Flight attendants and stewards. Steward is not a profession, but a calling

The profession of a flight attendant appeared when the first airliners were launched. At first, their duties were performed by the assistant pilot. However, this was not very convenient, since he has his own functions, so it was decided to appoint a separate specialist for this position. Thanks to this, service has improved and the level of safety on board the aircraft has also increased.

Some people think that there is nothing difficult about being a flight attendant. It would seem that you walk around in a beautiful uniform, deliver drinks, fly to different countries and you get a lot of money for it, but is this really so? Of course not. Any profession has its difficulties, and as for a flight attendant, there are a lot of requirements for her. In order to become one, desire alone is not enough. You must receive an appropriate education, have excellent health, have a suitable build, and much more.

A flight attendant is an ordinary employee on board an airliner who performs the duties of service personnel. First of all, such an employee is responsible for the safety of passengers and for providing first aid. Previously, in order to become a flight attendant, you had to have a nursing degree. In addition, they had to perform difficult and even sometimes overwhelming work for women, which consisted of unloading luggage, sending the plane to the hangar, etc. Today, this profession does not provide such responsibilities, but it is still quite difficult to become a flight attendant. Here are the basic requirements for a representative of this profession:

• appropriate higher education;
• excellent health, which is checked by a special medical commission;
• youth, since people over 30 don’t take this job;
• It is desirable that the candidate for this position be of short stature, average build and good appearance;
• clear speech and diction, pleasant voice;
• knowledge of two languages ​​(native + English);
• cuteness and smileiness.

Even 80 years ago, flight attendants had to be unmarried, up to 160 cm tall and weighing up to 52 kg. Today the situation has changed somewhat. Working women can have husbands and even children.

What is the difference between a flight attendant and a flight attendant: duties of the employee

The only difference between a flight attendant and a flight attendant is that the first option is colloquial, and the second is official. In the work book and on the badge it is written “flight attendant” or “flight attendant”, and flight attendant is a public, colloquial name. The duties of a flight attendant include:

1. Meeting and accommodation of passengers.
2. Catering during the flight. This also includes serving drinks to those interested.
3. Guaranteed safety on board in accordance with safety regulations.
4. Preparing passengers for flight.
5. Providing medical assistance if one of the passengers becomes ill.
6. Checking first aid equipment.
7. Temperature control on board the aircraft.
8. Inspection of the salon for sanitary and hygienic standards.
9. Checking the aircraft for prohibited items.
10. Monitoring the behavior of passengers, suppressing conflicts.
11. Checking internal communications.
12. Information about flight time.
13. Reception and placement of kitchen and pantry items.
14. Clarification of all questions of interest that may come from passengers during the flight.
15. Filling out documentation on board.

Let us note that this profession is very responsible and serious. That is why in order to become a flight attendant, you must have the following qualities: communication skills; patience; restraint; ability to find a way out of conflict situations; sense of humor; determination; ability to take responsibility; diligence; erudition; emotional stability; speed of reaction; attentiveness; ability to distribute attention; discipline; punctuality; good memory; three-dimensional vision; diplomacy; tolerance; intelligence; technical mindset. This profession is absolutely not suitable for those who get lost in difficult situations, do not know how to make decisions and are afraid of heights. That is why, when appointing to this position, all the nuances are taken into account, a serious selection takes place and only the best become flight attendants.

Pros and cons of the profession

On the one hand, working as a flight attendant is very interesting and romantic. You constantly meet new people, fly to different cities and countries, you get new emotions and impressions. But, on the other hand, this is a great responsibility, distance from home and loved ones, as well as the specificity of constantly spending time in the air. Those who are willing to put up with such shortcomings become real masters of their craft and receive high fees. Let's take a closer look at why the profession of a flight attendant is attractive.

Positives:

1. The opportunity to see the world not in a picture, but in reality.
2. High wages, permanent benefits, vouchers, social packages and social guarantees.
3. 45 calendar days of vacation per year.
4. An interesting and rich life.
5. Retirement at 45.
6. Honor and respect.

Among the negative aspects the following can be noted:

• constant climate change;
• work that can be classified as active;
• constant overloads;
• strict age restrictions;
• increased threat to life.

Unfortunately, it is difficult for flight attendants and flight attendants to start a family, since they spend most of their lives at work and are practically never at home. It is very difficult to find a life partner who would be willing to put up with the specifics of this job. Unfortunately, women often undermine their health at such work, as a result of which they begin to develop gynecological problems that can lead to infertility. That is why, when choosing such a specific career, you need to decide what is most important to you in life and whether you are ready to face the difficulties that may arise along the way. There are many cases where women, after working as flight attendants for 1-2 years, abandoned their positions because they realized that this was not their calling and they were not ready to risk their lives and health.

