Steward, stewardess (flight attendant, flight attendant, English flight attendant) - a specialist of ordinary personnel on water and aircraft, performing passenger service work on them: tidying living quarters, setting the table, but mainly responsible for the safety of passengers (in the event of an accident - assistance to passengers, etc.).
On particularly large passenger ships, the duties of a steward may also include serving the captain and senior officers.
With the increasing complexity of aircraft and the advent of regular international flights, increasingly higher demands are being placed on these specialists (a general understanding of the structure of the aircraft, foreign languages, etc.). Today this profession is not only very difficult, but also dangerous.
Functional responsibilities
Pre-flight preparation;
Inspecting the aircraft for the absence of foreign objects, if found, notifying the supervisor;
Monitoring the sanitary condition of the aircraft;
Checking the completeness of on-board equipment and its serviceability;
Checking the completeness of emergency rescue equipment and their serviceability;
Checking the internal communication;
Reception and placement of on-board equipment (napkins, pillows, blankets, etc.);
Reception and placement of pantry and kitchen equipment;
Meeting and accommodation of passengers;
Control of passengers upon boarding;
Serving passengers on the ground before the plane takes off (distributing newspapers, magazines, drinks - depending on the class);
In-flight passenger service;
- information work (message about air temperature outside, flight altitude, terrain crossed, etc.);
Work with route map(displaying the route on computer screens in salons);
Distribution of drinks, food;
Serving sick passengers (providing drinks, assistance in taking medications, psychological support, etc.);
Services for children (providing food, drink, toys, assistance with self-care, etc.);
Organization of work during a night flight (turning off the lights);
Control of air temperature, pressure, humidity in the cabin;
Trade;
Providing individual services;
Providing first aid if necessary;
Psychological support for passengers;
Maintaining cleanliness in the salon;
Carrying out entertainment programs(film screening);
Control over smoking and sleeping passengers;
Control over the behavior of passengers during the flight (prohibition of standing in the cabin, etc.);
Monitoring the well-being of passengers during and after boarding;
Control over the disembarkation of passengers after a complete stop of the aircraft;
Inspect the cabin for the absence of foreign objects after passengers leave.
Personal qualities
Communication skills;
Accuracy;
Attentiveness;
Accuracy;
Ability to make independent decisions in critical situations;
Responsibility;
Tolerance;
Emotional stability.
Education
After an interview with the airline and successful completion of the medical examination, you must take preparatory courses. Most often they last about three months and include theoretical and practical parts. After completing the course, the future flight attendant must pass exams. To obtain an international certificate, study abroad is provided, during which students are paid a stipend. After passing the “final” exam, you must receive 30 hours of training flight time. Having successfully completed this stage, you receive a third class flight attendant certificate; subsequent promotions depend on the number of hours flown.
Occupational diseases
The health of a flight attendant is exposed to vibration and radiation during flight; noise, jet lag and pressure changes are factors leading to early professional incompetence. The work also involves constant self-control - inappropriate behavior towards passengers is unacceptable. The difficulties are more than compensated by the opportunities that open up, because the most romantic profession of the 20th century remains so in the 21st century.
The salary is high.
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On sea tourist cruise ships The responsibilities of a steward (stewardess) include:
1. Passenger service: 1.1. Explanation of the rules of behavior and safety on a sea cruise; 1.2. Familiarization of passengers with the elements of the ship's regulations; 1.3. Explanation of the structure of the ship - what is where, that is, it is required to show the location of bars, restaurants, shops, places active rest- courts, swimming pools, etc. 1.4. Escorting passengers of their sector during ship alarms in case of fire or flooding of the ship to the boat deck. 2. Maintaining cleanliness in passenger cabins. 3. Participation in certain organizational and entertainment events constantly held on board the ship for the entertainment of passengers. 4. Other varied technically uncomplicated work on the ship during the steward’s working hours.
IN civil aviation(GA) flight attendants are members of the cabin crew.
Flight attendants in air transport
Originally on passenger flights the passengers were handled by the co-pilot of the plane, which was risky from a safety point of view. In 1928 in Germany, crews passenger aircraft began to include a third member - steward.
