Flight Attendant Qualifications

Minimum Age: 18

Image: Flight attendants must be friendly, service-oriented people who take pride in their performance and appearance.

Duties: Flight attendants are responsible for in-flight service and safety of passengers. They assist passengers during the boarding process with locating seats and stowing carry-on baggage; oversee all aspects of in-flight meal and beverage service, including catering and delivery; and are responsible for responding to medical and safety situations.

Language: Flight attendants must be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language. In support of international operations, airlines prefer candidates who have conversational ability in languages spoken in destination countries.

Education: A high school diploma or equivalency degree, and in many instances two years post-high school education or public contact work experience is required. Customer service work is preferred.

Citizenship: Flight attendants must be a U.S. citizen or possess the legal right to work in the U.S., including the right to travel to and return from countries served by airline.

Physical Requirements: Flight attendants must be able to lift, push and pull heavy articles as required and must be able to reach all emergency equipment on all aircraft types. In addition, some airlines have height requirements such that a flight attendant can not be shorter than 5'2" or taller than 6'2".

Training: New Flight Attendants must attend initial training, usually a 6-week or more training program which covers in-flight service, aircraft familiarization and emergency procedures. To maintain proficiency, flight attendants also receive annual recurrent training.