Going on flights is a rather tedious and uncomfortable experience what with all the cramped space, long distances, and turbulence. Throughout all of this, air hostesses and flight attendants try their best to make the long journeys somewhat comfortable and enjoyable for the passengers, keeping aside their discomforts. Being an air hostess is no easy task, as many would believe it to be. They are in charge of a lot of responsibilities which requires rigorous training, before officially becoming an air hostess.
An air hostess is in charge of the passengers’ comfort and safety while they are on flights. This includes greeting passengers on board and providing them with the necessary instructions during the course of the flight. An air hostess’ duty requires her to observe all safety procedures both during take-off and landing. Another component of being an air hostess or member of the cabin crew is providing passengers with food and drinks.
An air hostess needs to possess certain skills to be able to manage all these different responsibilities. Some people naturally have these skills whereas others need to learn them to apply them in their profession. A few necessary skills of an air hostess include-
- Communication: Air hostesses are required to frequently interact with passengers, thus they need to be very good at communicating. They should be fluent in English along with the respective national languages to address the queries and concerns of the passengers.
- Organization skills: Being an air hostess means you have to juggle multiple tasks. From greeting the passengers to making sure that passengers are served to making sure that all the safety equipment is in place, air hostesses have to be extremely organized to complete tasks smoothly.
- Flexibility: As a result of working shifts, air hostesses may have to wake up at irregular times and change their sleep patterns. They may be called in at the last minute or at unexpected times, which means flexibility is a top skill necessary.
- Problem-solving: The ability to address problems that emerge while the flight is in the air is a must for those who wish to work as air hostesses. They must be capable of providing emergency medical assistance to flying passengers if the need arises.
There are no hard and fast education stream requirements to become an air hostess. You can become an air hostess by completing an undergraduate degree in aviation or related fields like a BBA in tourism or hospitality. It is one of the few professions that allows you to complete your diploma just after 12th grade and begin working at the age of 18. Diploma courses that range from 3 months to 1 year in length and provide specific training in the industry will help you become an air hostess in much less time than a full-time Undergraduate degree.

Students get to learn about the numerous aspects of flight attendant operations while participating in practical training on a real flight deck. After graduation, eligible students are called for interviews and employed as flight attendants by a variety of domestic and international airlines. The average flight attendant works 50 hours per week on groundwork including flight preparation and report writing, in addition to 75 to 90 hours per month spent flying. Air hostesses end up spending three to four nights away from home each week as part of their work. In regional airlines, entry-level flight attendants can earn between 2 and 3 lac rupees per year, mid-level attendants between 7 and 8 lac rupees per year, and senior attendants earn between 10 and 12 lac rupees per year.
An air hostess’ career is quite demanding. Many candidates get discouraged from accepting air hostess roles due to extensive requirements. It may appear that being an air hostess is dependent on beauty and a pleasant demeanour. However, it requires a ton of work and a positive perspective.


