How to Hire a Flight Attendant

Why hire a flight attendant?

The need for additional flight crew can affect both your existing team and bottom line. Hiring a flight attendant who remains friendly yet vigilant in high-stress environments can motivate colleagues, put others at ease in uncomfortable situations and ensure passengers have a quality experience that keeps them loyal to your company. Qualified flight attendants are able to not only serve and assist passengers but also recognize and take leadership in emergency situations.

Contributions of a great flight attendant:

• Handle, operate and assist passengers with heavy objects and machinery
• Gauge and respond to passenger needs efficiently and diplomatically
• Provide leadership, direction and assistance during an emergency
• Recognize and respond to medical emergencies and security-related situations
• Continuously monitor safety conditions

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance flight attendant

Employers can hire freelance flight attendants and entire freelance flight crews. There are a few reasons an employer might consider this option. You may have a flight on short notice without an available crew, or a flight attendant, without notice, may not be able to work their shift and need a replacement. 

Airlines should always have some full-time flight attendants to ensure each of their flights is fully staffed. Full-time employees can save the company money overall due to lower average costs when compared to freelancers, and they’re familiar with the protocols and guidelines of your airline. 

What are the ranks of flight attendants?

There are a few positions within the role of flight attendant. These titles include:

• Flight attendant: A regular flight attendant is actually at the bottom of the hierarchy. They’re responsible for going over safety procedures with the plane’s passengers, reviewing safety checklists prior to the flight, loading luggage onto the plane, communicating with passengers who are seated next to emergency exits and performing customer service duties during the flight. Flight attendants also monitor the flight’s passengers as they exit the plane and assist special needs passengers and unaccompanied minors. 
• Purser: On smaller flights, the purser is the head flight attendant. They’re responsible for overseeing the flight attendants and the cabin of the plane. On larger planes, pursers assist chief pursers by managing specific parts of the cabin. 
• Chief purser: Chief pursers, also referred to as in-flight service managers, oversee pursers and flight attendants during flights. 

Where to find flight attendants

To find the right flight attendant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Search for freelance flight attendants online. Freelance flight attendants are available on online sites. If you’re in need of a flight attendant in a timely manner, searching these sites for a quality candidate may be a viable option. 
• Post help wanted signs. Help wanted flyers can increase awareness of the open job and attract potential applicants. Candidates who don’t meet the necessary requirements for the position may be willing to go through the certifications. 
• Ask other nearby airlines. Some nearby airports and airlines may have information regarding quality candidates who could be looking for employment. 
• Post your job online. Try posting your flight attendant job on Indeed to find and attract quality flight attendant candidates.

What are the ranks of flight attendants?

There are a few positions within the role of flight attendant. These titles include:

• Flight attendant: A regular flight attendant is actually at the bottom of the hierarchy. They’re responsible for going over safety procedures with the plane’s passengers, reviewing safety checklists prior to the flight, loading luggage onto the plane, communicating with passengers who are seated next to emergency exits and performing customer service duties during the flight. Flight attendants also monitor the flight’s passengers as they exit the plane and assist special needs passengers and unaccompanied minors. 
• Purser: On smaller flights, the purser is the head flight attendant. They’re responsible for overseeing the flight attendants and the cabin of the plane. On larger planes, pursers assist chief pursers by managing specific parts of the cabin. 
• Chief purser: Chief pursers, also referred to as in-flight service managers, oversee pursers and flight attendants during flights. 

Writing a flight attendant job description

A thoughtful job description is important to finding quality flight attendant candidates. A flight attendant job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your flight attendant job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on flight attendant jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Flight attendant
• Airport
• Airline
• Airport positions
• Travel
• Airline flight attendant
• Corporate flight attendant
• Flight attendant training
• Cabin crew
• Airlines

Interviewing flight attendant candidates

Hire the right flight attendant candidate by asking thoughtful questions about their professional experience and ability to handle various situations. Strong candidates for flight attendant positions will be confident when answering a variety of questions related to cabin crew responsibilities.

Topics for flight attendant interview questions:

• Managing emergency situations in the air
• Handling difficult or demanding passengers
• Alleviating stressful situations or comforting anxious passengers
• Resolving crew or passenger conflicts
• Ensuring passengers comply with safety rules

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of flight attendant interview questions for examples (with sample answers).