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Flight Attendant Qualifications
2023

Flight Attendant Job Requirements

Table of Contents

General Requirements

Flight attendant Age
height
Education
background check
pre-employment drug screen
passport

Physical Requirements

medical issues
Physical requirements
swiming
Your teeth, yes your teeth.
Vision & hearing
weight requirements
Skin/Scars/marks

Personal Style

Headscarf/hijab
Tattoos & piercings
Hair color/hairstyle
Nails
Shoes

If your a guy:

Beard & Goatees
Mustaches
Side burns, if there to long
If you are bald

General Requirements

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#1 Flight Attendant Age Requirements

  • Most airlines require a minimum age between 18 to 21 years old.
  • In western  countries you can’t discriminate on age. So flight attendants can continue with their carriers for as long as they would like.
  • And thankfully, EU/US/AUS/CA airlines will hire older crew members. As long as they pass the health screening and training.
  • Sadly a lot of Middle East / Asian airlines prefer to hire candidates below the age of 30 years old.
a post with 30 airlines minimum age requirements.
Flight attendant age restrictions
Flight attendant

#2 Required Height for 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. Your reach is very important. It proves that the cabin crew 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.
  • The average height for cabin crew is between 5 feet 3 inches (160cm) and 6 feet 3 inches (190cm). With a reach of 6 feet 11 inches (212 cm). Reach is from the floor to as high as you can touch.
  • During the recruitment process, there will be a height test. You will be required to do a reach test. Where your reach will be measured when you’re standing on your tip-toes or standing straight without your shoes.

#3 Required Education for Flight Attendant & Experience Requirements

  • Airlines want their candidates to at least have a high school diploma. 
  • Airlines would like you to have a College education or two years’ customer service experience (preferred, but not required).
  • Usually, airlines ask for a minimum of 1 year of experience working in customer service or hospitality.

When airlines recrute, they often ask for people that have languages other than english. The language(s) the airline is looking for is usually listed in the job posting. If you are able to speak one of the listed languages. you’re looking at a higher starting salary and an advantage in the hiring process.

School class
Background check document

#4 Criminal Background Check

  • Before you get the job, there will be a background check.
  • If you have a criminal record it will be more difficult to pass the background check. But it depends on what is on your record and what the airline will accept.
  • They will check for any arrests or convictions
    • If you have a felony on your record, that will prevent you from passing the background check
    • If you have a DUI on your record, it would depend on the airline. Some airlines are a bit more forgiving. But other airlines won’t be able to hire you. For example, if you have a DUI, you won’t be able to fly into Canada. For a small regional airline, that could be a killer.
  • They may also check your credit score
    • Again, each airline is a bit different. But a bad credit score alone should not disqualify you.
  • Background checks often go back ten years

#5 Drug Test

  • Airlines expect you to pass a pre-employment drug screen. As well as take a random drug and alcohol test sometime in the future before starting your job duties. Keep in mind, drugs such as marijuana can stay in your system for a lot longer than alcohol can.
  • Smoking marijuana may be allowed in your state, but the airlines have to abide by U.S. (national) laws.

FYI: Airlines encourage Flight Attendants not to smoke. If you are a smoker you shouldn’t be seen smoking at the airport in your uniform before or after a flight.

Drug Testing
U.S. Passport

#6 Passport

 A passport is a requirement for employment. It doesn’t matter if you plan to work for an airline that flies international routes or an airline that flies U.S. only.

flight attendant physical requirements

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#7 Medical history

  • You’ll have to fill out medical forms and pass a full physical to prove that you are ‘fit to fly’.
  • Which includes being fully vaccinated before you will be accepted.
  • Some airlines are very strict with candidates’ medical history. If someone had an illness in the past, but they don’t have the illness now, the airline may not allow that person to be hired.
    • Many airlines won’t hire people with depression. Doesn’t matter if you have it now or not. 
    • If you have any kind of sleeping issues. Even if your sleep issue has been resolved, you won’t get the job.
Medical exam
Physical requirements

#8 Flight Attendant Physical requirements

  • Flight attendants undergo extensive emergency training and must perform specific physical tasks in the unlikely event of an emergency. These tasks include lifting and operating emergency doors and other mechanisms. possibly even to restrain or take-down unruly passengers.
  • Even in non-emergency situations, flight attendants are on their feet for much of the day. 
  • They have to lift heavy luggage into overhead compartments. 
  • Reach down to retrieve fallen items and be flexible enough to reach passengers in tight or awkward spaces. 
  • The day-to-day tasks of flight attendants would be difficult for anyone with a restrictive physical condition or who are out of shape.
  • The ability to lift items up to 50 pounds from floor to shoulder level as required.

#9 Swimming

The trainers are interested to see how you handle an emergency situation involving water.

So you’ll have to demonstrate 

      1. That you are not afraid of water
      2. You need to be able to swim between 25 and 50 meters unaided, depending on the airline. (50 meters is about 55 yards, little more than ½ the distance of an American football field)
      3. Your ability to swim without a lifejacket will be tested.

During training expect to go through a ditching simulation where you’ll be expected to put your life jacket on, swim 50 meters and climb into a life raft. You may also be required to rescue a passenger in distress.