How to become a flight attendant?

A higher education and desire are not enough to get you hired as a flight attendant. First you need to prove to everyone that you are really suitable for this position. It is very important to apply to several airlines after graduating from university, since there is no guarantee that they will immediately consider you for this position. Perhaps somewhere you will be offered to take special training courses at the airline. There they will look at you, evaluate your potential and, if there are no problems, they will hire you.

To become a flight attendant, you need to study a lot, be diligent, diligent and erudite. It is important to fully devote yourself to your career and strive to be the best. In this case, you will pass all the tests and receive the desired position, which will subsequently bring you not only honor and respect, but also high wages, many benefits and unforgettable impressions. In addition, you cannot ignore the fact that you will really interesting life, causing envy among many people. Just the opportunity to visit most countries of the world for free is worth it.

Performing passenger service work on them, but mainly responsible for the safety of passengers (in the event of an accident - assistance to passengers, etc.).

On sea tourist cruise ships The responsibilities of a steward (stewardess) include:

1. Passenger service: 1.1. Explanation of rules of conduct and safety in sea ​​cruise; 1.2. Familiarization of passengers with the elements of the ship's regulations; 1.3. Explanation of the structure of the ship - what is where, that is, it is required to show the location of bars, restaurants, shops, places active recreation- courts, swimming pools, etc. 1.4. Escorting passengers of their sector during ship alarms in case of fire or flooding of the ship to the boat deck. 2. Maintaining cleanliness in passenger cabins. 3. Participation in certain organizational and entertainment events constantly held on board the ship for the entertainment of passengers. 4. Other varied technically uncomplicated work on the ship during the steward’s working hours.

IN civil aviation(GA) flight attendants are members of the cabin crew.

Flight attendants in air transport

Singaporean flight attendants in nationally stylized uniforms (color determined by rank)

In military aviation

USSR and Russian Federation on all types of aircraft, including transport, passenger, staff and flight steward positions not provided as such; Passengers and order in the cabin (cargo compartment) are monitored by one of the crew members: ADO flight technician, flight mechanic, operator, etc. All passengers are completely self-service, including worrying about their food during the flight independently and in advance. All passengers of the aircraft, without exception, are subordinate to the captain of the crew (ship) and are obliged to unquestioningly fulfill all legal requirements of the crew members of the aircraft. Regardless of rank and position, none of the passengers has the right to give instructions or interfere with the work of the crew.

Literature

• Vladislav Morozov. Princesses of the Fifth Ocean (Russian) // Aviation and Cosmonautics. - M., 2018. - No. 3. - pp. 10-19. -

Details

A flight attendant is not only for girls; there is also a place for men in this profession. How can a man become a flight attendant? Let's find out!

It so happens that when it comes to flight attendants, most immediately imagine a charming girl. A sort of heroine of a song about a flight attendant named Zhanna, who is adored, desired and beautiful.

However, becoming a flight attendant is not only possible for a man, but even easier than for women.

How can a man become a flight attendant?

There is no special catch here; the process of entering the profession for men is the same as for women. Moreover, initially, at the dawn of civil aviation, only men worked as stewards. However, at that time women were generally given mainly the opportunity to sit at home and raise children. That’s why men never thought about how to become a flight attendant before, because they were the only ones hired to work as stewards.

But gradually the profession of a flight attendant began to take on a feminine face. Despite the fact that now the majority of flight attendant workers are women, a male steward is still not uncommon. Many airlines purposefully recruit male staff. You can’t do without a man on board; strength is often needed, for example, to lift a heavy suitcase to the top bunk.

Male steward - requirements

How can a man become a flight attendant? First of all, you need to meet the requirements. For male flight attendants, they include height from 170 to 185, clothing size up to 54, vision up to -2.5, and must have a military ID or registration certificate. There should be no tattoos, scars, birthmarks, piercings or other defects on visible parts of the body (face, neck, hands).

Keep in mind that your health must be excellent, because the work will be difficult, frequent changes in time zones and climate, pressure changes - poor health is excluded here. All this will be checked at the medical board. In business aviation, health requirements are much more relaxed. Also, they can take you there, for example, with a tattoo.

