The Phonetic Alphabet

Whilst most passenger announcements are made in every day language, you may need to communicate within the airport or aircraft regarding a flight, a passenger, or other details. This communication may be with somebody whose first language is different to your own.

Under these circumstances staff in the aviation industry will use the phonetic alphabet to reduce confusion and aid understanding.

The phonetic alphabet is simply a way of spelling words in a way that is universally clear. It is used around the world and simply replaces the letter of the alphabet with an English word.

For example, if you were explaining that you were a flight attendant on flight NZ45 you would say ‘November Zulu 45.’ If you wanted to be clear about a passengers’ name, and the passenger was called Mr Clark, you would say ‘Charlie, Lima, Alpha, Romeo, Kilo’.

Why not learn the alphabet (shown below) and practice using it until you’re fluent! This could be another ‘edge’ you have when applying for airline jobs.

This is the end of your CABIN CREW online training.

If you want to read more interesting information about the travel, tourism and aviation industry, please check out our other online training courses on itconlinetraining.com – ONLINE COURSE TOPICS.

Equip yourself with skills, knowledge and abilities that will help you into other jobs and career paths in and around airlines, travel companies or airports, and these could lead into your dream job in the future!

The International Travel College of New Zealand can help you! They are one of the Top Ten Company Training Colleges in the world, and a leader in provision of training for the aviation, travel and tourism industries. As a Tourism Award Winner, ISO accredited, Edexcel [UK], IATA and Microsoft accredited, they can provide you with the right training course and employment assistance to establish your career goals and dreams.

Contact them on 0800 TOURISM [New Zealand 0800 868 747] or college@itc.co.nz [website: www.itc.co.nz)  for further information on courses and programs that include training at campuses in Auckland City and Botany Town Centre, Auckland (New Zealand) and by Distance Online Learning. Some of our Distance Learning courses are available to people studying outside New Zealand. Or you could consider to come to New Zealand, and live her whilst you complete your studies at ITC! (international@itc.co.nz)

The Phonetic Alphabet

Whilst most passenger announcements are made in every day language, you may need to communicate within the airport or aircraft regarding a flight, a passenger, or other details. This communication may be with somebody whose first language is different to your own.

Under these circumstances staff in the aviation industry will use the phonetic alphabet to reduce confusion and aid understanding.

The phonetic alphabet is simply a way of spelling words in a way that is universally clear. It is used around the world and simply replaces the letter of the alphabet with an English word.

For example, if you were explaining that you were a flight attendant on flight NZ45 you would say ‘November Zulu 45.’ If you wanted to be clear about a passengers’ name, and the passenger was called Mr Clark, you would say ‘Charlie, Lima, Alpha, Romeo, Kilo’.

Why not learn the alphabet (shown below) and practice using it until you’re fluent! This could be another ‘edge’ you have when applying for airline jobs.

This is the end of your CABIN CREW online training.

If you want to read more interesting information about the travel, tourism and aviation industry, please check out our other online training courses on itconlinetraining.com – ONLINE COURSE TOPICS.

Equip yourself with skills, knowledge and abilities that will help you into other jobs and career paths in and around airlines, travel companies or airports, and these could lead into your dream job in the future!

The International Travel College of New Zealand can help you! They are one of the Top Ten Company Training Colleges in the world, and a leader in provision of training for the aviation, travel and tourism industries. As a Tourism Award Winner, ISO accredited, Edexcel [UK], IATA and Microsoft accredited, they can provide you with the right training course and employment assistance to establish your career goals and dreams.

Contact them on 0800 TOURISM [New Zealand 0800 868 747] or college@itc.co.nz [website: www.itc.co.nz)  for further information on courses and programs that include training at campuses in Auckland City and Botany Town Centre, Auckland (New Zealand) and by Distance Online Learning. Some of our Distance Learning courses are available to people studying outside New Zealand. Or you could consider to come to New Zealand, and live her whilst you complete your studies at ITC! (international@itc.co.nz)

The Phonetic Alphabet

Whilst most passenger announcements are made in every day language, you may need to communicate within the airport or aircraft regarding a flight, a passenger, or other details. This communication may be with somebody whose first language is different to your own.

Under these circumstances staff in the aviation industry will use the phonetic alphabet to reduce confusion and aid understanding.

The phonetic alphabet is simply a way of spelling words in a way that is universally clear. It is used around the world and simply replaces the letter of the alphabet with an English word.

For example, if you were explaining that you were a flight attendant on flight NZ45 you would say ‘November Zulu 45.’ If you wanted to be clear about a passengers’ name, and the passenger was called Mr Clark, you would say ‘Charlie, Lima, Alpha, Romeo, Kilo’.

Why not learn the alphabet (shown below) and practice using it until you’re fluent! This could be another ‘edge’ you have when applying for airline jobs.

This is the end of your CABIN CREW online training.

If you want to read more interesting information about the travel, tourism and aviation industry, please check out our other online training courses on itconlinetraining.com – ONLINE COURSE TOPICS.

Equip yourself with skills, knowledge and abilities that will help you into other jobs and career paths in and around airlines, travel companies or airports, and these could lead into your dream job in the future!

The International Travel College of New Zealand can help you! They are one of the Top Ten Company Training Colleges in the world, and a leader in provision of training for the aviation, travel and tourism industries. As a Tourism Award Winner, ISO accredited, Edexcel [UK], IATA and Microsoft accredited, they can provide you with the right training course and employment assistance to establish your career goals and dreams.

Contact them on 0800 TOURISM [New Zealand 0800 868 747] or college@itc.co.nz [website: www.itc.co.nz)  for further information on courses and programs that include training at campuses in Auckland City and Botany Town Centre, Auckland (New Zealand) and by Distance Online Learning. Some of our Distance Learning courses are available to people studying outside New Zealand. Or you could consider to come to New Zealand, and live her whilst you complete your studies at ITC! (international@itc.co.nz)

Aircraft based passenger announcements

A PA system on an aircraft communicates between either the Flight Crew or Cabin Crew and the passengers. Announcements are made at intervals before take-off, during flight, and after landing.

Any member of the flight deck may make announcements, depending on the roles the senior Captain has assigned and who is available at the time.

In the passenger cabin the senior member of the Cabin Crew will usually make all announcements, but may delegate another member of the crew as required.

Most aircraft based systems operate quite simply with a hand held phone or handset which is activated by pressing and holding down a button to activate the speakers in the cabin. The continuous holding-down of the button is deliberately intended to prevent flight attendants from accidentally broadcasting chat in the galley to the entire aircraft!

As a flight attendant you should never make passenger announcements without first clearing this with a senior member of the crew.

Regular announcements include:

• Welcome on board
• Get seated  and strapped in for take off
• Emergency evacuation systems
• Information on flight duration, route, altitude, arrival time, weather
• Introductions to crew
• Details of in flight food and beverage services
• Reminders about no-smoking, stay seated,
• Welcome to your destination!
• Disembarkation process

Most airlines have well prepared ‘scripts’ that crew initially learn and these are made available as cue-cards at the PA system so that the announcement flows well, is clear and unambiguous.

Many flights include multi-lingual flight attendants who make announcements in different languages. Particularly where it is known in advance that the passengers on a specific flight regularly includes significant numbers from particular ethnicities. Prospective flight attendants with language skills are in demand for airlines who carry mixed nationalities and who need multi-lingual crew in order to service the needs of its passengers.

Best Practice in Making Passenger Announcements

Many airlines are moving away from the monotone fully scripted announcements of the past and encouraging their flight attendants to project their personality and style!

Air New Zealand are proud of the range and variety of people they employ as flight attendants, and are asking them to bring their personality, culture and passion for New Zealand into their announcements.

This has resulted in a real sea-change in the passenger cabin, with passengers actively listening and enjoying the announcements rather than switching mentally ‘off’ when they hear the PA system switch on.

With this in mind, consider these tips in making public announcements:

• Remember you’re not a robot! Vary your voice tone, pitch and volume, just as you would when speaking to people face-to-face
• Slow down! Take a deep breath and speak more slowly than you normally would, the passengers will then hear every word
• Use pauses to break up the announcement. Silence is a great attention-grabber, and passengers will be listening actively for what’s coming next
• Articulate really clearly – this is not the time to mumble!
• Stand up straight! People always project their voice better when standing and your voice comes across clearly
• Don’t use slang or jargon – your passengers might not understand it and will feel alienated or even patronised!
• Never use inoffensive language of any kind in a public announcement. This includes swear words that may be acceptable to you and your friends, but they have no place in the working world at all.
• Don’t use the PA to tell jokes or stories – that’s hard to do even for professional entertainers and you’re likely to embarrass the passengers, yourself, and the airlines. You should say nothing that would bring your airline into disrepute, or end up on You Tube!
• Project warmth into your voice – think of the passengers as friends, people you like, and you have something nice to tell them!
• If you’re making a bad-news announcement, such as a diversion to another airport, adjust your voice tone accordingly and be alert to avoid sounding too jolly or too worried.
• On the subject of worried – a lot of passengers worry about air travel, and one of the role of flight attendants is to project confidence and calm at all times, so make sure your voice has enough depth and calmness at all times.
• Except in real emergency!! Experience has shown that when there is a serious emergency passengers respond best to short, clear instructions that ‘shocks’ them into doing exactly what’s required. If an aircraft is about to make an emergency landing this is definitely NOT the time to ‘ask’ passengers to stay seated or adopt the brace position. This is time to use the ‘BRACE! BRACE! BRACE!’ instruction you will learn in training school!

Barriers to Effective Public Speaking

Even if you have followed all the top tips from the previous list your announcement may still not be clearly understood! This may be for a range of reasons that include:

• The passengers weren’t listening – remember that just because they’re there doesn’t mean they’re listening. They may have heard, but hearing is not the same as listening!
• The PA system isn’t working properly
• The PA system is working but the aircraft and environmental noise is too distracting for announcements to be heard clearly
• You aren’t speaking loudly or clearly enough
• You are speaking too quickly
• You are speaking in the wrong language!
• The passengers aren’t motivated to listen, so don’t

Some of these barriers are beyond your control (PA system not working etc) but you can certainly address those that involve your delivery of the announcement, such as speaking slowly and clearly, finding a colleague with appropriate language skills.

You can even overcome the last barrier by working on raising passenger’s motivation through an introduction to the message that causes them to sit up and listen. i.e. ‘Attention passengers, this is an important announcement’ or ‘please listen carefully to the following message’, followed by a pause of several seconds. The use of the pause is critical here as the passengers are primed to listen and will be ready to listen very actively when you start with the content of the announcement.

As with many workplace skills, practice is the key to success in public speaking and in making announcements. You will have plenty of opportunity to practice with others on your training course, so have fun!

Meanwhile, checkout the Phonetic Alphabet information which you’ll find useful in any aviation based career.

Aircraft based passenger announcements

A PA system on an aircraft communicates between either the Flight Crew or Cabin Crew and the passengers. Announcements are made at intervals before take-off, during flight, and after landing.

Any member of the flight deck may make announcements, depending on the roles the senior Captain has assigned and who is available at the time.

In the passenger cabin the senior member of the Cabin Crew will usually make all announcements, but may delegate another member of the crew as required.

Most aircraft based systems operate quite simply with a hand held phone or handset which is activated by pressing and holding down a button to activate the speakers in the cabin. The continuous holding-down of the button is deliberately intended to prevent flight attendants from accidentally broadcasting chat in the galley to the entire aircraft!

As a flight attendant you should never make passenger announcements without first clearing this with a senior member of the crew.

Regular announcements include:

• Welcome on board
• Get seated  and strapped in for take off
• Emergency evacuation systems
• Information on flight duration, route, altitude, arrival time, weather
• Introductions to crew
• Details of in flight food and beverage services
• Reminders about no-smoking, stay seated,
• Welcome to your destination!
• Disembarkation process

Most airlines have well prepared ‘scripts’ that crew initially learn and these are made available as cue-cards at the PA system so that the announcement flows well, is clear and unambiguous.

Many flights include multi-lingual flight attendants who make announcements in different languages. Particularly where it is known in advance that the passengers on a specific flight regularly includes significant numbers from particular ethnicities. Prospective flight attendants with language skills are in demand for airlines who carry mixed nationalities and who need multi-lingual crew in order to service the needs of its passengers.

Best Practice in Making Passenger Announcements

Many airlines are moving away from the monotone fully scripted announcements of the past and encouraging their flight attendants to project their personality and style!

Air New Zealand are proud of the range and variety of people they employ as flight attendants, and are asking them to bring their personality, culture and passion for New Zealand into their announcements.

This has resulted in a real sea-change in the passenger cabin, with passengers actively listening and enjoying the announcements rather than switching mentally ‘off’ when they hear the PA system switch on.

With this in mind, consider these tips in making public announcements:

• Remember you’re not a robot! Vary your voice tone, pitch and volume, just as you would when speaking to people face-to-face
• Slow down! Take a deep breath and speak more slowly than you normally would, the passengers will then hear every word
• Use pauses to break up the announcement. Silence is a great attention-grabber, and passengers will be listening actively for what’s coming next
• Articulate really clearly – this is not the time to mumble!
• Stand up straight! People always project their voice better when standing and your voice comes across clearly
• Don’t use slang or jargon – your passengers might not understand it and will feel alienated or even patronised!
• Never use inoffensive language of any kind in a public announcement. This includes swear words that may be acceptable to you and your friends, but they have no place in the working world at all.
• Don’t use the PA to tell jokes or stories – that’s hard to do even for professional entertainers and you’re likely to embarrass the passengers, yourself, and the airlines. You should say nothing that would bring your airline into disrepute, or end up on You Tube!
• Project warmth into your voice – think of the passengers as friends, people you like, and you have something nice to tell them!
• If you’re making a bad-news announcement, such as a diversion to another airport, adjust your voice tone accordingly and be alert to avoid sounding too jolly or too worried.
• On the subject of worried – a lot of passengers worry about air travel, and one of the role of flight attendants is to project confidence and calm at all times, so make sure your voice has enough depth and calmness at all times.
• Except in real emergency!! Experience has shown that when there is a serious emergency passengers respond best to short, clear instructions that ‘shocks’ them into doing exactly what’s required. If an aircraft is about to make an emergency landing this is definitely NOT the time to ‘ask’ passengers to stay seated or adopt the brace position. This is time to use the ‘BRACE! BRACE! BRACE!’ instruction you will learn in training school!

Barriers to Effective Public Speaking

Even if you have followed all the top tips from the previous list your announcement may still not be clearly understood! This may be for a range of reasons that include:

• The passengers weren’t listening – remember that just because they’re there doesn’t mean they’re listening. They may have heard, but hearing is not the same as listening!
• The PA system isn’t working properly
• The PA system is working but the aircraft and environmental noise is too distracting for announcements to be heard clearly
• You aren’t speaking loudly or clearly enough
• You are speaking too quickly
• You are speaking in the wrong language!
• The passengers aren’t motivated to listen, so don’t

Some of these barriers are beyond your control (PA system not working etc) but you can certainly address those that involve your delivery of the announcement, such as speaking slowly and clearly, finding a colleague with appropriate language skills.

You can even overcome the last barrier by working on raising passenger’s motivation through an introduction to the message that causes them to sit up and listen. i.e. ‘Attention passengers, this is an important announcement’ or ‘please listen carefully to the following message’, followed by a pause of several seconds. The use of the pause is critical here as the passengers are primed to listen and will be ready to listen very actively when you start with the content of the announcement.

As with many workplace skills, practice is the key to success in public speaking and in making announcements. You will have plenty of opportunity to practice with others on your training course, so have fun!

Meanwhile, checkout the Phonetic Alphabet information which you’ll find useful in any aviation based career.

Aircraft based passenger announcements

A PA system on an aircraft communicates between either the Flight Crew or Cabin Crew and the passengers. Announcements are made at intervals before take-off, during flight, and after landing.

Any member of the flight deck may make announcements, depending on the roles the senior Captain has assigned and who is available at the time.

In the passenger cabin the senior member of the Cabin Crew will usually make all announcements, but may delegate another member of the crew as required.

Most aircraft based systems operate quite simply with a hand held phone or handset which is activated by pressing and holding down a button to activate the speakers in the cabin. The continuous holding-down of the button is deliberately intended to prevent flight attendants from accidentally broadcasting chat in the galley to the entire aircraft!

As a flight attendant you should never make passenger announcements without first clearing this with a senior member of the crew.

Regular announcements include:

• Welcome on board
• Get seated  and strapped in for take off
• Emergency evacuation systems
• Information on flight duration, route, altitude, arrival time, weather
• Introductions to crew
• Details of in flight food and beverage services
• Reminders about no-smoking, stay seated,
• Welcome to your destination!
• Disembarkation process

Most airlines have well prepared ‘scripts’ that crew initially learn and these are made available as cue-cards at the PA system so that the announcement flows well, is clear and unambiguous.

Many flights include multi-lingual flight attendants who make announcements in different languages. Particularly where it is known in advance that the passengers on a specific flight regularly includes significant numbers from particular ethnicities. Prospective flight attendants with language skills are in demand for airlines who carry mixed nationalities and who need multi-lingual crew in order to service the needs of its passengers.

Best Practice in Making Passenger Announcements

Many airlines are moving away from the monotone fully scripted announcements of the past and encouraging their flight attendants to project their personality and style!

Air New Zealand are proud of the range and variety of people they employ as flight attendants, and are asking them to bring their personality, culture and passion for New Zealand into their announcements.

This has resulted in a real sea-change in the passenger cabin, with passengers actively listening and enjoying the announcements rather than switching mentally ‘off’ when they hear the PA system switch on.

With this in mind, consider these tips in making public announcements:

• Remember you’re not a robot! Vary your voice tone, pitch and volume, just as you would when speaking to people face-to-face
• Slow down! Take a deep breath and speak more slowly than you normally would, the passengers will then hear every word
• Use pauses to break up the announcement. Silence is a great attention-grabber, and passengers will be listening actively for what’s coming next
• Articulate really clearly – this is not the time to mumble!
• Stand up straight! People always project their voice better when standing and your voice comes across clearly
• Don’t use slang or jargon – your passengers might not understand it and will feel alienated or even patronised!
• Never use inoffensive language of any kind in a public announcement. This includes swear words that may be acceptable to you and your friends, but they have no place in the working world at all.
• Don’t use the PA to tell jokes or stories – that’s hard to do even for professional entertainers and you’re likely to embarrass the passengers, yourself, and the airlines. You should say nothing that would bring your airline into disrepute, or end up on You Tube!
• Project warmth into your voice – think of the passengers as friends, people you like, and you have something nice to tell them!
• If you’re making a bad-news announcement, such as a diversion to another airport, adjust your voice tone accordingly and be alert to avoid sounding too jolly or too worried.
• On the subject of worried – a lot of passengers worry about air travel, and one of the role of flight attendants is to project confidence and calm at all times, so make sure your voice has enough depth and calmness at all times.
• Except in real emergency!! Experience has shown that when there is a serious emergency passengers respond best to short, clear instructions that ‘shocks’ them into doing exactly what’s required. If an aircraft is about to make an emergency landing this is definitely NOT the time to ‘ask’ passengers to stay seated or adopt the brace position. This is time to use the ‘BRACE! BRACE! BRACE!’ instruction you will learn in training school!

Barriers to Effective Public Speaking

Even if you have followed all the top tips from the previous list your announcement may still not be clearly understood! This may be for a range of reasons that include:

• The passengers weren’t listening – remember that just because they’re there doesn’t mean they’re listening. They may have heard, but hearing is not the same as listening!
• The PA system isn’t working properly
• The PA system is working but the aircraft and environmental noise is too distracting for announcements to be heard clearly
• You aren’t speaking loudly or clearly enough
• You are speaking too quickly
• You are speaking in the wrong language!
• The passengers aren’t motivated to listen, so don’t

Some of these barriers are beyond your control (PA system not working etc) but you can certainly address those that involve your delivery of the announcement, such as speaking slowly and clearly, finding a colleague with appropriate language skills.

You can even overcome the last barrier by working on raising passenger’s motivation through an introduction to the message that causes them to sit up and listen. i.e. ‘Attention passengers, this is an important announcement’ or ‘please listen carefully to the following message’, followed by a pause of several seconds. The use of the pause is critical here as the passengers are primed to listen and will be ready to listen very actively when you start with the content of the announcement.

As with many workplace skills, practice is the key to success in public speaking and in making announcements. You will have plenty of opportunity to practice with others on your training course, so have fun!

Meanwhile, checkout the Phonetic Alphabet information which you’ll find useful in any aviation based career.

Chapter Thirteen: Passenger Announcements

Overview

Airlines use PA systems to communicate to passengers, both on the ground and in the air. Announcements are made to call passengers to the boarding gate, to inform on how the aircraft is going to be boarded, and to announce changes or delays in scheduled flight departures.

Airline ground staff, flight and cabin crews are trained in the use of the PA systems so they can become confident and proficient users of the systems.

This Module provides an overview to the these systems, summarises the kinds of messages and language typically used in making passenger announcements, and offers some tips on how to use your communication skills to ensure your message is heard and understood!

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

Use the phonetic alphabet

• Identify best practice principles of using a PA system
• Identify barriers to effective passenger announcements

What is a Passenger Announcement System?

A PA system is basically an audio system of microphone and amplifiers/speakers used to transmit a message to groups of people across a large area.

Within an airport the PA systems are huge, covering large arrival and departure halls and a myriad of rooms, spaces and corridors.

Airports employ staff specifically to make announcements, and airlines can contribute to these announcements either by submitting an announcement they wish to make or, in smaller airports, by making announcements directly.

What are the problems with PA systems in the aviation industry?

Passengers need short, informative information that is relevant to their flight. Unfortunately many airports and airlines continue to experience difficulty with their systems, with three major issues identified:

•  Passengers often cannot understand announcements because of poor quality
• Airline staff do not have enough time to concentrate on the announcements
• Language difficulties

Announcements made within the gate lounges at the airports are often poorly thought through, garbled and confused, causing confusion among passengers or a rush to board all at once! Greater focus on the content and clarity of the message would reduce passenger confusion and help the flow at the boarding gate.

Some airports have introduced automated passenger announcement systems which are more effective at overcoming the acoustics difficulties at busy airports. These systems use pre-recorded human voices that are pre-recorded and digitised and can either be set to make relevant announcements or called up to make special one-off announcements as required.

These systems can also make announcements in a range of languages. This reduces the need for airline staff to make routine announcements within the general airport, but there is still a significant requirement to make specific announcements to chase up missing passengers etc.

A number of airlines have also automated some of their in-flight announcements, using digitised voice recordings or audio visual systems that can be both seen and heard by the passengers.

Chapter Thirteen: Passenger Announcements

Overview

Airlines use PA systems to communicate to passengers, both on the ground and in the air. Announcements are made to call passengers to the boarding gate, to inform on how the aircraft is going to be boarded, and to announce changes or delays in scheduled flight departures.

Airline ground staff, flight and cabin crews are trained in the use of the PA systems so they can become confident and proficient users of the systems.

This Module provides an overview to the these systems, summarises the kinds of messages and language typically used in making passenger announcements, and offers some tips on how to use your communication skills to ensure your message is heard and understood!

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

Use the phonetic alphabet

• Identify best practice principles of using a PA system
• Identify barriers to effective passenger announcements

What is a Passenger Announcement System?

A PA system is basically an audio system of microphone and amplifiers/speakers used to transmit a message to groups of people across a large area.

Within an airport the PA systems are huge, covering large arrival and departure halls and a myriad of rooms, spaces and corridors.

Airports employ staff specifically to make announcements, and airlines can contribute to these announcements either by submitting an announcement they wish to make or, in smaller airports, by making announcements directly.

What are the problems with PA systems in the aviation industry?

Passengers need short, informative information that is relevant to their flight. Unfortunately many airports and airlines continue to experience difficulty with their systems, with three major issues identified:

• Passengers often cannot understand announcements because of poor quality
• Airline staff do not have enough time to concentrate on the announcements
• Language difficulties

Announcements made within the gate lounges at the airports are often poorly thought through, garbled and confused, causing confusion amongst passengers or a rush to board all at once! Greater focus on the content and clarity of the message would reduce passenger confusion and help the flow at the boarding gate.

Some airports have introduced automated passenger announcement systems which are more effective at overcoming the acoustics difficulties at busy airports. These systems use pre-recorded human voices that are pre-recorded and digitised and can either be set to make relevant announcements or called up to make special one-off announcements as required.

These systems can also make announcements in a range of languages. This reduces the need for airline staff to make routine announcements within the general airport, but there is still a significant requirement to make specific announcements to chase up missing passengers etc.

A number of airlines have also automated some of their in-flight announcements, using digitised voice recordings or audio visual systems that can be both seen and heard by the passengers.

Chapter Thirteen: Passenger Announcements

Overview

Airlines use PA systems to communicate to passengers, both on the ground and in the air. Announcements are made to call passengers to the boarding gate, to inform on how the aircraft is going to be boarded, and to announce changes or delays in scheduled flight departures.

Airline ground staff, flight and cabin crews are trained in the use of the PA systems so they can become confident and proficient users of the systems.

This Module provides an overview to the these systems, summarises the kinds of messages and language typically used in making passenger announcements, and offers some tips on how to use your communication skills to ensure your message is heard and understood!

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

Use the phonetic alphabet

• Identify best practice principles of using a PA system
• Identify barriers to effective passenger announcements

What is a Passenger Announcement System?

A PA system is basically an audio system of microphone and amplifiers/speakers used to transmit a message to groups of people across a large area.

Within an airport the PA systems are huge, covering large arrival and departure halls and a myriad of rooms, spaces and corridors.

Airports employ staff specifically to make announcements, and airlines can contribute to these announcements either by submitting an announcement they wish to make or, in smaller airports, by making announcements directly.

What are the problems with PA systems in the aviation industry?

Passengers need short, informative information that is relevant to their flight. Unfortunately many airports and airlines continue to experience difficulty with their systems, with three major issues identified:

• Passengers often cannot understand announcements because of poor quality
• Airline staff do not have enough time to concentrate on the announcements
• Language difficulties

Announcements made within the gate lounges at the airports are often poorly thought through, garbled and confused, causing confusion amongst passengers or a rush to board all at once! Greater focus on the content and clarity of the message would reduce passenger confusion and help the flow at the boarding gate.

Some airports have introduced automated passenger announcement systems which are more effective at overcoming the acoustics difficulties at busy airports. These systems use pre-recorded human voices that are pre-recorded and digitised and can either be set to make relevant announcements or called up to make special one-off announcements as required.

These systems can also make announcements in a range of languages. This reduces the need for airline staff to make routine announcements within the general airport, but there is still a significant requirement to make specific announcements to chase up missing passengers etc.

A number of airlines have also automated some of their in-flight announcements, using digitised voice recordings or audio visual systems that can be both seen and heard by the passengers.

Food Service

In flight food service may range from a basic snack to a full three course meal, or in the case of First Class, a four or even five course meal! Let’s look at the type of food services commonly available:

Snack Boxes

Lots of airlines still use pre-prepared plastic or cardboard boxes that are distributed to passengers from the service carts by the cabin crew. The box holds everything they will need to put together their tea or coffee, sometimes a small sealed plastic glass of water, and a small snack such as a packet of chips, a biscuit, dried fruit or piece of cake. These are quick and easy to distribute and the cheapest form of aircraft catering.

Lunch Boxes

This is the same as the snack box, but with more food! Lunch boxes were popular in the early days of jet aircraft carrying economy class passengers but fell from popularity due to difficulties ensuring adequate food safety and bad feedback from passengers. Lunch boxes may contain sandwiches, crackers and cheese, fruit, yogurt, biscuits and healthy snacks together with a carton of water or juice.

In the early days of passenger aircraft the lunch boxes were loaded into spaces in the backs of each passenger seat before the passengers boarded, and they were able to open them during flight and eat them on demand. This seemed a good idea at the time but if the aircraft was delayed or the journey was long the food sat in the warmth of the aircraft for several hours – deteriorating to the point of being inedible!

The seat-back meals were replaced with the service of lunch boxes by flight attendants, with the boxes having been refrigerated in the aircraft until the point of delivery to the passenger. That improved the quality of the food, and with improvements in menus over the years this catering system is still used by many airlines to this day. Charter airlines favour the lunch box concept, as do many American airlines whih fly short routes where passengers are only going to be an hour or two away from a regular restaurant or hot food option.

Hot Main Meals

Most aircraft meals served on scheduled airlines are cooked and individual portions put into foil containers, chilled or even frozen, then loaded into refrigerated food carts at specialised catering companies based at airlines around the world. Catering staff deliver trolleys full of frozen foil trays to the aircraft and are stowed in the galley.

The ground catering companies work strictly to prepared menus, portion controls and presentation standards set down by the airlines who are their customer. Catering staff lay out the meal trays according to well established layout charts that dictate the position of the cutlery, napkins and other accessories. The trays are then loaded into airline trolleys, taken to the aircraft and stored in huge refrigerated compartments in the galley ready for the food service. This ensures that perishables, such as cheese or cream cakes are kept reasonable cool during flight.

Prior to the time of the food service the cabin crew commence heating the foil food trays in special ovens and at the time of the food service load them into the food trolleys ready to serve. A flight usually has two main meal food options on board for economy passengers, and as the flight attendants commence their food service they ask passengers which choice they would like. (‘Beef or Chicken’ is a commonly heard question on many flights!) As the passenger chooses the flight attendant selects the correct foil tray from the cart and loads it onto a pre-prepared meal try and passes the tray to the passenger. Sometimes they also warm up bread rolls and add one to each dinner tray using tongs.

In Economy class the meal trays are identical, regardless of the choice of hot food, often featuring a small entrée such as a salad, pate or prawns, and a dessert such as mousse, cheesecake or fuit salad. The hot food foil trays will feature the entire contents of the main course, including the meat and rice/vegetables, depending on the option chosen.

In First or Business Class the food choices are greater, and the standard of the food much better. There may be smoked salmon, caviar, even steaks and steamed vegetables on offer, followed by delicious desserts, cheese boards served with port and a selection of speciality coffees. Breakfasts in First Class may include freshly cooked bacon and eggs cooked in the galley in an electric frying pan, so many flight attendants benefit from hospitality experience!

Most airlines also offer special meals for children, featuring the type of food that children may prefer, such as hot dogs, beefburgers, fish and chips, or even boxed meals from popular takeaway places such as McDonalds or KFC.  Childrens’ meals must be pre-ordered by the passenger usually a few days prior to departure at the latest..

