3 qualities that separate a great air hostess from the rest

A career as an air hostess can be both exciting and glamorous. But then those are just the qualities on the surface. A lot of people have the idea that the career only involves travelling to different places around the world. But being the go-to person for a plane full of passengers mid-air comes with a lot of responsibilities and the ability to stay calm under pressure and manage situations as they come up. Are you someone dreaming to make a career in the aviation industry but wondering where to start?

There are two ways you can make an inroad into the airline hospitality space. These are:

1. By completing an Air hostess course
2. By attending a walk-in interview with an airline company

Let’s look at each of these one by one.

Air Hostess Courses

The minimum required qualification to become an air hostess in India is to have successfully completed the Class 12th examinations. After you have completed school, you can then apply for an Air Hostess course from a reputed school. Most airline companies in the country recruit students who have completed such courses. Some of the courses that can prepare you to excel in the field are:

• Diploma in Airline and travel management
• Diploma in Aviation and hospitality management
• Certificate course in Air hostess and flight purser

Most courses available for those training to be air hostess usually lasts around three to six months depending on the school. Students who are pursing or have completed a degree or course in Hotel Management also stand a fair chance of getting a job as an Air Hostess with any of the major airlines.

Walk-in interview with an Airline company

Walk-in interviews are another avenue to directly enrol in the air hostess training programmes conducted by leading airlines in the country. However, to be successful via this route, you’ll need to pass a number of stringent interviews and tests. Airlines organising these interviews place enormous importance on the quality of candidates they are recruiting. As the profile of airline staff a customer facing one, aviation leaders are quite particular about who they recruit. Hence, looking your best, developing the relevant skill and choosing the correct airline to begin with makes the biggest difference here.

Qualities that are prized in Air Hostesses

Being a part of the cabin crew on any flight, domestic or international, is a tough job. It will entail dealing with anxious flyers, crying babies, long duty hours and a host of other circumstances that ground personnel rarely face. To make sure that the candidate can take all of this in their stride and continue service with a smile, a challenging selection procedure is put in place. Three of the foremost qualities that they will look for are:

1. Customer Service: Undoubtedly this is one of the most important qualities in any customer facing job. But when it comes to cabin crew or an air hostess, this is a must-have. Air hostess work under challenging circumstances, often needing to analyse situations and manage them so as to maintain decorum while a flight is in the air.
2. Communication skills: As a flight attendant you’ll be communicating with a multinational team and passengers from different parts of the globe. You must master the art of listening and figuring out what the real needs of your customers are so that it reflects well on the airline you are working for.
3. Caring and understanding: Customers in-flight can go through a diverse range of problems and anxieties and as an air hostess, you must be able to demonstrate empathy and understanding.

Working as part of a cabin crew team can be challenging because of the conditions of the job - but then it can also be exciting as you get to meet new people and explore new places. However, all of this is underlined by the fact that air hostesses are the face of the airline they work for. They must be able to present the best version of themselves, and facilitate a comfortable journey for their passengers at all times. So do you have it in you?