IN THE USA
Even though the first flight attendants were men and many early airlines prohibited hiring women, the job soon became an almost exclusively female profession. Marketers were happy to use the presence of women on board for advertising.
Over time, as air travel became more comfortable, airlines needed to attract new customers. Flight attendants in the 1940s and 1950s allowed airlines to show that an airplane could be as comfortable as a living room. And just as safe: for women, and for children, and for men. At that time, marketers tried to present the flight attendant as a mother or wife.
In military aviation
USSR and RF on all types aircraft, including transport, passenger, staff and letter steward positions not provided as such. Passengers and order in the cabin (cargo compartment) are controlled by one of the crew members (ADO flight technician, flight mechanic, operator, etc.). All passengers are completely self-catering, including worrying about their food throughout the flight independently and in advance. All aircraft passengers, without exception, are subordinate to the commander of the crew (ship) and are obliged to unquestioningly fulfill all the requirements of the aircraft crew members. Regardless of rank and position, none of the passengers has the right to give instructions or interfere with the work of the crew.
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Excerpt characterizing Steward
By the way, it was a very beautiful ancient holiday (I don’t know if it still exists?), which usually lasted until dawn, and which everyone loved very much, regardless of age and taste. Almost the entire city always gathered for it and, what was absolutely incredible, no negative incidents were ever noticed at this holiday, despite the fact that everything happened in the forest. Apparently the beauty of customs opened even the most callous human souls to goodness, thereby slamming the door to any brewing aggressive thoughts or actions.Usually, on the Holy Mountain, bonfires burned all night long, ancient songs were sung in round dances, and all this together strongly resembled an unusually beautiful fantastic fairy tale. Hundreds of lovers set out at night to look for a blooming fern flower in the forest, wanting to secure its magical promise to be “the happiest and definitely forever”... And lonely young girls, having made a wish, lowered wreaths woven from flowers into the Nemunas River, with a candle burning in the middle of each of them. Many such wreaths were lowered, and for one night the river became like an amazingly beautiful one, softly flickering with the reflections of hundreds of candles, heavenly road, along which, creating trembling golden shadows, rows of kind golden ghosts floated, carefully carrying on their transparent wings the desires of others to the God of Love... And right there, on the Holy Mountain, there still stands a statue of the god Perkunas, to which my unexpected one was so similar guest.
A sparkling figure, without touching the ground with its feet, “swimmed up” to me, and I felt a very soft, warm touch.
“I came to open the Door for you,” a voice was heard in my head again.
- Door - where? – I asked.
- IN Big world, - came the answer.
He extended his luminous hand to my forehead and I felt a strange sensation of a slight “explosion”, after which a feeling appeared that was truly similar to a door opening... which, moreover, opened right in my forehead. I saw amazingly beautiful bodies, like huge multi-colored butterflies, coming out from the very center of my head... They lined up around me and, tied to me with the thinnest silver thread, created an amazingly colorful unusual flower... Along this “thread” a quiet and some kind of “unearthly” melody vibrated into me, which evoked a feeling of peace and completeness in my soul.
For a moment I saw many transparent human figures standing around, but for some reason they all disappeared very quickly. Only my first guest remained, who was still touching my forehead with his hand and from his touch a very pleasant “sounding” warmth flowed into my body.
- Who are they? – I asked, pointing to the “butterflies”.
“It’s you,” came the answer again. - That's all you.
I couldn’t understand what he was talking about, but somehow I knew that real, pure and bright Good was coming from him. Suddenly, very slowly, all these unusual “butterflies” began to “melt” and turned into an amazing, starry fog sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow, which gradually began to flow back into me... A deep feeling of completion and something else appeared that I could not understand, but just felt it very strongly with all my gut.
“Be careful,” said my guest.
- Careful about what? – I asked.
“You were born...” was the answer.
His tall figure began to sway. The clearing began to spin. And when I opened my eyes, to my greatest regret, my strange stranger was no longer anywhere. One of the boys, Romas, stood opposite me and watched my “awakening”. He asked what I was doing here and whether I was going to pick mushrooms... When I asked him what time it was, he looked at me in surprise and answered and I realized that everything that happened to me took only a few minutes!..