Airlines carry passengers of all nationalities and religions, many of whom have differing food preferences that mean they cannot eat the main options carried on board. To cater for these food preferences a range of special food options are commonly available but passengers must request these in advance so that the catering company can load up the relevant meals onto the aircraft prior to departure.

It is worth noting that meal requests are just that – requests. Some passengers think they have ‘booked’ or purchased a particular meal, and airlines make it very clear that these are requests only that they will try to accommodate if they can. The provision of these special meals promotes passenger loyalties and can often influence a passengers’ decision as to which airline they prefer to fly with.

Although an aircraft is not a ‘restaurant in the sky’, with enough advance planning passengers can request meal service that will satisfy most dietary concerns and can include:

* Vegetarian (Oriental, Western or Indian styles)
* Vegan
* Lactose free
* Gluten Free
* High Fibre
* Low calorie
* Low fat|
* Low protein
* Low protein
* Low salt or no salt
* Fruit platters
* Seafood only

Checkout British Airways special meal arrangements here for a description of what is available on their flights and what each special meal includes.

Air New Zealand have created twenty special meal types available on their long haul flights, catering for almost every type of diet. Find more information here.

Whilst most scheduled airlines include all food and beverage services within the ticket price there is a recent trend towards offering cheaper types of ticket on a ‘seat only’ deal which excludes food and drink. Passengers on these tickets can purchase items on board for consumption during the journey.

A good example of this is the Air New Zealand ‘seat and bag’ passengers who may be travelling long haul but have only purchased their seat along with one piece of baggage in the hold. A selection of food and drinks is available on demand as described here. The latest aircraft fit-outs on Air New Zealand flights feature seatback entertainment screens which are touch operated so passengers can order food and drinks any time they like. A flight attendant or member of the crew based in the galley receives the order onscreen and serves the meal to the passenger who pays by credit card or pre-purchased vouchers. This is a great alternative to the standard system as it allows passengers to eat from a selection of items, at the time they would like to eat.

It is interesting to note that flight crew (Captain, co-pilot and engineers) are usually served different meals to the passengers and some food is banned completely from crew meals, including all egg products and some dairy products. The meals supplied on some airlines are even labelled with the position of the crew member for whom they are intended, and no technical crew member eats any of the same products as his or her colleague. This ensures that each pilot eats a different meal to minimise the risk of all pilots on board being ill.

Food safety on board aircraft is subject to a raft of rules and regulations in most countries, often covered by the Civil Aviation Authorities. Flight attendants are trained in the safe handling of food, and in the safe operation of a galley to minimise accidents or dangers to themselves and others. There are considerable hazards in an aircraft galley, including boiling water, sharp objects, hot food and containers and dangers associated with working in confined spaces.  Imagine working in your own kitchen but reduced to the size of a large cupboard, and then add a few friends in there with you and see how tricky that can become!

Next time you’re on board an aircraft as a passenger check out the kind of food service that’s on offer, and when you become a flight attendant you’ll get to learn all this first hand in a real life environment!

Food Service

In flight food service may range from a basic snack to a full three course meal, or in the case of First Class, a four or even five course meal! Let’s look at the type of food services commonly available:

Snack Boxes

Lots of airlines still use pre-prepared plastic or cardboard boxes that are distributed to passengers from the service carts by the cabin crew. The box holds everything they will need to put together their tea or coffee, sometimes a small sealed plastic glass of water, and a small snack such as a packet of chips, a biscuit, dried fruit or piece of cake. These are quick and easy to distribute and the cheapest form of aircraft catering.

Lunch Boxes

This is the same as the snack box, but with more food! Lunch boxes were popular in the early days of jet aircraft carrying economy class passengers but fell from popularity due to difficulties ensuring adequate food safety and bad feedback from passengers. Lunch boxes may contain sandwiches, crackers and cheese, fruit, yoghurt, biscuits and healthy snacks together with a carton of water or juice.

In the early days of passenger aircraft the lunch boxes were loaded into spaces in the backs of each passenger seat before the passengers boarded, and they were able to open them during flight and eat them on demand. This seemed a good idea at the time but if the aircraft was delayed or the journey was long the food sat in the warmth of the aircraft for several hours – deteriorating to the point of being inedible!

The seat-back meals were replaced with the service of lunch boxes by flight attendants, with the boxes having been refrigerated in the aircraft until the point of delivery to the passenger. That improved the quality of the food, and with improvements in menus over the years this catering system is still used by many airlines to this day. Charter airlines favour the lunch box concept, as do many American airlines whih fly short routes where passengers are only going to be an hour or two away from a regular restaurant or hot food option.

Hot Main Meals

Most aircraft meals served on scheduled airlines are cooked and individual portions put into foil containers, chilled or even frozen, then loaded into refrigerated food carts at specialised catering companies based at airlines around the world. Catering staff deliver trolleys full of frozen foil trays to the aircraft and are stowed in the galley.

The ground catering companies work strictly to prepared menus, portion controls and presentation standards set down by the airlines who are their customer. Catering staff lay out the meal trays according to well established layout charts that dictate the position of the cutlery, napkins and other accessories. The trays are then loaded into airline trolleys, taken to the aircraft and stored in huge refrigerated compartments in the galley ready for the food service. This ensures that perishables, such as cheese or cream cakes are kept reasonable cool during flight.

Prior to the time of the food service the cabin crew commence heating the foil food trays in special ovens and at the time of the food service load them into the food trolleys ready to serve. A flight usually has two main meal food options on board for economy passengers, and as the flight attendants commence their food service they ask passengers which choice they would like. (‘Beef or Chicken’ is a commonly heard question on many flights!) As the passenger chooses the flight attendant selects the correct foil tray from the cart and loads it onto a pre-prepared meal try and passes the tray to the passenger. Sometimes they also warm up bread rolls and add one to each dinner tray using tongs.

In Economy class the meal trays are identical, regardless of the choice of hot food, often featuring a small entrée such as a salad, pate or prawns, and a dessert such as mousse, cheesecake or fuit salad. The hot food foil trays will feature the entire contents of the main course, including the meat and rice/vegetables, depending on the option chosen.

In First or Business Class the food choices are greater, and the standard of the food much better. There may be smoked salmon, caviar, even steaks and steamed vegetables on offer, followed by delicious desserts, cheese boards served with port and a selection of speciality coffees. Breakfasts in First Class may include freshly cooked bacon and eggs cooked in the galley in an electric frying pan, so many flight attendants benefit from hospitality experience!

Most airlines also offer special meals for children, featuring the type of food that children may prefer, such as hot dogs, beefburgers, fish and chips, or even boxed meals from popular takeaway places such as McDonalds or KFC.  Childrens’ meals must be pre-ordered by the passenger usually a few days prior to departure at the latest..

Airlines carry passengers of all nationalities and religions, many of whom have differing food preferences that mean they cannot eat the main options carried on board. To cater for these food preferences a range of special food options are commonly available but passengers must request these in advance so that the catering company can load up the relevant meals onto the aircraft prior to departure.

It is worth noting that meal requests are just that – requests. Some passengers think they have ‘booked’ or purchased a particular meal, and airlines make it very clear that these are requests only that they will try to accommodate if they can. The provision of these special meals promotes passenger loyalties and can often influence a passengers’ decision as to which airline they prefer to fly with.

Although an aircraft is not a ‘restaurant in the sky’, with enough advance planning passengers can request meal service that will satisfy most dietary concerns and can include:

* Vegetarian (Oriental, Western or Indian styles)
* Vegan
* Lactose free
* Gluten Free
* High Fibre
* Low calorie
* Low fat|
* Low protein
* Low protein
* Low salt or no salt
* Fruit platters
* Seafood only

Checkout British Airways special meal arrangements here for a description of what is available on their flights and what each special meal includes.

Air New Zealand have created twenty special meal types available on their long haul flights, catering for almost every type of diet. Find more information here.

Whilst most scheduled airlines include all food and beverage services within the ticket price there is a recent trend towards offering cheaper types of ticket on a ‘seat only’ deal which excludes food and drink. Passengers on these tickets can purchase items on board for consumption during the journey.

A good example of this is the Air New Zealand ‘seat and bag’ passengers who may be travelling long haul but have only purchased their seat along with one piece of baggage in the hold. A selection of food and drinks is available on demand as described here. The latest aircraft fit-outs on Air New Zealand flights feature seatback entertainment screens which are touch operated so passengers can order food and drinks any time they like. A flight attendant or member of the crew based in the galley receives the order onscreen and serves the meal to the passenger who pays by credit card or pre-purchased vouchers. This is a great alternative to the standard system as it allows passengers to eat from a selection of items, at the time they would like to eat.

It is interesting to note that flight crew (Captain, co-pilot and engineers) are usually served different meals to the passengers and some food is banned completely from crew meals, including all egg products and some dairy products. The meals supplied on some airlines are even labelled with the position of the crew member for whom they are intended, and no technical crew member eats any of the same products as his or her colleague. This ensures that each pilot eats a different meal to minimise the risk of all pilots on board being ill.

Food safety on board aircraft is subject to a raft of rules and regulations in most countries, often covered by the Civil Aviation Authorities. Flight attendants are trained in the safe handling of food, and in the safe operation of a galley to minimise accidents or dangers to themselves and others. There are considerable hazards in an aircraft galley, including boiling water, sharp objects, hot food and containers and dangers associated with working in confined spaces.  Imagine working in your own kitchen but reduced to the size of a large cupboard, and then add a few friends in there with you and see how tricky that can become!

Next time you’re on board an aircraft as a passenger check out the kind of food service that’s on offer, and when you become a flight attendant you’ll get to learn all this first hand in a real life environment!

Food Service

In flight food service may range from a basic snack to a full three course meal, or in the case of First Class, a four or even five course meal! Let’s look at the type of food services commonly available:

Snack Boxes

Lots of airlines still use pre-prepared plastic or cardboard boxes that are distributed to passengers from the service carts by the cabin crew. The box holds everything they will need to put together their tea or coffee, sometimes a small sealed plastic glass of water, and a small snack such as a packet of chips, a biscuit, dried fruit or piece of cake. These are quick and easy to distribute and the cheapest form of aircraft catering.

Lunch Boxes

This is the same as the snack box, but with more food! Lunch boxes were popular in the early days of jet aircraft carrying economy class passengers but fell from popularity due to difficulties ensuring adequate food safety and bad feedback from passengers. Lunch boxes may contain sandwiches, crackers and cheese, fruit, yoghurt, biscuits and healthy snacks together with a carton of water or juice.

In the early days of passenger aircraft the lunch boxes were loaded into spaces in the backs of each passenger seat before the passengers boarded, and they were able to open them during flight and eat them on demand. This seemed a good idea at the time but if the aircraft was delayed or the journey was long the food sat in the warmth of the aircraft for several hours – deteriorating to the point of being inedible!

The seat-back meals were replaced with the service of lunch boxes by flight attendants, with the boxes having been refrigerated in the aircraft until the point of delivery to the passenger. That improved the quality of the food, and with improvements in menus over the years this catering system is still used by many airlines to this day. Charter airlines favour the lunch box concept, as do many American airlines whih fly short routes where passengers are only going to be an hour or two away from a regular restaurant or hot food option.

Hot Main Meals

Most aircraft meals served on scheduled airlines are cooked and individual portions put into foil containers, chilled or even frozen, then loaded into refrigerated food carts at specialised catering companies based at airlines around the world. Catering staff deliver trolleys full of frozen foil trays to the aircraft and are stowed in the galley.

The ground catering companies work strictly to prepared menus, portion controls and presentation standards set down by the airlines who are their customer. Catering staff lay out the meal trays according to well established layout charts that dictate the position of the cutlery, napkins and other accessories. The trays are then loaded into airline trolleys, taken to the aircraft and stored in huge refrigerated compartments in the galley ready for the food service. This ensures that perishables, such as cheese or cream cakes are kept reasonable cool during flight.

Prior to the time of the food service the cabin crew commence heating the foil food trays in special ovens and at the time of the food service load them into the food trolleys ready to serve. A flight usually has two main meal food options on board for economy passengers, and as the flight attendants commence their food service they ask passengers which choice they would like. (‘Beef or Chicken’ is a commonly heard question on many flights!) As the passenger chooses the flight attendant selects the correct foil tray from the cart and loads it onto a pre-prepared meal try and passes the tray to the passenger. Sometimes they also warm up bread rolls and add one to each dinner tray using tongs.

In Economy class the meal trays are identical, regardless of the choice of hot food, often featuring a small entrée such as a salad, pate or prawns, and a dessert such as mousse, cheesecake or fuit salad. The hot food foil trays will feature the entire contents of the main course, including the meat and rice/vegetables, depending on the option chosen.

In First or Business Class the food choices are greater, and the standard of the food much better. There may be smoked salmon, caviar, even steaks and steamed vegetables on offer, followed by delicious desserts, cheese boards served with port and a selection of speciality coffees. Breakfasts in First Class may include freshly cooked bacon and eggs cooked in the galley in an electric frying pan, so many flight attendants benefit from hospitality experience!

Most airlines also offer special meals for children, featuring the type of food that children may prefer, such as hot dogs, beefburgers, fish and chips, or even boxed meals from popular takeaway places such as McDonalds or KFC.  Childrens’ meals must be pre-ordered by the passenger usually a few days prior to departure at the latest..

Airlines carry passengers of all nationalities and religions, many of whom have differing food preferences that mean they cannot eat the main options carried on board. To cater for these food preferences a range of special food options are commonly available but passengers must request these in advance so that the catering company can load up the relevant meals onto the aircraft prior to departure.

It is worth noting that meal requests are just that – requests. Some passengers think they have ‘booked’ or purchased a particular meal, and airlines make it very clear that these are requests only that they will try to accommodate if they can. The provision of these special meals promotes passenger loyalties and can often influence a passengers’ decision as to which airline they prefer to fly with.

Although an aircraft is not a ‘restaurant in the sky’, with enough advance planning passengers can request meal service that will satisfy most dietary concerns and can include:

* Vegetarian (Oriental, Western or Indian styles)
* Vegan
* Lactose free
* Gluten Free
* High Fibre
* Low calorie
* Low fat|
* Low protein
* Low protein
* Low salt or no salt
* Fruit platters
* Seafood only

Checkout British Airways special meal arrangements here for a description of what is available on their flights and what each special meal includes.

Air New Zealand have created twenty special meal types available on their long haul flights, catering for almost every type of diet. Find more information here.

Whilst most scheduled airlines include all food and beverage services within the ticket price there is a recent trend towards offering cheaper types of ticket on a ‘seat only’ deal which excludes food and drink. Passengers on these tickets can purchase items on board for consumption during the journey.

A good example of this is the Air New Zealand ‘seat and bag’ passengers who may be travelling long haul but have only purchased their seat along with one piece of baggage in the hold. A selection of food and drinks is available on demand as described here. The latest aircraft fit-outs on Air New Zealand flights feature seatback entertainment screens which are touch operated so passengers can order food and drinks any time they like. A flight attendant or member of the crew based in the galley receives the order onscreen and serves the meal to the passenger who pays by credit card or pre-purchased vouchers. This is a great alternative to the standard system as it allows passengers to eat from a selection of items, at the time they would like to eat.

It is interesting to note that flight crew (Captain, co-pilot and engineers) are usually served different meals to the passengers and some food is banned completely from crew meals, including all egg products and some dairy products. The meals supplied on some airlines are even labelled with the position of the crew member for whom they are intended, and no technical crew member eats any of the same products as his or her colleague. This ensures that each pilot eats a different meal to minimise the risk of all pilots on board being ill.

Food safety on board aircraft is subject to a raft of rules and regulations in most countries, often covered by the Civil Aviation Authorities. Flight attendants are trained in the safe handling of food, and in the safe operation of a galley to minimise accidents or dangers to themselves and others. There are considerable hazards in an aircraft galley, including boiling water, sharp objects, hot food and containers and dangers associated with working in confined spaces.  Imagine working in your own kitchen but reduced to the size of a large cupboard, and then add a few friends in there with you and see how tricky that can become!

Next time you’re on board an aircraft as a passenger check out the kind of food service that’s on offer, and when you become a flight attendant you’ll get to learn all this first hand in a real life environment!

Drinks Service

Serving drinks on aircraft is not too dissimilar to how you might serve a drink in a bar or even to guests at home, but with more movement and in less space!

As a flight attendant let’s look at the environment in which you’ll be operating:

• You will be working in an aisle just a little bit wider than your hips, pressed up against a metal cart or trolley laden down with bottles and cans.
• You may have a colleague at the other end of the cart, so when you’re ready to go you’ll push it and he/she will pull it!
• Your cart is also equipped with plastic glasses, ice, lemon slices, cherries, little packets of snacks, serviettes, swizzle sticks and other drinks paraphanalia!
• If you’re on a charter airline, or even a scheduled airline that has introduced a ‘ticket only’ product where passengers pay for drinks, you may also have a cash box or apron with spare change, credit card machine, price list etc.
• The aircraft may be bumpy – or worse!
• Passengers clutter up the aisle as they move in and out of their seats to go to the bathroom, rearrange their bags, deal with their children or just stretch their legs.
• When passengers are in the way you have to squeeze yourself in almost on top of a passenger and manoeuvre the cart to one side so they can get past – quite an achievement!
• There are time pressures as you need to get the drinks service finished ready to move onto the dinner service.
• Sometimes passengers have had too many drinks and your role then is to help them slow down, or even refuse them service. A tricky moment for any flight attendant!

How to serve cold drinks?

• ‘Would you like something to drink sir?’ is the standard opening question as you look at the passenger. Listen carefully to their reply – the aircraft is noisy and you don’t want to be saying ‘Pardon?’ every five minutes!
• Always serve a row at a time, starting from the passenger by the window or furthest from you on the row you are serving. This means you don’t have to lean across passengers with tray tables up and drinks on them in order to deliver the window seat passenger a drink.
• Centre rows of large wide-bodied aircraft may hold five or six passengers, and normally you will serve the half of the row nearest to you, and a colleague working the opposite aisle will serve the other half.
• Airlines usually have red or white wine available, with the specific range of wine differing from airline to airline. Airlines often make a feature of carrying wine from the country in which the airline is based.
• White wine is traditionally served cold from a drinks chiller whereas red wine is served at room temperature. On board an aircraft this is difficult to achieve and passengers may be offered ice with their white wine to cool it down on serving.
• Wine is served in glasses that may have little stems or look like short tumblers, depending on the style in use with the airline.
• Measures of wine are estimated and served to the passenger usually with a small wrapped snack and napkin. Some airlines put little paper napkin covers on the stem of the glass so they sit nicely on the tray and are less likely to slip off!
• Wine is sometimes served in small individual screw-top bottles and the flight attendant may partially pour the wine or pass it unopened to the passenger along with the wine glass for them to open when they are ready to drink it.
• Champagne is often available, and is always available in Business and First Class. It is traditionally served in tall slim stemmed glasses.
• Champagne is usually poured on a slight angle to prevent the bubbles from building up too quickly.
• As with wine, champagne may also be served in individual bottles.
• In bars and cafes wine and champagne glasses are always handled by the stems rather than by the bowl of the glass, but this can be a little tricky on an aircraft, particularly where the glass has no stem, or a tiny stem! This problem is often overcome by the flight attendant placing the drink on a small tray and passing the tray to the passenger who lifts the glass off and onto their tray table. In this way the glass is not over handled by the server.
• If you do have to handle a glass use the lower third of the glass in order to avoid contact with the rim.
• Beers and ales are usually only available in cans on aircraft, and flight attendants usually open the can and pour some of it into a short tumbler before placing it on the tray and passing it to the passenger.
• As with champagne, always pour beer into an angled glass to avoid froth pouring over the top of the glass!
• Soft drinks are also served in small cans, pre-opened and partially poured before serving.
• Scheduled airlines always have a range of spirits on board, such as gin, brandy, vodka and rum, and serve these either solo in a short tumbler with ice, or mixed with a soft drink.
• Usually a flight attendant will prepare a mixed drink and keep the balance of the soft drink mixer, using it for another drink until the can is empty.
• Mixed drinks are often accompanied by a slice of lemon and a swizzle stick to stir the drink..
• Jugs of iced water or bottled water is usually also on the drinks cart, and is served simply in a short tumbler of ice.
• In First and Business Class passengers may also be offered cocktails and the wine and champagne range is extended to include premium labels

How to serve hot drinks?

Tea and coffee are traditionally served after meals on flights that include a full meal service, or as a stand-alone snack service in between standard meal times. Some short flights may only include a tea/coffee service with a drink and a biscuit.

Flight attendants distribute small trays containing individual portions of long-life milk, sugar, napkin and stirring spoon, along with the designated small snack. If the hot drink service forms part of a meal these items will already be on the meal tray that the passenger has been using during their dinner service.

The hot drink service involves the flight attendants simply circulating through the cabin with large stainless steel pots of hot water/tea and coffee. The crew will be assigned either tea or coffee and go down the aisle in tandem with the ‘tea or coffee’ question asked of every passenger!

Flight attendants proffer a small tray on which the passenger places their plastic cup, and the flight attendant fills up the cup with the chosen drink, carefully avoiding spillages onto any passenger seating underneath!  In this way the flight attendant avoids having to hand hot cups of liquid across the rows of passengers, and is not at risk of scalding either themselves or others.

In Business and First Class

It is worth noting that plastic crockery and cutlery has been replaced with china and metal, with the exception of knives which continue to be made of plastic because of security concerns on board aircraft. These classes of service also enjoy the benefit of linen tray mats and napkins, and real glasses made of glass rather than the plastic of economy class.

Drinks Service

Serving drinks on aircraft is not too dissimilar to how you might serve a drink in a bar or even to guests at home, but with more movement and in less space!

As a flight attendant let’s look at the environment in which you’ll be operating:

• You will be working in an aisle just a little bit wider than your hips, pressed up against a metal cart or trolley laden down with bottles and cans.
• You may have a colleague at the other end of the cart, so when you’re ready to go you’ll push it and he/she will pull it!
• Your cart is also equipped with plastic glasses, ice, lemon slices, cherries, little packets of snacks, serviettes, swizzle sticks and other drinks paraphanalia!
• If you’re on a charter airline, or even a scheduled airline that has introduced a ‘ticket only’ product where passengers pay for drinks, you may also have a cash box or apron with spare change, credit card machine, price list etc.
• The aircraft may be bumpy – or worse!
• Passengers clutter up the aisle as they move in and out of their seats to go to the bathroom, rearrange their bags, deal with their children or just stretch their legs.
• When passengers are in the way you have to squeeze yourself in almost on top of a passenger and manoeuvre the cart to one side so they can get past – quite an achievement!
• There are time pressures as you need to get the drinks service finished ready to move onto the dinner service.
• Sometimes passengers have had too many drinks and your role then is to help them slow down, or even refuse them service. A tricky moment for any flight attendant!

How to serve cold drinks?

• ‘Would you like something to drink sir?’ is the standard opening question as you look at the passenger. Listen carefully to their reply – the aircraft is noisy and you don’t want to be saying ‘Pardon?’ every five minutes!
• Always serve a row at a time, starting from the passenger by the window or furthest from you on the row you are serving. This means you don’t have to lean across passengers with tray tables up and drinks on them in order to deliver the window seat passenger a drink.
• Centre rows of large wide-bodied aircraft may hold five or six passengers, and normally you will serve the half of the row nearest to you, and a colleague working the opposite aisle will serve the other half.
• Airlines usually have red or white wine available, with the specific range of wine differing from airline to airline. Airlines often make a feature of carrying wine from the country in which the airline is based.
• White wine is traditionally served cold from a drinks chiller whereas red wine is served at room temperature. On board an aircraft this is difficult to achieve and passengers may be offered ice with their white wine to cool it down on serving.
• Wine is served in glasses that may have little stems or look like short tumblers, depending on the style in use with the airline.
• Measures of wine are estimated and served to the passenger usually with a small wrapped snack and napkin. Some airlines put little paper napkin covers on the stem of the glass so they sit nicely on the tray and are less likely to slip off!
• Wine is sometimes served in small individual screw-top bottles and the flight attendant may partially pour the wine or pass it unopened to the passenger along with the wine glass for them to open when they are ready to drink it.
• Champagne is often available, and is always available in Business and First Class. It is traditionally served in tall slim stemmed glasses.
• Champagne is usually poured on a slight angle to prevent the bubbles from building up too quickly.
• As with wine, champagne may also be served in individual bottles.
• In bars and cafes wine and champagne glasses are always handled by the stems rather than by the bowl of the glass, but this can be a little tricky on an aircraft, particularly where the glass has no stem, or a tiny stem! This problem is often overcome by the flight attendant placing the drink on a small tray and passing the tray to the passenger who lifts the glass off and onto their tray table. In this way the glass is not over handled by the server.
• If you do have to handle a glass use the lower third of the glass in order to avoid contact with the rim.
• Beers and ales are usually only available in cans on aircraft, and flight attendants usually open the can and pour some of it into a short tumbler before placing it on the tray and passing it to the passenger.
• As with champagne, always pour beer into an angled glass to avoid froth pouring over the top of the glass!
• Soft drinks are also served in small cans, pre-opened and partially poured before serving.
• Scheduled airlines always have a range of spirits on board, such as gin, brandy, vodka and rum, and serve these either solo in a short tumbler with ice, or mixed with a soft drink.
• Usually a flight attendant will prepare a mixed drink and keep the balance of the soft drink mixer, using it for another drink until the can is empty.
• Mixed drinks are often accompanied by a slice of lemon and a swizzle stick to stir the drink..
• Jugs of iced water or bottled water is usually also on the drinks cart, and is served simply in a short tumbler of ice.
• In First and Business Class passengers may also be offered cocktails and the wine and champagne range is extended to include premium labels

How to serve hot drinks?

Tea and coffee are traditionally served after meals on flights that include a full meal service, or as a stand-alone snack service in between standard meal times. Some short flights may only include a tea/coffee service with a drink and a biscuit.

Flight attendants distribute small trays containing individual portions of long-life milk, sugar, napkin and stirring spoon, along with the designated small snack. If the hot drink service forms part of a meal these items will already be on the meal tray that the passenger has been using during their dinner service.

The hot drink service involves the flight attendants simply circulating through the cabin with large stainless steel pots of hot water/tea and coffee. The crew will be assigned either tea or coffee and go down the aisle in tandem with the ‘tea or coffee’ question asked of every passenger!

Flight attendants proffer a small tray on which the passenger places their plastic cup, and the flight attendant fills up the cup with the chosen drink, carefully avoiding spillages onto any passenger seating underneath!  In this way the flight attendant avoids having to hand hot cups of liquid across the rows of passengers, and is not at risk of scalding either themselves or others.

In Business and First Class

It is worth noting that plastic crockery and cutlery has been replaced with china and metal, with the exception of knives which continue to be made of plastic because of security concerns on board aircraft. These classes of service also enjoy the benefit of linen tray mats and napkins, and real glasses made of glass rather than the plastic of economy class.

Drinks Service

Serving drinks on aircraft is not too dissimilar to how you might serve a drink in a bar or even to guests at home, but with more movement and in less space!

As a flight attendant let’s look at the environment in which you’ll be operating:

• You will be working in an aisle just a little bit wider than your hips, pressed up against a metal cart or trolley laden down with bottles and cans.
• You may have a colleague at the other end of the cart, so when you’re ready to go you’ll push it and he/she will pull it!
• Your cart is also equipped with plastic glasses, ice, lemon slices, cherries, little packets of snacks, serviettes, swizzle sticks and other drinks paraphanalia!
• If you’re on a charter airline, or even a scheduled airline that has introduced a ‘ticket only’ product where passengers pay for drinks, you may also have a cash box or apron with spare change, credit card machine, price list etc.
• The aircraft may be bumpy – or worse!
• Passengers clutter up the aisle as they move in and out of their seats to go to the bathroom, rearrange their bags, deal with their children or just stretch their legs.
• When passengers are in the way you have to squeeze yourself in almost on top of a passenger and manoeuvre the cart to one side so they can get past – quite an achievement!
• There are time pressures as you need to get the drinks service finished ready to move onto the dinner service.
• Sometimes passengers have had too many drinks and your role then is to help them slow down, or even refuse them service. A tricky moment for any flight attendant!

How to serve cold drinks?

• ‘Would you like something to drink sir?’ is the standard opening question as you look at the passenger. Listen carefully to their reply – the aircraft is noisy and you don’t want to be saying ‘Pardon?’ every five minutes!
• Always serve a row at a time, starting from the passenger by the window or furthest from you on the row you are serving. This means you don’t have to lean across passengers with tray tables up and drinks on them in order to deliver the window seat passenger a drink.
• Centre rows of large wide-bodied aircraft may hold five or six passengers, and normally you will serve the half of the row nearest to you, and a colleague working the opposite aisle will serve the other half.
• Airlines usually have red or white wine available, with the specific range of wine differing from airline to airline. Airlines often make a feature of carrying wine from the country in which the airline is based.
• White wine is traditionally served cold from a drinks chiller whereas red wine is served at room temperature. On board an aircraft this is difficult to achieve and passengers may be offered ice with their white wine to cool it down on serving.
• Wine is served in glasses that may have little stems or look like short tumblers, depending on the style in use with the airline.
• Measures of wine are estimated and served to the passenger usually with a small wrapped snack and napkin. Some airlines put little paper napkin covers on the stem of the glass so they sit nicely on the tray and are less likely to slip off!
• Wine is sometimes served in small individual screw-top bottles and the flight attendant may partially pour the wine or pass it unopened to the passenger along with the wine glass for them to open when they are ready to drink it.
• Champagne is often available, and is always available in Business and First Class. It is traditionally served in tall slim stemmed glasses.
• Champagne is usually poured on a slight angle to prevent the bubbles from building up too quickly.
• As with wine, champagne may also be served in individual bottles.
• In bars and cafes wine and champagne glasses are always handled by the stems rather than by the bowl of the glass, but this can be a little tricky on an aircraft, particularly where the glass has no stem, or a tiny stem! This problem is often overcome by the flight attendant placing the drink on a small tray and passing the tray to the passenger who lifts the glass off and onto their tray table. In this way the glass is not over handled by the server.
• If you do have to handle a glass use the lower third of the glass in order to avoid contact with the rim.
• Beers and ales are usually only available in cans on aircraft, and flight attendants usually open the can and pour some of it into a short tumbler before placing it on the tray and passing it to the passenger.
• As with champagne, always pour beer into an angled glass to avoid froth pouring over the top of the glass!
• Soft drinks are also served in small cans, pre-opened and partially poured before serving.
• Scheduled airlines always have a range of spirits on board, such as gin, brandy, vodka and rum, and serve these either solo in a short tumbler with ice, or mixed with a soft drink.
• Usually a flight attendant will prepare a mixed drink and keep the balance of the soft drink mixer, using it for another drink until the can is empty.
• Mixed drinks are often accompanied by a slice of lemon and a swizzle stick to stir the drink..
• Jugs of iced water or bottled water is usually also on the drinks cart, and is served simply in a short tumbler of ice.
• In First and Business Class passengers may also be offered cocktails and the wine and champagne range is extended to include premium labels

How to serve hot drinks?

