It can become tedious for those that fly all the time. Pilots and flight attendants have to go through some sort of security checks before hopping on board an aircraft. Even though they are essential to the whole operation, a series of factors lead to them having to be vetted before boarding.
What is the TSA Known Crewmember program? The Known Crewmember program (often abbreviated KCM) allows select airline pilots and flight attendants to enter the sterile area of the airport without going through the standard security screening process. The current iteration of the KCM program has been around since 2011.
Uniformed crewmembers are allowed exemptions by the TSA when they are screened at KCM access points and passenger screening checkpoints. With the change of the uniform requirement, these exemptions at the KCM access point and at the passenger screening checkpoint will be permitted in accordance with the following: a.
Crew tags are often provided too by the airline to help identify crew bags. At the airport, when checking in down route, crew bags are checked in all together but, again, kept separately from the passengers' bags.
Any prior history of mental illness and antidepressant use is not accepted for cabin crew.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
An individual with ongoing ADHD will not (by definition) be able to complete pilot training. Medication used for this disorder is normally disqualifying.
Certain previous convictions such as crimes involving an aircraft or any violent crime, felony or time spent in jail would prevent you from being able to work as a Flight Attendant.
Presently, for all other airlines, cabin crews usually get paid for their time once the aircraft door closes. They are not paid for the 30 to 50 minutes when passengers are boarding, despite this being a busy and sometimes stressful time.
Taylor Garland, spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said in an email that cabin crew are trained never to lift bags because of the potential for injury. In addition to the economic and health risks for a flight attendant, an injury could force the delay or cancellation of a flight, she said.
Conservative style
Conservative or traditional business attire is the preferred look for a flight attendant interview. Traditional attire is a suit or a blazer or sports coat paired with a skirt or slacks.
Flight attendants on long-haul flights are provided with spaces to rest. Here's a photo of the crew rest area on a Boeing 787. Crew rest areas exist on all airplanes, but what these rest areas look like depends on the airline, aircraft and the length of the flight.
Although flying is an integral part of a flight attendant career, ironically, many flight attendants are afraid to fly. They often start out okay, but as they mature, they usually begin to think about their loved ones and how they would fare in the event of a disaster.
Southwest Airlines Has Great Pay
Southwest has the highest published hourly flight attendant rate on the pay scale, but you can't exactly calculate flight attendant pay by block hour because Southwest pays their flight attendants TFP (Trips For Pay).
This position provides the flight attendant protection to the face from any flying debris (as it will impact their elbows) yet still provides them with the ability to view the cabin and not muffle their commands.
Do you know why so many flight attendant uniforms include a neck scarf? It's a matter of tradition that stemmed from the early aviators wearing silk ? when they flew in open cockpits. Early pilots liked them because they prevented chafing around the neck. A pilot's head is on a swivel!
Published Research. U.S. flight attendants have a higher prevalence of several forms of cancer, including breast cancer, uterine cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, thyroid cancer, and cervical cancer, when compared with the general public, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
There are several reasons why our Flight Crew may have so many bags, including: Our Flight Attendants and Pilots work multiple-day trips. The typical trip is three days, meaning they must have enough clothes, toiletries, and even food to make it through their trip. Flight Attendants and Pilots must wear a uniform.
A bumbag/fanny pack is an accessory, like a backpack or a lady's purse/handbag, and you should be prepared for it to be treated as such. That said, Mrs DC8 always wears a bumbag when travelling and it has never been an issue on any airline including the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet.
It's a physical job, but not all flight attendants must be slim and trim. You do, however, have to fit into the flight attendant jumpseat. Flight attendants have no set weight requirements, as body types can vary even if two people are the same height and weight.
Flight attendants only get paid when the door closes
Essentially flight attendants are only paid their full hourly rate once the aircraft door closes, even though they work hard during boarding (and arguably boarding is the most stressful phase of the flight).
Once the crew have said their goodbyes to the passengers, it's time to security check their assigned area and make sure that there are no items left behind or any damage to the aircraft interior such as broken seats or inflight entertainment.
Any time you disobey a crewmember's instructions, you run the risk of violating federal law. But civil penalties and criminal prosecutions usually result only when passengers repeatedly ignore, argue with, or disobey flight attendants; or when they act out in a way that is dangerous.
Training days
It is a stressful time, and has to be, because flight attendants may have to deal with an emergency and must be calm and focused in such an event. Not everyone survives training as some people realize it's not the job for them or they don't make the grade.
You must be age 55 with10 years of company service. With the exception of a Medical Leave of Absence, all Flight Attendants must retire from active status or voluntary furlough. If you were age 50 with 10 years of service as of May 1, 2003, you also met the eligibility requirements for early retirement.
At 21 years old, you can apply to be a flight attendant with any airline. Minimum age requirements typically apply at the time of training completion, so candidates who will reach an airline's minimum age during training can apply for flight attendant roles. There is no upper age limit for flight attendants.