I stood up (it turned out that I was sitting on the ground), brushed myself off and was about to walk, when suddenly I noticed a very strange detail - the entire clearing around us was green!!! As amazingly green as if we found it in early spring! And what was our general surprise when we suddenly noticed that even beautiful spring flowers appeared on it from somewhere! It was absolutely amazing and, unfortunately, completely inexplicable. Most likely, this was some kind of “side” phenomenon after the arrival of my strange guest. But, unfortunately, I could not explain or even understand this at that time.
- What have you done? – Romas asked.
If you believe glossy magazines, then every girl wants to become a model, singer or actress. However, practice shows that this is not entirely true. Many girls are attracted not by the glitter of spotlights, fashion shows and world catwalks, but by the romance of the sky, private travel and the stylish beautiful uniform of a flight attendant. Not only the prestige of this profession plays an important role, but also the fairly high salaries of flight attendants.
If you believe glossy magazines, then every girl wants to become a model, singer or... However, practice shows that this is not entirely true. Many girls are attracted not by the shine of spotlights, fashion shows and world catwalks, but by the romance of the sky, private travel and a stylish, beautiful uniform flight attendants. Not only the prestige of this profession plays an important role, but also the fairly high salaries of flight attendants.
But is the profession of a flight attendant as wonderful as it seems at first glance? Is the work of a flight attendant really a continuous holiday and an extravaganza of unforgettable impressions? In fact, the professional activity of “heavenly angels” (this is what flight attendants are sometimes called) has a number of features due to which this profession can be called not only interesting, but also incredibly difficult. But what these features are you will learn in this article.
Who is a flight attendant?
The name of the profession comes from the English steward (manager), from which we can conclude that flight attendants act as managers of the aircraft cabin. To some extent, this is true, since during the flight it is the flight attendants who are the “hostesses” of the cabin, receiving guests - passengers. Official release date flight attendant profession It is considered to be 1930, when the Boeing airline first hired female flight attendants (before that). Note that the first flight attendants not only served passengers, but also weighed luggage and passengers, cleaned the cabin after the end of the flight, helped refuel the plane and roll it into the parking lot.
Modern flight attendants, fortunately, do not need to do anything like that. The list of their responsibilities is limited exclusively to serving the aircraft crew and passengers. Flight attendants meet and accommodate passengers on board, explain the rules of conduct on the aircraft and monitor their implementation, talk about how to behave in case of unforeseen situations and, if necessary, provide first aid, serve lunches and soft drinks, and check emergency equipment - life-saving equipment, monitor the sanitary condition of the aircraft.
What personal qualities should a flight attendant have?
As you might guess, flight attendant job directly related to communication with the most different people, therefore, “heavenly angels”, first of all, must be polite, sociable and balanced. In addition, the list of personal qualities that a flight attendant should have includes:
Also, a flight attendant must own at least one foreign language, know the basics of social psychology, have skills in handling emergency equipment and servicing crew and passengers.
Benefits of becoming a flight attendant
It’s not difficult to guess what the main advantage of being a flight attendant lies in the special atmosphere of romance that surrounds not only the flight attendant’s place of work, but also her entire professional activity. Vivid emotions unforgettable experience, new meetings and life among the clouds - all this is an integral part of the work of a flight attendant.
It is also important that the “heavenly angels” have the opportunity not only (and, mind you, to receive quite high wages for this), but also to buy fashionable and high-quality things for themselves and their relatives at European prices. Agree that for young girls this advantage of this profession can be decisive.
It is also worth saying that the professional duties of flight attendants leave a certain imprint on the attitude of flight attendants towards themselves. Representatives of this profession are so accustomed to always maintaining an impeccable appearance and maintaining equanimity even in the most difficult situations, as in Everyday life involuntarily adhere to these habits. And this greatly helps them both in their personal lives and in building a career in the future, when the profession of a flight attendant becomes inaccessible to them.
Disadvantages of being a flight attendant
Despite the fact that at first glance, the work of a flight attendant seems like a dream come true, consisting of only advantages, there are also disadvantages. And the main disadvantage of being a flight attendant can be called strict age restrictions. Very rarely does a woman over 30 become a “heavenly angel”. Moreover, even experienced flight attendants with an excellent track record are forced to “retire” after 30 years, since the management of almost all airlines is confident that only young girls can have the necessary impact on passengers.