Tea and coffee are traditionally served after meals on flights that include a full meal service, or as a stand-alone snack service in between standard meal times. Some short flights may only include a tea/coffee service with a drink and a biscuit.

Flight attendants distribute small trays containing individual portions of long-life milk, sugar, napkin and stirring spoon, along with the designated small snack. If the hot drink service forms part of a meal these items will already be on the meal tray that the passenger has been using during their dinner service.

The hot drink service involves the flight attendants simply circulating through the cabin with large stainless steel pots of hot water/tea and coffee. The crew will be assigned either tea or coffee and go down the aisle in tandem with the ‘tea or coffee’ question asked of every passenger!

Flight attendants proffer a small tray on which the passenger places their plastic cup, and the flight attendant fills up the cup with the chosen drink, carefully avoiding spillages onto any passenger seating underneath!  In this way the flight attendant avoids having to hand hot cups of liquid across the rows of passengers, and is not at risk of scalding either themselves or others.

In Business and First Class

It is worth noting that plastic crockery and cutlery has been replaced with china and metal, with the exception of knives which continue to be made of plastic because of security concerns on board aircraft. These classes of service also enjoy the benefit of linen tray mats and napkins, and real glasses made of glass rather than the plastic of economy class.

Chapter Twelve:  Food and Drink Service

Overview

The food and drinks service forms a significant part of the flight attendants in flight role, and for long haul flights, an important component of the journey for passengers on board.

Short haul flights may only offer a snack service involving a tea/coffee with a pre-wrapped snack. Even this type of service requires skill on the part of the flight attendant to ensure that boiling water is not poured over passengers, and the balancing of trays and jug on a moving aircraft is not as easy as it looks!

On long haul journeys the food and drinks service becomes increasingly important with up to five or six main services carried out in addition to the cabin tours with cold drinks and snacks to help passengers pass the long hours of all night flights.

You will receive extensive practical training during your Induction programme with the airline that employs you, and will learn that each airline has their own specific style and routine in terms of these services. Even within an airline the way in which food is served to passengers depends on the class of service passengers have booked, and flight attendants must learn to flex across these classes, delivering quality service to all passengers regardless of where they are seated.

This Module will introduce you to the range and style of services offered by different airlines, and will provide an overview of commonly recognised standards of service on board aircraft.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Identify key types of meals and drinks typically available on airlines
• Identify appropriate standards of presentation of food and drink in differing classes of airline service
• Identify key characteristics of drinks service on board aircraft

Chapter Twelve:  Food and Drink Service

Overview

The food and drinks service forms a significant part of the flight attendants in flight role, and for long haul flights, an important component of the journey for passengers on board.

Short haul flights may only offer a snack service involving a tea/coffee with a pre-wrapped snack. Even this type of service requires skill on the part of the flight attendant to ensure that boiling water is not poured over passengers, and the balancing of trays and jug on a moving aircraft is not as easy as it looks!

On long haul journeys the food and drinks service becomes increasingly important with up to five or six main services carried out in addition to the cabin tours with cold drinks and snacks to help passengers pass the long hours of all night flights.

You will receive extensive practical training during your Induction programme with the airline that employs you, and will learn that each airline has their own specific style and routine in terms of these services. Even within an airline the way in which food is served to passengers depends on the class of service passengers have booked, and flight attendants must learn to flex across these classes, delivering quality service to all passengers regardless of where they are seated.

This Module will introduce you to the range and style of services offered by different airlines, and will provide an overview of commonly recognised standards of service on board aircraft.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Identify key types of meals and drinks typically available on airlines
• Identify appropriate standards of presentation of food and drink in differing classes of airline service
• Identify key characteristics of drinks service on board aircraft

Chapter Twelve:  Food and Drink Service

Overview

The food and drinks service forms a significant part of the flight attendants in flight role, and for long haul flights, an important component of the journey for passengers on board.

Short haul flights may only offer a snack service involving a tea/coffee with a pre-wrapped snack. Even this type of service requires skill on the part of the flight attendant to ensure that boiling water is not poured over passengers, and the balancing of trays and jug on a moving aircraft is not as easy as it looks!

On long haul journeys the food and drinks service becomes increasingly important with up to five or six main services carried out in addition to the cabin tours with cold drinks and snacks to help passengers pass the long hours of all night flights.

You will receive extensive practical training during your Induction programme with the airline that employs you, and will learn that each airline has their own specific style and routine in terms of these services. Even within an airline the way in which food is served to passengers depends on the class of service passengers have booked, and flight attendants must learn to flex across these classes, delivering quality service to all passengers regardless of where they are seated.

This Module will introduce you to the range and style of services offered by different airlines, and will provide an overview of commonly recognised standards of service on board aircraft.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Identify key types of meals and drinks typically available on airlines
• Identify appropriate standards of presentation of food and drink in differing classes of airline service
• Identify key characteristics of drinks service on board aircraft

Individual Roles within Teams

In effective teams, each member actively participates in the team process. Ideally, each member contributes equally. But not all members do everything.

Team members should identify their personal strengths and weaknesses and negotiate with the rest of the team about how to best utilize skills and minimize weaknesses. When team roles have been clearly defined, the team is most capable of performing effectively.

Research has identified the following five primary team roles:

Leader

Creates a common purpose
Provides and communicates a vision
Clarifies objectives
Makes sure everybody is involved, committed, and motivated
Coordinates the efforts of the group
Ensures that decisions are made and the group makes progress

Thinker

Collects and analyzes information
Listens to what is being said and watches what is going on
Is sometimes quiet before contributing ideas
Thinks through the problem
Sees solutions and anticipates problems

Achiever

Wants to succeed and strives for results
Wants to progress towards the goal/objective quickly
Becomes impatient with delays
Challenges assumptions and proposes improvements
Has lots of enthusiasm

Carer

Is concerned that everybody is fitting in
Contributes humour and builds bridges around the team
Works to develop a team spirit
Wants everybody to agree
Watches out for others’ feelings and attitudes
Eases tension and fosters a positive spirit

Doer

Always wants to be active
Is prepared to get involved to help others
Wants to see progress and adherence to plans
Gets bored with too much discussion
Hates wasting time
Works hard to finish the task

It is important for each member of the group to understand and accept their role and responsibility in contributing to the group effort. Ideally, the team should contain people capable of balancing different roles. People are generally naturally suited to one role more than others, though they may have to take on another role in order to balance the team. Not everybody is suited to team leadership, not everyone is creative or comes up with great ideas all the time! Teams need a blend of styles, and each of these team roles is vital to the success of any team.

All team members should take their responsibilities seriously, or they risk generating resentment from other team members. Effective team members:

•  Maintain their customer service attitude and treat their colleagues with respect
• Contribute fully to the team, while remaining open to others’ ideas
• Are prompt when attending meetings and meeting deadlines

When working in a team your own failures or poor behaviour will affect everyone else on the team. It is important to be aware of the roles and tasks that other people are carrying out. Airline pre-flight briefings set out the roles and responsibilities for the entire cabin crew and this helps to eliminate confusion around who does what.

Summary

The best way to develop your team skills is through practice! Everybody is a member of a team, either at work, at home as a member of a family, socially through membership of a sports club or hobby, or just through a network of friends.

Think about how well you perform in teams that you are part of? What role do you play in these teams? You may be a leader in some teams, but not in others, and may play differing roles depending on the team. How well do you support and contribute to each team? And what about other team members? Can you recognise some behaviors that have a negative effect on the team?

And most importantly of all, what can you do to increase your effectiveness and the effectiveness of each of these teams so that you achieve your goals and objectives? If the team isn’t performing well, or isn’t achieving its goals, how can you change that and help them become more successful?

If you help a team achieve its goals and become successful, then you will achieve personal success along the way.

Remember the well used phrase: In a Team, Everybody Achieves More!

Individual Roles within Teams

In effective teams, each member actively participates in the team process. Ideally, each member contributes equally. But not all members do everything.

Team members should identify their personal strengths and weaknesses and negotiate with the rest of the team about how to best utilize skills and minimize weaknesses. When team roles have been clearly defined, the team is most capable of performing effectively.

Research has identified the following five primary team roles:

Leader

Creates a common purpose
Provides and communicates a vision
Clarifies objectives
Makes sure everybody is involved, committed, and motivated
Coordinates the efforts of the group
Ensures that decisions are made and the group makes progress

Thinker

Collects and analyzes information
Listens to what is being said and watches what is going on
Is sometimes quiet before contributing ideas
Thinks through the problem
Sees solutions and anticipates problems

Achiever

Wants to succeed and strives for results
Wants to progress towards the goal/objective quickly
Becomes impatient with delays
Challenges assumptions and proposes improvements
Has lots of enthusiasm

Carer

Is concerned that everybody is fitting in

Contributes humour and builds bridges around the team
Works to develop a team spirit
Wants everybody to agree
Watches out for others’ feelings and attitudes
Eases tension and fosters a positive spirit

Doer

Always wants to be active
Is prepared to get involved to help others
Wants to see progress and adherence to plans
Gets bored with too much discussion
Hates wasting time
Works hard to finish the task

It is important for each member of the group to understand and accept their role and responsibility in contributing to the group effort. Ideally, the team should contain people capable of balancing different roles. People are generally naturally suited to one role more than others, though they may have to take on another role in order to balance the team. Not everybody is suited to team leadership, not everyone is creative or comes up with great ideas all the time! Teams need a blend of styles, and each of these team roles is vital to the success of any team.

All team members should take their responsibilities seriously, or they risk generating resentment from other team members. Effective team members:

•  Maintain their customer service attitude and treat their colleagues with respect
• Contribute fully to the team, while remaining open to others’ ideas
• Are prompt when attending meetings and meeting deadlines

When working in a team your own failures or poor behaviour will affect everyone else on the team. It is important to be aware of the roles and tasks that other people are carrying out. Airline pre-flight briefings set out the roles and responsibilities for the entire cabin crew and this helps to eliminate confusion around who does what.

Summary

The best way to develop your team skills is through practice! Everybody is a member of a team, either at work, at home as a member of a family, socially through membership of a sports club or hobby, or just through a network of friends.

Think about how well you perform in teams that you are part of? What role do you play in these teams? You may be a leader in some teams, but not in others, and may play differing roles depending on the team. How well do you support and contribute to each team? And what about other team members? Can you recognise some behaviors that have a negative effect on the team?

And most importantly of all, what can you do to increase your effectiveness and the effectiveness of each of these teams so that you achieve your goals and objectives? If the team isn’t performing well, or isn’t achieving its goals, how can you change that and help them become more successful?

If you help a team achieve its goals and become successful, then you will achieve personal success along the way.

Remember the well used phrase: In a Team, Everybody Achieves More!

Individual Roles within Teams

In effective teams, each member actively participates in the team process. Ideally, each member contributes equally. But not all members do everything.

Team members should identify their personal strengths and weaknesses and negotiate with the rest of the team about how to best utilize skills and minimize weaknesses. When team roles have been clearly defined, the team is most capable of performing effectively.

Research has identified the following five primary team roles:

Leader

Creates a common purpose
Provides and communicates a vision
Clarifies objectives
Makes sure everybody is involved, committed, and motivated
Coordinates the efforts of the group
Ensures that decisions are made and the group makes progress

Thinker

Collects and analyzes information
Listens to what is being said and watches what is going on
Is sometimes quiet before contributing ideas
Thinks through the problem
Sees solutions and anticipates problems

Achiever

Wants to succeed and strives for results
Wants to progress towards the goal/objective quickly
Becomes impatient with delays
Challenges assumptions and proposes improvements
Has lots of enthusiasm

Carer

Is concerned that everybody is fitting in

Contributes humour and builds bridges around the team
Works to develop a team spirit
Wants everybody to agree
Watches out for others’ feelings and attitudes
Eases tension and fosters a positive spirit

Doer

Always wants to be active
Is prepared to get involved to help others
Wants to see progress and adherence to plans
Gets bored with too much discussion
Hates wasting time
Works hard to finish the task

It is important for each member of the group to understand and accept their role and responsibility in contributing to the group effort. Ideally, the team should contain people capable of balancing different roles. People are generally naturally suited to one role more than others, though they may have to take on another role in order to balance the team. Not everybody is suited to team leadership, not everyone is creative or comes up with great ideas all the time! Teams need a blend of styles, and each of these team roles is vital to the success of any team.

All team members should take their responsibilities seriously, or they risk generating resentment from other team members. Effective team members:

•  Maintain their customer service attitude and treat their colleagues with respect
• Contribute fully to the team, while remaining open to others’ ideas
• Are prompt when attending meetings and meeting deadlines

When working in a team your own failures or poor behaviour will affect everyone else on the team. It is important to be aware of the roles and tasks that other people are carrying out. Airline pre-flight briefings set out the roles and responsibilities for the entire cabin crew and this helps to eliminate confusion around who does what.

Summary

The best way to develop your team skills is through practice! Everybody is a member of a team, either at work, at home as a member of a family, socially through membership of a sports club or hobby, or just through a network of friends.

Think about how well you perform in teams that you are part of? What role do you play in these teams? You may be a leader in some teams, but not in others, and may play differing roles depending on the team. How well do you support and contribute to each team? And what about other team members? Can you recognise some behaviors that have a negative effect on the team?

And most importantly of all, what can you do to increase your effectiveness and the effectiveness of each of these teams so that you achieve your goals and objectives? If the team isn’t performing well, or isn’t achieving its goals, how can you change that and help them become more successful?

If you help a team achieve its goals and become successful, then you will achieve personal success along the way.

Remember the well used phrase: In a Team, Everybody Achieves More!

Attitudes

Attitude is your state of mind, reflected in your thoughts and approach to life, and is communicated through your behaviour with others.  Your attitude can be positive or negative, such as “is this glass half full or half empty?”

Your attitude can make the difference between being a valued and successful team member – or not!

Your attitude is usually communicated in the way you deal with others, by the way you look, the manner in which you do things and the words you say.  Attitudes are not static, and can be changed, learnt, adapted and improved.

A positive attitude is considered essential for front-line roles within airlines. This is a can do, will do kind of attitude, and in many cases it will be your attitude that determines your success.

Suitable attitudes for good ‘team fit’ are:

• A positive approach to your work
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ for your customers and colleagues
• A genuine interest in the business
• Taking pride in your work, always doing your best
• Enthusiasm about the industry and the role you will play in it
• A pleasant, happy, friendly disposition.

Attributes

Attributes are the individual characteristics, traits, qualities and even peculiarities that each one of us has.  Generally, attributes are things that we are born with.  These are traits that show up in our character. They may be special qualities that we have – like being artistic, or mathematical.

Attributes that can help to ensure your ‘team fit’ are:

• The ability to make decisions
• You get along well with others
• You stay calm under stress
• The ability to organize yourself effectively
• You prioritise tasks and meet deadlines
• You use your initiative
• You complete tasks with minimal errors
• You are reliable and trustworthy
• You work well with minimum of supervision
• You relate to people from different backgrounds and cultures
• You empathise with others

Communication Styles

You need to ensure that your communication style is one that will work to develop and enhance your relationships within the team.  In your personal life, you may use a different communication style with different people e.g. your children, your partner, your friends and parents.  In the workplace it is important to demonstrate appropriate and consistent communication styles at all times.

Communication styles that are useful in assisting a suitable ‘team fit’ are:

• Co-operative:  team members work together to achieve the objectives of the team
• Supportive: team members are socially focused on encouraging and helping each other
• Assertive: communicate needs clearly, strive for a win/win situation, know your limits and do not allow yourself to be pushed beyond them.

Team members that operate with different communication styles will very quickly become unpopular with their colleagues! Nobody wants to work with somebody who is confrontational, argumentative or determined to do it their way, no matter what!

Similarly, a team member who tries to take over a team, ignores others ideas, and seeks to stir up trouble in the team by gossiping or ‘back chatting’ is a destructive influence and will very quickly find themselves out of the team!

Attitudes

Attitude is your state of mind, reflected in your thoughts and approach to life, and is communicated through your behaviour with others.  Your attitude can be positive or negative, such as “is this glass half full or half empty?”

Your attitude can make the difference between being a valued and successful team member – or not!

Your attitude is usually communicated in the way you deal with others, by the way you look, the manner in which you do things and the words you say.  Attitudes are not static, and can be changed, learnt, adapted and improved.

A positive attitude is considered essential for front-line roles within airlines. This is a can do, will do kind of attitude, and in many cases it will be your attitude that determines your success.

Suitable attitudes for good ‘team fit’ are:

• A positive approach to your work
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ for your customers and colleagues
• A genuine interest in the business
• Taking pride in your work, always doing your best
• Enthusiasm about the industry and the role you will play in it
• A pleasant, happy, friendly disposition.

Attributes

Attributes are the individual characteristics, traits, qualities and even peculiarities that each one of us has.  Generally, attributes are things that we are born with.  These are traits that show up in our character. They may be special qualities that we have – like being artistic, or mathematical.

Attributes that can help to ensure your ‘team fit’ are:

• The ability to make decisions
• You get along well with others
• You stay calm under stress
• The ability to organize yourself effectively
• You prioritise tasks and meet deadlines
• You use your initiative
• You complete tasks with minimal errors
• You are reliable and trustworthy
• You work well with minimum of supervision
• You relate to people from different backgrounds and cultures
• You empathise with others

Communication Styles

You need to ensure that your communication style is one that will work to develop and enhance your relationships within the team.  In your personal life, you may use a different communication style with different people e.g. your children, your partner, your friends and parents.  In the workplace it is important to demonstrate appropriate and consistent communication styles at all times.

Communication styles that are useful in assisting a suitable ‘team fit’ are:

• Co-operative:  team members work together to achieve the objectives of the team
• Supportive: team members are socially focused on encouraging and helping each other
• Assertive: communicate needs clearly, strive for a win/win situation, know your limits and do not allow yourself to be pushed beyond them.

Team members that operate with different communication styles will very quickly become unpopular with their colleagues! Nobody wants to work with somebody who is confrontational, argumentative or determined to do it their way, no matter what!

Similarly, a team member who tries to take over a team, ignores others ideas, and seeks to stir up trouble in the team by gossiping or ‘back chatting’ is a destructive influence and will very quickly find themselves out of the team!

Attitudes

Attitude is your state of mind, reflected in your thoughts and approach to life, and is communicated through your behaviour with others.  Your attitude can be positive or negative, such as “is this glass half full or half empty?”

Your attitude can make the difference between being a valued and successful team member – or not!

Your attitude is usually communicated in the way you deal with others, by the way you look, the manner in which you do things and the words you say.  Attitudes are not static, and can be changed, learnt, adapted and improved.

A positive attitude is considered essential for front-line roles within airlines. This is a can do, will do kind of attitude, and in many cases it will be your attitude that determines your success.

Suitable attitudes for good ‘team fit’ are:

• A positive approach to your work
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ for your customers and colleagues
• A genuine interest in the business
• Taking pride in your work, always doing your best
• Enthusiasm about the industry and the role you will play in it
• A pleasant, happy, friendly disposition.

Attributes

Attributes are the individual characteristics, traits, qualities and even peculiarities that each one of us has.  Generally, attributes are things that we are born with.  These are traits that show up in our character. They may be special qualities that we have – like being artistic, or mathematical.

Attributes that can help to ensure your ‘team fit’ are:

• The ability to make decisions
• You get along well with others
• You stay calm under stress
• The ability to organize yourself effectively
• You prioritise tasks and meet deadlines
• You use your initiative
• You complete tasks with minimal errors
• You are reliable and trustworthy
• You work well with minimum of supervision
• You relate to people from different backgrounds and cultures
• You empathise with others

Communication Styles

You need to ensure that your communication style is one that will work to develop and enhance your relationships within the team.  In your personal life, you may use a different communication style with different people e.g. your children, your partner, your friends and parents.  In the workplace it is important to demonstrate appropriate and consistent communication styles at all times.

Communication styles that are useful in assisting a suitable ‘team fit’ are:

• Co-operative:  team members work together to achieve the objectives of the team
• Supportive: team members are socially focused on encouraging and helping each other
• Assertive: communicate needs clearly, strive for a win/win situation, know your limits and do not allow yourself to be pushed beyond them.

Team members that operate with different communication styles will very quickly become unpopular with their colleagues! Nobody wants to work with somebody who is confrontational, argumentative or determined to do it their way, no matter what!

Similarly, a team member who tries to take over a team, ignores others ideas, and seeks to stir up trouble in the team by gossiping or ‘back chatting’ is a destructive influence and will very quickly find themselves out of the team!

Stages of Team Development

Teams do not just happen – building a team requires hard work. It is unrealistic to believe that a team will instantly and constantly reach peak performance. One model of team development outlines the following four stages:

Forming

During the forming stage, the team will not begin to produce what it is supposed to, because individuals have yet to blend into a team. People will be assessing one another, getting acquainted, dealing with their own anxieties, and deciding how they will fit. This “feeling out” process is uncomfortable for many.

In this stage team members introduce themselves and work together to agree on mission and goals. This is a time to improve communication skills, trust, and group decision-making.

Storming

Storming is a difficult stage because things seem to start falling apart! After a cordial beginning, the real issues start surfacing, and the power struggles erupt. Some members will attempt to demonstrate their superiority; people will be confused about what is happening and what to do. The team must focus on:

• Reviewing expectations and seeking information
• Recognizing that conflict is a normal part of becoming a team
• Resolving conflict with good listening skills and collaborative problem solving
• Focusing on tasks related to the mission and goals

Norming

In the norming stage, the group begins to grow into a team. Conflict diminishes as the team grows in confidence, mutual trust, and respect. People have learned how to interact with one another, and they have grown closer. Team members may never become close personal friends, but they learn how to work together. In this stage the team focuses on:

• Building consensus
• Striving for equal participation
• Discussing the mission and goals and how performance is related to the goals
• Working as a team to identify ideas about how to improve.

Performing

The group has developed into a team as evidenced by the team behaviour. Team loyalty has become strong, and members identify with the team and display pride in being a member. All professional teams need to reach the performing level. Each team will be different, but it is important to allow time for each stage. Teams that attempt to leap from forming to performing without taking the time to recognize their differences (storming) or build their team processes (norming) are likely to have a poor performance record.

Within the airline world flight and cabin crews have to form themselves into an effective team very quickly, and the early stages of forming and storming take place during the pre-flight briefing, where people get to know one another, objectives are agreed (we’re going to have a trouble-free flight!), roles established, tasks distributed, and the details of the flight and its passengers are discussed.

Airline staff become very good at forming themselves into these teams quickly and efficiently, almost in a military like way. The early training and operating with very detailed standards, rules and regulations, ensures that all staff are ‘on the same page’. Flight attending crews reach the ‘performing’ stage very quickly, usually by the time that passengers are ready to join the aircraft.

How to be a Great Team Player!

To be successful as a flight attendant you will need to become a great team player! This can be defined as:

The ability to work well with a team of people who may have diverse personalities and cultural backgrounds; to operate within organizational norms of behaviour, manners, dress and language; and show respect for different systems of belief in a workplace.

When working in a team, it is important to remember to treat colleagues as you would treat your customers.  By having the right attitudes and attributes, and demonstrating appropriate communication styles, you can ensure you ‘fit’ the team well.

Stages of Team Development

Teams do not just happen – building a team requires hard work. It is unrealistic to believe that a team will instantly and constantly reach peak performance. One model of team development outlines the following four stages:

Forming

During the forming stage, the team will not begin to produce what it is supposed to, because individuals have yet to blend into a team. People will be assessing one another, getting acquainted, dealing with their own anxieties, and deciding how they will fit. This “feeling out” process is uncomfortable for many.

In this stage team members introduce themselves and work together to agree on mission and goals. This is a time to improve communication skills, trust, and group decision-making.

Storming

Storming is a difficult stage because things seem to start falling apart! After a cordial beginning, the real issues start surfacing, and the power struggles erupt. Some members will attempt to demonstrate their superiority; people will be confused about what is happening and what to do. The team must focus on:

• Reviewing expectations and seeking information
• Recognizing that conflict is a normal part of becoming a team
• Resolving conflict with good listening skills and collaborative problem solving
• Focusing on tasks related to the mission and goals

Norming

In the norming stage, the group begins to grow into a team. Conflict diminishes as the team grows in confidence, mutual trust, and respect. People have learned how to interact with one another, and they have grown closer. Team members may never become close personal friends, but they learn how to work together. In this stage the team focuses on:

• Building consensus
• Striving for equal participation
• Discussing the mission and goals and how performance is related to the goals
• Working as a team to identify ideas about how to improve.

Performing

The group has developed into a team as evidenced by the team behaviour. Team loyalty has become strong, and members identify with the team and display pride in being a member. All professional teams need to reach the performing level. Each team will be different, but it is important to allow time for each stage. Teams that attempt to leap from forming to performing without taking the time to recognize their differences (storming) or build their team processes (norming) are likely to have a poor performance record.

Within the airline world flight and cabin crews have to form themselves into an effective team very quickly, and the early stages of forming and storming take place during the pre-flight briefing, where people get to know one another, objectives are agreed (we’re going to have a trouble-free flight!), roles established, tasks distributed, and the details of the flight and its passengers are discussed.

Airline staff become very good at forming themselves into these teams quickly and efficiently, almost in a military like way. The early training and operating with very detailed standards, rules and regulations, ensures that all staff are ‘on the same page’. Flight attending crews reach the ‘performing’ stage very quickly, usually by the time that passengers are ready to join the aircraft.

How to be a Great Team Player!

To be successful as a flight attendant you will need to become a great team player! This can be defined as:

The ability to work well with a team of people who may have diverse personalities and cultural backgrounds; to operate within organizational norms of behaviour, manners, dress and language; and show respect for different systems of belief in a workplace.

When working in a team, it is important to remember to treat colleagues as you would treat your customers.  By having the right attitudes and attributes, and demonstrating appropriate communication styles, you can ensure you ‘fit’ the team well.

Stages of Team Development

Teams do not just happen – building a team requires hard work. It is unrealistic to believe that a team will instantly and constantly reach peak performance. One model of team development outlines the following four stages:

Forming

During the forming stage, the team will not begin to produce what it is supposed to, because individuals have yet to blend into a team. People will be assessing one another, getting acquainted, dealing with their own anxieties, and deciding how they will fit. This “feeling out” process is uncomfortable for many.

In this stage team members introduce themselves and work together to agree on mission and goals. This is a time to improve communication skills, trust, and group decision-making.

Storming

Storming is a difficult stage because things seem to start falling apart! After a cordial beginning, the real issues start surfacing, and the power struggles erupt. Some members will attempt to demonstrate their superiority; people will be confused about what is happening and what to do. The team must focus on:

• Reviewing expectations and seeking information
• Recognizing that conflict is a normal part of becoming a team
• Resolving conflict with good listening skills and collaborative problem solving
• Focusing on tasks related to the mission and goals

Norming

In the norming stage, the group begins to grow into a team. Conflict diminishes as the team grows in confidence, mutual trust, and respect. People have learned how to interact with one another, and they have grown closer. Team members may never become close personal friends, but they learn how to work together. In this stage the team focuses on:

• Building consensus
• Striving for equal participation
• Discussing the mission and goals and how performance is related to the goals
• Working as a team to identify ideas about how to improve.

Performing

The group has developed into a team as evidenced by the team behaviour. Team loyalty has become strong, and members identify with the team and display pride in being a member. All professional teams need to reach the performing level. Each team will be different, but it is important to allow time for each stage. Teams that attempt to leap from forming to performing without taking the time to recognize their differences (storming) or build their team processes (norming) are likely to have a poor performance record.

Within the airline world flight and cabin crews have to form themselves into an effective team very quickly, and the early stages of forming and storming take place during the pre-flight briefing, where people get to know one another, objectives are agreed (we’re going to have a trouble-free flight!), roles established, tasks distributed, and the details of the flight and its passengers are discussed.

Airline staff become very good at forming themselves into these teams quickly and efficiently, almost in a military like way. The early training and operating with very detailed standards, rules and regulations, ensures that all staff are ‘on the same page’. Flight attending crews reach the ‘performing’ stage very quickly, usually by the time that passengers are ready to join the aircraft.

How to be a Great Team Player!

To be successful as a flight attendant you will need to become a great team player! This can be defined as:

The ability to work well with a team of people who may have diverse personalities and cultural backgrounds; to operate within organizational norms of behaviour, manners, dress and language; and show respect for different systems of belief in a workplace.

When working in a team, it is important to remember to treat colleagues as you would treat your customers.  By having the right attitudes and attributes, and demonstrating appropriate communication styles, you can ensure you ‘fit’ the team well.

Characteristics of High Performing Teams

High performing teams get the job done efficiently, effectively and on time. They usually display the following characteristics:

•  High level of interdependence among team members
• Team leader has good people skills and is committed to a team approach
• Each team member is willing to contribute
• Team develops a relaxed climate for communication
• Team members develop a mutual trust
• Team and individuals are prepared to take risks
• Team is clear about goals and establishes targets
• Team member roles are defined
• Team members know how to examine team and individual errors without personal attacks
• Team has capacity to create new ideas

High performing teams work very well together, with high levels of participation from each team member. Roles are often shared to accomplish tasks and to achieve feelings of group togetherness.

Flight attending crews are a great example of this as they move about the aircraft helping each other out and engaging in light hearted chat that clearly demonstrates camaraderie and ‘team-ship’.

Feedback is sought and given freely by team members, with people feeling comfortable praising or criticising as required without bad feelings resulting. In this kind of team feedback is always given with the intention of helping the other person, and to help achieve the task.

High performing teams always have a clear leader, but the leadership may be distributed and shared among team members as circumstances require it, such as when the leader is engaged elsewhere, or not available, and people willingly work to the new leadership role, contributing their resources as needed.

Within a cabin crew this situation often arises as the Cabin Manager or Senior Purser may be engaged with passengers or another duty and the leadership role is automatically taken up by the next senior crew member with no ‘leadership void’.

