Travel Life

Career Focus

Cruising the skies

A number of aviation academies have mushroomed all over the country, each promising to churn out smart, successful professionals. Andrea Lopez outlines some of the basic requirements that one would need to succeed as an enterprising flight attendant/purser.

With low-cost carriers making their presence felt in the Indian market, the number of passengers opting for air travel over rail travel has increased. This, coupled with the thrill of flying to various destinations, the promise of a handsome pay packet and the glamour associated with wearing a uniform lures many to take up this profession.

Academy requirements

Each training academy has its own policy on recruitment and is selective about the type of candidates they choose. The Indian Aviation Academy (IAA) offers a ten-month cabin crew and in-flight training course. IAA insists on 10+2 as the minimum educational qualification. "Apart from this, candidates should have good communication skills, a pleasing personality, flawless complexion, the willingness to be available when called for and the ability to work long hours," says the institute's managing director, Lubna Kadri.

Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess training offers a one-year part-time course in Hospitality & Travel Management. Classes are scheduled five times a week, two hours a day, and the course content spans learning modules from personal grooming and fitness to effective communication. Air Deccan has entered into a tie-up with Frankfinn, from where it primarily selects its cabin crew. On completion of the course, students find themselves employed in both domestic as well as international airlines.

Interestingly, airlines are looking to set up their own training academies as well, Kingfisher Airlines has launched its own training institute, Kingfisher Training Academy (KTA) to provide seasoned training in aviation. The course will span six months and chairman of UB Group, Dr Vijay Mallya, ascertains that the institute will fine-tune a student's already existing set of skills so that when they leave KTA they are sufficiently grounded in skills required to be a successful cabin crew member.

Meanwhile, the Air Hostess Academy (AHA), set up in 1997, offers a one-year diploma in Aviation & Hospitality management. The course is open to anyone with a 10+2 qualification, a pleasing personality and good communication skills. The fee for any of these courses range from Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,50,000 for a one-year diploma.

Job profile

Being a cabin crewmember is more than simply walking down the aisle of a flight. The work of a cabin crewmember would typically include:

• Greeting passengers and escorting them to their seats
• Making announcements in the aircraft
• Serving food and drink
• Assisting passengers with their baggage
• Demonstrating the use of emergency equipment
• Checking the aircraft to ensure cleanliness
• Making sure that all passengers follow instructions during an emergency
• Assisting a passenger with any kind of aid they may require
• Ensure that passengers leave the plane safely
• Fill in a written flight report of any untoward incidents that might have occurred.

Domestic airlines prefer candidates who can converse in vernacular languages. The starting pay scales - in the domestic as well as international airlines - are attractive and vary accordingly. Airlines have their own training programmes lasting six weeks. The programmes cover first aid, security, safety and emergency procedures, etiquette and personal grooming.

Airlines insist on 5'2” as the minimum height requirement for women and 5'8 for their male counterparts; the minimum age requirement is 19 years. Candidates should also be able to swim and should be physically fit. Every airline has its own policy on recruitment, but the above requirements form the base on which people are hired.

The Civil Aviation Ministry is looking at curbing the mushrooming growth of aviation training institutes in the country. This may quell the boom, but the rush to pursue cabin crew courses looks unlikely to tide over. All in all, the job of a flight attendant may sound glamourous, but it calls for physical stamina to endure long standing hours, apart from combating the effects of jet lag. For those up to the challenge however, the sky offers limitless opportunities to explore.