Friend wants to become a FA

[Way2Broke]

We have a friend that is currently working as a bank teller and can't take it anymore. She is curious on how you become a Flight Attendant. My friend lives in Chattanooga, TN. Here are some of her questions...

Do you have to have a medical?
Who is hiring and what would be a easy commute for her?
Is it possible to get hired somewhere besides a Regional without any experience? (Multi FA type environment)
What is training like?
What is pay like?
Basically she doesn't know much about how to get a job or who is good and bad and since my experience with the Regionals was on a 19 seater and I now fly freight I am not much help. Can someone help?

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[Ladi]

Delta

Delta in Atlanta is hiring, along w/ Omni, Airtran. There are plenty more. Tell her to do a little leg work, it is very easy to get info on line.

Best wishes in her job hunting.

Ladi

 

[lowlycfi]

We have a friend that is currently working as a bank teller and can't take it anymore. She is curious on how you become a Flight Attendant. My friend lives in Chattanooga, TN. Here are some of her questions...

Do you have to have a medical?
Who is hiring and what would be a easy commute for her?
Is it possible to get hired somewhere besides a Regional without any experience? (Multi FA type environment)
What is training like?
What is pay like?
Basically she doesn't know much about how to get a job or who is good and bad and since my experience with the Regionals was on a 19 seater and I now fly freight I am not much help. Can someone help?

Thanks for the help in advance.

I was a F/A for 11 years before I moved up front so I'll take a stab at this one.

You don't need a medical but some carriers do have a pre-employment physical (I know AA used to).

I'm not sure who is hiring right now. I would guess pretty much all of the regionals

Commuting is a little more difficult as a F/A but it can be done. I did it the entire time. Commuting on-line is always easier, although a lot of the carriers now have F/A cabin seat agreements, so that helps.

I was hired at a major without having been a F/A, so it can be done (although I was a ramp agent and CSA for a regional-they were called commuters back then)

Training was actually tougher than I expected. It's not rocket science, but there's a lot of material and the airline I was at had high standards for passing. There were a lot of wash-outs. Work hard and study and she'll do fine.

The pay can vary. Starting out, most places aren't that good. I started out making about $18,000 my first year and made over $60,000 my last year.

Hope this helps. I really enjoyed the job and wonder why I quit sometimes.

 

[Andy Neill]

Wondering what makes her present job unbearable.
Holidays off?
Regular hours?
Regulated indoor working conditions?

Then it could be dealing with those....people!

What will make the FA job more appealing?

 

[Way2Broke]

Where can she find the correct places to send her resume too?

What would be good companies with a ATL base or a easy commute from CHA?

Are most interviews cattle calls or individual?

 

[Way2Broke]

Wondering what makes her present job unbearable.
Holidays off?
Regular hours?
Regulated indoor working conditions?

Then it could be dealing with those....people!

What will make the FA job more appealing?

She wants to travel, see things, meet people, and have something more to talk about at the end of the day than "man today this guy bounced a check."

 

[lowlycfi]

Where can she find the correct places to send her resume too?

What would be good companies with a ATL base or a easy commute from CHA?

Are most interviews cattle calls or individual?

Delta, Air-Tran, ASA, World for ATL. I would also think Chicago wouldn't be a bad commute from CHA; maybe SkyWest and of course I'm partial to SWA so I would definately give them a shot. I think most interviews are a mix: a group interview with one on one follow ups. I would say just go to each company's web site to find out how to apply.

 

[B727FA]

She wants to travel, see things, meet people, and have something more to talk about at the end of the day than "man today this guy bounced a check."

I don't want to discourage her per se...but in her interview, make sure she doesn't say, "I want to travel, see things and meet people." When I was a recruiter that was the LAST thing (but usally the first) I wanted to hear.

We may not having the "guy bouncing a check" but we have some extremely mundane times, too. There are AWESOME parts of this line of work...just go in with her eyes wide open!

Oh, and RAH is hiring for ATL right now...check it out at: rjet.com

 

[Slim]

There's only one thing I can add to everything said above...have something in your back pocket for days off or a change of pace. The happiest F/As I worked with, as well as the ones I work with now, have something going on besides their airline job.

