You have always thought about it, Cabin Crew. You have seen them whether it be in the airport walking through terminals so effortlessly, perfectly groomed (most of the time) or on board where they take care of your safety, your experience and your comfort.
However, it doesn’t even begin there behind the scenes they have probably been at work even before you arrived at the airport and especially during the pandemic the job has been given layers of precautions to follow to ensure you’re travelling health.
So, what are the Skills that are absolutely essential to get you to 30000 ft, to a lifestyle that is like no other that can give you experiences you hadn’t even thought were possible all in a day. Please be seated and fasten your seatbelts for our 10 Essential Skills to become Cabin Crew.
1. Communication
Your communication skills are going to get you through each and every day we use them from the minute we get to work to get us through a normal day, then when things do not go exactly the way we plan they could save your life and that of your passengers. Think about Verbal, non-verbal and visual communication skills. Communication is absolutely a fundamental skill that is non-negotiable!
2. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness comes in many forms but how does it come in to play in a cabin crew role, well firstly you are coming in contact with sometimes hundreds of people per day and to be self-aware you can better understand how your interpersonal skills may help you, your passengers and your crew and distinguish your ethos and bring it to the table.
3. Situational Awareness
You will hear this term a million times in your flying career, across the crew community it would be one of those…. like communication ‘fundamental’ skills. Situational Awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you’re supposed to be, whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to you your safety or the aircraft. Or while you’re dealing with a medical case and the passenger in 17C is still waiting for his coffee ‘sigh’.
4. Tolerance
In the Oxford Dictionary it goes a little something like this “the ability or willingness to tolerate an existence of opinions or behaviour that one dislikes or disagrees with”. With the formalities out of the way let’s face it you are in close quarters with your colleagues and your passengers flying around the world or your own country encountering religions, beliefs, customs and opinions that may not be your own. Tolerance may be your saviour and keep you sane you may even learn a thing or two.
5. Adaptability
This one needs little explanation you have to be able to Adapt to ANY situation ANY where ANY time. Things can change with the press of a call bell or in a location you have never been. One minute you are sat daydreaming about your layover in Phuket the next you are diverting to Chennai due to 56K in a cardiac arrest, okay a little dramatic but absolutely possible.
6. Time Management
Firstly, the basics get to work on time the flight leaves when the flight leaves… but in all seriousness your time management skills are imperative for a successful and safe day, timing for service, legalities and most importantly safety. Your successful time management can will play a major role in an emergency and can save lives.
7. Confidence
Confidence in yourself and your abilities, this will get you from the Interview to the jump seat obviously do not overdo it, over confidence can sometimes be interpreted as arrogance. But channel that confidence into your work, the job will even help build your confidence! Confidence is utilised in all aspects of the role from communication to an emergency situation.
8. Tact
Some may describe this as a quiet skill similar in regard to tolerance however this is more about how you approach a situation, a sensitivity in dealing with others in that situation. Basically, saying the right thing at the right time this in a difficult situation, this skill is elusive and exceptional but most certainly attainable.
9. Initiative
Your initiative can dramatically change the outcome, taking charge in situations because you never know how a person will react. Again, back to the old Oxford Dictionary “the ability to assess and initiate things independently.” Every situation you may encounter can never be documented in every manual and you are often led only by your initiative harness it and learn how to use it effectively.
10. Physical Fitness
16-hour flight, or 6 flights in one day 2am alarms for getting to bed a day later, lifting bending or on the emergency side rescue and survival. Your physical fitness is important for your own survival it can be a tough gig the short of it is look after yourself your body and your mind!
Now you may not have all of those skills or even if you do have them honed to perfection, and the job definitely develops these skills, but for you to have an awareness of what we believe are some of the essential skills you can go forth and be a step closer to achieving that dream and joining that sky high lifestyle of Cabin Crew.