Now let's talk about traveling around the world. Yes, flight attendants have the opportunity to visit various parts of our planet. But visiting does not mean sightseeing and getting acquainted with the culture of other peoples. As a rule, airline flights in one direction and the other are carried out at intervals of 2-3 hours, so flight attendants simply do not have time not only to see the sights, but also to simply walk around the surroundings of the hotel where they relax between flights.
One cannot help but mention the rather difficult working conditions:
- firstly, on every flight you may encounter unpleasant passengers who are rude, make scandals and treat flight attendants like service personnel. But no matter how unpleasant the passenger is, flight attendants should always smile and calmly react to aggression;
- secondly, when setting off on their next flight, aircraft crew members, including flight attendants, worry not only about the safety of passengers, but also about their own lives. After all, the aircraft is a high-risk transport, technical problems of which can lead to irreversible consequences;
- thirdly, frequent changes in time zones, pressure changes, noise, vibration and radiation have a negative impact on the health of flight attendants, which causes problems such as varicose veins, gynecological diseases, neurosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia and musculoskeletal diseases - musculoskeletal system.
Where can you get a job as a flight attendant?
To become a flight attendant It is not at all necessary to enroll in a specialized higher education educational institution. It is enough to pass an interview with the airline, a medical commission and preparatory courses, which include both theoretical and practical parts. However, you need to understand that the work of a flight attendant requires a huge amount of knowledge: from providing medical care to the psychological foundations of negotiating with terrorists. Therefore, an applicant for the position of flight attendant must, at a minimum, have the ability to self-educate. And it’s even better if the flight attendant combines her work with distance learning in one of the best aviation universities in Russia, which can be classified as
Stewardess, as well as steward- this is a specialist of ordinary personnel who can be part of the crew of air and water Vehicle. The main task of such a specialist is to serve passengers, take care of their safety, and, if necessary, provide medical assistance. Flight attendants and stewards check that all passengers have fastened their seat belts, explain the rules for using life jackets and oxygen masks, and serve food and drinks. The profession falls primarily into the “person-to-person” category, as it relates to the service sector. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in psychology and geography (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).
Brief description: who is a flight attendant?
The position of flight attendant appeared in the first half of the twentieth century. At that time, only girls with medical education were allowed to do this work, although their duties also included composting tickets, cleaning the cabin, toilet and cockpit, distributing blankets and chewing gum, and even loading and unloading luggage. Fortunately, over time, all physically difficult work began to be performed by special workers using technical equipment, and flight attendants were freed from them.
Features of the profession
The vacancy of a flight attendant is shrouded in a certain romantic flair, and it cannot be said that it is absolutely not justified. However, for such a worker, every flight is not so much romance as it is work that must be performed flawlessly. Flight attendants and stewards are the closest representatives of the airline to passengers and, accordingly, their professionalism affects the prestige and status of the latter. The main responsibilities of flight attendants are usually as follows:
- Checking the completeness of rescue equipment.
- Meeting passengers and checking them boarding passes, providing assistance in finding seats in the cabin.
- Pre-flight preparation, including informing passengers about how to use life-saving equipment and the location of exits.
- Monitoring the behavior of passengers during the flight, preventing or resolving conflict situations.
- Providing medical assistance if necessary.
- Monitoring the interior: the level of humidity and air temperature, the presence of foreign suspicious objects, compliance with sanitary standards, etc.
- Distribution of food and drinks.
- Saying goodbye to passengers upon arrival at their destination.
When thinking about who a flight attendant is, most people imagine a slender girl in a branded suit from a famous airline. This is justified by the fact that many of these companies have certain requirements for the appearance of job applicants. The requirements may be more or less stringent, but they are always there.
Pros and cons of being a flight attendant
pros
- Decent salary, full benefits package.
- Opportunity to travel around the world.
- Early retirement.
- Decent social status.
Minuses
- Quite a large load on the body (both due to the change in time zones and the need to spend a significant part of the flight on your feet).
- The need to regularly leave home, which can cause difficulties in relationships with family and friends.
- Inability to leave the airport during breaks between flights.
