Cabin crew: job description, pay and skills

Cabin crew

Looks after passenger safety and service on flights: safety demonstrations, emergency response, food and drink service and duty-free sales. Safety is the actual job and the trolley is the visible part; crew are trained to evacuate an aircraft, fight a cabin fire and deliver first aid at altitude. Big UK carriers recruit in waves, and the interview day leans heavily on teamwork and calm communication.

A real shift

Rosters vary from short-haul days of four or more sectors to long-haul trips with layovers abroad. A typical duty starts with a pre-flight briefing and equipment checks, then boarding, service, landing and a fast turnaround tidy. Early report times, standby days and roster changes are normal, so sleep and routine take real discipline.

Skills that matter

Safety procedures
Customer service
Conflict management
Stamina
Teamwork

Qualifications

Cabin crew attestation (required under UK CAA rules), obtained through airline training
First aid training as part of the course
Internationally: EASA cabin crew attestation

Where it leads

Cabin crew
Senior cabin crew
Cabin crew trainer
Airline management

What we'd ask on the show

Life at 35,000 feet
Unruly passengers and safety
The glamour myth

Work as a cabin crew? Come on the show