I have always been interested in becoming a flight attendant, but how do you go about getting there? Do you simply go to the airport for an application? I know one can go to " flight attendant school" but someone told me that is a waste if time and money because any airline that hires you will put you through their mandatory training anyway. So anything anyone knows will be of help. Thanks!
Go to the website and click on careers. Then hope they don’t test you on initiative.
Moving to IMHO.
Hey - don’t want to discourage you, but depending on where you are, it can be a tough job to get. I know here you require (at minimum) a second language and it’s pretty competitive.
Good luck!
Don’t bother with flight attendant school. You’re correct- any airline that hires you is going to train you the way they want you.
It may be difficult to get a job at one of the larger “Majors” (like Delta, Continental, etc) with no experience. The regional airlines however, frequently hire flight attendants with no former experience. Many of these ladies and gentlemen use the regional airlines as a stepping stone to a major airline job.
Just about any airline out there will have a “Careers” section for their webpage- think of an airline, find the web page, see if they’re hiring, and fire off a resume.
here’s a wiki link for a list of regional airlines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_regional_airlines
and if you scroll waaaay down the page, here’s a list of US Passenger airlines:List of passenger airlines - Wikipedia
My wife applied for a flight attendant job, and she got it but turned it down since the whole moving thing wasn’t going to work out for us for the money she would make. I remember that her fluency in Spanish, enthusiasm, and willingness to be flexible with living arrangements were a plus. Visible tattoos not allowed. She applied online, but had to go and stay in Indianapolis for the interview process.
Zing!
I think the pay is generally crappy.
First any outside of an airline “school” is a scam. period.
Now that is out of the way:
Flight Attendant pay on commuter/regional or discount airlines is very very low, but that will be your ONLY chance in this market to enter into that occupation, and since many airlines are lowering the amount of commuters they are using, those chances have gotten slimmer.
One thing to know is that an airline that operates as say, United Express, is NOT the major airline United. Many people also see the hourly rate of flight crews and think, “Wow RICH!” but don’t realize that it is based on more like 70 hours per month, not 40 hrs a week.
Your chances of getting on at a major airline right now is ZERO unless you are very fluent in some rare language that they really need people for and otherwise unusually exceptional, or the immediate relative of someone who has the final say in hiring and can get away with that where possible (and be willing to endure scrutiny if you fail at the job or during intense emergency procedures training). There are too many airlines that have furloughed, leaving highly experienced people in the job market, and those people are desperate to get on with other majors.
Also, even if you manage to acquire a Flight Attendant position at any type of airline, you will be “junior” in seniority and “on reserve” (on call, usually one to 2 hr notice). You will be based at the least desirable base in the system (often expensive big cities, while you are very low paid), which makes commuting impossible, and since it has been designated your base (your new home as far as the airline is concerned) and hotels or rent come out of your pocket. So essentially you are paying to go to work until you get called/used.
Now say you’re the ideal employee and jump at the chance to move to your base. 3 months later the airline could put out a system wide bid (due to moving equipment around, etc) and the planes in your base suddenly get switched to planes more desirable for higher seniority Flight Attendants (bigger, higher pay…this is just ONE of many scenarios that play out all the time), or maybe a different base gets closed and yours is a higher seniority FAs 2nd choice. Suddenly, you find yourself BUMPED to another base across the country. But…but… I just MOVED here for this airline and spent all that $ and have a lease. :smack:
Bummer, says the airline…move again, or quit…there are thousands in line for your low paying job, so they are unconcerned about anything other than covering their flight schedule.
Hopefully you wanted realism, and not false encouragement or an idealistic/optimistic view, because that’s all I’ve got (in a much condensed version) …sorry.
It depends on which airline you want to work for, but the Asian and Middle Eastern airlines are very strict when it comes to appearances (height and weight, as well as how “pretty” you are).
I’m interested in becoming a Flight Attendant also. Is it true that during the recuritment process, you have to sign a release form that allows airline to have access to your medical history?
Meanie! 
I’m pretty sure there are height requirements. I think at 5’0 I’m too short to qualify.
Why not become a passenger train conductor instead?
I thought being too tall was the problem, because there are too many things to bump your head on, not least of which is the plane’s ceiling.
Yes, but you do need to be tall enough to comfortably get things in and out of the overhead lockers. I can see that being a potential issue on a big plane for someone under 5 feet tall.