High performing teams work together to solve problems, discuss team issues, and critique team effectiveness. The key here is that they ‘work together’ and don’t huddle in corners discussing problems with an individual member of the team. Such behaviour can demotivate and destabilise a team very quickly. In flight attending teams open and clear communications are encouraged. As you can imagine, a team is not bonding well together in the confined physical space and working environment on an aircraft could be a very toxic mix!

It is worth noting that flight attending teams are teams that come together and separate from flight to flight. Crew are rostered by managers working with a crew resourcing system that puts a crew together with people that may never have worked together before, or not even know each other. People meet and are introduced at the flight pre-briefing, and become an instant team for the duration of that shift. They may work together for a few hours or days, then reform with other colleagues in other teams. This means that flight and cabin crews must be flexible, adaptable and receptive to new people and leadership styles.

Team Leadership

All high performing teams have a leader who inspires the team to achieve the goal. In your career you will work for many leaders, and be a leader yourself. The qualities of a good leader are often indefinable, but we know when we’ve met one or worked for one!  When considering their qualities, the following are usually identifiable as effective leadership characteristics. They:

•  Form and organize a well-balanced and productive team, recognizing the different skills, abilities and roles that other people can bring to the team
• Encourage the best qualities in others so that they may fully contribute to the team
• Maintain a balance between team members in group situations to ensure that everyone makes a useful contribution
• Deal with difficult team members and get them ‘back on track’
• Organise team members and delegate responsibilities
• Take responsibility for the completion of a project and the successful achievement of the goal

People take their cue from their leader. The leader sets the pace for work, establishes what is important and what isn’t, and establishes the working climate for the team. In short, without a leader who ‘paints the picture’ and shows the way, a team is left to flounder and become dependent on an informal leader. Then it is the luck of the draw whether it will perform well!

Whether a self-managed team selects its own leader or the organization appoints one, effective leadership is a vital ingredient of a successful team.

Leaders are very clearly identified in the airline industry, to the extent of them often wearing different uniforms so there is no misunderstanding about who is ‘in charge’! Good leaders will operate with a blend of ‘position power’ (natural authority and influence that comes with the job) and ‘personal power’ – influence over others that comes from their natural style and personality.

Characteristics of High Performing Teams

High performing teams get the job done efficiently, effectively and on time. They usually display the following characteristics:

•  High level of interdependence among team members
• Team leader has good people skills and is committed to a team approach
• Each team member is willing to contribute
• Team develops a relaxed climate for communication
• Team members develop a mutual trust
• Team and individuals are prepared to take risks
• Team is clear about goals and establishes targets
• Team member roles are defined
• Team members know how to examine team and individual errors without personal attacks
• Team has capacity to create new ideas

High performing teams work very well together, with high levels of participation from each team member. Roles are often shared to accomplish tasks and to achieve feelings of group togetherness.

Flight attending crews are a great example of this as they move about the aircraft helping each other out and engaging in light hearted chat that clearly demonstrates camaraderie and ‘team-ship’.

Feedback is sought and given freely by team members, with people feeling comfortable praising or criticising as required without bad feelings resulting. In this kind of team feedback is always given with the intention of helping the other person, and to help achieve the task.

High performing teams always have a clear leader, but the leadership may be distributed and shared among team members as circumstances require it, such as when the leader is engaged elsewhere, or not available, and people willingly work to the new leadership role, contributing their resources as needed.

Within a cabin crew this situation often arises as the Cabin Manager or Senior Purser may be engaged with passengers or another duty and the leadership role is automatically taken up by the next senior crew member with no ‘leadership void’.

High performing teams work together to solve problems, discuss team issues, and critique team effectiveness. The key here is that they ‘work together’ and don’t huddle in corners discussing problems with an individual member of the team. Such behaviour can demotivate and destabilise a team very quickly. In flight attending teams open and clear communications are encouraged. As you can imagine, a team is not bonding well together in the confined physical space and working environment on an aircraft could be a very toxic mix!

It is worth noting that flight attending teams are teams that come together and separate from flight to flight. Crew are rostered by managers working with a crew resourcing system that puts a crew together with people that may never have worked together before, or not even know each other. People meet and are introduced at the flight pre-briefing, and become an instant team for the duration of that shift. They may work together for a few hours or days, then reform with other colleagues in other teams. This means that flight and cabin crews must be flexible, adaptable and receptive to new people and leadership styles.

Team Leadership

All high performing teams have a leader who inspires the team to achieve the goal. In your career you will work for many leaders, and be a leader yourself. The qualities of a good leader are often indefinable, but we know when we’ve met one or worked for one!  When considering their qualities, the following are usually identifiable as effective leadership characteristics. They:

• Form and organize a well-balanced and productive team, recognizing the different skills, abilities and roles that other people can bring to the team
• Encourage the best qualities in others so that they may fully contribute to the team
• Maintain a balance between team members in group situations to ensure that everyone makes a useful contribution
• Deal with difficult team members and get them ‘back on track’
• Organise team members and delegate responsibilities
• Take responsibility for the completion of a project and the successful achievement of the goal

People take their cue from their leader. The leader sets the pace for work, establishes what is important and what isn’t, and establishes the working climate for the team. In short, without a leader who ‘paints the picture’ and shows the way, a team is left to flounder and become dependent on an informal leader. Then it is the luck of the draw whether it will perform well!

Whether a self-managed team selects its own leader or the organization appoints one, effective leadership is a vital ingredient of a successful team.

Leaders are very clearly identified in the airline industry, to the extent of them often wearing different uniforms so there is no misunderstanding about who is ‘in charge’! Good leaders will operate with a blend of ‘position power’ (natural authority and influence that comes with the job) and ‘personal power’ – influence over others that comes from their natural style and personality.

Characteristics of High Performing Teams

High performing teams get the job done efficiently, effectively and on time. They usually display the following characteristics:

•  High level of interdependence among team members
• Team leader has good people skills and is committed to a team approach
• Each team member is willing to contribute
• Team develops a relaxed climate for communication
• Team members develop a mutual trust
• Team and individuals are prepared to take risks
• Team is clear about goals and establishes targets
• Team member roles are defined
• Team members know how to examine team and individual errors without personal attacks
• Team has capacity to create new ideas

High performing teams work very well together, with high levels of participation from each team member. Roles are often shared to accomplish tasks and to achieve feelings of group togetherness.

Flight attending crews are a great example of this as they move about the aircraft helping each other out and engaging in light hearted chat that clearly demonstrates camaraderie and ‘team-ship’.

Feedback is sought and given freely by team members, with people feeling comfortable praising or criticising as required without bad feelings resulting. In this kind of team feedback is always given with the intention of helping the other person, and to help achieve the task.

High performing teams always have a clear leader, but the leadership may be distributed and shared among team members as circumstances require it, such as when the leader is engaged elsewhere, or not available, and people willingly work to the new leadership role, contributing their resources as needed.

Within a cabin crew this situation often arises as the Cabin Manager or Senior Purser may be engaged with passengers or another duty and the leadership role is automatically taken up by the next senior crew member with no ‘leadership void’.

High performing teams work together to solve problems, discuss team issues, and critique team effectiveness. The key here is that they ‘work together’ and don’t huddle in corners discussing problems with an individual member of the team. Such behaviour can demotivate and destabilise a team very quickly. In flight attending teams open and clear communications are encouraged. As you can imagine, a team is not bonding well together in the confined physical space and working environment on an aircraft could be a very toxic mix!

It is worth noting that flight attending teams are teams that come together and separate from flight to flight. Crew are rostered by managers working with a crew resourcing system that puts a crew together with people that may never have worked together before, or not even know each other. People meet and are introduced at the flight pre-briefing, and become an instant team for the duration of that shift. They may work together for a few hours or days, then reform with other colleagues in other teams. This means that flight and cabin crews must be flexible, adaptable and receptive to new people and leadership styles.

Team Leadership

All high performing teams have a leader who inspires the team to achieve the goal. In your career you will work for many leaders, and be a leader yourself. The qualities of a good leader are often indefinable, but we know when we’ve met one or worked for one!  When considering their qualities, the following are usually identifiable as effective leadership characteristics. They:

• Form and organize a well-balanced and productive team, recognizing the different skills, abilities and roles that other people can bring to the team
• Encourage the best qualities in others so that they may fully contribute to the team
• Maintain a balance between team members in group situations to ensure that everyone makes a useful contribution
• Deal with difficult team members and get them ‘back on track’
• Organise team members and delegate responsibilities
• Take responsibility for the completion of a project and the successful achievement of the goal

People take their cue from their leader. The leader sets the pace for work, establishes what is important and what isn’t, and establishes the working climate for the team. In short, without a leader who ‘paints the picture’ and shows the way, a team is left to flounder and become dependent on an informal leader. Then it is the luck of the draw whether it will perform well!

Whether a self-managed team selects its own leader or the organization appoints one, effective leadership is a vital ingredient of a successful team.

Leaders are very clearly identified in the airline industry, to the extent of them often wearing different uniforms so there is no misunderstanding about who is ‘in charge’! Good leaders will operate with a blend of ‘position power’ (natural authority and influence that comes with the job) and ‘personal power’ – influence over others that comes from their natural style and personality.

A Group…or a Team ?

A group is a collection of individuals. There is not necessarily a sense of group identity or team spirit. A group of individuals standing in a queue waiting for a bus is just that – a group of individuals. A team is different. It is made up of individuals who come together for a shared purpose.

Working in the same area doesn’t make you a team. A work group becomes a team only if people depend on each other and the individual contributions each person can make towards achieving their shared objectives. Teams need common goals, a sense of shared purpose and identity, and interdependence. If it is a high-performing team, its members will work co-operatively to achieve goals.

‘A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.’

Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith

Effective Teams:

• Provide plenty of opportunity for discussion
• Offer lots of support
• Easily combine tactical and work groups into a single team
• Welcome new members
• Are open to new ways of working
• Have mutual trust
• The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

What do Teams Need in Order to Perform Well?

All teams need to know what they’re aiming to achieve, how they’re expected to deliver the right result. They also need the right resources to help them achieve the goal, and a plan to get them there! These are defined as:

• A clear goal
• A set of agreed objectives
• Achievable standards
• Adequate resources
• Action plans

The Benefits of Teams

• Teamwork can improve job satisfaction through harmonious working conditions and by providing people with more control over their jobs
• Teams can increase efficiency through reduced layers of management
• Teams are an excellent way to use people’s skills and knowledge effectively
• Teams can increase morale and improve motivation.

The Trouble with Teams

Teams are not all great! There are often obstacles that cause a team to be less effective.

There can be problems managing and supporting teams, with achieving full participation from each team member, with maintaining the right levels of co-operation and creativity.

Teams who are not well trained and briefed often fail to achieve the expected results.

They may not perform as well as they’re not clear about their goal or objectives, haven’t been briefed on the required standards, and sometimes don’t have the right resources to get the job done! This can result in a demotivated team who are perceived by managers as a ‘difficult’ team, yet could actually be a high performing team if only they were given a chance!

Effective team membership requires skills, training and practice

In airlines teams are usually very well trained and briefed, and new team members are mixed with experienced staff whose skill and knowledge is shared and modelled with newer recruits. In this way the newer team members very quickly learn to perform at the same high standard very quickly.

A Group…or a Team?

A group is a collection of individuals. There is not necessarily a sense of group identity or team spirit. A group of individuals standing in a queue waiting for a bus is just that – a group of individuals. A team is different. It is made up of individuals who come together for a shared purpose.

Working in the same area doesn’t make you a team. A work group becomes a team only if people depend on each other and the individual contributions each person can make towards achieving their shared objectives. Teams need common goals, a sense of shared purpose and identity, and interdependence. If it is a high-performing team, its members will work co-operatively to achieve goals.

‘A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.’

Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith

Effective Teams:

• Provide plenty of opportunity for discussion
• Offer lots of support
• Easily combine tactical and work groups into a single team
• Welcome new members
• Are open to new ways of working
• Have mutual trust
• The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

What do Teams Need in Order to Perform Well?

All teams need to know what they’re aiming to achieve, how they’re expected to deliver the right result. They also need the right resources to help them achieve the goal, and a plan to get them there! These are defined as:

• A clear goal
• A set of agreed objectives
• Achievable standards
• Adequate resources
• Action plans

The Benefits of Teams

• Teamwork can improve job satisfaction through harmonious working conditions and by providing people with more control over their jobs
• Teams can increase efficiency through reduced layers of management
• Teams are an excellent way to use people’s skills and knowledge effectively
• Teams can increase morale and improve motivation.

The Trouble with Teams

Teams are not all great! There are often obstacles that cause a team to be less effective.

There can be problems managing and supporting teams, with achieving full participation from each team member, with maintaining the right levels of co-operation and creativity.

Teams who are not well trained and briefed often fail to achieve the expected results.

They may not perform as well as they’re not clear about their goal or objectives, haven’t been briefed on the required standards, and sometimes don’t have the right resources to get the job done! This can result in a demotivated team who are perceived by managers as a ‘difficult’ team, yet could actually be a high performing team if only they were given a chance!

Effective team membership requires skills, training and practice

In airlines teams are usually very well trained and briefed, and new team members are mixed with experienced staff whose skill and knowledge is shared and modelled with newer recruits. In this way the newer team members very quickly learn to perform at the same high standard very quickly.

A Group…or a Team?

A group is a collection of individuals. There is not necessarily a sense of group identity or team spirit. A group of individuals standing in a queue waiting for a bus is just that – a group of individuals. A team is different. It is made up of individuals who come together for a shared purpose.

Working in the same area doesn’t make you a team. A work group becomes a team only if people depend on each other and the individual contributions each person can make towards achieving their shared objectives. Teams need common goals, a sense of shared purpose and identity, and interdependence. If it is a high-performing team, its members will work co-operatively to achieve goals.

‘A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach, for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.’

Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith

Effective Teams:

• Provide plenty of opportunity for discussion
• Offer lots of support
• Easily combine tactical and work groups into a single team
• Welcome new members
• Are open to new ways of working
• Have mutual trust
• The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

What do Teams Need in Order to Perform Well?

All teams need to know what they’re aiming to achieve, how they’re expected to deliver the right result. They also need the right resources to help them achieve the goal, and a plan to get them there! These are defined as:

• A clear goal
• A set of agreed objectives
• Achievable standards
• Adequate resources
• Action plans

The Benefits of Teams

• Teamwork can improve job satisfaction through harmonious working conditions and by providing people with more control over their jobs
• Teams can increase efficiency through reduced layers of management
• Teams are an excellent way to use people’s skills and knowledge effectively
• Teams can increase morale and improve motivation.

The Trouble with Teams

Teams are not all great! There are often obstacles that cause a team to be less effective.

There can be problems managing and supporting teams, with achieving full participation from each team member, with maintaining the right levels of co-operation and creativity.

Teams who are not well trained and briefed often fail to achieve the expected results.

They may not perform as well as they’re not clear about their goal or objectives, haven’t been briefed on the required standards, and sometimes don’t have the right resources to get the job done! This can result in a demotivated team who are perceived by managers as a ‘difficult’ team, yet could actually be a high performing team if only they were given a chance!

Effective team membership requires skills, training and practice

In airlines teams are usually very well trained and briefed, and new team members are mixed with experienced staff whose skill and knowledge is shared and modelled with newer recruits. In this way the newer team members very quickly learn to perform at the same high standard very quickly.

Chapter Eleven: Team Skills

Overview

As you embark on your new airline career it is important to keep in mind that this is a people industry!

There are many different jobs and career paths available in aviation and whilst the specific roles differ there’s one thing (or three!) that is common across all work roles:

• people make it all work
• people are the reason the work is available
• the ability to work well with other people is critical to your career success!

During this Chapter you will find out how teams are developed, the characteristics of effective teams and team members, and what happens when teams don’t work well together.

Your ability to work well within any team will be a key to your career success, whatever role you ultimate achieve. It’s also worth remembering that your team skills are often evaluated at interview for many roles, particularly for flight attending. Reflecting on how you behave in a team and working out how you can make the best contribution to it is an important personal attribute, and one which employers will recognise and value.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this Chapter you will be able to:

• Identify characteristics of a high performing team
• Demonstrate knowledge of teamwork and its importance within an airline workplace
• Apply effective skills across a range of situations to achieve a result

What is a team?

In the airline industry, as with many businesses, people are divided into different departments or teams. Each person has their own work to do. The team works together to achieve the required department and business objectives.

In this Chapter you will learn how effective teams are developed and work together, the roles that team members play and what goes wrong in dysfunctional teams.

When you think about it, not much can be done without the co-operation, support and assistance of others. Joining together to achieve more than we could alone is natural. And most people enjoy being part of a group, particularly a successful high-achieving team. Think what it means to be an All Black for example, particularly when they’re winning!

There’s a great saying about teams:

Together Everybody Achieves More!

And that is very true!

Teams have huge advantages over individuals in many work situations:

• Distribute workload evenly and co-ordinate effort as long as everyone in the team contributes fully!
• Shared responsibility for problem-solving, testing ideas and decision making
• Better motivation and support through building rapport between colleagues

However, building a successful team takes effort. To be successful, a team needs to be united in the pursuit of a goal, with an agreed process to achieve the goal.

Chapter Eleven: Team Skills

Overview

As you embark on your new airline career it is important to keep in mind that this is a people industry!

There are many different jobs and career paths available in aviation and whilst the specific roles differ there’s one thing (or three!) that is common across all work roles:

• people make it all work
• people are the reason the work is available
• the ability to work well with other people is critical to your career success!

During this Chapter you will find out how teams are developed, the characteristics of effective teams and team members, and what happens when teams don’t work well together.

Your ability to work well within any team will be a key to your career success, whatever role you ultimate achieve. It’s also worth remembering that your team skills are often evaluated at interview for many roles, particularly for flight attending. Reflecting on how you behave in a team and working out how you can make the best contribution to it is an important personal attribute, and one which employers will recognise and value.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this Chapter you will be able to:

• Identify characteristics of a high performing team
• Demonstrate knowledge of teamwork and its importance within an airline workplace
• Apply effective skills across a range of situations to achieve a result

What is a team?

In the airline industry, as with many businesses, people are divided into different departments or teams. Each person has their own work to do. The team works together to achieve the required department and business objectives.

In this Chapter you will learn how effective teams are developed and work together, the roles that team members play and what goes wrong in dysfunctional teams.

When you think about it, not much can be done without the co-operation, support and assistance of others. Joining together to achieve more than we could alone is natural. And most people enjoy being part of a group, particularly a successful high-achieving team. Think what it means to be an All Black for example, particularly when they’re winning!

There’s a great saying about teams:

Together Everybody Achieves More!

And that is very true!

Teams have huge advantages over individuals in many work situations:

• Distribute workload evenly and co-ordinate effort as long as everyone in the team contributes fully!
• Shared responsibility for problem-solving, testing ideas and decision making
• Better motivation and support through building rapport between colleagues

However, building a successful team takes effort. To be successful, a team needs to be united in the pursuit of a goal, with an agreed process to achieve the goal.

Chapter Eleven: Team Skills

Overview

As you embark on your new airline career it is important to keep in mind that this is a people industry!

There are many different jobs and career paths available in aviation and whilst the specific roles differ there’s one thing (or three!) that is common across all work roles:

• people make it all work
• people are the reason the work is available
• the ability to work well with other people is critical to your career success!

During this Chapter you will find out how teams are developed, the characteristics of effective teams and team members, and what happens when teams don’t work well together.

Your ability to work well within any team will be a key to your career success, whatever role you ultimate achieve. It’s also worth remembering that your team skills are often evaluated at interview for many roles, particularly for flight attending. Reflecting on how you behave in a team and working out how you can make the best contribution to it is an important personal attribute, and one which employers will recognise and value.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this Chapter you will be able to:

• Identify characteristics of a high performing team
• Demonstrate knowledge of teamwork and its importance within an airline workplace
• Apply effective skills across a range of situations to achieve a result

What is a team?

In the airline industry, as with many businesses, people are divided into different departments or teams. Each person has their own work to do. The team works together to achieve the required department and business objectives.

In this Chapter you will learn how effective teams are developed and work together, the roles that team members play and what goes wrong in dysfunctional teams.

When you think about it, not much can be done without the co-operation, support and assistance of others. Joining together to achieve more than we could alone is natural. And most people enjoy being part of a group, particularly a successful high-achieving team. Think what it means to be an All Black for example, particularly when they’re winning!

There’s a great saying about teams:

Together Everybody Achieves More!

And that is very true!

Teams have huge advantages over individuals in many work situations:

• Distribute workload evenly and co-ordinate effort as long as everyone in the team contributes fully!
• Shared responsibility for problem-solving, testing ideas and decision making
• Better motivation and support through building rapport between colleagues

However, building a successful team takes effort. To be successful, a team needs to be united in the pursuit of a goal, with an agreed process to achieve the goal.

Uniform Standards

Many companies have a uniform for their staff to wear.  This is often considered a ‘perk’ of the job as it means that your whole corporate wardrobe is taken care of and you don’t have to worry about what to wear each morning!

For airlines having well groomed staff is particularly important as the airline will often be judged by the presentation of its people, particularly the flight and cabin crew. You may have seen teams of airline staff moving through airports on their way to their aircraft ready for the flight. The sight of an Emirates crew, for example, is really impressive as their uniforms are quite unique and worn with style and flair.

Airlines need to project a positive and professional image through their staff and to ensure that the same image is being presented regardless of where in the world their staff are operating. Uniforms, along with liveried aircraft and branded signage, all help to promote the airline, and reinforce its image.

Some airlines use colours to denote the differing ranks or position of flight attendants. Singapore Airlines is a great example:

There are four Kebaya colours that represent the ranking of female cabin crew:

• Blue – “Flight Stewardess”
• Green – “Leading Stewardess”
• Red – “Chief Stewardess”
• Burgundy – “In-Flight Supervisor”

Male flight attendants are also differentiated by the colours of their ties that distinguish the male cabin crew:

Blue Stripes – “Flight Steward”
Green Stripes – “Leading Steward”
Red Stripes – “Chief Steward”
Purple Stripes – “In-Flight Supervisor”

Companies that have uniforms, even if it’s only a polo shirt and casual pants, will still have a requirement for them to be regularly laundered and free from rips or tears.

Airlines often operate with a detailed manual outlining the uniform standards, and these commonly include:

• Women must wear pantyhose whenever they are wearing a uniform skirt
• Underwear must not be visible through uniform shirts
• No alterations to be made to the uniform to adapt its shape or style
• Shoes must be of a specified colour and style, with required heel height.
• Jackets must be buttoned when worn in an airport
• Hats to be worn at all times when crew are not on the aircraft
• Jackets and hats to be put on for passenger disembarkation

Flight attendants are usually allowed to relax the uniform rules when ‘resting’ on long haul flights. During these periods some of the crew will relocate to either designated crew quarters or to a curtained-off area of the aircraft where they are able to lie down and rest/sleep for a couple of hours. Airlines differ in their arrangements and some even provide relaxation pyjamas for crew to slip into during their rest period, keeping their uniform fresh and crease-free, whereas others just loosen off tight clothing and smooth themselves down before going back on duty.

Remember that you only get one chance to make a first impression – so make sure yours is the best it can be!

Here are some of the specific requirements, regarding uniform and personal presentation, for specific airlines:

Cathay Pacific – Click here to ready their uniform fact sheet:

http://downloads.cathaypacific.com/cx/press/cxw/pdf/New%20Uniform%20backgrounder.pdf

Virgin Atlantic – Click here to read about their uniform and related history:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/the-virgin-experience/fitfoo/our-style/our-crew.html

Emirates – Check here for their requirements, including personal presentation:

https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/Careers_Overview/cabin_crew/requirements.aspx

This is an extract from the requirements from Etihad (http://ig1.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_etihad01.asp?newms=jj&id=68835&—-JOB-PREVIEW-MODE—-)

Uniform Standards

Many companies have a uniform for their staff to wear.  This is often considered a ‘perk’ of the job as it means that your whole corporate wardrobe is taken care of and you don’t have to worry about what to wear each morning!

For airlines having well groomed staff is particularly important as the airline will often be judged by the presentation of its people, particularly the flight and cabin crew. You may have seen teams of airline staff moving through airports on their way to their aircraft ready for the flight. The sight of an Emirates crew, for example, is really impressive as their uniforms are quite unique and worn with style and flair.

Airlines need to project a positive and professional image through their staff and to ensure that the same image is being presented regardless of where in the world their staff are operating. Uniforms, along with liveried aircraft and branded signage, all help to promote the airline, and reinforce its image.

Some airlines use colours to denote the differing ranks or position of flight attendants. Singapore Airlines is a great example:

There are four Kebaya colours that represent the ranking of female cabin crew:

• Blue – “Flight Stewardess”
• Green – “Leading Stewardess”
• Red – “Chief Stewardess”
• Burgundy – “In-Flight Supervisor”

Male flight attendants are also differentiated by the colours of their ties that distinguish the male cabin crew:

Blue Stripes – “Flight Steward”
Green Stripes – “Leading Steward”
Red Stripes – “Chief Steward”
Purple Stripes – “In-Flight Supervisor”

Companies that have uniforms, even if it’s only a polo shirt and casual pants, will still have a requirement for them to be regularly laundered and free from rips or tears.

Airlines often operate with a detailed manual outlining the uniform standards, and these commonly include:

• Women must wear pantyhose whenever they are wearing a uniform skirt
• Underwear must not be visible through uniform shirts
• No alterations to be made to the uniform to adapt its shape or style
• Shoes must be of a specified colour and style, with required heel height.
• Jackets must be buttoned when worn in an airport
• Hats to be worn at all times when crew are not on the aircraft
• Jackets and hats to be put on for passenger disembarkation

Flight attendants are usually allowed to relax the uniform rules when ‘resting’ on long haul flights. During these periods some of the crew will relocate to either designated crew quarters or to a curtained-off area of the aircraft where they are able to lie down and rest/sleep for a couple of hours. Airlines differ in their arrangements and some even provide relaxation pyjamas for crew to slip into during their rest period, keeping their uniform fresh and crease-free, whereas others just loosen off tight clothing and smooth themselves down before going back on duty.

Remember that you only get one chance to make a first impression – so make sure yours is the best it can be!

Here are some of the specific requirements, regarding uniform and personal presentation, for specific airlines:

Cathay Pacific – Click here to ready their uniform fact sheet:

http://downloads.cathaypacific.com/cx/press/cxw/pdf/New%20Uniform%20backgrounder.pdf

Virgin Atlantic – Click here to read about their uniform and related history:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/the-virgin-experience/fitfoo/our-style/our-crew.html

Emirates – Check here for their requirements, including personal presentation:

https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/Careers_Overview/cabin_crew/requirements.aspx

This is an extract from the requirements from Etihad (http://ig1.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_etihad01.asp?newms=jj&id=68835&—-JOB-PREVIEW-MODE—-)

Uniform Standards

Many companies have a uniform for their staff to wear.  This is often considered a ‘perk’ of the job as it means that your whole corporate wardrobe is taken care of and you don’t have to worry about what to wear each morning!

For airlines having well groomed staff is particularly important as the airline will often be judged by the presentation of its people, particularly the flight and cabin crew. You may have seen teams of airline staff moving through airports on their way to their aircraft ready for the flight. The sight of an Emirates crew, for example, is really impressive as their uniforms are quite unique and worn with style and flair.

Airlines need to project a positive and professional image through their staff and to ensure that the same image is being presented regardless of where in the world their staff are operating. Uniforms, along with liveried aircraft and branded signage, all help to promote the airline, and reinforce its image.

Some airlines use colours to denote the differing ranks or position of flight attendants. Singapore Airlines is a great example:

There are four Kebaya colours that represent the ranking of female cabin crew:

• Blue – “Flight Stewardess”
• Green – “Leading Stewardess”
• Red – “Chief Stewardess”
• Burgundy – “In-Flight Supervisor”

Male flight attendants are also differentiated by the colours of their ties that distinguish the male cabin crew:

Blue Stripes – “Flight Steward”
Green Stripes – “Leading Steward”
Red Stripes – “Chief Steward”
Purple Stripes – “In-Flight Supervisor”

Companies that have uniforms, even if it’s only a polo shirt and casual pants, will still have a requirement for them to be regularly laundered and free from rips or tears.

Airlines often operate with a detailed manual outlining the uniform standards, and these commonly include:

• Women must wear pantyhose whenever they are wearing a uniform skirt
• Underwear must not be visible through uniform shirts
• No alterations to be made to the uniform to adapt its shape or style
• Shoes must be of a specified colour and style, with required heel height.
• Jackets must be buttoned when worn in an airport
• Hats to be worn at all times when crew are not on the aircraft
• Jackets and hats to be put on for passenger disembarkation

Flight attendants are usually allowed to relax the uniform rules when ‘resting’ on long haul flights. During these periods some of the crew will relocate to either designated crew quarters or to a curtained-off area of the aircraft where they are able to lie down and rest/sleep for a couple of hours. Airlines differ in their arrangements and some even provide relaxation pyjamas for crew to slip into during their rest period, keeping their uniform fresh and crease-free, whereas others just loosen off tight clothing and smooth themselves down before going back on duty.

Remember that you only get one chance to make a first impression – so make sure yours is the best it can be!

Here are some of the specific requirements, regarding uniform and personal presentation, for specific airlines:

Cathay Pacific – Click here to ready their uniform fact sheet:

http://downloads.cathaypacific.com/cx/press/cxw/pdf/New%20Uniform%20backgrounder.pdf

Virgin Atlantic – Click here to read about their uniform and related history:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/the-virgin-experience/fitfoo/our-style/our-crew.html

Emirates – Check here for their requirements, including personal presentation:

https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/Careers_Overview/cabin_crew/requirements.aspx

This is an extract from the requirements from Etihad (http://ig1.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_etihad01.asp?newms=jj&id=68835&—-JOB-PREVIEW-MODE—-)

Personal Grooming

The airline industry is a ‘people’ industry, and regardless of which role you work in, you will be working with people – all day, every day. These people include passengers of your own airline, passengers of other airlines, airport staff, colleagues, hotel staff and guests, and a host of other people you’ll come into contact with in carrying out your job.

The flight attending role is very much ‘front line’ which means that you will be dealing with people at very close quarters. The tight spaces on-board aircraft mean that your personal appearance and grooming is much more open to scrutiny than ground based roles. For this reason maintaining high standards of personal presentation and personal hygiene is absolutely critical.

