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Air Hostess / Cabin Crew

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I know this is rather off at a tangent to every other work related thing I've posted here, but anyway..

I'm currently job hunting and have applied for quite a few admin/clerical jobs (like I do now) and am currently waiting for replies. Meanwhile, there was an ad in this week's local paper for Cabin Crew with KLM. I live near Humberside airport (about 15 drive away) which is where KLM have a base, with daily scheduled flights to Amsterdam and Aberdeen.

When I was younger (am 21 now) I looked in to becoming an air hostess (don't laugh!) but when I found out the minimum age was 20-22 for most airlines, I put it out of my mind and got on with something attainable. After school and college, I worked as a waitress for 11months (a kind of "year out") in a top local restaurant and then started doing what I do now two years ago.

Now that this chance has come up, I'm going to fill the forms in and send them back, asap, and hope that I get invited to the open/training day on October 5. As far as I can see, I meet all the requirements.

Now, I know we probably haven't got many air hostesses amongst us, but I was wondering if anyone else had ever looked into it and/or knew of any good resources I could find on the 'net that would tell me more about the job? Any good or bad points, etc? :)

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote:
    I got a job as cabin crew this year :grump: and I think Briony works for citiexpress

    If you can ram your own head so far up your own arse that it re-appears onto your shoulders you'll be fine.. but then again maybe thats just our crew

    The industry is *VERY* fickle, and having to deal with people that are extremely ignorant/utterly stupid everyday can sometimes take it's toll

    I was watching something on TV about a month ago about the health risks associated with aircrew and cosmic radiation etc. If you want to push and pull carts all day... (sorry I'm not trying to put you off, just I'm totally disillusioned with the whole industry now)

    Anyhoo, if you want a few pointers for interviews and what happens at these open days drop me a line and I'll fill you in :)

    cosmic radiation is cool though
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote:
    I got a job as cabin crew this year :grump: and I think Briony works for citiexpress

    If you can ram your own head so far up your own arse that it re-appears onto your shoulders you'll be fine.. but then again maybe thats just our crew

    The industry is *VERY* fickle, and having to deal with people that are extremely ignorant/utterly stupid everyday can sometimes take it's toll

    I was watching something on TV about a month ago about the health risks associated with aircrew and cosmic radiation etc. If you want to push and pull carts all day... (sorry I'm not trying to put you off, just I'm totally disillusioned with the whole industry now)

    Anyhoo, if you want a few pointers for interviews and what happens at these open days drop me a line and I'll fill you in :)

    LOL, no joys of cabin crew-ing you have to share then? ;) Thanks for the above. I'll send off the forms and get in touch if I get invited for interview :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    But working as a stewardess you have to deal with pervs like me who pretend that they can't do up their seatbelt if a hot stewardess is within earshot. The long flights just, excuse the pun, fly by.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote:
    Is it just Scheduled airlines you want to work for?

    No, it's just that that's what's on offer with KLM from my nearest airport. When I looked into it when I was younger I didn't want to move away from home, and if I'm honest, I still don't want to right now - wouldn't make any sense to move somewhere else at the minute. In a couple of years time, when I move with my bfs job, I'll be near Birmingham and East Midlands so I guess I'd have to look for a similar job with an airline based at either of those.
    have to deal with pervs

    Can't see that bothering me - I work with an office of self-confessed "dirty old men" already! :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I went to 3 interviews with airlines, even travelled from Chester down to Luton airport for one but after 3 rejections i gave up with it. Met a lot of people and didnt like it.
    Theres always a lot of people and generally they aint the down to earth chatty types. nobody really spoke to anyone, and if they did theylooked like they knew each other already. I dont think anyone smiled for fear of cracking their caked on make up.
    Im sure some of them are very nice, and i still think itd be a cool job. Maybe i just didnt fit in as such.
    And the money is shit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sikorah wrote:
    And the money is shit.

    You get dry skin aswell. :crying:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    5 years ago when i'd just turned 20 i applied to 6 airlines. I got interviews for 5 of them and got nowhere to be quite honest. I basically got told i looked too young and to come back in a few years time. It really got me down to be honest as the people being picked for second time interviews were the ones who were stunning girls or pretty boy lads. Not saying that it's always like this by the way, just on the ones i went on.

    I can remember one interview for virgin (i went from nottingham to crawley for the bloody thing) and there was a really pretty girl from devon there. Everyone else gave really good intelligent answers as to why they wanted to be cabin crew. When they said to her "why do you want this job" her reply was "Cos devons boring and i feel like i need to get out of there". :chin: Funny enough they picked her to go through to the second level interview so i packed my bag and felt bloody relieved when i walked out of there :yes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The more and more I've thought about this, maybe it's not such a good idea after all. If I got the job, I'd probably be wandering around in a state of disbelief for a week in a "OMG my life's really gonna change now!" kinda way!

    I don't see that much of my bf now and, although we're strong, I wouldn't want to do anything to risk causing us a problem. He's all for it at the minute, but in reality it might not work out like that! As for what Carolina just said, I admit I'm not the prettiest girl in the world - have a fairly good figure, but I don't think I'm textbook pretty if you know what I mean. And plus I don't wear makeup religiously now, it's only a "when I can be bothered" thing.