I had a reserve military career. There were about a dozen of us in that category. Others had catering businesses on the side, one did home construction, two others became an accountant and dentist.

The worst ones to work with were those who tied their entire existence to their employment. That applies to pilots, gate agents, ramp workers, etc. It's not limited to the F/A group.

Good luck!

 

[Way2Broke]

I don't want to discourage her per se...but in her interview, make sure she doesn't say, "I want to travel, see things and meet people." When I was a recruiter that was the LAST thing (but usally the first) I wanted to hear.

We may not having the "guy bouncing a check" but we have some extremely mundane times, too. There are AWESOME parts of this line of work...just go in with her eyes wide open!

Oh, and RAH is hiring for ATL right now...check it out at: rjet.com

I what were you looking to hear? Didn't you do some time with corpex? I recall you posting about them. When I say doing time... thats how I meant it. In shackles... working for "da man."

 

[great cornholio]

I'd say pretty much everyone is hiring FAs right now...at least at the regional level. For us most FAs only stick around about a year tops...although we get the occasional few that have been here a few years. You do not need to get hired by a regional first and then move onto mainline. I'm gonna guess that she is gonna want to stay in CHA if she can. If that is the case then I'd say get her stuff to Delta or Airtran (but only if Airtran has service to CHA) as most FAs only get travel bennies on the the company they work for, unlike us pilots who can jumpseat on pretty much any airline. If I were you I'd tell her to steer clear of the regionals, I know many FAs that have left and went to mainline and they like it much much better and are much happier. Granted there are some days that I talk to them and they have had a bad day or what not..but over all they are much happier and get paid better at mainline. As far as training and pay goes it seems like most training lasts around 3 to 4 weeks (at a training center so not in CHA...so she would be away from home pretty much that whole time) and go over city codes, CPR, first aid, CRM, equipment/doors training on the planes the company has, basic indoc, etc. Its not rocket science, but not overly easy as well. On the pay side she more than likely would be taking a slight pay cut leaving the bank job.

All in all tell her to go for it. As someone else said earlier some of the best FAs I've flown with that have the best attitude are the ones that are doing this for a change of pace.

 

[B727FA]

Didn't you do some time with corpex? I recall you posting about them.

No, I wasn't there...I had some friends there after they were Regions.

 

[AviaNation]

More information

Here's an article that should help answer some of her questions. Let me know if I can help more.

Tim Kirkwood
Author, The Flight Attendant Job Finder & Career Guide
www.FlightAttendantCareerGuide.com
[email protected]