Looking good and feeling good is also self-perpetuating.  If you feel good about your appearance you will project a sense of confidence and self esteem.  If you project a positive image, others will react positively towards you, leading to improved relationships.  This leads to increased performance, which in turn, gives you the motivation to want to look good and feel good!

Wear clothes that suit you!

Here are some general tips around choosing and wearing clothes that are right for you and make the best of your shape:

• Choose clothes should complement you physically (colour, shape, scale)
• Take care to check that clothes fit well and are of the best quality you can afford
• Choose clothes that are appropriate for the occasion i.e., don’t wear a dress you’d wear to a nightclub for a job interview!
• Pay attention to details.  You need to be able to put together a smart but comfortable look and then forget about what you have on so that you can concentrate on the day’s work.
• Wear a suit or jacket with a toning skirt or trousers in a shape and colour to flatter your characteristics

Accessories and Extras

Don’t overdo your perfume or aftershave – the fragrance you love, someone else may loathe!

Accessories should be carefully chosen – avoid anything fussy, jangly, or floppy which could be distracting. In the airline world, jewellery needs to be subtle and understated. Many airlines will only allow minimum jewellery, such as a wedding ring, a simple watch and one other item such as pearl earrings.

Makeup should be at an appropriate level for the workplace. That means it’s important for women to wear makeup, but it needs to be really well applied, minimal, with natural eye and lip colours. This is not the place for sparkly eye shadows and purple lipstick!

Men should take care with shaving, and generally speaking, beards are not considered acceptable for cabin crew. Learn how to tie your scarf or tie – there’s an art to getting it right and you may get help on your training course. Choose simple classic styles for handbags and briefcases. Nothing beats leather.

Take care of your clothes

Look after your clothes. Keep them clean and well ironed, and take jackets or suits to the dry-cleaners regularly so they retain their shape. Don’t be careless about little things like missing buttons, loose hems, or hanging threads as they can destroy a look. Keep shoes well polished and repaired.  Scuffed or dirty heels will do nothing for your image.  Use shoe trees to keep shoes in shape. Be prepared! Keep a little sewing kit in your bag along with a spare pair of pantyhose. If disaster strikes you can fix up a loose hem or torn pantyhose and look as good as new.

Personal Hygiene

In any role where you are working with people, personal hygiene and grooming is vital.  Ensure you pay attention to the following five key areas:

Hair:   Your hair should always be clean, groomed, well cut and appropriately styled for your job.  When choosing a hairstyle, consider your face shape and body proportions.  When choosing hair colour, or highlights, consider your personal colouring. Flight attendants will often be required to wear long hair tied up or in a neat style, and there will be rules around the size and colour of hair ornaments such as slides or clips. There may also be rules around the colour of hair, with some airlines requiring ‘natural’ hair colours rather than heavily bleached hair. Flame red dyed hair for example would be out of place on a flight attendant!

Hands: Your hands should be well maintained with clean, manicured nails (not too long!)  If you wear nail varnish, it should be a subtle colour and immaculate – not chipped or worn.  If you don’t have time to re-do it regularly, don’t wear it!

Skin:   Flight attendants should have healthy looking skin that is free from blemishes or spots. Whilst nobody can guarantee to have perfect skin at all times it will work in your favour if you take care of your skin by cleansing, toning and using moisturisers, and dealing with break outs and blemishes as they arise. Flight attendants can use concealer applied carefully to disguise skin imperfections. Some airlines now permit make-up on male flight attendants.

Cleanliness:  Bath or shower daily – or more often if needed! Flight attendants are expected to be sweet smelling at all times, so a shower prior to each duty is required, together with another one on completion of the work day. Aircrafts often smell pretty nasty by the end of a long flight and most flight attendants can’t wait to get showered and changed on arrival at their destination. Make sure that you always use antiperspirant or deodorant.  Check your clothes for perspiration smells when you remove them and organise them to be washed or dry-cleaned before they are worn again.

Breath: Many of us enjoy rich or spicy foods – but no one enjoys the breath that goes with them!  Use a breath spray, mouthwash or sugarless mints to keep your breath fresh.  Keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag for regular brushing. Airlines will usually ask that flight attendants avoid garlic or spicy foods prior to flying in order to avoid this problem.

There are some other personal presentation protocols in use with airlines when recruiting flight attendants and these generally include:

No visible tattoos for uniformed staff. A visible tattoo may actively prevent you getting a job as a flight attendant so think carefully before having one in a visible place!

No visible body piercings for flight, cabin crew and check-in staff.

Good grooming whilst travelling

If you prepare well you can maintain high standards of grooming even when travelling and away from home. Airlines will train you in the art of packing a suitcase, and in ensuring that you have the right uniform items with you, and appropriate spare clothes to hand.

You should always have a touch-up kit and mirror in your flight bag so that you can refresh quickly after a rest period.

Carry cleansing wipes, deodorant and a hair brush/comb so you can wipe off makeup and reapply as needed.

Personal Grooming

The airline industry is a ‘people’ industry, and regardless of which role you work in, you will be working with people – all day, every day. These people include passengers of your own airline, passengers of other airlines, airport staff, colleagues, hotel staff and guests, and a host of other people you’ll come into contact with in carrying out your job.

The flight attending role is very much ‘front line’ which means that you will be dealing with people at very close quarters. The tight spaces on-board aircraft mean that your personal appearance and grooming is much more open to scrutiny than ground based roles. For this reason maintaining high standards of personal presentation and personal hygiene is absolutely critical.

Looking good and feeling good is also self-perpetuating.  If you feel good about your appearance you will project a sense of confidence and self esteem.  If you project a positive image, others will react positively towards you, leading to improved relationships.  This leads to increased performance, which in turn, gives you the motivation to want to look good and feel good!

Wear clothes that suit you!

Here are some general tips around choosing and wearing clothes that are right for you and make the best of your shape:

• Choose clothes should complement you physically (colour, shape, scale)
• Take care to check that clothes fit well and are of the best quality you can afford
• Choose clothes that are appropriate for the occasion i.e., don’t wear a dress you’d wear to a nightclub for a job interview!
• Pay attention to details.  You need to be able to put together a smart but comfortable look and then forget about what you have on so that you can concentrate on the day’s work.
• Wear a suit or jacket with a toning skirt or trousers in a shape and colour to flatter your characteristics

Accessories and Extras

Don’t overdo your perfume or aftershave – the fragrance you love, someone else may loathe!

Accessories should be carefully chosen – avoid anything fussy, jangly, or floppy which could be distracting. In the airline world, jewellery needs to be subtle and understated. Many airlines will only allow minimum jewellery, such as a wedding ring, a simple watch and one other item such as pearl earrings.

Makeup should be at an appropriate level for the workplace. That means it’s important for women to wear makeup, but it needs to be really well applied, minimal, with natural eye and lip colours. This is not the place for sparkly eye shadows and purple lipstick!

Men should take care with shaving, and generally speaking, beards are not considered acceptable for cabin crew. Learn how to tie your scarf or tie – there’s an art to getting it right and you may get help on your training course. Choose simple classic styles for handbags and briefcases. Nothing beats leather.

Take care of your clothes

Look after your clothes. Keep them clean and well ironed, and take jackets or suits to the dry-cleaners regularly so they retain their shape. Don’t be careless about little things like missing buttons, loose hems, or hanging threads as they can destroy a look. Keep shoes well polished and repaired.  Scuffed or dirty heels will do nothing for your image.  Use shoe trees to keep shoes in shape. Be prepared! Keep a little sewing kit in your bag along with a spare pair of pantyhose. If disaster strikes you can fix up a loose hem or torn pantyhose and look as good as new.

Personal Hygiene

In any role where you are working with people, personal hygiene and grooming is vital.  Ensure you pay attention to the following five key areas:

Hair:   Your hair should always be clean, groomed, well cut and appropriately styled for your job.  When choosing a hairstyle, consider your face shape and body proportions.  When choosing hair colour, or highlights, consider your personal colouring. Flight attendants will often be required to wear long hair tied up or in a neat style, and there will be rules around the size and colour of hair ornaments such as slides or clips. There may also be rules around the colour of hair, with some airlines requiring ‘natural’ hair colours rather than heavily bleached hair. Flame red dyed hair for example would be out of place on a flight attendant!

Hands: Your hands should be well maintained with clean, manicured nails (not too long!)  If you wear nail varnish, it should be a subtle colour and immaculate – not chipped or worn.  If you don’t have time to re-do it regularly, don’t wear it!

Skin:   Flight attendants should have healthy looking skin that is free from blemishes or spots. Whilst nobody can guarantee to have perfect skin at all times it will work in your favour if you take care of your skin by cleansing, toning and using moisturisers, and dealing with break outs and blemishes as they arise. Flight attendants can use concealer applied carefully to disguise skin imperfections. Some airlines now permit make-up on male flight attendants.

Cleanliness:  Bath or shower daily – or more often if needed! Flight attendants are expected to be sweet smelling at all times, so a shower prior to each duty is required, together with another one on completion of the work day. Aircrafts often smell pretty nasty by the end of a long flight and most flight attendants can’t wait to get showered and changed on arrival at their destination. Make sure that you always use antiperspirant or deodorant.  Check your clothes for perspiration smells when you remove them and organise them to be washed or dry-cleaned before they are worn again.

Breath: Many of us enjoy rich or spicy foods – but no one enjoys the breath that goes with them!  Use a breath spray, mouthwash or sugarless mints to keep your breath fresh.  Keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag for regular brushing. Airlines will usually ask that flight attendants avoid garlic or spicy foods prior to flying in order to avoid this problem.

There are some other personal presentation protocols in use with airlines when recruiting flight attendants and these generally include:

No visible tattoos for uniformed staff. A visible tattoo may actively prevent you getting a job as a flight attendant so think carefully before having one in a visible place!

No visible body piercings for flight, cabin crew and check-in staff.

Good grooming whilst travelling

If you prepare well you can maintain high standards of grooming even when travelling and away from home. Airlines will train you in the art of packing a suitcase, and in ensuring that you have the right uniform items with you, and appropriate spare clothes to hand.

You should always have a touch-up kit and mirror in your flight bag so that you can refresh quickly after a rest period.

Carry cleansing wipes, deodorant and a hair brush/comb so you can wipe off makeup and reapply as needed.

Personal Grooming

The airline industry is a ‘people’ industry, and regardless of which role you work in, you will be working with people – all day, every day. These people include passengers of your own airline, passengers of other airlines, airport staff, colleagues, hotel staff and guests, and a host of other people you’ll come into contact with in carrying out your job.

The flight attending role is very much ‘front line’ which means that you will be dealing with people at very close quarters. The tight spaces on-board aircraft mean that your personal appearance and grooming is much more open to scrutiny than ground based roles. For this reason maintaining high standards of personal presentation and personal hygiene is absolutely critical.

Looking good and feeling good is also self-perpetuating.  If you feel good about your appearance you will project a sense of confidence and self esteem.  If you project a positive image, others will react positively towards you, leading to improved relationships.  This leads to increased performance, which in turn, gives you the motivation to want to look good and feel good!

Wear clothes that suit you!

Here are some general tips around choosing and wearing clothes that are right for you and make the best of your shape:

• Choose clothes should complement you physically (colour, shape, scale)
• Take care to check that clothes fit well and are of the best quality you can afford
• Choose clothes that are appropriate for the occasion i.e., don’t wear a dress you’d wear to a nightclub for a job interview!
• Pay attention to details.  You need to be able to put together a smart but comfortable look and then forget about what you have on so that you can concentrate on the day’s work.
• Wear a suit or jacket with a toning skirt or trousers in a shape and colour to flatter your characteristics

Accessories and Extras

Don’t overdo your perfume or aftershave – the fragrance you love, someone else may loathe!

Accessories should be carefully chosen – avoid anything fussy, jangly, or floppy which could be distracting. In the airline world, jewellery needs to be subtle and understated. Many airlines will only allow minimum jewellery, such as a wedding ring, a simple watch and one other item such as pearl earrings.

Makeup should be at an appropriate level for the workplace. That means it’s important for women to wear makeup, but it needs to be really well applied, minimal, with natural eye and lip colours. This is not the place for sparkly eye shadows and purple lipstick!

Men should take care with shaving, and generally speaking, beards are not considered acceptable for cabin crew. Learn how to tie your scarf or tie – there’s an art to getting it right and you may get help on your training course. Choose simple classic styles for handbags and briefcases. Nothing beats leather.

Take care of your clothes

Look after your clothes. Keep them clean and well ironed, and take jackets or suits to the dry-cleaners regularly so they retain their shape. Don’t be careless about little things like missing buttons, loose hems, or hanging threads as they can destroy a look. Keep shoes well polished and repaired.  Scuffed or dirty heels will do nothing for your image.  Use shoe trees to keep shoes in shape. Be prepared! Keep a little sewing kit in your bag along with a spare pair of pantyhose. If disaster strikes you can fix up a loose hem or torn pantyhose and look as good as new.

Personal Hygiene

In any role where you are working with people, personal hygiene and grooming is vital.  Ensure you pay attention to the following five key areas:

Hair:   Your hair should always be clean, groomed, well cut and appropriately styled for your job.  When choosing a hairstyle, consider your face shape and body proportions.  When choosing hair colour, or highlights, consider your personal colouring. Flight attendants will often be required to wear long hair tied up or in a neat style, and there will be rules around the size and colour of hair ornaments such as slides or clips. There may also be rules around the colour of hair, with some airlines requiring ‘natural’ hair colours rather than heavily bleached hair. Flame red dyed hair for example would be out of place on a flight attendant!

Hands: Your hands should be well maintained with clean, manicured nails (not too long!)  If you wear nail varnish, it should be a subtle colour and immaculate – not chipped or worn.  If you don’t have time to re-do it regularly, don’t wear it!

Skin:   Flight attendants should have healthy looking skin that is free from blemishes or spots. Whilst nobody can guarantee to have perfect skin at all times it will work in your favour if you take care of your skin by cleansing, toning and using moisturisers, and dealing with break outs and blemishes as they arise. Flight attendants can use concealer applied carefully to disguise skin imperfections. Some airlines now permit make-up on male flight attendants.

Cleanliness:  Bath or shower daily – or more often if needed! Flight attendants are expected to be sweet smelling at all times, so a shower prior to each duty is required, together with another one on completion of the work day. Aircrafts often smell pretty nasty by the end of a long flight and most flight attendants can’t wait to get showered and changed on arrival at their destination. Make sure that you always use antiperspirant or deodorant.  Check your clothes for perspiration smells when you remove them and organise them to be washed or dry-cleaned before they are worn again.

Breath: Many of us enjoy rich or spicy foods – but no one enjoys the breath that goes with them!  Use a breath spray, mouthwash or sugarless mints to keep your breath fresh.  Keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag for regular brushing. Airlines will usually ask that flight attendants avoid garlic or spicy foods prior to flying in order to avoid this problem.

There are some other personal presentation protocols in use with airlines when recruiting flight attendants and these generally include:

No visible tattoos for uniformed staff. A visible tattoo may actively prevent you getting a job as a flight attendant so think carefully before having one in a visible place!

No visible body piercings for flight, cabin crew and check-in staff.

Good grooming whilst travelling

If you prepare well you can maintain high standards of grooming even when travelling and away from home. Airlines will train you in the art of packing a suitcase, and in ensuring that you have the right uniform items with you, and appropriate spare clothes to hand.

You should always have a touch-up kit and mirror in your flight bag so that you can refresh quickly after a rest period.

Carry cleansing wipes, deodorant and a hair brush/comb so you can wipe off makeup and reapply as needed.

Chapter Ten:   Personal Presentation

Overview

Dressing appropriately for any job is a key part of the corporate business world today. It’s important not just to look your best at work, but also to project the right image for the company you work for.

Airlines have a strong ‘uniform culture’ for most of their staff, from baggage handlers to check-in staff, flight and cabin crews and airport ground staff.

The first airline uniforms were designed to be durable and practical, worn to inspire confidence in passengers, and always included hats and gloves. Airline uniforms often reflect the military aviation background of many airlines, with plenty of buttons, details such as pockets and epaulettes, and military style hats for the flight crew.

Over time airlines realised the value of having their crew dressed more fashionably, with more feminine lines for female uniforms. Famous clothing designers now design most airline uniforms, creating distinctive looks that reflect their brand and company. Elle Macpherson designed uniforms for Virgin Blue, Giorgio Armani was involved in the design of Alitalia’s uniform, and Yves Saint Laurent was instrumental in the uniform design for both NorthWest Airlines and Qantas Airways.

Uniforms have also expanded and it’s no longer just a jacket and skirt with a scrarf to accessorise! Airlines often have 20 pieces of uniform per flight attendant, including hats, wraps, coats, aprons,  inflight dresses, and warm and cold weather uniforms.

Along with the uniform goes a requirement to wear it well, and to maintain high personal presentation standards at all time. It’s part of the flight attendants job to always look well groomed and evaluation of your appearance will form part of the interview process.

This chapter introduces you to the key requirements of working within a uniformed environment, and provides information and ideas on how to maintain the kind of corporate grooming standard required initially at your job interview, and later, throughout your working day.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

•  Identify key requirements of airlines in relation to personal grooming standards
• List the benefits of organisations establishing corporate presentation standards for staff
• Identify appropriate and inappropriate grooming styles relevant to working in an airline environment

Introduction

All airlines provide some kind of uniform to staff working on board aircraft and each airline will have its own clear rules and regulations around how the uniform should be worn. Airlines also have personal grooming ‘rules’ that stipulate clearly the do’s and don’ts of personal presentation. Some airlines are much stricter than others, but whatever the standards your role as an airline employee is to become familiar with those standards, and stick to them at all times!

You will be introduced to your airline’s personal grooming standards during your induction training, and many airlines devote several days to this particular topic.

During this chapter you will have to be your own judge as to whether you are either already following many of the personal grooming standards, and if not, what you need to do to reach those standards. Your first ‘test’ will be at your airline interview, where your personal presentation will be subjected to close scrutiny by the airline recruiters. Be assured that they will check you out from top to toe!

Let’s look first at general personal grooming standards that apply in most corporate workplaces, and in particular within airlines.

Chapter Ten:   Personal Presentation

Overview

Dressing appropriately for any job is a key part of the corporate business world today. It’s important not just to look your best at work, but also to project the right image for the company you work for.

Airlines have a strong ‘uniform culture’ for most of their staff, from baggage handlers to check-in staff, flight and cabin crews and airport ground staff.

The first airline uniforms were designed to be durable and practical, worn to inspire confidence in passengers, and always included hats and gloves. Airline uniforms often reflect the military aviation background of many airlines, with plenty of buttons, details such as pockets and epaulettes, and military style hats for the flight crew.

Over time airlines realised the value of having their crew dressed more fashionably, with more feminine lines for female uniforms. Famous clothing designers now design most airline uniforms, creating distinctive looks that reflect their brand and company. Elle Macpherson designed uniforms for Virgin Blue, Giorgio Armani was involved in the design of Alitalia’s uniform, and Yves Saint Laurent was instrumental in the uniform design for both NorthWest Airlines and Qantas Airways.

Uniforms have also expanded and it’s no longer just a jacket and skirt with a scrarf to accessorise! Airlines often have 20 pieces of uniform per flight attendant, including hats, wraps, coats, aprons,  inflight dresses, and warm and cold weather uniforms.

Along with the uniform goes a requirement to wear it well, and to maintain high personal presentation standards at all time. It’s part of the flight attendants job to always look well groomed and evaluation of your appearance will form part of the interview process.

This chapter introduces you to the key requirements of working within a uniformed environment, and provides information and ideas on how to maintain the kind of corporate grooming standard required initially at your job interview, and later, throughout your working day.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Identify key requirements of airlines in relation to personal grooming standards
• List the benefits of organisations establishing corporate presentation standards for staff
• Identify appropriate and inappropriate grooming styles relevant to working in an airline environment

Introduction

All airlines provide some kind of uniform to staff working on board aircraft and each airline will have its own clear rules and regulations around how the uniform should be worn. Airlines also have personal grooming ‘rules’ that stipulate clearly the do’s and don’ts of personal presentation. Some airlines are much stricter than others, but whatever the standards your role as an airline employee is to become familiar with those standards, and stick to them at all times!

You will be introduced to your airline’s personal grooming standards during your induction training, and many airlines devote several days to this particular topic.

During this chapter you will have to be your own judge as to whether you are either already following many of the personal grooming standards, and if not, what you need to do to reach those standards. Your first ‘test’ will be at your airline interview, where your personal presentation will be subjected to close scrutiny by the airline recruiters. Be assured that they will check you out from top to toe!

Let’s look first at general personal grooming standards that apply in most corporate workplaces, and in particular within airlines.

Chapter Ten:   Personal Presentation

Overview

Dressing appropriately for any job is a key part of the corporate business world today. It’s important not just to look your best at work, but also to project the right image for the company you work for.

Airlines have a strong ‘uniform culture’ for most of their staff, from baggage handlers to check-in staff, flight and cabin crews and airport ground staff.

The first airline uniforms were designed to be durable and practical, worn to inspire confidence in passengers, and always included hats and gloves. Airline uniforms often reflect the military aviation background of many airlines, with plenty of buttons, details such as pockets and epaulettes, and military style hats for the flight crew.

Over time airlines realised the value of having their crew dressed more fashionably, with more feminine lines for female uniforms. Famous clothing designers now design most airline uniforms, creating distinctive looks that reflect their brand and company. Elle Macpherson designed uniforms for Virgin Blue, Giorgio Armani was involved in the design of Alitalia’s uniform, and Yves Saint Laurent was instrumental in the uniform design for both NorthWest Airlines and Qantas Airways.

Uniforms have also expanded and it’s no longer just a jacket and skirt with a scrarf to accessorise! Airlines often have 20 pieces of uniform per flight attendant, including hats, wraps, coats, aprons,  inflight dresses, and warm and cold weather uniforms.

Along with the uniform goes a requirement to wear it well, and to maintain high personal presentation standards at all time. It’s part of the flight attendants job to always look well groomed and evaluation of your appearance will form part of the interview process.

This chapter introduces you to the key requirements of working within a uniformed environment, and provides information and ideas on how to maintain the kind of corporate grooming standard required initially at your job interview, and later, throughout your working day.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Identify key requirements of airlines in relation to personal grooming standards
• List the benefits of organisations establishing corporate presentation standards for staff
• Identify appropriate and inappropriate grooming styles relevant to working in an airline environment

Introduction

All airlines provide some kind of uniform to staff working on board aircraft and each airline will have its own clear rules and regulations around how the uniform should be worn. Airlines also have personal grooming ‘rules’ that stipulate clearly the do’s and don’ts of personal presentation. Some airlines are much stricter than others, but whatever the standards your role as an airline employee is to become familiar with those standards, and stick to them at all times!

You will be introduced to your airline’s personal grooming standards during your induction training, and many airlines devote several days to this particular topic.

During this chapter you will have to be your own judge as to whether you are either already following many of the personal grooming standards, and if not, what you need to do to reach those standards. Your first ‘test’ will be at your airline interview, where your personal presentation will be subjected to close scrutiny by the airline recruiters. Be assured that they will check you out from top to toe!

Let’s look first at general personal grooming standards that apply in most corporate workplaces, and in particular within airlines.

Frequent Flyer Programmes

If you are delivering excellent customer service to your passengers they may well consider becoming an official fan!

Most airlines now have loyalty schemes and frequent flyer programmes, whereby passengers can earn points or ‘air miles’ each time they fly with the airline. These points can then be used to purchase more flights (instead of money!) or used to purchase goods or services such as travel bags, wine or bonus night’s accommodation at luxury hotels.

These programmes are designed around a win:win concept, with both the airline and passenger benefitting from the purchase of a flight.

Checkout the Air New Zealand frequent flyer programme ‘Airpoints’ here: http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpoints

Passengers can accumulate air miles which can be used to buy flights not only on the Air New Zealand flights, but on any airline within the ‘Star Alliance’ group. The Star Alliance is a formal grouping of airlines that collaborate together to share services, extend their networks, and make better use of their aircraft and facilities. Airpoints members can even use Airpoints to buy membership of the Koru Club which gives passengers access to all Air New Zealand passenger lounges along with priority boarding and seating.

Membership of this type of programme builds ongoing loyalty and locks passengers into using the airline, earning more points, using more flights etc. Flight attendants are encouraged to take extra special care of frequent flyers and this can result in offers to upgrade seating, free champagne etc, all designed to make the passenger feel extra specially valued!

Summary

Giving great service to each other, whether at home or at work, in person, over the telephone or in writing – really is about giving people a sense of well being.  This requires a wide range of skills from YOU as the service-provider.

In the competitive airline industry passengers can take their pick of carriers to fly them to their destination. Your role is to help each passenger become a loyal frequent flyer who always thinks of your airline first when planning a flight.

One of the main points of difference for airlines is in the delivery of passenger service, and as a flight attendant we hope you will do what you can to ensure your passengers get the very best service you can deliver!

Frequent Flyer Programmes

If you are delivering excellent customer service to your passengers they may well consider becoming an official fan!

Most airlines now have loyalty schemes and frequent flyer programmes, whereby passengers can earn points or ‘air miles’ each time they fly with the airline. These points can then be used to purchase more flights (instead of money!) or used to purchase goods or services such as travel bags, wine or bonus night’s accommodation at luxury hotels.

These programmes are designed around a win:win concept, with both the airline and passenger benefitting from the purchase of a flight.

Checkout the Air New Zealand frequent flyer programme ‘Airpoints’ here: http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpoints

Passengers can accumulate air miles which can be used to buy flights not only on the Air New Zealand flights, but on any airline within the ‘Star Alliance’ group. The Star Alliance is a formal grouping of airlines that collaborate together to share services, extend their networks, and make better use of their aircraft and facilities. Airpoints members can even use Airpoints to buy membership of the Koru Club which gives passengers access to all Air New Zealand passenger lounges along with priority boarding and seating.

Membership of this type of programme builds ongoing loyalty and locks passengers into using the airline, earning more points, using more flights etc. Flight attendants are encouraged to take extra special care of frequent flyers and this can result in offers to upgrade seating, free champagne etc, all designed to make the passenger feel extra specially valued!

Summary

Giving great service to each other, whether at home or at work, in person, over the telephone or in writing – really is about giving people a sense of well being.  This requires a wide range of skills from YOU as the service-provider.

In the competitive airline industry passengers can take their pick of carriers to fly them to their destination. Your role is to help each passenger become a loyal frequent flyer who always thinks of your airline first when planning a flight.

One of the main points of difference for airlines is in the delivery of passenger service, and as a flight attendant we hope you will do what you can to ensure your passengers get the very best service you can deliver!

Frequent Flyer Programmes

If you are delivering excellent customer service to your passengers they may well consider becoming an official fan!

Most airlines now have loyalty schemes and frequent flyer programmes, whereby passengers can earn points or ‘air miles’ each time they fly with the airline. These points can then be used to purchase more flights (instead of money!) or used to purchase goods or services such as travel bags, wine or bonus night’s accommodation at luxury hotels.

These programmes are designed around a win:win concept, with both the airline and passenger benefitting from the purchase of a flight.

Checkout the Air New Zealand frequent flyer programme ‘Airpoints’ here: http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/airpoints

Passengers can accumulate air miles which can be used to buy flights not only on the Air New Zealand flights, but on any airline within the ‘Star Alliance’ group. The Star Alliance is a formal grouping of airlines that collaborate together to share services, extend their networks, and make better use of their aircraft and facilities. Airpoints members can even use Airpoints to buy membership of the Koru Club which gives passengers access to all Air New Zealand passenger lounges along with priority boarding and seating.

Membership of this type of programme builds ongoing loyalty and locks passengers into using the airline, earning more points, using more flights etc. Flight attendants are encouraged to take extra special care of frequent flyers and this can result in offers to upgrade seating, free champagne etc, all designed to make the passenger feel extra specially valued!

Summary

Giving great service to each other, whether at home or at work, in person, over the telephone or in writing – really is about giving people a sense of well being.  This requires a wide range of skills from YOU as the service-provider.

In the competitive airline industry passengers can take their pick of carriers to fly them to their destination. Your role is to help each passenger become a loyal frequent flyer who always thinks of your airline first when planning a flight.

One of the main points of difference for airlines is in the delivery of passenger service, and as a flight attendant we hope you will do what you can to ensure your passengers get the very best service you can deliver!

Problem Solving

When a customer has a problem and complains it can feel a bit like a personal criticism. However, it is most likely to be a signal that something is not quite right within the business.  A complaint is a problem to be solved and as a service-provider this can provide you with an opportunity to build a stronger customer relationship that you had previously.  Have you heard of the following expression?

‘If you liked our service, tell your friends.  If you didn’t like our service – tell us!’

A customer who complains to you is far better than one who ceases to be your customer and goes on to tell all their friends about you!  If you deal effectively with a dissatisfied customer you have more than an 80% chance of retaining their business.  Here are some tips for handling complaints:

Take complaints professionally, not personally.  Remember that this complaint is about the product or service, not about you personally! Even if it’s about something you did, the issue is about your actions and not you personally.

Recognise that you CAN influence the customers’ behaviour.  If you become angry or defensive, blame the customer or make excuses, the customer will probably react in much the same way.  But if you empathise, stay calm and in control, the customer is also more likely to calm down and to feel more confident in your ability to solve the problem.

Use the customer’s name!

Listen actively, without interrupting! Customers hate being interrupted in mid-flow when they have a complaint, so let them get it off their chest!

Focus on the issue, not on the person making the complaint or the manner in which they are expressing it.

Avoid inflammatory and emotive language and keep to the facts.

Work towards a ‘win/win’ solution.

Tell the customer what you ‘CAN’ do, not what you ‘CAN’T’ do.  Suggest solutions within your company’s policies. Keep negotiating until you are both ok about the outcome.  If they are not satisfied, refer them to your supervisor. For example, you might not be able to reseat a dissatisfied passenger, but you may be able to offer them complimentary champagne, or an upgraded meal service that may make them feel at least you are trying to help.

Problem Solving

When a customer has a problem and complains it can feel a bit like a personal criticism. However, it is most likely to be a signal that something is not quite right within the business.  A complaint is a problem to be solved and as a service-provider this can provide you with an opportunity to build a stronger customer relationship that you had previously.  Have you heard of the following expression?

‘If you liked our service, tell your friends.  If you didn’t like our service – tell us!’