    Hmm.. do I sound like I've just talked myself out of it? :chin:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As for what Carolina just said, I admit I'm not the prettiest girl in the world - have a fairly good figure, but I don't think I'm textbook pretty if you know what I mean. And plus I don't wear makeup religiously now, it's only a "when I can be bothered" thing. QUOTE]

    To be honest i think things have changed in the last five years. Airlines like Bmi baby and easyjet seem to have come away from the "everyone needs to be a beautician" look and seem to be employing people based on their skills in customer service/intelligence instead of just being looks based. I didn't mean to put you off :no: I'm just a bitter i think :blush: It's a real bone of contention between me and others as people at the mo are trying to push me to go for it again and i just can't do it. My auntie was quite high up in the virgin stakes and i think i felt i had to live up to that. Have you thought about land crew? Working at one of the airports instead of being up in the air travelling all the time? That way you could also stay near your blokie?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Flight Attendant

    I work for United Airlines and there are some very average (I'm being kind) flight attendants that work for us. I agree that the industry has changed a lot sice 9/11. I think passengers are a lot more concerned now with safety and how competent flight attendants are than they used to be.

    It's always nice to have eye candy during a flight, I realize, but I think that there are more important issues now.

    On a different note, there is a very good DVD that just came out came out about flight attendants called "The Aviary." It was written and produced by a flight attendant and is an interesting insider's percpective on the world of aviation.

    You can check out the FA's website and watch the trailer at: www.theaviarymovie.com

    Also, here is a review of the film with some production photos and a good plot synopsis:TheAviaryAnvilandSprocketreview
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    hey there, i am also currently looking into it. There is an open day coming up here in Cape Town and I just want to know what exactly happens at these open days???
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    viccimouse wrote:
    hey there, i am also currently looking into it. There is an open day coming up here in Cape Town and I just want to know what exactly happens at these open days???

    Dude. Thread. Dead.

    And this is a UK based forum so I can't see anyone being able to answer your question, tbh.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh, I'd forgotten all about this!

    Just to finish it off, I got a letter back after my application saying I met all of the criteria but by the time I'd applied they had filled all the places on the assessment/training day.

    In July this year I got a letter from KLM offering me a place on their next assessment day (I think it was on Aug 3rd) but I turned it down because I'm settled in the clerical job I'm doing now.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote:
    but its such a great job

    You weren't saying that eleven months ago! :p
    rachie004 wrote:
    Don't really fancy it much anymore tbh :(

    I don't know what the salary was that they were offering, but I'm earning just over £16k without any great upheaval and without putting a lot of effort into my job (I do less than half the work I did before for £6k more!) - I'd be nuts to risk losing that!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm thinking about applying next year for Virgin Atlantic, where my mate works... need a big image upheaval before then like!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh, now you're making me regret not going :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I might be moving to Staffordshire by this time next year - it wouldn't be worth me training for next summer now. I'm just going to stay where I am and try to actually save the extra money I'm being paid!

    I'll probably one of the things I regret in life... I'm 22 now, even going into it in a couple of years time (once I'm secure wherever I move to) would be too late in life really, wouldn't it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote:
    Virgin pay peanuts babes :(

    in April last year I'd been totally shafted by MyArse so no one could blame me for not fancying it :p I was chatting to someone I used to work with on the ground there and I'm WELL away from it :) my mate flies for them now and he's forever on minimum rest :( he might get to go to some exotic places but he has to practically sell his sole before he gets off the aircraft!

    the basic IS piss poor but you make up for it in flight allowances and the odd bit/alot of commission (depending on what sort of airline you're working for). like I got sent away on Monday with work and I got paid my hourly allowance EVERY hour until I got back to my home base this afternoon - I'm SO looking forward to next months pay - chaching!

    Seriously though it is SO much fun. I have a chance to move to LGW and do mixed flying but I have so much fun working for the regional devision on smaller aircraft I just don't want to go :D :hyper:

    I dunno what flights you do, like... but I don't want to do short haul. If I'm going to do it, I want long haul baby! Also, my mate has a pretty average basic wage - but she pretty much lives off her allowances. So it isn't all bad - and you get on some amazing trips. She texted me today from Dubai where she was on safari - and next week she'll be doing a Grenada flight then passengering to Barbados - 5 days altogether. Can't go wrong - in my eyes anyway.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote:
    I'd rather I've done this while I'm younger though, so I haven't had the chance to develop a career anywhere else (granted I left a job as a check-in chick where I could have moved to be a traffic agent) but even so, I have so so so SO much fun where I am now!

    If flying is something that you want to do/will always intrigue you it will never EVER leave you. If you do it and don't like it then at least you've done it, if you do it and love it... then you're doomed really :p

    Thanks for that :) I guess I'll see how I feel in a couple of years time. I still haven't decided on a definite career yet anyway so I guess it's never too late to change my mind to something else (again!). So far it's changed from esatet agents, hospitality, insurance and now human resources - and they're only the ones I've actually done, never mind the ones I've just thought about!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well i gather they are all basically the same smart ass. Ever thought of that??? Guess not
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    viccimouse wrote:
    well i gather they are all basically the same smart ass. Ever thought of that??? Guess not

    No need for that tbh.

    It was a dead thread, if you are that interested (and like littlemissy said, there wont be overly many people to help you) start a new thread.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Air Hostess

    This is a reply to the person wanting to know about becoming an air hostess, well i am intrested in becoming an air hostess in two years time when i finish a travel and tourism course in college. I bought a book online which tells you everything about becoming an airhostess....things like what to put on your application form and what to say in an interview etc etc. I know this book would come in very handy, so the website i found this on was....http://www.travelvocation.com/soyouwanttobeaircabincrew
    I hope this has come in use to you and you have a very succesful career in the travel and tourism industry, Good Luck xxx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Inspiring FA movie for those just starting out

    <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HRZwU3HxGR0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HRZwU3HxGR0&quot; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

    http://theaviarymovie.com/mainpage.htm
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    oooooooooo
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote: »
    TWICE

    Thrice
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    At least you're not being interviewed by the police for nicking the Malibu miniatures :D
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