Have you ever dreamed of flying to exotic places or foreign cities? Or perhaps have a desire to see more of the USA? If so, then you should consider the career as an airline flight attendant. There are over eighty scheduled, regional and charter airlines in the US and Canada, and they are in need of qualified applicants the year round.
Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001 the "Major" airlines had not been hiring, and are still recalling their furloughed flight attendants. The prospects of getting hired by a Major have only started to improve.
But the Majors are only 10% of the airlines operating in the US and Canada. The other 90% include the mid-size airlines, regional and commuter carriers and charter airlines. These airlines continue to need and hire flight attendants on their flights.In addition, the fastest growing sector of aviation is the corporate or executive jet Flight Attendant employment opportunities. These luxurious private and corporate aircraft cater to a high-end clientele, and require professionally trained flight attendants as well.
If you think you must be a young fashion-model type to be considered for this much sought-after job, you would be mistaken. So says Tim Kirkwood, author of the best-selling career book, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT JOB FINDER & CAREER GUIDE. Airlines today are looking for women and men between the ages of eighteen to sixty, who have the desire to travel and work with people.
This broader acceptance of applicants opens the career up to persons who had never considered themselves qualified. It also, therefore, increases the competition for potential applicants. Every airline has a different set of requirements, and some will even look for the characteristics of the region in which they fly.
A high-school diploma or GED is a must, so if you're in school now, STAY IN SCHOOL. If you have quit or dropped out, it's never too late to go back and get your diploma. For all airlines, it is a requirement for employment. Additional schooling, which can improve your chances of acceptance, includes sociology, psychology, history, geography, and foreign languages.
Nearly all airlines will train you as a part of the hiring process, even if you've worked for another airline, or attended one of the expensive airline "schools". I recommend you look for an inexpensive local community college or adult education course that offers class in Travel & Tourism, or an introduction to the Flight Attendant Career, such as the one offered by Cypress College (http://votech.cypresscollege.edu/~atc/).
Most airlines set height requirements to correspond with the size of the aircraft they operate. Too tall, and you're bumping your head on the ceiling. Too short, and you may not be able to reach the overhead compartments. If you're between 5' and 6', you'll be within the range the airlines are looking for.
Weight restrictions have come under fire lately, brought on by lawsuits against the impossibly strict standards set decades ago. The phrase you will hear now is "weight must be in proportion to height". Being in good physical condition is important, as the job can be physically demanding. Combine unusual hours, time zone changes, strange hotel rooms and the dry atmosphere of the airplane, and you have the making of physical exhaustion. Applicants are tested for drug use when hired and then randomly after that for the rest of their career. Even if you are using illegal drugs on a sporadic or "recreational" basis, you must quit now. You can also be alcohol tested throughout your career, as drinking is not permitted at anytime while on duty or in uniform.
The traveling public has the general impression that flight attendants are on board the airplane simply to serve food and coffee. The Federal Aviation Administration, a government organization that oversees aviation safety, sees it completely different. Their role is to ensure that the flying public is safe when they fly, and requires flight attendants on board to provide assistance in flight, and to get the passengers out of the aircraft in an emergency. You will learn basic first-aid, CPR, fire-fighting techniques as part of your training. In fact, the majority of training you will receive will have more to do with safety, than how to pour a glass of wine.
What is it then, which makes this job one of the most sought-after in America? Flexibility, variety, and travel are the top three reasons.

Flexibility. Most people work all week, with perhaps one or two days off over the weekend. Most receive one to two weeks of vacation per year. As a flight attendant, you have the ability to group your flights together in a given month, and have 1-2 weeks off every month! And that is in addition to your regular vacation time. You can use this free time to utilize your travel benefits, continue your education, or run your own business.

Variety. Since you are able to move your schedule around to suit your personal life, you are also able to escape the nine-to-five, Monday through Friday drudgery. And each flight is to a different city, with different crews, and different passengers. It's very hard to get bored.

Travel. Most airline employees receive passes to fly on their own airline for free, or for a small fee. In addition, other airlines will offer you 50-75% discounts on their tickets. Hotels, rental cars, cruises, tour packages all have some discount schedule for airline employees also. Put it all together, and you have the flexibility to travel to a variety of places, at an extremely low cost. How could anyone not want to be an airline flight attendant?

Well, to begin with, the hours can be long and irregular. The work can be tiring, the passengers demanding or even abusive. The atmosphere in the aircraft at altitude is extremely drying. Snowstorms, labor disputes, or mechanical breakdowns can disrupt schedules. Perhaps your plans to attend your friends' wedding will be spoiled by a storm that traps you in Des Moines. And there is the constant fear of a crash, although statistics say you have a better chance of being hit by lightening than experiencing a plane crash. This is more than a career choice. This is a lifestyle change to which you must give careful thought.
And what do the airline recruiters look for? Once again the big word is flexibility. If you are able to be flexible in your attitude and lifestyle, and work well both alone, and with a group of people, then you have the basic building blocks to pursue your career in the skies. Spend some time in your local library, researching the airlines, or reading the books available on flight attendant careers. You can also find a wealth of information on the Internet, or World Wide Web. When you have chosen the airlines that match your career criteria, contact them by mail and request an application. Then, START PACKING!


TIM KIRKWOOD, currently in his 32nd year as an airline flight attendant for a major US carrier, is the author and publisher of THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT JOB FINDER & CAREER GUIDE. For more information on the Guide, call 1-800-7-FLIGHT, or visit us on the web at www.FlightAttendantCareerGuide.com.