Air Hostess Training

One of the important aspects of travel by air is concerned with making the journey of the passenger as much comfortable and safe. It is in this respect the Air hostess/Pursers play their role. This is a very promising career option with the vision of a smart, efficient lady in mind. Many young girls opt for the career because of the exciting experience of flying, visiting different places, interacting with different kinds of people on board and for the very attractive pay package. Liberalisation of air policies have increased the private operation of air services and this has created immense job opportunities in this field. Even though this career gives exciting experience it is not as easy as it seems. This is a highly demanding job which requires a lot of patience and involves odd duty hours. To be more specific behind this career lies a strong conviction, commitment and hard work for learning the technical aspects of aircraft operation and skills to tackle difficult situation.

The air hostess is called the first person to welcome a passenger, her welcoming smile and greeting acknowledge every passenger. Inside the aircraft, she seems to be here, there and everywhere, greeting every passenger, guiding each to his or her seat, helping a passenger get settled, co-ordinating security personnel, giving directions as and when required and doing a myriad things. Basically, she’s on constant call all the time.

Eligibility

Educational: Eligibility for an airhostess-training programme is plus two/ or a graduate degree with a diploma/degree in Hotel Management or Tourism Management. The aspirant must be eligible to hold an Indian Passport and should be below twenty-five years of age with a minimum height of 157.5 centimeters. The weight should be in proportion to height. Further, one must be unmarried, with normal eyesight of 6/6 uncorrected vision in each eye. Fluency in English, Hindi, and knowledge of an international language is an added advantage.

A flight purser, male counterpart of the airhostess has to be a graduate below 26 years, and have a minimum height of 163 cm with proportionate weight.

The applicant should be physically fit with a pleasing personality and clear complexion. After the initial screening of applicants is completed the airline company calls them for a written examination, usually of the objective type (multiple choice). Those who qualify in the written examination have to appear for a group discussion followed by a personal interview of successful candidates. If selected you will be on training for 2 to 3 months in which time you learn about service, grooming, safety and first aid, after which you are initially put on trainee flights.

The training covers several topics, each of which deals with technical or non-technical aspects of the aircraft. Beginning with the history of aviation, the candidates are made to learn In-flight Service, Passenger Handling, Passenger psychology, Service of meals on the Aircraft, the art of conversation, Transactional Analysis, Emergency Evacuation System, Personal Grooming and Hygiene, First Aid, Confidence Building, Handling of visually impaired passengers, Making announcements, Emergency demonstration etc.

Personal Attributes: Common sense, sense of responsibility, initiative, friendly outgoing personality, politeness, physical stamina and the capacity to work for long hours on one's feet, ability to react quickly in times of emergency and a presence of mind, systematic approach, unruffled appearance, a well-modulated pleasant voice, and a proportionate figure with a graceful carriage.