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Galley Gossip: A question about "flight attendant training schools"
Dear Heather,
Maggie from Kamloops bc
Dear Maggie,
I do not know one flight attendant who has gone to a school offering a certificate or diploma to become a flight attendant that has actually become a flight attendant. I believe those schools are a waste of time and money and do not recommend them at all. In fact, one of the reasons I've shied away from advertising offers on my personal blog is because I do not want those kinds of ads, flight attendant training school ads, associated with my name. I refuse to endorse something I do not believe in.
If you want to become a flight attendant, apply to the airlines directly. Each airline has their own training program that can range from two to seven weeks long. The first airline I ever worked for, Sun Jet International Airlines, was a charter airline with only three (leased) aircrafts, all MD80's once owned by Hawaiian Air. Sun Jet flew from Dallas to Newark, Ft. Lauderdale, and Long Beach for just $69 a flight - twice a day. Even that teeny tiny airline had their own training program that lasted two weeks.
After I read your letter, I searched FLIGHT ATTENDANT SCHOOLS just to see what they had to say. The Travel Academy states the following
I only worked three months for Sun Jet before I applied to a major airline and actually got hired. Even with all the hands on experience I received working for a small airline, I still wasn't completely prepared for the intensive training I went through with the major airline. Every airline owns different types of aircraft and many of those airplanes have been reconfigured making them different from the same airplane flown at another airline. Also, our medical and emergency procedures differ from other airlines, which is why getting a diploma at a "flight attendant school" not connected with a specific airline doesn't make sense.
Airlines in the US currently employ approximately 86,000 flight attendants and hire almost 8,000 more each year. The minimum hiring requirements for becoming a flight attendant are High School Diploma or GED and at least 18 years of age. However, to get hired you need poise, a strong presentation, and the ability to connect with people.
Even in this day and age of travel, people still dream of becoming a flight attendant, which means your competition is fierce. Granted, you can become a flight attendant with just a high school diploma and a GED, but because there are so many applicants to choose from, airlines have the option of picking future candidates who have a lot more to offer than just the basics. Not only do I have a college degree, but I've held many jobs in the past that required good customer service. Customer service experience is a must. .
As for poise, a strong presentation, and the ability to connect with people, these traits are important. So is being flexible. That said, you do NOT need to pay money and go through weeks of training at a so-called "flight attendant training school" to acquire these traits.
In our weak economy today, airlines are struggling to stay afloat and very few are hiring. In fact, most airlines are laying off. That's why getting a college degree is important. You want to have something to fall back on if you do become a flight attendant and find yourself grounded. My advice to you is to get a college degree, or some sort of technical training, before you apply with an airline. Learning to speak a foreign language is also a plus.
The flight attendant I worked with last night, Shirley, not only has a college degree, but speaks three languages and worked for several airlines before ending up at my airline. Shirley is now in the process of getting a certificate in court reporting, a two year training program. Why? Because after ten years of flying for a major carrier Shirley is about to be furloughed. That pretty much means she's being "layed off", only the airlines have to call her back to work before they can hire someone else.
The Travel Academy also states...
Ninety-six percent of people that apply to become a flight attendant without our training don't get a second interview.
I'm fairly certain that ninety-six percent of people that apply to become a flight attendant with OR WITHOUT training from The Travel Academy don't get a second interview. But don't let that deter you. I applied to a major airline, got an interview, and did not get hired. Shirley, the flight attendant I mentioned above, had an amazing career working six years for a prestigious charter airline. She actually wore white gloves and flew around the world twice. She also applied to a specific major airline 18 times - 18 TIMES! And never got hired. After sending an application to my airline, she was hired a few months later. Not only is she an amazing flight attendant, hardworking, always smiling, and lots of fun, she's one of my favorite flight attendants to work with. The airline that didn't hire her really lost out. 
As for the money you'll spend on one of these training schools, Flight Attendant Express, another company offering flight attendant training, states...
The reason these schools charge a lot of money and keep you for WEEKS and/or MONTHS at a time is because it takes a long time to learn Sabre, the computer system they teach, which is used for booking airline reservations. Keep in mind that the financial aid they offer is NOT free - it is a loan that must be paid back and it will eat into your paycheck for years! Our program is only $899 and includes your hotel room.
Their program is ONLY $899! That's a lot of money to spend on a program that can't guarantee a job with a company that is going to train you once you are hired. And yet you'll still have to spend even more money once you are hired by an airline. My airline paid for our training, food, and lodging, but not our uniforms. Who knew blue polyester could cost $2,000? (It was pay roll deducted out our checks over the years) Your expenses don't stop there. The very day my wings were pinned to my blue lapel, the airline flew me to my crew base where I was expected to find a place to live with only four days to do so before I had to fly my first trip. Nine times out of ten you will not be based in your hometown, which means you'll need enough money to rent an apartment in whichever city you are based in.