A customer who complains to you is far better than one who ceases to be your customer and goes on to tell all their friends about you!  If you deal effectively with a dissatisfied customer you have more than an 80% chance of retaining their business.  Here are some tips for handling complaints:

Take complaints professionally, not personally.  Remember that this complaint is about the product or service, not about you personally! Even if it’s about something you did, the issue is about your actions and not you personally.

Recognise that you CAN influence the customers’ behaviour.  If you become angry or defensive, blame the customer or make excuses, the customer will probably react in much the same way.  But if you empathise, stay calm and in control, the customer is also more likely to calm down and to feel more confident in your ability to solve the problem.

Use the customer’s name!

Listen actively, without interrupting! Customers hate being interrupted in mid-flow when they have a complaint, so let them get it off their chest!

Focus on the issue, not on the person making the complaint or the manner in which they are expressing it.

Avoid inflammatory and emotive language and keep to the facts.

Work towards a ‘win/win’ solution.

Tell the customer what you ‘CAN’ do, not what you ‘CAN’T’ do.  Suggest solutions within your company’s policies. Keep negotiating until you are both ok about the outcome.  If they are not satisfied, refer them to your supervisor. For example, you might not be able to reseat a dissatisfied passenger, but you may be able to offer them complimentary champagne, or an upgraded meal service that may make them feel at least you are trying to help.

Problem Solving

When a customer has a problem and complains it can feel a bit like a personal criticism. However, it is most likely to be a signal that something is not quite right within the business.  A complaint is a problem to be solved and as a service-provider this can provide you with an opportunity to build a stronger customer relationship that you had previously.  Have you heard of the following expression?

‘If you liked our service, tell your friends.  If you didn’t like our service – tell us!’

A customer who complains to you is far better than one who ceases to be your customer and goes on to tell all their friends about you!  If you deal effectively with a dissatisfied customer you have more than an 80% chance of retaining their business.  Here are some tips for handling complaints:

Take complaints professionally, not personally.  Remember that this complaint is about the product or service, not about you personally! Even if it’s about something you did, the issue is about your actions and not you personally.

Recognise that you CAN influence the customers’ behaviour.  If you become angry or defensive, blame the customer or make excuses, the customer will probably react in much the same way.  But if you empathise, stay calm and in control, the customer is also more likely to calm down and to feel more confident in your ability to solve the problem.

Use the customer’s name!

Listen actively, without interrupting! Customers hate being interrupted in mid-flow when they have a complaint, so let them get it off their chest!

Focus on the issue, not on the person making the complaint or the manner in which they are expressing it.

Avoid inflammatory and emotive language and keep to the facts.

Work towards a ‘win/win’ solution.

Tell the customer what you ‘CAN’ do, not what you ‘CAN’T’ do.  Suggest solutions within your company’s policies. Keep negotiating until you are both ok about the outcome.  If they are not satisfied, refer them to your supervisor. For example, you might not be able to reseat a dissatisfied passenger, but you may be able to offer them complimentary champagne, or an upgraded meal service that may make them feel at least you are trying to help.

Developing a Positive Attitude

Delivering excellent customer service starts with your attitude! You have to want to be a person who gives of their best, rather than doing your best because somebody told you to do it that way! And attitudes come from inside you, they influence everything you say and do, so fixing your attitude is often the first and most important action in changing your life/career towards success.

 Attitude is so important to employers that they will often employ somebody based on their positive attitude rather than their level of education or previous experience.  This is because a positive attitude, unlike skills, is so hard to teach!

We aren’t always conscious that we show our attitudes to others.  Whether meeting a prospective customer for the first time, handling a customer complaint, or selling a product, it is always good to remember your attitude is showing all the time!

Checkout this chart that illustrates the kind of attitude that leads to success, versus the kind of attitudes that lead to failure:

Attitude

Attitude is the way you communicate your mood or disposition to others.  When you are optimistic and anticipate successful encounters with others, you transmit a positive attitude, and they usually respond favourably.

When you are pessimistic, and expect the worst, your attitude is often negative and people may tend to avoid you.

To be an effective quality service provider, you must have a positive attitude.  Nothing else has higher priority.  A positive attitude is the way you look at things, and projects in everything you say and do.  It reflects in your body language as well as in what you say.

Remember also that people who feel good about themselves produce good results, and is a key ingredient in producing a positive attitude.

Consider your own attitude to life, to others, to your work. How often do you use positive language and demonstrate positive behaviours? Start evaluating yourself to see how well you match up to the description of a person with a great positive attitude. Is your cup ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’? Airlines are looking for ‘half full’ people! They need these kinds of attitudes in flight attending roles – people who can stay cheerful in difficult situations, who can inspire confidence in others, who can take the lead where needed, and after 14 hours in the air can still smile and wish people ‘have a nice day’, and mean it!

Delivering Excellent Customer Service

Firstly remember that the customer is at the heart of your organisation. Without them, there would be no airline! The airline needs passengers to choose them over other airlines, and to do so again and again, and then to recommend the airline to friends and family.

Building loyalty in an airline is a crucial part of their business success, and flight attendants have a key role in this. You can add value to the passengers experience by making it a great flight, despite small seats, mediocre food, and long journey times. How you go about your job and your attitude to the passengers will make all the difference.

Your key aim should be that as passengers disembark from their flight with you they will say ‘Thanks for a great flight, look forward to seeing you again soon!” If you hear that, you know you’ve succeeded!

Checkout some tips here which may help make the difference between ‘ok’ service and ‘excellent’ service in an airline environment:

• Most importantly – smile!!
  • At the risk of being repetitive, remember that great customer service begins with a great attitude!  You have to get this right.
  • Check the passenger manifest and use passenger’s names when addressing them. Everyone likes to hear their name; it makes them feel special and valued. Use a proper greeting unless permission is given otherwise, ie: Mrs., Mr., Ms., Sir, etc.
  • Be on the lookout for ways you can help passengers. Do they need a pillow, a blanket, help with baggage? Could you hold a baby for a passenger who is trying to get organised? Do passengers look hot and bothered and maybe need some water? Elderly passengers may find the entertainment system baffling, how can you help them to work it out?
  • If there’s a problem, listen to their concerns. No one likes to be ignored. Everyone wants to know that not only are they being heard but that they’re being understood as well.
  • Think outside the square and look for solutions to any problems that occur. Could passengers be reseated to overcome a problem? Do you have different catering on board that might resolve a food problem?
  • Be genuine. A lack of sincerity comes across easier than you think.
  • Put yourself in your passenger shoes. How would you feel if this situation was happening to you? This will help you to establish rapport with the passenger and may reduce tension.
  • Don’t hide behind the organisational rules – people universally hate to be told ‘Its company policy I’m afraid’ or even worse, blaming somebody else! (as in ‘the travel agent should have told you about ordering special meals’) Spend more time sorting out the problem, not analysing what happened.
  • Be honest and sincere with passengers and don’t lie to them. There’s no point in promising something you can’t deliver. For example, if a passenger is asking to be moved to First Class and you know you can’t do that you have to be honest and explain that, then look at other solutions.
  • Never forget what it’s like to be a passenger! We are all customers in one way or another and deserve the same respect we demand from others.

By doing these things you will inspire a customer base that’s loyal and will return to you again and again. These passenger will also provide the best free advertising imaginable – word of mouth!

By the same token one bad passenger recommendation can cost you a large number of potential sales by the time they’ve told everybody how they were treated on this latest flight!

Don’t forget that with the internet a bad experience can be viral and round the world in hours. Checkout this famous letter written by a passenger on a Virgin flight. It ended up on Richard Branson’s desk (the founder and CEO) and became one of the most popular pieces of online reading for several weeks! See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-passenger-complaint-letter.html

Use your common sense and treat people the way you would like to be treated. If your passengers genuinely feel appreciated and valued you have succeeded in delivering exceptional customer service and you will have set in motion a winning formula that will guarantee your success!

Developing a Positive Attitude

Delivering excellent customer service starts with your attitude! You have to want to be a person who gives of their best, rather than doing your best because somebody told you to do it that way! And attitudes come from inside you, they influence everything you say and do, so fixing your attitude is often the first and most important action in changing your life/career towards success.

 Attitude is so important to employers that they will often employ somebody based on their positive attitude rather than their level of education or previous experience.  This is because a positive attitude, unlike skills, is so hard to teach!

We aren’t always conscious that we show our attitudes to others.  Whether meeting a prospective customer for the first time, handling a customer complaint, or selling a product, it is always good to remember your attitude is showing all the time!

Checkout this chart that illustrates the kind of attitude that leads to success, versus the kind of attitudes that lead to failure:

Attitude

Attitude is the way you communicate your mood or disposition to others.  When you are optimistic and anticipate successful encounters with others, you transmit a positive attitude, and they usually respond favourably.

When you are pessimistic, and expect the worst, your attitude is often negative and people may tend to avoid you.

To be an effective quality service provider, you must have a positive attitude.  Nothing else has higher priority.  A positive attitude is the way you look at things, and projects in everything you say and do.  It reflects in your body language as well as in what you say.

Remember also that people who feel good about themselves produce good results, and is a key ingredient in producing a positive attitude.

Consider your own attitude to life, to others, to your work. How often do you use positive language and demonstrate positive behaviours? Start evaluating yourself to see how well you match up to the description of a person with a great positive attitude. Is your cup ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’? Airlines are looking for ‘half full’ people! They need these kinds of attitudes in flight attending roles – people who can stay cheerful in difficult situations, who can inspire confidence in others, who can take the lead where needed, and after 14 hours in the air can still smile and wish people ‘have a nice day’, and mean it!

Delivering Excellent Customer Service

Firstly remember that the customer is at the heart of your organisation. Without them, there would be no airline! The airline needs passengers to choose them over other airlines, and to do so again and again, and then to recommend the airline to friends and family.

Building loyalty in an airline is a crucial part of their business success, and flight attendants have a key role in this. You can add value to the passengers experience by making it a great flight, despite small seats, mediocre food, and long journey times. How you go about your job and your attitude to the passengers will make all the difference.

Your key aim should be that as passengers disembark from their flight with you they will say ‘Thanks for a great flight, look forward to seeing you again soon!” If you hear that, you know you’ve succeeded!

Checkout some tips here which may help make the difference between ‘ok’ service and ‘excellent’ service in an airline environment:

• Most importantly – smile!!
  • At the risk of being repetitive, remember that great customer service begins with a great attitude!  You have to get this right.
  • Check the passenger manifest and use passenger’s names when addressing them. Everyone likes to hear their name; it makes them feel special and valued. Use a proper greeting unless permission is given otherwise, ie: Mrs., Mr., Ms., Sir, etc.
  • Be on the lookout for ways you can help passengers. Do they need a pillow, a blanket, help with baggage? Could you hold a baby for a passenger who is trying to get organised? Do passengers look hot and bothered and maybe need some water? Elderly passengers may find the entertainment system baffling, how can you help them to work it out?
  • If there’s a problem, listen to their concerns. No one likes to be ignored. Everyone wants to know that not only are they being heard but that they’re being understood as well.
  • Think outside the square and look for solutions to any problems that occur. Could passengers be reseated to overcome a problem? Do you have different catering on board that might resolve a food problem?
  • Be genuine. A lack of sincerity comes across easier than you think.
  • Put yourself in your passenger shoes. How would you feel if this situation was happening to you? This will help you to establish rapport with the passenger and may reduce tension.
  • Don’t hide behind the organisational rules – people universally hate to be told ‘Its company policy I’m afraid’ or even worse, blaming somebody else! (as in ‘the travel agent should have told you about ordering special meals’) Spend more time sorting out the problem, not analysing what happened.
  • Be honest and sincere with passengers and don’t lie to them. There’s no point in promising something you can’t deliver. For example, if a passenger is asking to be moved to First Class and you know you can’t do that you have to be honest and explain that, then look at other solutions.
  • Never forget what it’s like to be a passenger! We are all customers in one way or another and deserve the same respect we demand from others.

By doing these things you will inspire a customer base that’s loyal and will return to you again and again. These passenger will also provide the best free advertising imaginable – word of mouth!

By the same token one bad passenger recommendation can cost you a large number of potential sales by the time they’ve told everybody how they were treated on this latest flight!

Don’t forget that with the internet a bad experience can be viral and round the world in hours. Checkout this famous letter written by a passenger on a Virgin flight. It ended up on Richard Branson’s desk (the founder and CEO) and became one of the most popular pieces of online reading for several weeks! See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-passenger-complaint-letter.html

Use your common sense and treat people the way you would like to be treated. If your passengers genuinely feel appreciated and valued you have succeeded in delivering exceptional customer service and you will have set in motion a winning formula that will guarantee your success!

Developing a Positive Attitude

Delivering excellent customer service starts with your attitude! You have to want to be a person who gives of their best, rather than doing your best because somebody told you to do it that way! And attitudes come from inside you, they influence everything you say and do, so fixing your attitude is often the first and most important action in changing your life/career towards success.

 Attitude is so important to employers that they will often employ somebody based on their positive attitude rather than their level of education or previous experience.  This is because a positive attitude, unlike skills, is so hard to teach!

We aren’t always conscious that we show our attitudes to others.  Whether meeting a prospective customer for the first time, handling a customer complaint, or selling a product, it is always good to remember your attitude is showing all the time!

Checkout this chart that illustrates the kind of attitude that leads to success, versus the kind of attitudes that lead to failure:

Attitude

Attitude is the way you communicate your mood or disposition to others.  When you are optimistic and anticipate successful encounters with others, you transmit a positive attitude, and they usually respond favourably.

When you are pessimistic, and expect the worst, your attitude is often negative and people may tend to avoid you.

To be an effective quality service provider, you must have a positive attitude.  Nothing else has higher priority.  A positive attitude is the way you look at things, and projects in everything you say and do.  It reflects in your body language as well as in what you say.

Remember also that people who feel good about themselves produce good results, and is a key ingredient in producing a positive attitude.

Consider your own attitude to life, to others, to your work. How often do you use positive language and demonstrate positive behaviours? Start evaluating yourself to see how well you match up to the description of a person with a great positive attitude. Is your cup ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’? Airlines are looking for ‘half full’ people! They need these kinds of attitudes in flight attending roles – people who can stay cheerful in difficult situations, who can inspire confidence in others, who can take the lead where needed, and after 14 hours in the air can still smile and wish people ‘have a nice day’, and mean it!

Delivering Excellent Customer Service

Firstly remember that the customer is at the heart of your organisation. Without them, there would be no airline! The airline needs passengers to choose them over other airlines, and to do so again and again, and then to recommend the airline to friends and family.

Building loyalty in an airline is a crucial part of their business success, and flight attendants have a key role in this. You can add value to the passengers experience by making it a great flight, despite small seats, mediocre food, and long journey times. How you go about your job and your attitude to the passengers will make all the difference.

Your key aim should be that as passengers disembark from their flight with you they will say ‘Thanks for a great flight, look forward to seeing you again soon!” If you hear that, you know you’ve succeeded!

Checkout some tips here which may help make the difference between ‘ok’ service and ‘excellent’ service in an airline environment:

• Most importantly – smile!!
  • At the risk of being repetitive, remember that great customer service begins with a great attitude!  You have to get this right.
  • Check the passenger manifest and use passenger’s names when addressing them. Everyone likes to hear their name; it makes them feel special and valued. Use a proper greeting unless permission is given otherwise, ie: Mrs., Mr., Ms., Sir, etc.
  • Be on the lookout for ways you can help passengers. Do they need a pillow, a blanket, help with baggage? Could you hold a baby for a passenger who is trying to get organised? Do passengers look hot and bothered and maybe need some water? Elderly passengers may find the entertainment system baffling, how can you help them to work it out?
  • If there’s a problem, listen to their concerns. No one likes to be ignored. Everyone wants to know that not only are they being heard but that they’re being understood as well.
  • Think outside the square and look for solutions to any problems that occur. Could passengers be reseated to overcome a problem? Do you have different catering on board that might resolve a food problem?
  • Be genuine. A lack of sincerity comes across easier than you think.
  • Put yourself in your passenger shoes. How would you feel if this situation was happening to you? This will help you to establish rapport with the passenger and may reduce tension.
  • Don’t hide behind the organisational rules – people universally hate to be told ‘Its company policy I’m afraid’ or even worse, blaming somebody else! (as in ‘the travel agent should have told you about ordering special meals’) Spend more time sorting out the problem, not analysing what happened.
  • Be honest and sincere with passengers and don’t lie to them. There’s no point in promising something you can’t deliver. For example, if a passenger is asking to be moved to First Class and you know you can’t do that you have to be honest and explain that, then look at other solutions.
  • Never forget what it’s like to be a passenger! We are all customers in one way or another and deserve the same respect we demand from others.

By doing these things you will inspire a customer base that’s loyal and will return to you again and again. These passenger will also provide the best free advertising imaginable – word of mouth!

By the same token one bad passenger recommendation can cost you a large number of potential sales by the time they’ve told everybody how they were treated on this latest flight!

Don’t forget that with the internet a bad experience can be viral and round the world in hours. Checkout this famous letter written by a passenger on a Virgin flight. It ended up on Richard Branson’s desk (the founder and CEO) and became one of the most popular pieces of online reading for several weeks! See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-passenger-complaint-letter.html

Use your common sense and treat people the way you would like to be treated. If your passengers genuinely feel appreciated and valued you have succeeded in delivering exceptional customer service and you will have set in motion a winning formula that will guarantee your success!

Body Language

‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’

We have learned about communications in the workplace through speaking and using appropriate voice tone. However these add up to only two thirds of how effectively we communicate. The remaining third is through non-verbal communications, also known as ‘Body Language’

Remember that less than 10% of our understanding of a message/situation comes from words alone!  The vast majority of understanding in communications comes from body language, and to become effective communicators we need to understand the language our body speaks.

Information reaching our brains can only enter via the five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.  Of those senses, the eyes are the most valuable, transmitting approximately 85% of the information that reaches our brains.  About 10% goes in through our ears and the other senses handle the remaining 5%.

The fact that most of our communication is received visually is no bad thing.  The problem is that we put most of our effort into organising and delivering the words we use.  Our ‘body-talk’ is left to fend for itself, and as a result tends to come out ‘unedited’, communicating what we really feel.

So, if the major part of our communication is with ‘body-talk’ and seemingly unintentional, in that it can either support or contradict what we think we are communicating, it makes sense to learn more about it!

Body language goes both ways of course:

• Your own body language reveals your feelings and meanings to others.
• Other people’s body language reveals their feelings and meanings to you.

Body Language is made up of everything we DO rather than what we SAY to communicate to others, such as Posture, Eye contact, Tone of voice, Facial expressions, and Proximity to others.

This website (http://www.businessballs.com/body-language.htm) has a detailed description of body language and gives more detailed insight into every movement and inflection.

Customer Service Skills

So far in this Chapter we have focused on developing improved communication skills as these are the cornerstone of any customer service position. It’s considered a key skill for any potential flight attendant and will be evaluated at interview.

These communication skills underpin the major skill used in flight attending, and of delivering quality customer service to the airlines’ passengers.

Whether you are working at the check in desk, on reservations, or on board the aircraft, we are surrounded by existing and potential customers.  Anyone dealing with the public is engaged in customer relations, persuading customers to return to that organisation whenever a product or service is needed.

Anyone working in the airline industry has the opportunity to improve the reputation and standing of the organisation through applying a range of skills designed to deliver quality customer service to passengers, and even to attract additional passengers.

There are different levels of customer service, from no service (for example, shopping online) through self service (buying gas at a petrol station where you pump it yourself) into assisted service where somebody helps you either with your purchasing or with the product itself.

Even within assisted service situations, customer service ranges from poor to excellent, and you may well have experienced all of those! Poor customer service is often defined by slow delivery of the service and impolite or inattentive staff. If we’re lucky most of our customer service experiences will fall within the standard/acceptable range, where the service met our original expectations. It takes no real effort to deliver standard customer service, and customers are not surprised by it.

Excellent customer service stands out from the rest and is delivered by professionals who go the extra mile to make the customer super satisfied! Hopefully you will have experienced examples of this, and have been surprised and delighted to be on the receiving end of such service! When we experience such service we make a note to return to that place for more of that great service, and we tell all our friends about it, we make postings on Facebook about it, we become, in the words of a customer service guru,  ‘raving fans’!

Excellent customer service is service which meets or exceeds customer expectations. As an airline employee you can aim to deliver good customer service, but we would urge you to make it your personal goal to deliver excellent customer service to your passengers.  This will make you stand out from the crowd, will provide you with much higher levels of job satisfaction, and will make a significant contribution to any airline’s reputation, and therefore yours! When promotion opportunities arise your name will surely be mentioned as you will be a star performer!

It is worth remembering that excellent customer service is constant, delivered at all times, to all customers, regardless of who they are, when the service is delivered, or for how long. The passenger you meet at the end of a busy shift is just as important as the first one of the day, and deserves the same smiling, helpful service.

Remember that we have external and internal customers.  External customers are those to whom we deliver or service our product. (airline passengers)  Internal customers work with us, they are our colleagues or co-workers.  They may work in another department, even another city or country – but they are as important as external customers.  Delivering quality service to your colleagues will help them to deliver quality service to external customers, and helps ensure the efficiency of your organisation.

The quality of service to the external customer starts with the quality of service throughout the organisation.

Body Language

‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’

We have learned about communications in the workplace through speaking and using appropriate voice tone. However these add up to only two thirds of how effectively we communicate. The remaining third is through non-verbal communications, also known as ‘Body Language’

Remember that less than 10% of our understanding of a message/situation comes from words alone!  The vast majority of understanding in communications comes from body language, and to become effective communicators we need to understand the language our body speaks.

Information reaching our brains can only enter via the five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.  Of those senses, the eyes are the most valuable, transmitting approximately 85% of the information that reaches our brains.  About 10% goes in through our ears and the other senses handle the remaining 5%.

The fact that most of our communication is received visually is no bad thing.  The problem is that we put most of our effort into organising and delivering the words we use.  Our ‘body-talk’ is left to fend for itself, and as a result tends to come out ‘unedited’, communicating what we really feel.

So, if the major part of our communication is with ‘body-talk’ and seemingly unintentional, in that it can either support or contradict what we think we are communicating, it makes sense to learn more about it!

Body language goes both ways of course:

• Your own body language reveals your feelings and meanings to others.
• Other people’s body language reveals their feelings and meanings to you.

Body Language is made up of everything we DO rather than what we SAY to communicate to others, such as Posture, Eye contact, Tone of voice, Facial expressions, and Proximity to others.

This website (http://www.businessballs.com/body-language.htm) has a detailed description of body language and gives more detailed insight into every movement and inflection.

Customer Service Skills

So far in this Chapter we have focused on developing improved communication skills as these are the cornerstone of any customer service position. It’s considered a key skill for any potential flight attendant and will be evaluated at interview.

These communication skills underpin the major skill used in flight attending, and of delivering quality customer service to the airlines’ passengers.

Whether you are working at the check in desk, on reservations, or on board the aircraft, we are surrounded by existing and potential customers.  Anyone dealing with the public is engaged in customer relations, persuading customers to return to that organisation whenever a product or service is needed.

Anyone working in the airline industry has the opportunity to improve the reputation and standing of the organisation through applying a range of skills designed to deliver quality customer service to passengers, and even to attract additional passengers.

There are different levels of customer service, from no service (for example, shopping online) through self service (buying gas at a petrol station where you pump it yourself) into assisted service where somebody helps you either with your purchasing or with the product itself.

Even within assisted service situations, customer service ranges from poor to excellent, and you may well have experienced all of those! Poor customer service is often defined by slow delivery of the service and impolite or inattentive staff. If we’re lucky most of our customer service experiences will fall within the standard/acceptable range, where the service met our original expectations. It takes no real effort to deliver standard customer service, and customers are not surprised by it.

Excellent customer service stands out from the rest and is delivered by professionals who go the extra mile to make the customer super satisfied! Hopefully you will have experienced examples of this, and have been surprised and delighted to be on the receiving end of such service! When we experience such service we make a note to return to that place for more of that great service, and we tell all our friends about it, we make postings on Facebook about it, we become, in the words of a customer service guru,  ‘raving fans’!

Excellent customer service is service which meets or exceeds customer expectations. As an airline employee you can aim to deliver good customer service, but we would urge you to make it your personal goal to deliver excellent customer service to your passengers.  This will make you stand out from the crowd, will provide you with much higher levels of job satisfaction, and will make a significant contribution to any airline’s reputation, and therefore yours! When promotion opportunities arise your name will surely be mentioned as you will be a star performer!

It is worth remembering that excellent customer service is constant, delivered at all times, to all customers, regardless of who they are, when the service is delivered, or for how long. The passenger you meet at the end of a busy shift is just as important as the first one of the day, and deserves the same smiling, helpful service.

Remember that we have external and internal customers.  External customers are those to whom we deliver or service our product. (airline passengers)  Internal customers work with us, they are our colleagues or co-workers.  They may work in another department, even another city or country – but they are as important as external customers.  Delivering quality service to your colleagues will help them to deliver quality service to external customers, and helps ensure the efficiency of your organisation.

The quality of service to the external customer starts with the quality of service throughout the organisation.

Body Language

‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression!’

We have learned about communications in the workplace through speaking and using appropriate voice tone. However these add up to only two thirds of how effectively we communicate. The remaining third is through non-verbal communications, also known as ‘Body Language’

Remember that less than 10% of our understanding of a message/situation comes from words alone!  The vast majority of understanding in communications comes from body language, and to become effective communicators we need to understand the language our body speaks.

Information reaching our brains can only enter via the five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.  Of those senses, the eyes are the most valuable, transmitting approximately 85% of the information that reaches our brains.  About 10% goes in through our ears and the other senses handle the remaining 5%.

The fact that most of our communication is received visually is no bad thing.  The problem is that we put most of our effort into organising and delivering the words we use.  Our ‘body-talk’ is left to fend for itself, and as a result tends to come out ‘unedited’, communicating what we really feel.

So, if the major part of our communication is with ‘body-talk’ and seemingly unintentional, in that it can either support or contradict what we think we are communicating, it makes sense to learn more about it!

Body language goes both ways of course:

• Your own body language reveals your feelings and meanings to others.
• Other people’s body language reveals their feelings and meanings to you.

Body Language is made up of everything we DO rather than what we SAY to communicate to others, such as Posture, Eye contact, Tone of voice, Facial expressions, and Proximity to others.

This website (http://www.businessballs.com/body-language.htm) has a detailed description of body language and gives more detailed insight into every movement and inflection.

Customer Service Skills

So far in this Chapter we have focused on developing improved communication skills as these are the cornerstone of any customer service position. It’s considered a key skill for any potential flight attendant and will be evaluated at interview.

These communication skills underpin the major skill used in flight attending, and of delivering quality customer service to the airlines’ passengers.

Whether you are working at the check in desk, on reservations, or on board the aircraft, we are surrounded by existing and potential customers.  Anyone dealing with the public is engaged in customer relations, persuading customers to return to that organisation whenever a product or service is needed.

Anyone working in the airline industry has the opportunity to improve the reputation and standing of the organisation through applying a range of skills designed to deliver quality customer service to passengers, and even to attract additional passengers.

There are different levels of customer service, from no service (for example, shopping online) through self service (buying gas at a petrol station where you pump it yourself) into assisted service where somebody helps you either with your purchasing or with the product itself.

Even within assisted service situations, customer service ranges from poor to excellent, and you may well have experienced all of those! Poor customer service is often defined by slow delivery of the service and impolite or inattentive staff. If we’re lucky most of our customer service experiences will fall within the standard/acceptable range, where the service met our original expectations. It takes no real effort to deliver standard customer service, and customers are not surprised by it.

Excellent customer service stands out from the rest and is delivered by professionals who go the extra mile to make the customer super satisfied! Hopefully you will have experienced examples of this, and have been surprised and delighted to be on the receiving end of such service! When we experience such service we make a note to return to that place for more of that great service, and we tell all our friends about it, we make postings on Facebook about it, we become, in the words of a customer service guru,  ‘raving fans’!

Excellent customer service is service which meets or exceeds customer expectations. As an airline employee you can aim to deliver good customer service, but we would urge you to make it your personal goal to deliver excellent customer service to your passengers.  This will make you stand out from the crowd, will provide you with much higher levels of job satisfaction, and will make a significant contribution to any airline’s reputation, and therefore yours! When promotion opportunities arise your name will surely be mentioned as you will be a star performer!

It is worth remembering that excellent customer service is constant, delivered at all times, to all customers, regardless of who they are, when the service is delivered, or for how long. The passenger you meet at the end of a busy shift is just as important as the first one of the day, and deserves the same smiling, helpful service.

Remember that we have external and internal customers.  External customers are those to whom we deliver or service our product. (airline passengers)  Internal customers work with us, they are our colleagues or co-workers.  They may work in another department, even another city or country – but they are as important as external customers.  Delivering quality service to your colleagues will help them to deliver quality service to external customers, and helps ensure the efficiency of your organisation.

The quality of service to the external customer starts with the quality of service throughout the organisation.

Voice Tone and Clarity

Even when we have chosen the words carefully we may still fine that our message is not understood in the way that we had hoped.

When this happens it’s worth thinking about one of the other aspects of verbal communication: voice tone.

Your tone of voice may say more than the actual words you use. This important feature of everyday speech is so powerful that it can make or break a communication, so it’s worth learning a little about it.

We all have the ability to adjust the tone of our voice to suit the moment as voice tone is very useful in expressing emotions. For example curt, harsh, loud words can illustrate anger. Soft, murmuring, soothing tones can express pleasure. Tone is also used in other ways, to indicate the end of a sentence or message (lowering the tone), or indicating a question (raising the tone). The kiwi accent is known for its rising tone at the end of sentences, suggesting a constant round of questions!

Voice tone includes a number of other factors:

Pitch: This relates to the sound of your voice, such as a very high shrieky voice or low voice. Voice pitch can be changed through training and practice, for example if you have a very high voice you can work on lowering it so it sounds more imposing and authoritative.

Volume: How loud you speak influences your message significantly, and we all know how shouting, for example, changes the way in which a message is received. Speaking too softly can also affect how a communication is received, particularly if the receiver can’t hear you, but speaking softly can also be very powerful as others have to listen very actively to your message.

The effects of voice tone are significant. People develop much of their perception of you based purely on your tone of voice. If your tone is clear and strong they will think of you as confident. People who speak hesitantly in a soft voice tone are often considered weak or shy. People who speak with no inflection at all, with little variation in voice tone, are often thought of as boring or dull.

