debriefing to the flight attendants and other crew members prior to takeoff. Information on the weather, safety issues, turbulence, and any other circumstances that can impact the traveler experience are all covered in this debriefing.
Flight attendants are notified of any special requests made by VIP or special passengers prior to the aircraft taking off.
Flight attendants examine the aircraft and make sure all emergency equipment is operational after this briefing. They replace the emergency supplies, such as oxygen masks and fire extinguishers, if they discover any problems.
Flight attendants assist customers in finding their seats and confirming their tickets once they have boarded the aircraft. To protect other passengers’ safety, flight attendants keep an eye out for any suspicious or dangerous behavior from their passengers.
They practice emergency protocol and point out emergency supplies to passengers. They also provide passengers instructions on how to use their safety vests, oxygen masks, and other emergency supplies.
How to Become a Flight Attendant
To become a flight attendant, you can take the following steps:
1. Finish Your Education
The completion of high school is the minimal educational requirement for employment as a flight attendant. While getting an undergraduate degree or certification is not mandatory for flight attendants, it can increase your employability.
Employers prefer candidates with an undergraduate degree in tourism, human relations, communications, or a similar subject.
2. Gain Work Experience
Flight attendant jobs are highly competitive, therefore you should gain appropriate work experience before applying. Airlines need flight attendants with experience in customer service areas such as retail or hospitality.
You must have experience that displays your ability to work in a fast-paced workplace, problem-solving skills, and exceptional customer service.
3. Craft Your Resume
To enable to gain acceptance, applicants must develop a compelling CV that highlights their people abilities. Showcase your volunteer and professional experience on this CV.
Volunteer experience is highly valued on resumes, so if you’re looking for a career, think about accumulating this experience before applying. Working with children provides advantages for flight attendants.
Include any jobs where you’ll be working long hours or standing for extended periods of time. Because flight attendants operate in a physically demanding and fast-paced environment, it is important that you highlight these skills in both your resume and job interview.
4. Complete a Job Interview
The job interview is the next stage towards becoming a flight attendant. Prior to getting a job offer and starting training, you will be invited to an interview. Airlines usually request drug tests and criminal background checks from applicants during the interview process.
Also, several airlines need you to finish health tests. For instance, they can request that you have an eye exam to make sure your vision is at least 20/40.
Before you meet with recruiters in person, you may be required to pass skills tests or participate in video calls for many flight attendant interviews. If you are requested to participate in a video interview, make sure you are in a peaceful place with no background distractions.
The greatest backdrop to utilize is something simple, like a white wall. Throughout the interview, the camera needs to be steady and at eye level. To leave the best possible impression, make sure you dress professionally.
What Are the Basic Requirements?
Now, let’s look at what you need to become an international flight attendant in Canada. There are a few basic things you must have before applying for the job:
- You need to be at least 18 years old (some airlines prefer 19 or older).
- You need to have a high school diploma or something similar. It’s great if you’ve studied something like tourism, travel, or hospitality, but it’s not a must.
- You need to be able to work in Canada. This means you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or have a valid work permit.
- Language skills are important! In Canada, speaking English and French is a big plus. Knowing other languages can also help, especially when working on international flights.
- You need to be in good physical health because the job can be physically demanding. You’ll have to be able to reach the overhead bins and help with luggage, which means most airlines have height requirements too (usually between 5’2” and 6’2”).
Lastly, you’ll need to pass a background check to make sure you don’t have any serious criminal record.
Get Certified by Transport Canada
In Canada, you need to be certified by Transport Canada before you can work as a flight attendant. This means after you finish your training, you’ll have to take and pass a test that checks if you know the important safety and emergency procedures.
As an international flight attendant, you’ll fly to many different countries. Canadian airlines have flights to Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and many other places.
One thing to remember is that international routes can be long, and you may spend several days away from home. You’ll also have to deal with time zone changes, but you’ll get to explore new cities and cultures.
Benefits of Becoming an International Flight Attendant in Canada
Being an international flight attendant comes with lots of perks:
- Travel benefits: Most airlines offer free or discounted flights for flight attendants and their families. So, you can explore the world even when you’re off-duty!
- Health insurance: Many airlines provide health and dental benefits.
- Vacation time: You’ll get paid vacation, and your schedule might allow for longer breaks between flights.
- Flexible schedule: You’ll have time off between flights, so your schedule can be flexible.
Career Growth
Once you’ve gained experience as a flight attendant, there are opportunities for growth:
- Lead flight attendant: In this role, you’ll be responsible for supervising the cabin crew.
- Purser: On long international flights, the purser is in charge of the entire cabin crew.
- In-flight manager: If you want to manage a team of flight attendants across several flights, this could be your future role!
Challenges of Being a Flight Attendant
While the job is exciting, it also has its challenges. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Long hours: Some flights are very long, and you’ll have to work through different time zones.
- Being away from home: You might spend days or even weeks away from your family and friends.
- Tiring job: Standing, walking, and lifting bags can be physically exhausting.
- Dealing with difficult passengers: Not everyone on a flight will be easy to deal with, so you’ll need to stay calm and professional.
Conclusion
Becoming an international flight attendant in Canada is an amazing opportunity for people who love to travel and enjoy helping others.
By meeting the basic requirements, getting the right training, and developing the necessary skills, you’ll be ready to start your journey as a flight attendant. It’s a job that can be challenging, but also incredibly rewarding.
So, if you’re ready to explore the world and meet people from different cultures, becoming a flight attendant might just be the adventure you’re looking for.