English must be available. As a rule, at least Pre-Intermediate is required, but men are accepted as flight attendants even with knowledge at the Elementary level, if the candidate continues to study. Also, all airlines provide the opportunity to study English language in their courses.

The algorithm of actions on how to become a flight attendant for a man, as is already clear, is the same as for women. You need to fill out a form and send it to the HR department of the airline where you want to work. Many people send to several at once. Airlines recruit cabin crew members frequently; some, like Aeroflot, conduct screenings on a regular basis. All candidates must pass an interview and an air flight medical commission (VLEK).

If your profile is suitable, you will be invited for an interview. Here the male steward still has a slight advantage. There are significantly fewer men who come and therefore, involuntarily, special treatment is given to them.

The interview takes place in three stages. First, candidates talk with members of the commission, answer questions, talk about themselves, why they want to become a steward, whether they want to work in the service industry, why they chose this airline and not some other, etc. Then the stage of psychological testing. All candidates undergo tests that reveal their personal qualities. The third stage is passing an English proficiency exam. The exam includes a grammar test, a listening test and an oral conversation with an examiner. All tasks are related to the work of a flight attendant. At the same time, you can be expelled at any stage.

Candidates for the steward profession who have passed the interview are given a referral to VLEK. Also, you will have to take care in advance of having some medical certificates from medical institutions at your place of residence, such as a certificate from a psychiatrist, a certificate from a drug treatment clinic, etc.

After passing all interviews and tests, as well as a medical examination, men are told how to become a flight attendant in training courses; this stage is mandatory. Nonresidents need to take care of living in the city where the training will take place. Most initial flight attendant training courses take place in Moscow, as this is where many airlines have their headquarters.

Courses for new flight attendants last approximately 3 months. The training schedule is quite intense, 6 days a week from morning to evening. The structure of the aircraft, various rules and regulations are studied, actions in various situations are practiced, and training is carried out on a mock-up of the aircraft cabin and simulators.

After the theoretical course, each flight attendant will have an internship, during which he will fly as a trainee. The flight limit for transition to independent units is 30 hours in flight. After practice, an exam is taken and, if successfully passed, the male steward begins to work independently at the airline.

Here is a short list of steps on how to become a flight attendant for a man. As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. If you decide to work in aviation, you will succeed.

How much do flight attendants earn? What are the responsibilities of people with the profession of flight attendant? Find out from the article where to study to become a flight attendant and what the flight attendant’s work schedule is.

One of the most romantic and interesting professions is working as a steward on aircraft. In addition to the opportunity to travel for free, have discounts on air tickets and hotel accommodations, a nice bonus is the solid salary of a flight attendant. For example, even the minimum amount of remuneration for work in this profession starts at a threshold of 30 thousand rubles.

What is the profession of a flight attendant? Job responsibilities

The main responsibility of a flight attendant is to provide a comfortable and safe environment for airline passengers. Despite the fact that the steward is a junior member of the aircraft crew, a colossal amount of responsibility rests on his shoulders. He is the face of the board, the face of the airline. It is the flight attendant who meets passengers before the flight, is in close contact with them throughout the flight, plays the role of a doctor, psychologist, conflict specialist, waiter, bartender, rescuer and simply a good conversationalist.
What functions does a flight attendant perform:

• Provides information support to passengers regarding ship rules, safety, and emergency action plans
• Cleans the interior, maintains cleanliness, and maintains order in the area entrusted to him.
• Provides food and drinks for passengers
• Organizes a range of entertainment services: press, watching TV, radio, etc.
• Provides items for a comfortable flight as needed: blankets, pillows, sanitary and hygiene kits
• Meets passengers on board, escorts them to their seats, helps stow hand luggage
• At the end of the flight, he sees off the passengers and checks the cabin for any items left behind. Hands them over to the lost and found department
• Accepts in-flight meals, items for serving air travelers: napkins, toilet paper, towels, etc.
• Provides first aid and psychological support
• Prevents and resolves conflict situations among passengers on board

Important! A flight attendant is a responsible profession. It is these crew members who are responsible for the lives of people in the cabin in case of an emergency. Before the flight, the steward is obliged to check the condition of emergency equipment, teach passengers how to use it, and monitor its correct use in the event of an emergency. He must monitor whether there are any suspicious objects, ownerless bags, or people with strange behavior in the cabin and inform the ship’s commander at the first suspicion.

