Boom for Filipino Flight Attendants
The airlines in Philippines will need atleast 5000 to 7000 flight attendants evey year for the next five years. The average number of flight attendants graduating every year in Philippines is only 1700. The big scarcity in crew is one of the main problem faced by the growing airlines in the country. The very basic reason behind the scarcity is the lack of training organisations in the nation. The whole country have only one flight attendant training institute, other than the airlines itself.
The main reasons behind the boom is the big expansion of fleets in Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air. And with Tiger Airways buying most of Se Air and Air Asia buying Zest Air to set step in the Philippine markrt, the need for the crew have tripled. With more number of middle class men flying now and the domestic airlines operating to every nook and corner of the country and trying to fly with the available crew will not allow these airlines to cater with the CAAP work regulations.
A renowned airline in the country had to cancel its flights and rebook its passengers due to lack of crew to fly the aircraft. The experienced crew in the country are migrating mostly to the middle east to work with the airlines there due to the attractive salary.
The basic education requirement to be a flight attendant is to be a high school graduate. But airlines prefer applicants with a college degree or diploma. However applicants who attend schools or colleges that offer flight attendant training always have an added advantage over other applicants.
Highly desirable areas of concentration to get a degree or diploma include communications, travel and tourism, hospitality etc. Flight attendants for international flights must know english very fluently. The cost of training at best institutes in the country with a diploma is upto 300,000 pesos.
The salary for a flight attendant who starts working in an airline is normally is from 40,000 pesos to 60,000 pesos per month. The salary of an experienced crew may go upto 100,000 to 130,000 pesos per month. Overseas salaries are generally very high.
Cebu Pacific Flight Attendants |
A flight attendant provides personal services to ensure the safety and comfort to airline passengers during flight. He/ she greets passengers, verifies their tickets, explain them the safety equipments, and serves them food and beverages.
After a few years of flying some flight attendants becomes supervisors moving from lead flight attendant to check flight attendant or flight attendant supervisor, and then on to base manager and finally to manager or vice-president for in-flight operations. They may take additional duties such as recruiting, instructing and developing in flight products.
The basic requirements to be a flight attendant is:
High school graduate.
Must be presentable and with pleasing personality.
Should meet the minimum height requirement of 5'2'' (famale) and 5'6'' (male).
Must be in good health.
Some of the renowned flight attendant training institutes in Philippines are:
Mach Aviatrix Airhostess Institute, Dumaguete.
PAL Learning centre, Manila.
Cebu Pacific Training Centre, Manila.