Becoming a male flight attendant
Being a Flight Attendant today is a great job if you’re a guy, straight or gay. If you’re gay, you won’t be alone. If you’re straight, you’ll have your choice of many young attractive women and NO COMPETITION!
There are several steps you have to go through:
- Complete your education
- Get your high school diploma
- Get a college degree (not required)
- Get customer service experience.
- Write a professional resume and cover letter and apply to airline companies.
- Successfully get through the flight attendant interview process.
- And get your certification.
In this post we will give you a quick idea of how to become a flight attendant and direct you to other posts and articles that will give you more detail.
Table of contents
How hard is it to get hired as a Flight Attendant if you're a guy?
The competition for Flight Attendant positions is fierce! Only about 1 to 2% of applicants get accepted.
You’re probably aware that the ratio between male and female cabin crew members is not equal. Often you will see males being hired at a 1–3% rate compared to female crew members.
That doesn’t mean a guy can’t get the job, guys can get a flight attendant job just as well as women can. But it does mean that it takes more effort for the guys, you need to build up your resume and make yourself look like the perfect candidate!
Want some suggestions on how to build up your resume? Click Here!
On the other hand, I think it may be a bit easier for men to qualify then for women. There are so many more details women have to take care of than men. Like hair, nails, make-up etc… Guys don’t have as much to worry about, all guys have to do is get up, wash your face, get a good shave and you are ready to go.
But there is one requirement guys have to deal with that women do not! For men, a completely bald head is not acceptable. You’re probably not going to get the job if you shave your head or if you’re going bald…
Are you curious about what the qualifications are for a Flight Attendant? Click Here!
High school courses for a flight attendant
Do you still have a year or more to go before you get your high school diploma? Make the most of the time you have left. In this post we give you courses you can take in high school that will improve your resume. We also have some inexpensive online courses you can take that are specific to flight attendants. Click Here For More!
do you need a degree to be a flight attendant?
Yes, a high school diploma is technically the minimum educational requirement. But because the competition for flight attendant openings is so high, an Associate’s degree is typically the minimum requirement for a flight attendant position. And most working flight attendants have a Bachelor’s degree.
In this post we tell you the difference between getting an Associate’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree. And it’s not just the time it takes to get the degree. We also give you a list of the majors you should consider.
Weight requirements for male flight attendants
Do you consider yourself to be a big guy? It’s not impossible to become a flight attendant. In the past several years, airlines in the U.S. have become more flexible when it comes to their applicants. But that doesn’t mean that their company image isn’t important to them!
In this post we discuss the challenges you’ll face as a plus size applicant and give you some suggestions on how to get through the interview. Click here!
25 Pros and Cons of being a Flight Attendant
Not sure that a career as a flight attendant is for you? We have you covered with a “Pro and Con” post with 25 pros and cons. This post will give you the information you need to decide.
What do Flight Attendants do?
We have a “Day in the life” post. Where we tell you what you’ll be responsible for and give you a step by step description from takeoff to landing of what a typical flight would be like.
For more information on the Day in the life post, Click Here!
How long does it take to become a flight attendant?
Becoming a flight attendant takes dedication and hard work, but the rewards are worth it.
The process typically takes between 6-12 months to go through the hiring process, depending on the airline.
During that time you’ll need to complete an application, attend a group interview, a personal (one on one) interview and pass a medical exam.
You’ll also need to complete the airline’s training program, which can last anywhere from 4-8 weeks. The training program includes physical training and testing and daily testing on classroom subjects.
With the right attitude and commitment, you can become a flight attendant in no time.
In the following 2 sections, we go through the interview process and the training so you will know what to expect so you can prepare yourself.
Flight attendant interview process
The interview process for a flight attendant is extremely competitive.
We have written a 4 part article about the entire process. This includes a description on every step of the interview process.
The articles are about
- The group interview
- The in person interview
- An article on how to stand out in the crowd
- And an article on what questions you can expect during the interview and some tips on how to answer them
For more information on the Education, Physical and medical requirements, Click Here!
flight attendant school
There has been an argument about private flight attendant schools for quite a while!
One side believes that it’s a good idea to pay for training. Because it should give you more skills you can put on your resume. This should make you more attractive to recruiters.
The problem is, I haven’t seen any proof that that’s the case. In fact, I’ve never heard a private school guarantee a job after training. I’ve often heard of graduates NOT getting the job! So there doesn’t seem to be any advantage in paying thousands of dollars for the training.