Flight attendant education. Where to study and what exams you need to pass

To train as a flight attendant, most often it is not necessary to have a higher education; a secondary specialized education is sufficient. Airlines and air terminals organize training courses for this profession. They can be paid or free, with employment and a mandatory contract for a certain period of time. At the end, future flight attendants take exams and begin racking up their instructor hours in the sky. According to the rules, you need to fly with an instructor for 30 hours to get permission to work.

Interesting! For those wishing to fly international flights more stringent selection requirements are imposed. A higher medical or psychological education, knowledge of several foreign languages, and work experience in an airline will also play a role.

What are the requirements for those wishing to learn this profession?

• Knowledge of foreign languages, English required
• Skills in working in the service sector, the ability to quickly respond in conflict situations, find contact with different passengers
• Absolute health
• Presentable appearance, tattoos and scars are not allowed. Height and weight must be within acceptable parameters
• Availability of a military ID for males
• Good physical shape, ability to swim

Flight attendant training can be completed in just three months.
This is how long special courses last, which include the following blocks:

• Emergency rescue activities
• Flight attendant's appearance
• Aviation English
• Basics of first aid
• Water preparation
• Service Basics
• Fundamentals of psychology and conflictology

During the learning process, students perform practical tasks and study the theoretical basis. In practice, classes are held on medical care, simulation of emergency incidents, basics of makeup, and passenger service. In the theoretical part, students study how an airplane works, psychology, and languages.

How much can you earn as a flight attendant?

The salary of a flight attendant depends on his experience, the number of hours in the sky, and the airline. The minimum threshold starts from 30 thousand rubles per month. How much do experienced flight attendants from leading airlines earn on international flights? Sometimes the monthly remuneration reaches 100 thousand rubles. The average salary, therefore, is 65 thousand, which classifies the profession as highly paid, especially considering that the steward is a junior member of the crew.
A nice bonus is compulsory medical insurance in good clinics, discount cards in international hotel chains, regular bonuses, an excellent social package, which sometimes even includes payment for kindergarten for children.

Flight attendant work schedule

The whole life of a flight attendant is subject to a flight plan, which can change for various reasons - from weather conditions before the flight is rescheduled. Therefore, the flight attendant does not have a clear schedule.
The work is shift work, weekends fall between flights, on any day of the week, not necessarily on Saturday or Sunday. It is considered the norm for a steward to be called to a flight on a day off, so people in this profession are always in touch with their superiors. But a flight attendant's vacation is 72 days; they rest twice a year for a whole month.

Pitfalls. Are there any health or age restrictions for flight attendants?

Let's consider the disadvantages of working as a steward in air transport:

• Irregular work schedule
• A small opportunity to grow your career
• Regular change climatic conditions leads to health problems

An applicant for the coveted vacancy must have excellent health. Must not be registered with specialists, have a stable nervous system, and a balanced character.
There are no age restrictions for flight attendants. The profession refers to work with harmful and dangerous working conditions, so a steward retires at 45 years old (women) and 50 years old (men). If the flight attendant’s appearance and health allow it, he may well work on the ship until retirement.

Required languages ​​for a flight attendant: video

We present to your attention a video dedicated to the topic of linguistic education for flight attendants. What foreign languages ​​are important for flight attendants and is English enough?

If you believe glossy magazines, then every girl wants to become a model, singer or actress. However, practice shows that this is not entirely true. Many girls are attracted not by the glitter of spotlights, fashion shows and world catwalks, but by the romance of the sky, private travel and the stylish beautiful uniform of a flight attendant. Not the least role is played by not only the prestige of this profession, but also the fairly high salaries of flight attendants.

If you believe glossy magazines, then every girl wants to become a model, singer or... However, practice shows that this is not entirely true. Many girls are attracted not by the shine of spotlights, fashion shows and world catwalks, but by the romance of the sky, private travel and a stylish, beautiful uniform flight attendants. Not the least role is played by not only the prestige of this profession, but also the fairly high salaries of flight attendants.

But is the profession of a flight attendant as wonderful as it seems at first glance? Is the work of a flight attendant really a continuous holiday and an extravaganza of unforgettable impressions? In fact, the professional activity of “heavenly angels” (this is what flight attendants are sometimes called) has a number of features due to which this profession can be called not only interesting, but also incredibly difficult. But what these features are you will learn in this article.

Who is a flight attendant?

stewardess) – an aircraft enlisted specialist and cabin crew member who serves passengers and is responsible for their safety. Since flight attendants (and stewards) are a kind of “face” of the airline, they are subject to increased requirements in terms of external and physical characteristics: for girls - clothing size 42-48, height 160-175 cm; for boys – clothing size 46-54, height 170-185; attractive appearance, pleasant voice, age up to 30 years.