Not to mention, flight attendants don't make a lot of money. In 1995 I made only 18K - and I work for a major airline! After 9/11 flight attendants, at my airline, took a 30% pay cut, so new hires today aren't even making what I made when I first started.
As for learning Sabre, unless you're going to become a ticket, gate, or travel agent, you will not need weeks worth of training on the computer. Though it's all a blur now, I'm pretty sure my Sabre class only lasted a day or two. That's it. So save your money, apply to the airlines directly, and let them train you on their dollar, not yours.
For more information on how to become a flight attendant, read my Galley Gossip post, A question about Southwest Airlines, AirTran Airways, and other airlines who may be hiring flight attendants, and make sure to check out Cabincrewjobs.com for even more information.
| Are much like modeling schools - total scams | |
|---|---|
| Are wonderful! I went to one and then got hired by an airline | |
| I have no idea whether they're legit or not. I just want to see the results |
Photos courtesy of (flight attendant) Limeydog, (slide) Fly For Fun, (flight attendants) Nicholas McGowan
Filed under: Business, United States, Airlines, Transportation, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SLJ Sep 3rd 2009 9:47AM
Ummmmm, I'm hoping that the typos in the letter to Heather were not from the individual who wrote the letter and instead were data entry errors.
If the typos were in the letter I would advise this individual to work on those skills or at least have someone proofread their materials before submitting an application to any airline. Being able to communicate both through written and verbal means is a skill that employers want.
SLJ Sep 3rd 2009 11:15AM
Looks like it was typos on the data entry point. Thanks for fixing!
Kent Wien Sep 3rd 2009 1:36PM
Thanks SLJ. There's a fine line on editing the questions, but we decided to work with it a bit.
naughtyanjel2993 Sep 3rd 2009 6:51PM
Loved the article. Just wanted to let you know I work for expedia.com and was trained in Sabre. The training took 4 days in class during our training period but the last 2 were spent creating "ghost" trips through the program.
Amelinda Sep 3rd 2009 1:20PM
Thank you for writing this! I have meaning to write you myself concerning the legitimacy of these flight attendant schools.
susan Nov 28th 2009 9:12AM
Get a college degree, learn a foreign language or two..then apply to a major airline. Don't waste money on a flight attendant school. The major airlines like to train their flight attendants in their own unique way. I've been witha major airline for 38 years, and do not know anyoneI have ever flown with who went to a flight attendant school; they were all trained specifically for the airline that hired them. It is a really good fun job, be pleasant, be knowlegable, be able to do the correct thing in an emergency and you'll be a good flight attendant."
johnmc Sep 3rd 2009 7:16PM
Why in the world would FA training include Sabre? Not only is it more relevant to ground crews, how many airlines are using raw Sabre (besides AA) these days? Most are using some sort of front end (Qik, Image etc.) and those using native setups aren't always Sabre (Shares, Navitaire etc.).
Flightattdntjen Sep 3rd 2009 8:56PM
GREAT article! These schools are complete rubbish and in my personal experience can RUIN your chances of becoming a flight attendant.
When I was in initial flight attendant training at my "major airline" there was a girl who had applied 3-4 years in a row to my airline. When she wasn't hired her parents paid for her to attend some "flight attendant college". It cost them $4000 not including lodging and meals, but when said airline recruited again... she was hired! They were all so glad that they had put their money to good use, or so they thought. During training this girl was nothing but a hindrance in class. Having thought she attended some accredited, actual college course, she felt the need to constantly correct our instructors. Telling them how it was done at "flight attendant college". Halfway through her training the instructors pulled her aside and told her to shake everything out of her head that she had been taught at this college. Unfortunately, she was too brain washed. The next week while testing us on our shouted evacuation drills this wanna-be F/a started screaming the ones she had learned in school. She purposely did this because she thought the ones she was given were not as good as the ones from her college. Big no, no! This was like the Final Exam of Flight attendant training. (we spend the whole 6 weeks dreading this moment and rehearsing every chance we get!)
She was given an "N/i" which means 'needs improvement', and was asked to leave the training center because of her lack of compliance to standards! She later felt the need to sue our company for being kicked out! I blame her immaturity but mostly I blame this"flight attendant college".
This is the only "flight attendant college" (graduate?) student I have ever met and ever since meeting her I ALWAYS warn people against these type of schools! Thanks for writing this article and shining the light on these scams!
Heather Poole Sep 4th 2009 10:19AM
Interesting story, Jen. Thanks for sharing. I, too, had problem with learning my drills because I kept wanting to yell out my Sun Jet commands instead of the new commands. It's amazing how those evacuation commands stick with you, and thank goodness they do!
Eclipseperal Nov 9th 2009 9:44AM
Good story! Not surprising but an interesting lesson...
I too had trouble shaking out all the old commands from my first airline when I was hired by my second. Some of us resorted to taping them on the mirrors in our training center rooms so that we could keep memorizing them as we brushed out teeth. They did warn us, nicely but firmly, that yelling out the old commands would get sent home.
