Air cabin crew
Ready for your career to take off? Be that friendly face who makes sure everyone feels comfortable and safe while on a plane.
Also known as: flight attendant
About the job
What it's like
Imagine having a job where you get to travel the world and meet new people every day! That’s what it’s like to be air cabin crew. You’ll be the face of the airline, responsible for welcoming people on board and making sure passengers are safe, secure and comfortable throughout the flight. You’ll provide exceptional customer service, using interpersonal skills, a proactive approach and be able to stay calm under pressure. If you bring a positive attitude to everything you do and want to take your career to new heights, this might be the role for you!
Your tasks might include:
checking onboard supplies and that emergency equipment is working
greeting passengers, helping them board and making announcements on behalf of the pilot
showing emergency procedures to passengers and checking their seatbelts
serving food and drinks, selling duty-free items, taking payments and recording sales
calming nervous or sick passengers and giving first aid
making sure passengers leave the plane safely
Hours
You'll work shifts that include weekends, nights and public holidays.
You could be on short-haul flights or long-haul flights, depending who you work for and the routes you fly.
Environment
You'll be expected to be neat and smart, and your company will provide you with a uniform.
The work can be physically demanding, as you'll spend a lot of time on your feet.
Travel
The amount of time you'll spend away from home would vary depending on the flight routes that you work on.
On UK and European routes, you may be able to return home at the end of each day.
Longer flights, especially those further afield, often involve overnight stays – sometimes for several days. When you need to stay away from home, your employer will provide accommodation.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Air cabin crew'
Select qualification level(s)
Other careers that you might like
Airline customer service agent Airport information assistant
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Tourism
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- demonstration skills
- revenue stream
- information advice and guidance
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- reliable
- attention to detail
- empathising
- verbal communication
- listening
- cooperating
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Cantonese
English and Communication
French
Gaelic (Learners)
Gàidhlig
Geography
German
Italian
Mandarin
Skills for Work: Hospitality
Spanish
Skills for Work: Travel and Tourism
Urdu
Modern Languages
Work
Airlines will provide training, so there are no formal qualifications required. Some employers will ask for qualifications at SCQF Level 4/5, such as Maths and English at National 4 and 5.
Entry is highly competitive.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you get a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Travel and Tourism
Languages
While college isn't a requirement, it can give you some great skills and knowledge to make you a stronger candidate. You'll understand more about customer service and how the travel industry works!
Qualifications and experience that show helping customers, awareness of health and safety and physical fitness such as:
Skills for Work: Travel and Tourism
Uniformed and Emergency Services
Communication and language qualifications such as SQA Modern Languages for Life & Work Award (SCQF Level 3/4).
Being able to speak another language can put you at an advantage against other candidates.
Work-based qualifications in areas such as customer services (SVQ Level 2/3) or that include health, safety and hygiene.
National Qualification or National Certificate (SCQF Levels 2 to 6) introduction to cabin crew or international travel and airport operations course.
Various other self-funded industry preparation courses but these do not guarantee entry to the job. Competition is very fierce.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become an air cabin crew member. Search for air cabin crew opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
You'll need:
a good level of fitness and colour normal vision
a smart appearance
no visible tattoos or piercings
to be over 18 years old, although some airlines set the minimum entry age at 21
a valid passport with no restrictions for the countries to which the airline travel
membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland
There are also rules around height and weight, although this will vary between airlines, so check with them. As a general guide, many look for people between 5ft2in (157cm) and 6ft2in (188cm).
Many airlines look for you to have the ability to swim up to 25 metres, and support someone else.
You'll need to undergo a medical as part of the recruitment process.
Previous experience of working with people in a customer service role is often desirable. Some airlines have a minimum requirement of six months to two years of customer service experience
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