Important personal qualities
For a flight attendant, stress resistance, communication skills, psychological stability, physical endurance, diplomacy, restraint, and a pleasant appearance are important. In addition, she must have good eyesight and hearing, quick reactions, clear diction and a pleasant voice. Training to become a flight attendant can help you acquire missing skills, but without the right background, finding a job in this field will be difficult.
Flight attendant training
There is no need to study at a college or university to become a flight attendant. Very often, airlines that recruit new personnel themselves conduct training courses for their future employees (these courses usually last several months). But in order to get into study, you will need to pass an interview.
Having a college degree in certain fields can increase your likelihood of successful employment. For example, the answer to the question of where to get a flight attendant profession can be the direction of training at colleges “Transport Service” (code 43.01.06). Admission is carried out on the basis of the average score of the certificate, education after the 11th grade lasts from 2 to 4 years, after the 9th grade - from 3 to 5 years (depending on the form of education: full-time, evening or part-time).
Courses
As already noted, flight attendant training courses are conducted by all airlines when expanding their staff. Moreover, in most cases, they are required to pass both those who have not yet worked in a similar position, and candidates with work experience (since the responsibilities of flight attendants and stewards in different companies may vary). The courses always end with an exam, after which you will be required to complete 30 hours of training flight time. Only after this can you receive an official third-class flight attendant certificate (there are only three classes, the highest is first).
Best colleges for flight attendants
Place of work
Flight attendants work for transport companies. Most often we are talking about aviation companies, although flight attendants on water vessels can be called the same.
Flight attendant salary
Although the level of income of a flight attendant depends on the planes of which company she works on and in which country she is employed, it is always quite high.
Salary as of 03/16/2020
Russia 29800—190000 ₽
Moscow 30000—190000 ₽
Career
A flight attendant starts out as a third class flight attendant, and as her flight hours increase she can qualify for second and first class status. Most often, it is the title of first class flight attendant that becomes the pinnacle of such an employee’s career.
Professional knowledge
- Organization of transport safety.
- Risk and insurance in transport.
- Organization of transport services.
- Fundamentals of medicine.
- Basics of psychology.
- Management.
Famous flight attendants
- Ruth Carol Tyler, the first African American flight attendant in the United States.
- Nerha Bhanot, who died while rescuing passengers from a terrorist attack.
- Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, an Icelandic flight attendant who later became Prime Minister of Iceland (and the world's first female prime minister at the same time).
Performing passenger service work on them, but mainly responsible for the safety of passengers (in the event of an accident - assistance to passengers, etc.).
On sea tourist cruise ships, the responsibilities of a steward (stewardess) include:
1. Passenger service: 1.1. Explanation of the rules of behavior and safety on a sea cruise; 1.2. Familiarization of passengers with the elements of the ship's regulations; 1.3. Explanation of the structure of the vessel - what is where, that is, it is required to show the location of bars, restaurants, shops, places of active recreation - courts, swimming pools, etc. 1.4. Escorting passengers of their sector during ship alarms in case of fire or flooding of the ship to the boat deck. 2. Maintaining cleanliness in passenger cabins. 3. Participation in certain organizational and entertainment events constantly held on board the ship for the entertainment of passengers. 4. Other varied technically uncomplicated work on the ship during the steward’s working hours.
In civil aviation (CA), flight attendants are members of the cabin crew.
Flight attendants in air transport
Singaporean flight attendants in nationally stylized uniforms (color determined by rank)
In military aviation
USSR and Russian Federation on all types of aircraft, including transport, passenger, staff and flight steward positions not provided as such; Passengers and order in the cabin (cargo compartment) are monitored by one of the crew members: ADO flight technician, flight mechanic, operator, etc. All passengers are completely self-service, including worrying about their food during the flight independently and in advance. All aircraft passengers, without exception, are subordinate to the captain of the crew (ship) and are obliged to unquestioningly fulfill all legal requirements of the aircraft crew members. Regardless of rank and position, none of the passengers has the right to give instructions or interfere with the work of the crew.
Literature
- Vladislav Morozov. Princesses of the Fifth Ocean (Russian) // Aviation and Cosmonautics. - M., 2018. - No. 3. - pp. 10-19. -
