Flight attendants manage a number of tasks, working from before liftoff to after landing to aid the flying experience of passengers. A flight attendant's career objectives on a resume focus on the profession's contributions to the overall safety of a flight and the comfort of its passengers. Flight attendants typically have a college degree and a background in customer service, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Safety Preparation
The most critical objective of flight attendants is to help create a safe environment on each flight. This starts with preparations before a flight, when attendants check emergency equipment to ensure that it is available and operating. Once passengers have boarded, attendants review safety precautions with the passengers and demonstrate the use of the seat belt and emergency tools. They also confirm that there are no passenger items blocking aisles. They check overhead bins to make sure that they are closed properly and will not let items fall down on passengers, and they ensure that passengers are wearing their seat belts.
Emergency Role
Flight attendants' objective in case of an emergency is to tend to passengers. This means directing them to use relevant equipment or to act in a certain way, such as to evacuate a plane. It also means serving as a calming presence, working to ease the nerves of anxious passengers. In addition, flight attendants serve as first responders in an airplane during an emergency. They must be prepared to provide basic first aid to passengers who are facing medical problems on board.
Passenger Comfort
One of flight attendants' prime objectives is to serve passengers and make their flight as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. This effort takes many forms during the course of a flight. Flight attendants help passengers settle into their seats, including aiding them in storing baggage in a way that is not disruptive for other passengers. They assist passengers, such as the elderly or disabled, who have special needs. Flight attendants serve food and beverages during the flight, and they take passenger requests for items such as blankets or earphones to watch a movie.
Collaborate With Flight Crew
A flight attendant carries the career objective of being a sterling colleague for fellow members of the crew because strong teamwork is essential for the smooth management of a flight. Flight attendants must work together to handle the demands of passengers and to be prepared to act during an emergency in a concerted, efficient fashion. They also must work with pilots, who depend on the flight attendants to serve as their eyes and ears among the passengers. Pilots sometimes make requests of flight attendants regarding passenger behavior and conditions in the passenger area, and they must be prepared to carry out those requests.
2016 Salary Information for Flight Attendants
Flight attendants earned a median annual salary of $48,500 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, flight attendants earned a 25th percentile salary of $39,860, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $62,490, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 116,600 people were employed in the U.S. as flight attendants.
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Writer Bio
Tom Gresham is a freelance writer and public relations specialist who has been writing professionally since 1999. His articles have appeared in "The Washington Post," "Virginia Magazine," "Vermont Magazine," "Adirondack Life" and the "Southern Arts Journal," among other publications. He graduated from the University of Virginia.