A good test of the power of voice tone is to try it out on a dog! Speak to him in a loud, angry tone, saying the words ‘Good dog!’ and he’ll usually cower and look sad, even though you’re actually giving him a compliment. Change your tone to a soothing, happy, upbeat tone and say ‘Bad dog!’ and he’ll wag his tail and look excited and happy! He doesn’t understand the words, just the voice tone, and responds almost totally to that alone.

The good news is that whatever your voice, your tone can be worked on and changed. If you’re not sure how you sound why not record your voice using your phone, camera or other device, play it back and see what you think? Play it to family members and friends and ask them what message they get from your usual voice tone? If you’re not happy with it, work on changing it, record it again and compare it with your original recording. Most actors, TV presenters, singers and others in public life have worked on making their voice better, so why not you!

Tips for Active Listening

Paraphrasing and Reflecting
These two active listening skills usually work together and are strategies we use to let somebody know that we’ve not only heard what they’ve been saying, but we’ve listening and understood.

When we paraphrase we reword or summarise what has been said, and when we reflect we repeat back the feelings associated with the message. Together these actions:

• show that we have understood the main points
• show that we have accepted what has been said
• show that we are interested in understanding the whole picture, feelings as well as facts
• give the other person the opportunity to put us right
• help the other person to hear how they are coming across and if necessary to reword it more clearly
• are crucial when the message has a strong emotional content.

Paraphrasing

Repeat back the main points, concisely and in our own words:

 ‘So, from what you’re saying, you booked your special meal four weeks ago through your travel agent. Is that the case?”

Reflecting
Repeat back the feelings associated with the message:

‘I can see how disappointed you are at not getting the seats you asked for’

Voice Tone and Clarity

Even when we have chosen the words carefully we may still fine that our message is not understood in the way that we had hoped.

When this happens it’s worth thinking about one of the other aspects of verbal communication: voice tone.

Your tone of voice may say more than the actual words you use. This important feature of everyday speech is so powerful that it can make or break a communication, so it’s worth learning a little about it.

We all have the ability to adjust the tone of our voice to suit the moment as voice tone is very useful in expressing emotions. For example curt, harsh, loud words can illustrate anger. Soft, murmuring, soothing tones can express pleasure. Tone is also used in other ways, to indicate the end of a sentence or message (lowering the tone), or indicating a question (raising the tone). The kiwi accent is known for its rising tone at the end of sentences, suggesting a constant round of questions!

Voice tone includes a number of other factors:

Pitch: This relates to the sound of your voice, such as a very high shrieky voice or low voice. Voice pitch can be changed through training and practice, for example if you have a very high voice you can work on lowering it so it sounds more imposing and authoritative.

Volume: How loud you speak influences your message significantly, and we all know how shouting, for example, changes the way in which a message is received. Speaking too softly can also affect how a communication is received, particularly if the receiver can’t hear you, but speaking softly can also be very powerful as others have to listen very actively to your message.

The effects of voice tone are significant. People develop much of their perception of you based purely on your tone of voice. If your tone is clear and strong they will think of you as confident. People who speak hesitantly in a soft voice tone are often considered weak or shy. People who speak with no inflection at all, with little variation in voice tone, are often thought of as boring or dull.

A good test of the power of voice tone is to try it out on a dog! Speak to him in a loud, angry tone, saying the words ‘Good dog!’ and he’ll usually cower and look sad, even though you’re actually giving him a compliment. Change your tone to a soothing, happy, upbeat tone and say ‘Bad dog!’ and he’ll wag his tail and look excited and happy! He doesn’t understand the words, just the voice tone, and responds almost totally to that alone.

The good news is that whatever your voice, your tone can be worked on and changed. If you’re not sure how you sound why not record your voice using your phone, camera or other device, play it back and see what you think? Play it to family members and friends and ask them what message they get from your usual voice tone? If you’re not happy with it, work on changing it, record it again and compare it with your original recording. Most actors, TV presenters, singers and others in public life have worked on making their voice better, so why not you!

Tips for Active Listening

Paraphrasing and Reflecting
These two active listening skills usually work together and are strategies we use to let somebody know that we’ve not only heard what they’ve been saying, but we’ve listening and understood.

When we paraphrase we reword or summarise what has been said, and when we reflect we repeat back the feelings associated with the message. Together these actions:

• show that we have understood the main points
• show that we have accepted what has been said
• show that we are interested in understanding the whole picture, feelings as well as facts
• give the other person the opportunity to put us right
• help the other person to hear how they are coming across and if necessary to reword it more clearly
• are crucial when the message has a strong emotional content.

Paraphrasing

Repeat back the main points, concisely and in our own words:

 ‘So, from what you’re saying, you booked your special meal four weeks ago through your travel agent. Is that the case?”

Reflecting
Repeat back the feelings associated with the message:

‘I can see how disappointed you are at not getting the seats you asked for’

Voice Tone and Clarity

Even when we have chosen the words carefully we may still fine that our message is not understood in the way that we had hoped.

When this happens it’s worth thinking about one of the other aspects of verbal communication: voice tone.

Your tone of voice may say more than the actual words you use. This important feature of everyday speech is so powerful that it can make or break a communication, so it’s worth learning a little about it.

We all have the ability to adjust the tone of our voice to suit the moment as voice tone is very useful in expressing emotions. For example curt, harsh, loud words can illustrate anger. Soft, murmuring, soothing tones can express pleasure. Tone is also used in other ways, to indicate the end of a sentence or message (lowering the tone), or indicating a question (raising the tone). The kiwi accent is known for its rising tone at the end of sentences, suggesting a constant round of questions!

Voice tone includes a number of other factors:

Pitch: This relates to the sound of your voice, such as a very high shrieky voice or low voice. Voice pitch can be changed through training and practice, for example if you have a very high voice you can work on lowering it so it sounds more imposing and authoritative.

Volume: How loud you speak influences your message significantly, and we all know how shouting, for example, changes the way in which a message is received. Speaking too softly can also affect how a communication is received, particularly if the receiver can’t hear you, but speaking softly can also be very powerful as others have to listen very actively to your message.

The effects of voice tone are significant. People develop much of their perception of you based purely on your tone of voice. If your tone is clear and strong they will think of you as confident. People who speak hesitantly in a soft voice tone are often considered weak or shy. People who speak with no inflection at all, with little variation in voice tone, are often thought of as boring or dull.

A good test of the power of voice tone is to try it out on a dog! Speak to him in a loud, angry tone, saying the words ‘Good dog!’ and he’ll usually cower and look sad, even though you’re actually giving him a compliment. Change your tone to a soothing, happy, upbeat tone and say ‘Bad dog!’ and he’ll wag his tail and look excited and happy! He doesn’t understand the words, just the voice tone, and responds almost totally to that alone.

The good news is that whatever your voice, your tone can be worked on and changed. If you’re not sure how you sound why not record your voice using your phone, camera or other device, play it back and see what you think? Play it to family members and friends and ask them what message they get from your usual voice tone? If you’re not happy with it, work on changing it, record it again and compare it with your original recording. Most actors, TV presenters, singers and others in public life have worked on making their voice better, so why not you!

Tips for Active Listening

Paraphrasing and Reflecting
These two active listening skills usually work together and are strategies we use to let somebody know that we’ve not only heard what they’ve been saying, but we’ve listening and understood.

When we paraphrase we reword or summarise what has been said, and when we reflect we repeat back the feelings associated with the message. Together these actions:

• show that we have understood the main points
• show that we have accepted what has been said
• show that we are interested in understanding the whole picture, feelings as well as facts
• give the other person the opportunity to put us right
• help the other person to hear how they are coming across and if necessary to reword it more clearly
• are crucial when the message has a strong emotional content.

Paraphrasing

Repeat back the main points, concisely and in our own words:

 ‘So, from what you’re saying, you booked your special meal four weeks ago through your travel agent. Is that the case?”

Reflecting
Repeat back the feelings associated with the message:

‘I can see how disappointed you are at not getting the seats you asked for’

Choosing the right words

Often the ideas we have in our mind can not be easily put into words.  They include feelings and attitudes which may not be easy for others to understand.  We all know how difficult it is to talk to someone who doesn’t know our language, but it’s just as difficult when the people we are talking to interpret our words differently.

Consider the problems when someone:

• uses jargon or technical terms we do not know
• uses words we don’t know
• uses slang or swearing which we don’t like

Words are far more than just a dictionary meaning.  They are a wealth of meaning and layers of feeling built into them.

We also use different layers of language for different situations.  Our casual slang may be OK for the pub or club – but you may find yourself in trouble if you were to use it with an airline passenger or your boss at work! This chart shows that language ranges from very formal through to very casual, with everything in between.

When you are deciding what language style to use to communicate with you should consider four key questions:

The formality of the situation?

A job interview, for example, requires at least moderately formal, and maybe very formal if it is a panel interview for a senior position. A lunch with a colleague would almost certainly be fairly informal or even casual, depending on how well you know the other person.

How well do you know the receiver?

As mentioned above, the language style you choose to communicate with depends a lot on your relationship with the other person. You can be very informal with friends, but if you’re meeting your boyfriend/girlfriend’s mother for the first time you will almost certainly start of moderately formal until you know her better.

What will the other person be comfortable with?

Some people make it clear from the beginning that they are an informal friendly person who wants to be known by his first name, enjoys a laugh, and may even want to give you a warm hug when you leave. Other people prefer to stay more formal until they know you better, so don’t rush this and allow the communication to unfold before you start lapsing into casual communications with a new person.

The sensitivity of the message?

Some communications are more sensitive than others, such as discussions around lack of performance in a job, ill health or bereavement, problems in the home or workplace. Most of this type of communication requires at least a moderately formal style, out of respect, and professionalism. This is not the place for casual chats.

As a flight attendant, when dealing with passengers you should always assume a moderately formal style. Passengers are always ‘Sir’ and ‘Madam’. Social etiquette should be followed, such as the use of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ frequently, accompanied with a warm smile and eye contact. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some friendly chat with passengers, always remember that you are providing a service to them, and must retain your professionalism.

Try to avoid using jargon that passengers may not know, and never use slang words or ‘street’ language – it’s just not professional, Rude or offensive language of course is an absolute ‘no no’ in any workplace, particular working for an airlines.

As the speaker you have the responsibility to get your message across in as clear as way as you can so that the receiver understands it in the way you meant it.   If others don’t understand what you are saying – don’t just repeat it again, or even worse, say it louder!

If you find yourselves having to repeat yourself, or in confused situations because the other person didn’t understand you, try not to blame the receiver of the message! Remember that you have 50% of the responsibility to ensure that the communication goes well, and the first thing to do is evaluate how well you communicated your message.

Did you use the right words? Ones which the other person would understand? Did you speak clearly, establishing eye contact where possible, and what about your voice tone?

Often when we have a problem with our communication it is often because we have not stopped to think about what we want to say or how we want to say it.  Nor have we stopped to think about whether the other person has heard what we intended to say.

Thinking about how to structure your message using words, ideas and language that the other person is likely to understand helps to avoid misunderstanding.  It’s best to not just open your mouth and let words fall out! Spending a moment or two thinking before you speak, particularly in work based situations, is time well spent. As we think much faster than we speak we all have spare ‘thinking time’ to prepare what we are going to say and if we use that time well we will have fewer misunderstandings along the way.

Take care to select words which will:

• convey the exact meaning
• indicate the appropriate emotion
• suggest the appropriate level of intensity
• suit the formality level of the situation
• be understood and accepted

Choosing the right words

Often the ideas we have in our mind can not be easily put into words.  They include feelings and attitudes which may not be easy for others to understand.  We all know how difficult it is to talk to someone who doesn’t know our language, but it’s just as difficult when the people we are talking to interpret our words differently.

Consider the problems when someone:

• uses jargon or technical terms we do not know
• uses words we don’t know
• uses slang or swearing which we don’t like

Words are far more than just a dictionary meaning.  They are a wealth of meaning and layers of feeling built into them.

We also use different layers of language for different situations.  Our casual slang may be OK for the pub or club – but you may find yourself in trouble if you were to use it with an airline passenger or your boss at work! This chart shows that language ranges from very formal through to very casual, with everything in between.

When you are deciding what language style to use to communicate with you should consider four key questions:

The formality of the situation?

A job interview, for example, requires at least moderately formal, and maybe very formal if it is a panel interview for a senior position. A lunch with a colleague would almost certainly be fairly informal or even casual, depending on how well you know the other person.

How well do you know the receiver?

As mentioned above, the language style you choose to communicate with depends a lot on your relationship with the other person. You can be very informal with friends, but if you’re meeting your boyfriend/girlfriend’s mother for the first time you will almost certainly start of moderately formal until you know her better.

What will the other person be comfortable with?

Some people make it clear from the beginning that they are an informal friendly person who wants to be known by his first name, enjoys a laugh, and may even want to give you a warm hug when you leave. Other people prefer to stay more formal until they know you better, so don’t rush this and allow the communication to unfold before you start lapsing into casual communications with a new person.

The sensitivity of the message?

Some communications are more sensitive than others, such as discussions around lack of performance in a job, ill health or bereavement, problems in the home or workplace. Most of this type of communication requires at least a moderately formal style, out of respect, and professionalism. This is not the place for casual chats.

As a flight attendant, when dealing with passengers you should always assume a moderately formal style. Passengers are always ‘Sir’ and ‘Madam’. Social etiquette should be followed, such as the use of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ frequently, accompanied with a warm smile and eye contact. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some friendly chat with passengers, always remember that you are providing a service to them, and must retain your professionalism.

Try to avoid using jargon that passengers may not know, and never use slang words or ‘street’ language – it’s just not professional, Rude or offensive language of course is an absolute ‘no no’ in any workplace, particular working for an airlines.

As the speaker you have the responsibility to get your message across in as clear as way as you can so that the receiver understands it in the way you meant it.   If others don’t understand what you are saying – don’t just repeat it again, or even worse, say it louder!

If you find yourselves having to repeat yourself, or in confused situations because the other person didn’t understand you, try not to blame the receiver of the message! Remember that you have 50% of the responsibility to ensure that the communication goes well, and the first thing to do is evaluate how well you communicated your message.

Did you use the right words? Ones which the other person would understand? Did you speak clearly, establishing eye contact where possible, and what about your voice tone?

Often when we have a problem with our communication it is often because we have not stopped to think about what we want to say or how we want to say it.  Nor have we stopped to think about whether the other person has heard what we intended to say.

Thinking about how to structure your message using words, ideas and language that the other person is likely to understand helps to avoid misunderstanding.  It’s best to not just open your mouth and let words fall out! Spending a moment or two thinking before you speak, particularly in work based situations, is time well spent. As we think much faster than we speak we all have spare ‘thinking time’ to prepare what we are going to say and if we use that time well we will have fewer misunderstandings along the way.

Take care to select words which will:

• convey the exact meaning
• indicate the appropriate emotion
• suggest the appropriate level of intensity
• suit the formality level of the situation
• be understood and accepted

Choosing the right words

Often the ideas we have in our mind can not be easily put into words.  They include feelings and attitudes which may not be easy for others to understand.  We all know how difficult it is to talk to someone who doesn’t know our language, but it’s just as difficult when the people we are talking to interpret our words differently.

Consider the problems when someone:

• uses jargon or technical terms we do not know
• uses words we don’t know
• uses slang or swearing which we don’t like

Words are far more than just a dictionary meaning.  They are a wealth of meaning and layers of feeling built into them.

We also use different layers of language for different situations.  Our casual slang may be OK for the pub or club – but you may find yourself in trouble if you were to use it with an airline passenger or your boss at work! This chart shows that language ranges from very formal through to very casual, with everything in between.

When you are deciding what language style to use to communicate with you should consider four key questions:

The formality of the situation?

A job interview, for example, requires at least moderately formal, and maybe very formal if it is a panel interview for a senior position. A lunch with a colleague would almost certainly be fairly informal or even casual, depending on how well you know the other person.

How well do you know the receiver?

As mentioned above, the language style you choose to communicate with depends a lot on your relationship with the other person. You can be very informal with friends, but if you’re meeting your boyfriend/girlfriend’s mother for the first time you will almost certainly start of moderately formal until you know her better.

What will the other person be comfortable with?

Some people make it clear from the beginning that they are an informal friendly person who wants to be known by his first name, enjoys a laugh, and may even want to give you a warm hug when you leave. Other people prefer to stay more formal until they know you better, so don’t rush this and allow the communication to unfold before you start lapsing into casual communications with a new person.

The sensitivity of the message?

Some communications are more sensitive than others, such as discussions around lack of performance in a job, ill health or bereavement, problems in the home or workplace. Most of this type of communication requires at least a moderately formal style, out of respect, and professionalism. This is not the place for casual chats.

As a flight attendant, when dealing with passengers you should always assume a moderately formal style. Passengers are always ‘Sir’ and ‘Madam’. Social etiquette should be followed, such as the use of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ frequently, accompanied with a warm smile and eye contact. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some friendly chat with passengers, always remember that you are providing a service to them, and must retain your professionalism.

Try to avoid using jargon that passengers may not know, and never use slang words or ‘street’ language – it’s just not professional, Rude or offensive language of course is an absolute ‘no no’ in any workplace, particular working for an airlines.

As the speaker you have the responsibility to get your message across in as clear as way as you can so that the receiver understands it in the way you meant it.   If others don’t understand what you are saying – don’t just repeat it again, or even worse, say it louder!

If you find yourselves having to repeat yourself, or in confused situations because the other person didn’t understand you, try not to blame the receiver of the message! Remember that you have 50% of the responsibility to ensure that the communication goes well, and the first thing to do is evaluate how well you communicated your message.

Did you use the right words? Ones which the other person would understand? Did you speak clearly, establishing eye contact where possible, and what about your voice tone?

Often when we have a problem with our communication it is often because we have not stopped to think about what we want to say or how we want to say it.  Nor have we stopped to think about whether the other person has heard what we intended to say.

Thinking about how to structure your message using words, ideas and language that the other person is likely to understand helps to avoid misunderstanding.  It’s best to not just open your mouth and let words fall out! Spending a moment or two thinking before you speak, particularly in work based situations, is time well spent. As we think much faster than we speak we all have spare ‘thinking time’ to prepare what we are going to say and if we use that time well we will have fewer misunderstandings along the way.

Take care to select words which will:

• convey the exact meaning
• indicate the appropriate emotion
• suggest the appropriate level of intensity
• suit the formality level of the situation
• be understood and accepted

Communication Skills

In order for us to understand HOW to communicate – it is important to be clear about WHAT communication is, how it works – and why it sometimes doesn’t!

Communication is a two-way activity…. and cannot take place if there is no-body to communicate with!  Just as an actor needs an audience, a teacher needs students; a customer service professional needs customers!!

Communication works by messages travelling between a Sender and a Receiver – with both parties swapping roles constantly. The process is dynamic (constantly changing) and circular – with no real beginnings and no endings.

There are many definitions of communication – let’s look at a simple and clear definition:

“Communication is the transmission from one person to another of a message which is understood by the receiver in the way the sender intended”

The emphasis is on ‘shared responsibility’ – if you don’t understand something, or you have a communication breakdown, don’t blame the other person – you are both involved in the communication together!

The Communication Model

The process begins with the Sender, who has a message to communicate.  The sender makes a decision about which channel to use, such as letter, e-mail, telephone, or by speaking directly to the person or people. Method of communication is important.  How you communicate your message is as important as what you say! For example, if you wanted to end a personal relationship, would you send the person an email, txt or fax?  Would you speak to the person in front of other people in public? Or would it be better to speak personally to the individual in private?

Messages often become distorted or confused during the communication process and this distortion is known as interference.  Interference is anything that prevents the message from being received in the way the sender intended.

When the Receiver gets the message, they process the information mentally, and develop an understanding of what was meant.  Sometimes the understanding of the receiver is very different from the understanding of the sender!  Life is full of conversations which start with ‘Don’t get me wrong but’….. or ‘Don’t take this the wrong way….’.  These sayings are used because we know in advance that what we are about to say could be misunderstood!

Because of the importance of checking our understanding in effective communication, the receiver will offer feedback to the sender, checking and testing understanding, making sure that they are clear on what has been said.

Feedback represents a unique form of message – sent in response to other messages – and like other messages, can take many forms: a frown, a smile, a shake or nod of the head, a punch in the mouth – these are all forms of feedback!  Feedback tells you how your communication is being received, how well it is being understood – or not.  Effectiveness in communicating with others depends greatly on your ability to give and receive appropriate feedback.

Once the sender has given some feedback, the communications cycle is complete! The sender who started the whole process receives a message back from the receiver, and the cycle continues as they now decode the message they are receiving, develop an understanding, and give feedback.

The Communication Pie

When people use spoken languages to communicate they don’t just listen to what is said in order to understand the message. They also look at the person who is speaking to see what their body is doing, and listen to the way they are saying the words. This helps them understand the full message.

Studies tell us that the percentage of understanding that is gained from the spoken word is considerably less than the meaning that people gain from listening to a person’s tone of voice and looking at their non-verbal communication.

Communication Skills

In order for us to understand HOW to communicate – it is important to be clear about WHAT communication is, how it works – and why it sometimes doesn’t!

Communication is a two-way activity…. and cannot take place if there is no-body to communicate with!  Just as an actor needs an audience, a teacher needs students; a customer service professional needs customers!!

Communication works by messages travelling between a Sender and a Receiver – with both parties swapping roles constantly. The process is dynamic (constantly changing) and circular – with no real beginnings and no endings.

There are many definitions of communication – let’s look at a simple and clear definition:

“Communication is the transmission from one person to another of a message which is understood by the receiver in the way the sender intended”

The emphasis is on ‘shared responsibility’ – if you don’t understand something, or you have a communication breakdown, don’t blame the other person – you are both involved in the communication together!

The Communication Model

The process begins with the Sender, who has a message to communicate.  The sender makes a decision about which channel to use, such as letter, e-mail, telephone, or by speaking directly to the person or people. Method of communication is important.  How you communicate your message is as important as what you say! For example, if you wanted to end a personal relationship, would you send the person an email, txt or fax?  Would you speak to the person in front of other people in public? Or would it be better to speak personally to the individual in private?

Messages often become distorted or confused during the communication process and this distortion is known as interference.  Interference is anything that prevents the message from being received in the way the sender intended.

When the Receiver gets the message, they process the information mentally, and develop an understanding of what was meant.  Sometimes the understanding of the receiver is very different from the understanding of the sender!  Life is full of conversations which start with ‘Don’t get me wrong but’….. or ‘Don’t take this the wrong way….’.  These sayings are used because we know in advance that what we are about to say could be misunderstood!

Because of the importance of checking our understanding in effective communication, the receiver will offer feedback to the sender, checking and testing understanding, making sure that they are clear on what has been said.

Feedback represents a unique form of message – sent in response to other messages – and like other messages, can take many forms: a frown, a smile, a shake or nod of the head, a punch in the mouth – these are all forms of feedback!  Feedback tells you how your communication is being received, how well it is being understood – or not.  Effectiveness in communicating with others depends greatly on your ability to give and receive appropriate feedback.

Once the sender has given some feedback, the communications cycle is complete! The sender who started the whole process receives a message back from the receiver, and the cycle continues as they now decode the message they are receiving, develop an understanding, and give feedback.

The Communication Pie

When people use spoken languages to communicate they don’t just listen to what is said in order to understand the message. They also look at the person who is speaking to see what their body is doing, and listen to the way they are saying the words. This helps them understand the full message.

Studies tell us that the percentage of understanding that is gained from the spoken word is considerably less than the meaning that people gain from listening to a person’s tone of voice and looking at their non-verbal communication.

Communication Skills

In order for us to understand HOW to communicate – it is important to be clear about WHAT communication is, how it works – and why it sometimes doesn’t!

Communication is a two-way activity…. and cannot take place if there is no-body to communicate with!  Just as an actor needs an audience, a teacher needs students; a customer service professional needs customers!!

Communication works by messages travelling between a Sender and a Receiver – with both parties swapping roles constantly. The process is dynamic (constantly changing) and circular – with no real beginnings and no endings.

There are many definitions of communication – let’s look at a simple and clear definition:

“Communication is the transmission from one person to another of a message which is understood by the receiver in the way the sender intended”

The emphasis is on ‘shared responsibility’ – if you don’t understand something, or you have a communication breakdown, don’t blame the other person – you are both involved in the communication together!

The Communication Model

The process begins with the Sender, who has a message to communicate.  The sender makes a decision about which channel to use, such as letter, e-mail, telephone, or by speaking directly to the person or people. Method of communication is important.  How you communicate your message is as important as what you say! For example, if you wanted to end a personal relationship, would you send the person an email, txt or fax?  Would you speak to the person in front of other people in public? Or would it be better to speak personally to the individual in private?

Messages often become distorted or confused during the communication process and this distortion is known as interference.  Interference is anything that prevents the message from being received in the way the sender intended.

When the Receiver gets the message, they process the information mentally, and develop an understanding of what was meant.  Sometimes the understanding of the receiver is very different from the understanding of the sender!  Life is full of conversations which start with ‘Don’t get me wrong but’….. or ‘Don’t take this the wrong way….’.  These sayings are used because we know in advance that what we are about to say could be misunderstood!

Because of the importance of checking our understanding in effective communication, the receiver will offer feedback to the sender, checking and testing understanding, making sure that they are clear on what has been said.

Feedback represents a unique form of message – sent in response to other messages – and like other messages, can take many forms: a frown, a smile, a shake or nod of the head, a punch in the mouth – these are all forms of feedback!  Feedback tells you how your communication is being received, how well it is being understood – or not.  Effectiveness in communicating with others depends greatly on your ability to give and receive appropriate feedback.

Once the sender has given some feedback, the communications cycle is complete! The sender who started the whole process receives a message back from the receiver, and the cycle continues as they now decode the message they are receiving, develop an understanding, and give feedback.

The Communication Pie

When people use spoken languages to communicate they don’t just listen to what is said in order to understand the message. They also look at the person who is speaking to see what their body is doing, and listen to the way they are saying the words. This helps them understand the full message.

Studies tell us that the percentage of understanding that is gained from the spoken word is considerably less than the meaning that people gain from listening to a person’s tone of voice and looking at their non-verbal communication.

Chapter Nine:    Passenger Service Excellence

Overview

Airlines main activity is safely transporting passengers and freight from one place to another, and many airlines achieve that satisfactorily most or all of the time.

The best airlines go beyond that and seek to deliver those passengers and freight in a way that exceeds customer expectations. This type of service is known as excellent or quality service. These airlines are working to a customer service model that not only produces passengers who are satisfied on the day of their experience, but who will become a frequent and loyal customer, returning again and again to the same airline to repeat their experience.

These passengers will tell their family, friends and business colleagues about this great airline, acting as an unpaid ambassador on their behalf! It is well known that one of the key ways to achieve higher sales in any business is to get recommendations, and the best ones of all are from word-of-mouth from existing customers.

This chapter will provide you with some insights into what makes excellence passenger service different to service that is simply satisfactory, or even less than satisfactory! How can an airline differentiate itself in a crowded market? What can it do to be better than the rest?

Most importantly this Chapter will help you to understand what YOU, as a member of an airlines’ staff, can do to deliver excellent customer service consistently, ensuring your employment and career promotion along the way.

Remember that anybody can deliver ordinary customer service, it takes skill to rise above that and to be excellent!

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Recommend appropriate actions to ensure optimum passenger satisfaction with service delivery
• Identify a problem solving model
• Identify key principles of effective communication
• Identify the impact of body language on communications effectiveness

Introduction

When employers are asked, ‘What is the most important quality or skill that you look for when employing new staff?’ guess what their answer is?

“Good communication skills!”

It is THE most important skill to develop for success – not only in the airline business but in all service industries where you deal with people.

The aim of this Chapter is to help you achieve success – not just at work, but at home, with friends, family – with EVERYBODY that you deal with!’

For success in the workplace – how can we work towards delivering quality service not just to customers, but also to colleagues and workmates? How can we ensure that we make the most of every day?

This Chapter is about developing a quality approach to PEOPLE – one which will bring it’s own rewards, where you will learn to demonstrate the type of communication and attitudes that you would like to receive, where ‘winning’ is a two way process.

Airlines are competitive places, and we will help you develop communication skills that will make you stand out above others. To reach that standard you will need to work on the ‘underpinning’ attitudes that will help you achieve success – a positive attitude, a ‘can do’ approach, and a willingness to participate in new and different things.

This chapter will give you an insight into excellent communication skills. However, to seriously learn such communication skills, we suggest you look at purchasing “Winning with Customers”. This is another quality publication by the International Travel College of New Zealand.

Chapter Nine:    Passenger Service Excellence

Overview

Airlines main activity is safely transporting passengers and freight from one place to another, and many airlines achieve that satisfactorily most or all of the time.

The best airlines go beyond that and seek to deliver those passengers and freight in a way that exceeds customer expectations. This type of service is known as excellent or quality service. These airlines are working to a customer service model that not only produces passengers who are satisfied on the day of their experience, but who will become a frequent and loyal customer, returning again and again to the same airline to repeat their experience.

These passengers will tell their family, friends and business colleagues about this great airline, acting as an unpaid ambassador on their behalf! It is well known that one of the key ways to achieve higher sales in any business is to get recommendations, and the best ones of all are from word-of-mouth from existing customers.

This chapter will provide you with some insights into what makes excellence passenger service different to service that is simply satisfactory, or even less than satisfactory! How can an airline differentiate itself in a crowded market? What can it do to be better than the rest?

Most importantly this Chapter will help you to understand what YOU, as a member of an airlines’ staff, can do to deliver excellent customer service consistently, ensuring your employment and career promotion along the way.

Remember that anybody can deliver ordinary customer service, it takes skill to rise above that and to be excellent!

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Recommend appropriate actions to ensure optimum passenger satisfaction with service delivery
• Identify a problem solving model
• Identify key principles of effective communication
• Identify the impact of body language on communications effectiveness

Introduction

When employers are asked, ‘What is the most important quality or skill that you look for when employing new staff?’ guess what their answer is?

“Good communication skills!”

It is THE most important skill to develop for success – not only in the airline business but in all service industries where you deal with people.

The aim of this Chapter is to help you achieve success – not just at work, but at home, with friends, family – with EVERYBODY that you deal with!’

For success in the workplace – how can we work towards delivering quality service not just to customers, but also to colleagues and workmates? How can we ensure that we make the most of every day?

This Chapter is about developing a quality approach to PEOPLE – one which will bring it’s own rewards, where you will learn to demonstrate the type of communication and attitudes that you would like to receive, where ‘winning’ is a two way process.