So if you can’t swim, I highly recommend that you take swimming lessons before you start your training.

Person swimming
Good Teeth

#10 Teeth, Yes, your teeth matter.

  • You have to have a nice smile. To smile is one of your duties as a cabin crew member. 
  • Many airlines require dental x-rays before you join. 
  • Here are a couple of example issues that may stop you from being hired:
    • crooked teeth
    • And some airlines don’t allow braces

#11 Vision & hearing

  • Your eyesight doesn’t need to be perfect, the Cabin Crew are permitted to wear contact lenses or glasses. If contact lenses or glasses are needed, you must carry a spare pair with you onboard. So make sure you have a spare if you require glasses or contact lenses. Your vision needs to be 20/40 or better when you’re wearing your glasses or contacts.
  • During training, your vision and hearing will be checked.
Flight attendant working

#12 Weight Requirements

  • The good news is that there isn’t a specific weight range you need to meet. Your weight has to be in proportion to your height. In other words, you need to have a healthy BMI. Here is a link to a BMI calculator. You enter your height and weight to get a result.
  • Airline recruiters are looking for someone that is fit enough to get through a long day. Which will include being on your feet for long periods of time, able to lift luggage into the upper storage bins, and having enough energy to get through the day.
  • The airline recruiters can be brutal when it comes to the way you look. So if you are a bit heavy, make sure you go into the interview looking well put together. 
  • Some airlines say that the crew member must fit into the crew harness and jump seat and must fit easily through the over wing exit.

If you would like to get more information on becoming a plus sized flight attendant, Click Here!

#13 Skin/Scars/marks

  • Image is everything to the airlines. People forget that crew members act as ‘’brand ambassadors’’ for the company. That is why the airlines are super strict with the way their crew looks.
  • So a lot of airlines don’t hire people that have severe acne or skin issues. 
  • And if you have surgery scars that would be visible when in uniform, that may be a problem.
Acne example

Personal Style

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Flight attendant with hijab

#14 Headscarf/hijab

  • Most, if not all, airlines don’t allow a hijab. 
  • In the past, Saudi Arabia airlines did allow headscarves/hijabs. But just recently, they changed to a new uniform without a headscarf/hijab. Now, I don’t know what they did about their headscarf rules.

#15 Tattoos & piercings

  • Only one piercing is allowed in each ear (with a stud earring). Although in the USA and Europe this is starting to change.
  • Currently, if you have a nose or other piercing, you are not allowed to wear them during work hours.
  • Most airlines are okay with you having tattoos. But the tattoos cannot be visible while in uniform (Ex: Hand, neck or face). I know many candidates that had tattoos that were visible while in uniform. They were removed (the person, not the tattoo) and didn’t get the job.
Tattoos
Beard & Goatees

#16 Beard & Goatees

  • With 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.
  • Some airlines allow their male crew members to have a short, well trimmed beard. But, again, it’s better to start out clean shaven for your interview and training. Then if you find out that a beard is okay, then fine

#17 Mustaches

Allowed!! 

  • Mustaches cannot fall below the corners of your mouth. 
  • Keep your mustache trimmed very neatly.

#18 Side burns

They are allowed to… but they have to be half way down the ear or shorter.

#19 Guys, you need hair!

There is one requirement guys have to deal with that women do not!  For men, a completely bald head will make it more difficult to get the job. This requirement will change from airline to airline, but you’re probably not going to get the job if you shave your head or if you have male pattern baldness.

#20 Hair color/hairstyle

    • The airlines are looking for non offensive, conservative hairstyles & colors.
  •  
    • For men, your hair length should be above your collar
    • If you have bangs, keep them above your eyebrows
  • Buns and French twists are common hairstyles for female Flight Attendants with long hair. But there is an art in learning how to do a French Twist neatly, so unless you can do a French twist just stick with a bun.
  • You are NOT allowed to have unnatural hair color (like red, blue, etc…). 
  • If you have this type of colored hair and you are trying to look conservative by putting your hair up in a neat bun. That is still not allowed.
  • If you have dreadlocks or braids, you can wear them in a bun and look fine for the interview or work.
Unnatural hair color
manicured nails

#21 Nails

  • Having a manicure is considered part of the job
  • Consider getting a manicure if your going to an interview
  • Bright colors are not allowed, but any conservative color, like red is fine
  • natural, acrylic, gel or any other type of nail is fine
  • But you want a short conservative more natural style of nail

#22 Shoes

  • As a flight attendant you will be on your feet all day, so it’s important that you take care of them. So invest in a good pair of black shoes. You will be able to use them at the interview and when you start work at the airline. 
  • For women, flats or a shoe with 1 to 3 inch heels will work for any airline. It’s not unusual for women to wear heels in the airport and change to flats in the plane.
  • For men, a nice business shoe is fine.
shoes on display rack

Are You Ready to Become a Flight Attendant?

Still wondering how to become a flight attendant?

Then check out our post: How To Become A Flight Attendant – The Ultimate Guide!

Or you can check out the next post in the series, 25 Pros and Cons of being a Flight Attendant. Where we go through the good, bad and the ugly!

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