I think that was a great article and I always give the same advice. I would add that each airline is very picky about the way they want things done, especially when it comes to emergency training and evacuation commands.
If someone has time and money to spend, I would recommend either taking language courses and/or a general course on interviewing/presentation skills, which would be useful for any line of work. I want to add that improving already-existing language skills is wiser than trying to learn a new, or weaker language. The test can be tough (especially if it's been awhile).
For those who said these schools did help, I would venture to say that the information pertaining to interviewing skills might have made the difference.
Not to diss the profession (in which I spent 13 very rewarding years of my life) but the nuts and bolts of being a F/A aren't brain surgery. They hire people who have the "right stuff", often the things you can't buy or learn.
Tim Kirkwood Sep 4th 2009 9:41AM
Heather is correct on Flight Attendant Training Schools, especially as it applies to commercial airlines. The only legitimate school I recommend is Cypress College (http://votech.cypresscollege.edu/~atc/), only because they do NOT guarantee you a job. They are a Community College in Southern California, and it's part of their Travel and Tourism career course.
Now there are some Canadian airlines who will require you to go to a training school once you're hired, but it is their pre-approved school only, and it is fully explained on their employment website.
If you are looking for Corporate Flight Attendant work, in cases you WILL need to pre-train at your own expense. Anyone wanting more information on that can contact me, and I can guide you to those legitimate schools.
Mark Campidonica Sep 5th 2009 6:20PM
Thanks for the wonderful photos. It's nice to see images that are not from a photo bureau for a change.
susan Sep 7th 2009 10:53AM
I worked for Pan Am....which scoured the country including my small town looking to interview candidates. Out of the entire group of people showing up with resumes over the course of one weekend, I was on of 6 hired. Training lasted 6 weeks, and we were given 10 days in London at a paid hotel to find a place to live. The company went bankrupt 3.5 years later. After training with United 9 months later, the salary offered was a mere $900 per month, barely enough to cover rental of a room in a major city and a bit of food each month. Compare that with the $2000 per month I had been earning at Pan Am. Even though it was 18 years ago....it was still a pittance and would not have afforded me enough to live on. The hiring standards as a result have been lowered significantly. Back then the odds of being hired ...it was like breaking into show business. It's a good opportunity for young people to branch out...but have a college degree and back up plan because you cant afford to live on the wages, and airlines go out of business all the time...
Bil Sep 7th 2009 7:49PM
Maggie,
As a Flight Attendant I can promise you that you WILL be trained by the airline that hires you. Please don't give up, but do not spend a penny on any of these schools.
frank96 Sep 7th 2009 7:49PM
Maggie,
Please answer the following questions (asked at my interview) so I can get a good perspective of you and your interviewing skills:
Why do you want to become a Flight Attendant?
What would you rather be, a guest or a host, at a party?
What do you think is the worst aspect of this job?
What dont you like about yourself?
==================================================
Point being, I had answers to those questions above even before I went into the interview. I was prepared. Back in the stone ages (early 80's) when I interviewed, I had spoken with flight attendants and bought some books that helped me tremendously. To this day, I still remember the book: http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/Guidebook_on_Becoming_a_Flight_Attendant-The_Original_Airline_Interview/0961468904/
Preparation is key. And, Heather's wonderful advice
Get past the interview, first. Secondly, Hook up with someone in training that has been through the process before. They will know how to study. And, study HARD.
frank96 Sep 7th 2009 7:48PM
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Guidebook-on-Becoming-a-Flight-Attendant/Adam-Jonz/e/9780961468903/?itm=1
I can not tell you how valuable this book was to me, some 25 years ago. Advice like: On the intial GROUP interview, dont be the first one up to speak about yourself, but dont be the last. Remember the names of the interviewers and thank them individually after the process is done. Many people leave the room without thanking them. GO UP, shake hands and thank them by name. Tell them how fortunate you feel to interview for such a wonderful airline. Wear blue or grey, business dress. Have a brief speech memorized about yourself. Chronological order is best. The book goes over interview questions. They state the most COMMON answer, a BETTER ANSWER and why.
Heather Fraser Sep 16th 2009 1:38PM
I completed an online flight attendant school 2 years ago (exactly). I had applied to airline after airline, year after year since I was 18, with nothing so much as a phonecall. I completed this course online at the end of Sept 2007, revised my resume and applied again, and on November 23rd I got the first phone call. Got hired in December and started Initial training Jan 8th 2008.
Having said that - I did NOT shell out $4000 for this course. It cost me $250 (if that). It's a prerequisite for my airline, as well as 5 or 6 others. So even if I had been hired before ever taking the course, I would have still had to take it, because our training is only 2 weeks long, they want us to already have a basic understanding of what we're getting ourselves into. It was pretty clear it wasn't a scam because it's mentioned on the airline's application forms on their websites that you need this course. But all in all, I believe i'd still be where I was 2 years ago..working in a deadend job, if I hadn't of taken this course. My only regret is not taking it 2 years earlier!