The other side DOES NOT recommend private schooling at all!
Why? This gives the airlines the ability to train you exactly the way they want to.
It’s also a better deal for the flight attendant candidate. Because most airlines pay for the training and guarantee you a job after successful completion. Saving you thousands of dollars!
Below is a post that tells you what to expect when you’re going through training.
I recommend that you use this information to prepare yourself so you can easily get through it, and use your extra money to learn a language and / or get a degree! And make sure you get some solid customer service experience!
Flight Attendant Training
If you get through the interview process (congratulations), you now have to go through Flight attendant training.
In this post we go through everything about Flight attendant training. From how you’re going to get there, to what you’re going to learn and how often you’ll be tested.
For more information on the Education, Physical and medical requirements, Click Here!
flight attendant career path
While becoming a flight attendant can be an exciting prospect, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the career path available in this field. Without a clear career path, it can be challenging for aspiring flight attendants to know how to progress in their careers, which can lead to a lack of job satisfaction and career stagnation.
For more information on a flight attendants career path, Click Here!
Should you work long haul or short haul flights
One of the biggest decisions you’ll face is whether to work long haul or short haul flights. Both options come with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. In this blog, we’ll explore the pros and cons of each type of flight, helping you make an informed decision that’s best for you.
Is there a difference in pay between men and women?
The best thing about working in the Flight Attendant field is that everyone earns the same salary. Most airlines are unionized, so the contract defines how much you’ll be making at each position. For example, if you get a promotion to work in business class, first class, or work as cabin manager or senior crew, then you’ll get a higher salary. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, everyone gets equal pay.
Interested in how much Flight Attendants get paid? Click Here!
FAQ
According to Zippa.com there are over 89,677 flight attendants currently employed in the United States. 78.9% of all flight attendants are women, while 21.1% are men.
You can absolutely become a flight attendant if you are male and the number of males that are entering the industry is actually increasing.
You might have heard the term “Stewardess,” referring to a female flight attendant. But “Stewardess” has been replaced in favor of the gender-neutral “flight attendant.” So if you are male, you would be referred to as a “Flight Attendant” just like your female coworkers.
NO,flight attendants DO NOT have to clean any toilets! The closest thing I can think of is Southwest. If you’re a flight attendant with Southwest you need to pick up the trash inside the cabin after each flight.
Technically NO. A cabin crew includes the pilots and the flight attendants.
- There isn’t one universal height that a flight attendant needs to be.
What you need to be worried about is your reach. Reach is from the floor to as high as you can touch. It proves that the flight attendant can reach and retrieve the emergency equipment in the overhead bins onboard the aircraft. Generally this means you need to be 4 foot 11 inches or taller. But this can vary from airline to airline.
Interested in the flight attendant qualifications? Click Here!
All U.S., Canadian and European hire male flight attendants. You’ll start having problems if you apply to Indian or Asian airlines.
If your interested in the minimum hiring age for each airline, Click Here!
Western airlines (U.S., Canadian and European) do not have minimum or maximum weight requirements. But of course you must be able to do your job. Which means flight attendants must be able to sit comfortably in the jump seat and easily maneuver through the aisles of an airplane. Generally an airline looks for candidates that have a healthy BMI.
Most airlines prefer the clean shaven look. Some airlines, if you come in with a beard or goatee for your interview, they will immediately disqualify you. So it’s best to come in clean shaven. But recently some airlines have started to change their rules. If you’re interested in the rules for facial hair, click here!
The airlines are very conservative, so they are looking for non offensive, conservative hairstyles & colors. For men, your hair length should be above your collar, if not shorter, and be well trimmed.
Yes!
In addition to the hairstyle requirement (see above). You need to
- be clean shaven, airlines prefer this look.
- Mustache is allowed but it has to be neat and well-trimmed
- Your sideburns should not go further lower than the middle of your ear.
- You’ll need to keep your eyebrows trimmed.
- Your nails should be kept neat and trimmed, and go no longer than the end of your fingers.
- If you have a tattoo, it should be covered by the uniform.
- And of course you are required to report for duty dressed correctly in the uniform the airline provided.
Being a flight attendant (male or female) means you’ll travel around the world for free, as a part of your work description. Plus, you also get paid while doing so, making it more awesome.
If you would like more information about if a career as a flight attendant is right for you, Click Here!
If you’re interested about the Advantages and Disadvantages of being a flight attendant, Click Here!