The name of the profession comes from the English steward (manager), from which we can conclude that flight attendants act as managers of the aircraft cabin. To some extent, this is true, since during the flight it is the flight attendants who are the “hostesses” of the cabin, receiving guests - passengers. Official release date flight attendant profession It is considered to be 1930, when Boeing Airlines first hired female flight attendants (before that). Note that the first flight attendants not only served passengers, but also weighed luggage and passengers, cleaned the cabin after the end of the flight, helped refuel the plane and roll it into the parking lot.

Modern flight attendants, fortunately, do not need to do anything like that. The list of their responsibilities is limited exclusively to serving the aircraft crew and passengers. Flight attendants meet and accommodate passengers on board, explain the rules of behavior on board the aircraft and monitor their implementation, talk about how to behave in case of unforeseen situations and, if necessary, provide first aid, serve lunches and soft drinks, and check emergency equipment - life-saving equipment, monitor the sanitary condition of the aircraft.

What personal qualities should a flight attendant have?

As you might guess, flight attendant job is directly related to communication with a variety of people, so “heavenly angels,” first of all, must be polite, sociable and balanced. In addition, the list of personal qualities that a flight attendant must have includes:

Also, the flight attendant must speak at least one foreign language, know the basics of social psychology, have skills in handling emergency equipment and providing service to the crew and passengers.

Benefits of becoming a flight attendant

It’s not difficult to guess what the main advantage of being a flight attendant lies in the special atmosphere of romance that surrounds not only the flight attendant’s place of work, but also her entire professional activity. Vivid emotions unforgettable experience, new meetings and life among the clouds - all this is an integral part of the work of a flight attendant.

It is also important that the “heavenly angels” have the opportunity not only (and, mind you, to receive quite high wages for this), but also to buy fashionable and high-quality things for themselves and their relatives at European prices. Agree that for young girls this advantage of this profession can be decisive.

It is also worth saying that the professional duties of flight attendants leave a certain imprint on the attitude of flight attendants towards themselves. Representatives of this profession are so accustomed to always maintaining an impeccable appearance and maintaining equanimity even in the most difficult situations, as in everyday life involuntarily adhere to these habits. And this greatly helps them both in their personal lives and in building a career in the future, when the profession of a flight attendant becomes inaccessible to them.

Disadvantages of being a flight attendant

Despite the fact that at first glance, the work of a flight attendant seems like a dream come true, consisting of only advantages, there are also disadvantages. And the main disadvantage of being a flight attendant can be called strict age restrictions. Very rarely does a woman over 30 become a “heavenly angel”. Moreover, even experienced flight attendants with an excellent track record are forced to “retire” after 30 years, since the management of almost all airlines is confident that only young girls can have the necessary impact on passengers.

Now let's talk about traveling around the world. Yes, flight attendants have the opportunity to visit various parts of our planet. But visiting does not mean sightseeing and getting acquainted with the culture of other peoples. As a rule, airline flights in one direction and the other are carried out at intervals of 2-3 hours, so flight attendants simply do not have time not only to see the sights, but also to simply walk around the surroundings of the hotel where they rest between flights.

One cannot help but mention the rather difficult working conditions:

• firstly, on every flight you may encounter unpleasant passengers who are rude, make scandals and treat flight attendants like service personnel. But no matter how unpleasant the passenger is, flight attendants should always smile and calmly react to aggression;
• secondly, when setting off on their next flight, aircraft crew members, including flight attendants, worry not only about the safety of passengers, but also about their own lives. After all, the aircraft is a high-risk transport, technical problems of which can lead to irreversible consequences;
• thirdly, frequent changes in time zones, pressure changes, noise, vibration and radiation have a negative impact on the health of flight attendants, which causes problems such as varicose veins, gynecological diseases, neurosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia and musculoskeletal diseases - musculoskeletal system.

Where can you get a job as a flight attendant?

To become a flight attendant It is not at all necessary to enroll in a specialized higher education educational institution. It is enough to pass an interview with the airline, a medical commission and preparatory courses, which include both theoretical and practical parts. However, you need to understand that the work of a flight attendant requires a huge amount of knowledge: from providing medical care to the psychological foundations of negotiating with terrorists. Therefore, an applicant for the position of flight attendant must, at a minimum, have the ability to self-educate. And it’s even better if the flight attendant combines her work with distance learning in one of the best aviation universities in Russia, which can be classified as