Airlines are competitive places, and we will help you develop communication skills that will make you stand out above others. To reach that standard you will need to work on the ‘underpinning’ attitudes that will help you achieve success – a positive attitude, a ‘can do’ approach, and a willingness to participate in new and different things.

This chapter will give you an insight into excellent communication skills. However, to seriously learn such communication skills, we suggest you look at purchasing “Winning with Customers”. This is another quality publication by the International Travel College of New Zealand.

Chapter Nine:    Passenger Service Excellence

Overview

Airlines main activity is safely transporting passengers and freight from one place to another, and many airlines achieve that satisfactorily most or all of the time.

The best airlines go beyond that and seek to deliver those passengers and freight in a way that exceeds customer expectations. This type of service is known as excellent or quality service. These airlines are working to a customer service model that not only produces passengers who are satisfied on the day of their experience, but who will become a frequent and loyal customer, returning again and again to the same airline to repeat their experience.

These passengers will tell their family, friends and business colleagues about this great airline, acting as an unpaid ambassador on their behalf! It is well known that one of the key ways to achieve higher sales in any business is to get recommendations, and the best ones of all are from word-of-mouth from existing customers.

This chapter will provide you with some insights into what makes excellence passenger service different to service that is simply satisfactory, or even less than satisfactory! How can an airline differentiate itself in a crowded market? What can it do to be better than the rest?

Most importantly this Chapter will help you to understand what YOU, as a member of an airlines’ staff, can do to deliver excellent customer service consistently, ensuring your employment and career promotion along the way.

Remember that anybody can deliver ordinary customer service, it takes skill to rise above that and to be excellent!

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Recommend appropriate actions to ensure optimum passenger satisfaction with service delivery
• Identify a problem solving model
• Identify key principles of effective communication
• Identify the impact of body language on communications effectiveness

Introduction

When employers are asked, ‘What is the most important quality or skill that you look for when employing new staff?’ guess what their answer is?

“Good communication skills!”

It is THE most important skill to develop for success – not only in the airline business but in all service industries where you deal with people.

The aim of this Chapter is to help you achieve success – not just at work, but at home, with friends, family – with EVERYBODY that you deal with!’

For success in the workplace – how can we work towards delivering quality service not just to customers, but also to colleagues and workmates? How can we ensure that we make the most of every day?

This Chapter is about developing a quality approach to PEOPLE – one which will bring it’s own rewards, where you will learn to demonstrate the type of communication and attitudes that you would like to receive, where ‘winning’ is a two way process.

Airlines are competitive places, and we will help you develop communication skills that will make you stand out above others. To reach that standard you will need to work on the ‘underpinning’ attitudes that will help you achieve success – a positive attitude, a ‘can do’ approach, and a willingness to participate in new and different things.

This chapter will give you an insight into excellent communication skills. However, to seriously learn such communication skills, we suggest you look at purchasing “Winning with Customers”. This is another quality publication by the International Travel College of New Zealand.

Aircraft Positions

Each member of an aircraft crew is assigned a seating and working position for take-off and landing. This includes assignment of the aircraft doors so that flight attendants each take one door that they ensure is closed and latched prior to take off, and opened ready for passengers to disembark on arrival. Emergency exit doors are also assigned, so that in the event of an emergency flight attendants can be relied upon to open all available emergency doors and help passengers evacuate.

Aircraft positions and responsibilities are established in the pre-flight Crew briefing conducted by the Cabin Manager for that flight. The Cabin Manager allocates positions to the crew, along with specific tasks and responsibilities for the flight.

Chain of Command

The Captain is the person in-charge of the aircraft, and leads the operational brief at the pre-flight briefing. The Cabin Manager is directly responsible to the Captain and the Pursers report directly to the Cabin Managers. Flight attendants usually report directly to the Pursers, or on flights where there are no Pursers, directly to the Cabin Managers.

These titles and chains of command differ from airline to airline, but are commonly used within the airline world. For Virgin the following applies: Captain – First Officer – Cabin Supervisor/manager  – Senior Cabin Crew member – Cabin Crew members.

In many cases the flight attendants have overlapping responsibilities which is why it is so important to be able to operate as an efficient team – helping colleagues with their work and doing what’s needed to complete all the on-board activities efficiently.

Training

Airlines carry out their own flight attendant training once they have been recruited regardless of what previous training and experience new recruits already have. This ensures that new staff are familiar with all aspects of the airline’s operation and are trained in the operating standards of the airline, and in the actual aircraft the airline uses.

Initial training usually lasts for around 4 -7 weeks, and during that time trainees are usually given accommodation at or near the training centre. Most airlines will confirm final job offers once new recruits successfully complete their training – so trainees are expected to work and study hard during their training period.

The first two weeks of most flight attending courses are spent on Personal Grooming and Cabin Services and it is usually a requirement to ‘pass’ these first two weeks to be able to continue on the rest of the course.

Personal Grooming training includes everything from hair styles, the art of a close shave make up and care and maintenance of the airline uniform.

Cabin Service training includes  how to deliver a beverage trolley service, what wines to recommend to accompany different meals, the delivery of different meal services [breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks] as well as tea and coffee services.

Much of the training is conducted by current flight attendants or dedicated training staff. The training can be intense and once a candidate passes this section they are normally accepted to fly with the airline. Some of the other subjects covered in training include:

• In-flight meal service
• Special meals and needs of passengers
• In-flight bar service
• In-flight Duty Free Shopping
• In-flight passenger safety and comfort
• Time zones
• Airport codes
• Ordering and replenishing of dry goods
• Ordering and replenishing of bars
• Customer service off the aircraft
• Looking after mums with babies
• Language skills

Trainees are taught safety procedures, such as emergency procedures, how to operate emergency systems, and how to deal with terrorist and hijacking situations.

Trainees also learn about the factors of flight and acquire the ability to identify and describe technical features of a variety of aircraft. This is valuable information as flight attendants will be required to fly on many different aircraft and will be expected to know the safety and emergency features on those.

Any flight can and does carry the element of surprise! Small fires can occur and flight attendants must be able to extinguish in-flight fires in a calm and confident manner. Prevention techniques and basic fire fighting skills are taught to flight attendants to prepare them for this eventuality.

How to handle minor medical emergencies is covered in any flight attending training course, providing trainees with the skills to deal with a range of incidents that can occur during a flight. Training includes basic CPR, wound treatment and a general understanding of medical procedures to assist passengers until fully trained medical personnel can take over the situation.

Initial training also covers interpersonal communication skills, particularly useful when working with people from differing nationalities and cultures. This helps new flight attendants to deliver a confident, professional level of service to the airlines’ passengers.

Towards the end of training practice flights form part of the programme, with trainee flight attendants putting their newly learnt skills into practice.

After graduation as a flight attendant annual training in emergency procedures is provided to maintain high safety standards.  This includes training in emergency landings, including ‘ditching’ in water, therefore it is important to note that a pre-requisite of selection for a flight attendant role is the ability to swim unaided.

Employment Opportunities and Requirements

There are usually minimum age requirements that vary between airlines.  Most airlines will not recruit flight attendants under 18 years, and 50 tends to be the maximum, although many American airlines have no upper age limit due to employment legislation in the USA.

There are equal opportunities for males and females, married, single, divorced, and people with or without children.

Applicants must have excellent health and the ability to fluently speak the main language of the country in which they are based. Both these qualities are tested at interview and prior to any offer of a cabin crew position with an airline.

Airlines traditionally place high emphasis on physical and appearance requirements. There are height requirements in place so that flight attendants can reach overhead bins safely. These bins contain safety and emergency equipment and easy access is a key requirement for cabin crew staff.  Most airlines look for candidates who have a good height to weight ratio which is important in many front-line roles, and also important in view of the restricted aisle space on aircraft, the prime workplace for airline cabin crew.

Although not compulsory, applicants who have had college or work experience have a better chance of being selected for the initial interview. A second language is also looked upon as a plus.

Applications must possess good interpersonal skills; have a friendly disposition and good customer service skills.

Aircraft Positions

Each member of an aircraft crew is assigned a seating and working position for takeoff and landing. This includes assignment of the aircraft doors so that flight attendants each take one door that they ensure is closed and latched prior to take off, and opened ready for passengers to disembark on arrival. Emergency exit doors are also assigned, so that in the event of an emergency flight attendants can be relied upon to open all available emergency doors and help passengers evacuate.

Aircraft positions and responsibilities are established in the pre-flight Crew briefing conducted by the Cabin Manager for that flight. The Cabin Manager allocates positions to the crew, along with specific tasks and responsibilities for the flight.

Chain of Command

The Captain is the person in-charge of the aircraft, and leads the operational brief at the pre-flight briefing. The Cabin Manager is directly responsible to the Captain and the Pursers report directly to the Cabin Managers. Flight attendants usually report directly to the Pursers, or on flights where there are no Pursers, directly to the Cabin Managers.

These titles and chains of command differ from airline to airline, but are commonly used within the airline world. For Virgin the following applies: Captain – First Officer – Cabin Supervisor/manager  – Senior Cabin Crew member – Cabin Crew members.

In many cases the flight attendants have overlapping responsibilities which is why it is so important to be able to operate as an efficient team – helping colleagues with their work and doing what’s needed to complete all the on-board activities efficiently.

Training

Airlines carry out their own flight attendant training once they have been recruited regardless of what previous training and experience new recruits already have. This ensures that new staff are familiar with all aspects of the airline’s operation and are trained in the operating standards of the airline, and in the actual aircraft the airline uses.

Initial training usually lasts for around 4 -7 weeks, and during that time trainees are usually given accommodation at or near the training centre. Most airlines will confirm final job offers once new recruits successfully complete their training – so trainees are expected to work and study hard during their training period.

The first two weeks of most flight attending courses are spent on Personal Grooming and Cabin Services and it is usually a requirement to ‘pass’ these first two weeks to be able to continue on the rest of the course.

Personal Grooming training includes everything from hair styles, the art of a close shave make up and care and maintenance of the airline uniform.

Cabin Service training includes  how to deliver a beverage trolley service, what wines to recommend to accompany different meals, the delivery of different meal services [breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks] as well as tea and coffee services.

Much of the training is conducted by current flight attendants or dedicated training staff. The training can be intense and once a candidate passes this section they are normally accepted to fly with the airline. Some of the other subjects covered in training include:

• In-flight meal service
• Special meals and needs of passengers
• In-flight bar service
• In-flight Duty Free Shopping
• In-flight passenger safety and comfort
• Time zones
• Airport codes
• Ordering and replenishing of dry goods
• Ordering and replenishing of bars
• Customer service off the aircraft
• Looking after mums with babies
• Language skills

Trainees are taught safety procedures, such as emergency procedures, how to operate emergency systems, and how to deal with terrorist and hijacking situations.

Trainees also learn about the factors of flight and acquire the ability to identify and describe technical features of a variety of aircraft. This is valuable information as flight attendants will be required to fly on many different aircraft and will be expected to know the safety and emergency features on those.

Any flight can and does carry the element of surprise! Small fires can occur and flight attendants must be able to extinguish in-flight fires in a calm and confident manner. Prevention techniques and basic fire fighting skills are taught to flight attendants to prepare them for this eventuality.

How to handle minor medical emergencies is covered in any flight attending training course, providing trainees with the skills to deal with a range of incidents that can occur during a flight. Training includes basic CPR, wound treatment and a general understanding of medical procedures to assist passengers until fully trained medical personnel can take over the situation.

Initial training also covers interpersonal communication skills, particularly useful when working with people from differing nationalities and cultures. This helps new flight attendants to deliver a confident, professional level of service to the airlines’ passengers.

Towards the end of training practice flights form part of the programme, with trainee flight attendants putting their newly learnt skills into practice.

After graduation as a flight attendant annual training in emergency procedures is provided to maintain high safety standards.  This includes training in emergency landings, including ‘ditching’ in water, therefore it is important to note that a pre-requisite of selection for a flight attendant role is the ability to swim unaided.

Employment Opportunities and Requirements

There are usually minimum age requirements that vary between airlines.  Most airlines will not recruit flight attendants under 18 years, and 50 tends to be the maximum, although many American airlines have no upper age limit due to employment legislation in the USA.

There are equal opportunities for males and females, married, single, divorced, and people with or without children.

Applicants must have excellent health and the ability to fluently speak the main language of the country in which they are based. Both these qualities are tested at interview and prior to any offer of a cabin crew position with an airline.

Airlines traditionally place high emphasis on physical and appearance requirements. There are height requirements in place so that flight attendants can reach overhead bins safely. These bins contain safety and emergency equipment and easy access is a key requirement for cabin crew staff.  Most airlines look for candidates who have a good height to weight ratio which is important in many front-line roles, and also important in view of the restricted aisle space on aircraft, the prime workplace for airline cabin crew.

Although not compulsory, applicants who have had college or work experience have a better chance of being selected for the initial interview. A second language is also looked upon as a plus.

Applications must possess good interpersonal skills; have a friendly disposition and good customer service skills.

Aircraft Positions

Each member of an aircraft crew is assigned a seating and working position for takeoff and landing. This includes assignment of the aircraft doors so that flight attendants each take one door that they ensure is closed and latched prior to take off, and opened ready for passengers to disembark on arrival. Emergency exit doors are also assigned, so that in the event of an emergency flight attendants can be relied upon to open all available emergency doors and help passengers evacuate.

Aircraft positions and responsibilities are established in the pre-flight Crew briefing conducted by the Cabin Manager for that flight. The Cabin Manager allocates positions to the crew, along with specific tasks and responsibilities for the flight.

Chain of Command

The Captain is the person in-charge of the aircraft, and leads the operational brief at the pre-flight briefing. The Cabin Manager is directly responsible to the Captain and the Pursers report directly to the Cabin Managers. Flight attendants usually report directly to the Pursers, or on flights where there are no Pursers, directly to the Cabin Managers.

These titles and chains of command differ from airline to airline, but are commonly used within the airline world. For Virgin the following applies: Captain – First Officer – Cabin Supervisor/manager  – Senior Cabin Crew member – Cabin Crew members.

In many cases the flight attendants have overlapping responsibilities which is why it is so important to be able to operate as an efficient team – helping colleagues with their work and doing what’s needed to complete all the on-board activities efficiently.

Training

Airlines carry out their own flight attendant training once they have been recruited regardless of what previous training and experience new recruits already have. This ensures that new staff are familiar with all aspects of the airline’s operation and are trained in the operating standards of the airline, and in the actual aircraft the airline uses.

Initial training usually lasts for around 4 -7 weeks, and during that time trainees are usually given accommodation at or near the training centre. Most airlines will confirm final job offers once new recruits successfully complete their training – so trainees are expected to work and study hard during their training period.

The first two weeks of most flight attending courses are spent on Personal Grooming and Cabin Services and it is usually a requirement to ‘pass’ these first two weeks to be able to continue on the rest of the course.

Personal Grooming training includes everything from hair styles, the art of a close shave make up and care and maintenance of the airline uniform.

Cabin Service training includes  how to deliver a beverage trolley service, what wines to recommend to accompany different meals, the delivery of different meal services [breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks] as well as tea and coffee services.

Much of the training is conducted by current flight attendants or dedicated training staff. The training can be intense and once a candidate passes this section they are normally accepted to fly with the airline. Some of the other subjects covered in training include:

• In-flight meal service
• Special meals and needs of passengers
• In-flight bar service
• In-flight Duty Free Shopping
• In-flight passenger safety and comfort
• Time zones
• Airport codes
• Ordering and replenishing of dry goods
• Ordering and replenishing of bars
• Customer service off the aircraft
• Looking after mums with babies
• Language skills

Trainees are taught safety procedures, such as emergency procedures, how to operate emergency systems, and how to deal with terrorist and hijacking situations.

Trainees also learn about the factors of flight and acquire the ability to identify and describe technical features of a variety of aircraft. This is valuable information as flight attendants will be required to fly on many different aircraft and will be expected to know the safety and emergency features on those.

Any flight can and does carry the element of surprise! Small fires can occur and flight attendants must be able to extinguish in-flight fires in a calm and confident manner. Prevention techniques and basic fire fighting skills are taught to flight attendants to prepare them for this eventuality.

How to handle minor medical emergencies is covered in any flight attending training course, providing trainees with the skills to deal with a range of incidents that can occur during a flight. Training includes basic CPR, wound treatment and a general understanding of medical procedures to assist passengers until fully trained medical personnel can take over the situation.

Initial training also covers interpersonal communication skills, particularly useful when working with people from differing nationalities and cultures. This helps new flight attendants to deliver a confident, professional level of service to the airlines’ passengers.

Towards the end of training practice flights form part of the programme, with trainee flight attendants putting their newly learnt skills into practice.

After graduation as a flight attendant annual training in emergency procedures is provided to maintain high safety standards.  This includes training in emergency landings, including ‘ditching’ in water, therefore it is important to note that a pre-requisite of selection for a flight attendant role is the ability to swim unaided.

Employment Opportunities and Requirements

There are usually minimum age requirements that vary between airlines.  Most airlines will not recruit flight attendants under 18 years, and 50 tends to be the maximum, although many American airlines have no upper age limit due to employment legislation in the USA.

There are equal opportunities for males and females, married, single, divorced, and people with or without children.

Applicants must have excellent health and the ability to fluently speak the main language of the country in which they are based. Both these qualities are tested at interview and prior to any offer of a cabin crew position with an airline.

Airlines traditionally place high emphasis on physical and appearance requirements. There are height requirements in place so that flight attendants can reach overhead bins safely. These bins contain safety and emergency equipment and easy access is a key requirement for cabin crew staff.  Most airlines look for candidates who have a good height to weight ratio which is important in many front-line roles, and also important in view of the restricted aisle space on aircraft, the prime workplace for airline cabin crew.

Although not compulsory, applicants who have had college or work experience have a better chance of being selected for the initial interview. A second language is also looked upon as a plus.

Applications must possess good interpersonal skills; have a friendly disposition and good customer service skills.

Personal Attributes

As a member of an air cabin crew, you should be:

• Customer focussed and friendly
• Responsible and professional
• Tactful but assertive
• Resourceful and alert
• A supportive and responsive team player
• Calm under pressure and in emergencies
• Confident, friendly and good with people
• Empathetic and reassuring towards people who are anxious or upset
• Flexible and adaptable to differing work situations
• Confident with money and written communications
• Good standards of literacy and numeracy
• Destination knowledge

Attitude is everything when applying for a position with an airline, and airlines will look closely at your attitude and personality to see if you have the passion, flexibility, adaptability and stamina to tackle such a job.

Whether it’s in the airport terminal or on an airplane, or en route to work, when you’re wearing the flight attendant uniform – YOU are representing the company. You should aim to leave the customer/potential customer feeling good about your airline because of your actions, more likely to travel with your airline again in the future.

Crew Structure

Flight attendants form part of an overall crew that flies the aircraft and takes care of passenger safety and comfort.

A crew varies in size depending on the aircraft. Aircraft with fewer than 20 seats usually don’t feature any cabin crew as the pilot and co-pilot will help with any passenger related issues.

Aircraft above that size may start with only 4-6 crew, including the pilot who flies the aircraft, a co-pilot who acts as navigator, and four cabin crew who handle the passengers.

Large aircraft, such as an Airbus A380 that carries 500 passengers will have 20 crew in total.  Air New Zealand A320 features four cabin crew on the aircraft although more crew might be carried if for training purposes or if it is an observation flight. A typical Boeing 747 (jumbo jet) often has a crew of between 14–16, depending on the seating configuration of the aircraft.

Flight crew numbers vary depending on the type of aircraft and route. For example, long haul destinations may require a total of 5 in the flight crew, with two Captains, a First Officer, and two flight engineers. The Captains and First Officer will fly the aircraft in shifts, moving into the rest area to sleep after their shift is over. (Nobody wants to be on an aircraft with a tired pilot!) The flight engineers will also work in shifts to ensure that at all times there is an engineer on the flight deck.

In terms of flight attendants, as a general rule, airlines assign one flight attendants for each 50 passengers in economy class, one flight attendant per 30 passengers in Business Class, and one flight attendant per 20 passengers in First Class.

The configuration of the aircraft also determines the overall size of the crew, as each aircraft exit must be ‘manned’ by a cabin crew member, so aircraft with more doors require a larger crew. The route the aircraft is serving also affects the overall size of the crew, as a shorter route requires more intense passenger service as time is limited, thus the crew will often be larger in order to ensure that all passengers enjoy meal service before landing.

These flight attendants will be supervised and managed by a senior cabin crew member, such as an on board Cabin Manager or Chief Purser. The titles vary from airline to airline, but essentially these roles are restricted to larger aircraft types, and are dedicated to the management of the passenger cabin.

The Cabin Manager is the key person who liaises directly with the flight crew, confirming when the passenger cabin is secure for take off and landing, and makes all on-board passenger announcements. The Cabin Manager reports any anomalies in the passenger cabin, either with passengers or equipment, and is responsible for checking and managing the passenger manifest that provides information on the passengers booked on that flight. The Cabin Manager also accounts for documentation and paperwork.

In addition to the Cabin Manager larger aircraft may also have 2-4 senior crew members on board such as Pursers. Pursers are flight attendants that have been promoted to a more senior role after a mandatory number of years service. They assist the Cabin Manager with the management of the cabin and are given additional responsibilities during flight.

Airlines may also employ additional crew members, such as the Air New Zealand position of ‘Concierge’. This role provides an extra service to passengers before boarding and in-flight,  providing passenger support, information and help with onward travel arrangements where needed. Some airlines restrict this service to Business and First Class passengers only. Checkout this feature on the Concierge service with Air Canada.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/31/style/31iht-trfreq_ed3__1.html

Check out this Air New Zealand web page that provides more information on their particular Concierge service.

http://www.airnewzealand.com/press-release-2007-air-nz-launches-concierge-13dec07

In addition, Flight Attendants will be provided with additional hospitality training so they can develop skills and knowledge in:

• Food service – including silver service with airlines where first class service is offered
• Drinks service – tea and coffee, alcoholic and soft drinks
• Food safety and hygiene

Personal Attributes

As a member of an air cabin crew, you should be:

• Customer focussed and friendly
• Responsible and professional
• Tactful but assertive
• Resourceful and alert
• A supportive and responsive team player
• Calm under pressure and in emergencies
• Confident, friendly and good with people
• Empathetic and reassuring towards people who are anxious or upset
• Flexible and adaptable to differing work situations
• Confident with money and written communications
• Good standards of literacy and numeracy
• Destination knowledge

Attitude is everything when applying for a position with an airline, and airlines will look closely at your attitude and personality to see if you have the passion, flexibility, adaptability and stamina to tackle such a job.

Whether it’s in the airport terminal or on an airplane, or en route to work, when you’re wearing the flight attendant uniform – YOU are representing the company. You should aim to leave the customer/potential customer feeling good about your airline because of your actions, more likely to travel with your airline again in the future.

Crew Structure

Flight attendants form part of an overall crew that flies the aircraft and takes care of passenger safety and comfort.

A crew varies in size depending on the aircraft. Aircraft with fewer than 20 seats usually don’t feature any cabin crew as the pilot and co-pilot will help with any passenger related issues.

Aircraft above that size may start with only 4-6 crew, including the pilot who flies the aircraft, a co-pilot who acts as navigator, and four cabin crew who handle the passengers.

Large aircraft, such as an Airbus A380 that carries 500 passengers will have 20 crew in total.  Air New Zealand A320 features four cabin crew on the aircraft although more crew might be carried if for training purposes or if it is an observation flight. A typical Boeing 747 (jumbo jet) often has a crew of between 14–16, depending on the seating configuration of the aircraft.

Flight crew numbers vary depending on the type of aircraft and route. For example, long haul destinations may require a total of 5 in the flight crew, with two Captains, a First Officer, and two flight engineers. The Captains and First Officer will fly the aircraft in shifts, moving into the rest area to sleep after their shift is over. (Nobody wants to be on an aircraft with a tired pilot!) The flight engineers will also work in shifts to ensure that at all times there is an engineer on the flight deck.

In terms of flight attendants, as a general rule, airlines assign one flight attendants for each 50 passengers in economy class, one flight attendant per 30 passengers in Business Class, and one flight attendant per 20 passengers in First Class.

The configuration of the aircraft also determines the overall size of the crew, as each aircraft exit must be ‘manned’ by a cabin crew member, so aircraft with more doors require a larger crew. The route the aircraft is serving also affects the overall size of the crew, as a shorter route requires more intense passenger service as time is limited, thus the crew will often be larger in order to ensure that all passengers enjoy meal service before landing.

These flight attendants will be supervised and managed by a senior cabin crew member, such as an on board Cabin Manager or Chief Purser. The titles vary from airline to airline, but essentially these roles are restricted to larger aircraft types, and are dedicated to the management of the passenger cabin.

The Cabin Manager is the key person who liaises directly with the flight crew, confirming when the passenger cabin is secure for take off and landing, and makes all on-board passenger announcements. The Cabin Manager reports any anomalies in the passenger cabin, either with passengers or equipment, and is responsible for checking and managing the passenger manifest that provides information on the passengers booked on that flight. The Cabin Manager also accounts for documentation and paperwork.

In addition to the Cabin Manager larger aircraft may also have 2-4 senior crew members on board such as Pursers. Pursers are flight attendants that have been promoted to a more senior role after a mandatory number of years service. They assist the Cabin Manager with the management of the cabin and are given additional responsibilities during flight.

Airlines may also employ additional crew members, such as the Air New Zealand position of ‘Concierge’. This role provides an extra service to passengers before boarding and in-flight,  providing passenger support, information and help with onward travel arrangements where needed. Some airlines restrict this service to Business and First Class passengers only. Checkout this feature on the Concierge service with Air Canada.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/31/style/31iht-trfreq_ed3__1.html

Check out this Air New Zealand web page that provides more information on their particular Concierge service.

http://www.airnewzealand.com/press-release-2007-air-nz-launches-concierge-13dec07

In addition, Flight Attendants will be provided with additional hospitality training so they can develop skills and knowledge in:

• Food service – including silver service with airlines where first class service is offered
• Drinks service – tea and coffee, alcoholic and soft drinks
• Food safety and hygiene

Personal Attributes

As a member of an air cabin crew, you should be:

• Customer focussed and friendly
• Responsible and professional
• Tactful but assertive
• Resourceful and alert
• A supportive and responsive team player
• Calm under pressure and in emergencies
• Confident, friendly and good with people
• Empathetic and reassuring towards people who are anxious or upset
• Flexible and adaptable to differing work situations
• Confident with money and written communications
• Good standards of literacy and numeracy
• Destination knowledge

Attitude is everything when applying for a position with an airline, and airlines will look closely at your attitude and personality to see if you have the passion, flexibility, adaptability and stamina to tackle such a job.

Whether it’s in the airport terminal or on an airplane, or en route to work, when you’re wearing the flight attendant uniform – YOU are representing the company. You should aim to leave the customer/potential customer feeling good about your airline because of your actions, more likely to travel with your airline again in the future.

Crew Structure

Flight attendants form part of an overall crew that flies the aircraft and takes care of passenger safety and comfort.

A crew varies in size depending on the aircraft. Aircraft with fewer than 20 seats usually don’t feature any cabin crew as the pilot and co-pilot will help with any passenger related issues.

Aircraft above that size may start with only 4-6 crew, including the pilot who flies the aircraft, a co-pilot who acts as navigator, and four cabin crew who handle the passengers.

Large aircraft, such as an Airbus A380 that carries 500 passengers will have 20 crew in total.  Air New Zealand A320 features four cabin crew on the aircraft although more crew might be carried if for training purposes or if it is an observation flight. A typical Boeing 747 (jumbo jet) often has a crew of between 14–16, depending on the seating configuration of the aircraft.

Flight crew numbers vary depending on the type of aircraft and route. For example, long haul destinations may require a total of 5 in the flight crew, with two Captains, a First Officer, and two flight engineers. The Captains and First Officer will fly the aircraft in shifts, moving into the rest area to sleep after their shift is over. (Nobody wants to be on an aircraft with a tired pilot!) The flight engineers will also work in shifts to ensure that at all times there is an engineer on the flight deck.

In terms of flight attendants, as a general rule, airlines assign one flight attendants for each 50 passengers in economy class, one flight attendant per 30 passengers in Business Class, and one flight attendant per 20 passengers in First Class.

The configuration of the aircraft also determines the overall size of the crew, as each aircraft exit must be ‘manned’ by a cabin crew member, so aircraft with more doors require a larger crew. The route the aircraft is serving also affects the overall size of the crew, as a shorter route requires more intense passenger service as time is limited, thus the crew will often be larger in order to ensure that all passengers enjoy meal service before landing.

These flight attendants will be supervised and managed by a senior cabin crew member, such as an on board Cabin Manager or Chief Purser. The titles vary from airline to airline, but essentially these roles are restricted to larger aircraft types, and are dedicated to the management of the passenger cabin.

The Cabin Manager is the key person who liaises directly with the flight crew, confirming when the passenger cabin is secure for take off and landing, and makes all on-board passenger announcements. The Cabin Manager reports any anomalies in the passenger cabin, either with passengers or equipment, and is responsible for checking and managing the passenger manifest that provides information on the passengers booked on that flight. The Cabin Manager also accounts for documentation and paperwork.

In addition to the Cabin Manager larger aircraft may also have 2-4 senior crew members on board such as Pursers. Pursers are flight attendants that have been promoted to a more senior role after a mandatory number of years service. They assist the Cabin Manager with the management of the cabin and are given additional responsibilities during flight.

Airlines may also employ additional crew members, such as the Air New Zealand position of ‘Concierge’. This role provides an extra service to passengers before boarding and in-flight,  providing passenger support, information and help with onward travel arrangements where needed. Some airlines restrict this service to Business and First Class passengers only. Checkout this feature on the Concierge service with Air Canada.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/31/style/31iht-trfreq_ed3__1.html

Check out this Air New Zealand web page that provides more information on their particular Concierge service.

http://www.airnewzealand.com/press-release-2007-air-nz-launches-concierge-13dec07

In addition, Flight Attendants will be provided with additional hospitality training so they can develop skills and knowledge in:

• Food service – including silver service with airlines where first class service is offered
• Drinks service – tea and coffee, alcoholic and soft drinks
• Food safety and hygiene

Working Conditions

Flight attendants work out of a base city and fly on routes determined by the airline that employs them. For a flight attendant working on domestic routes this may involve flying to and from your home city to other parts of the country several times a day.

For flight attendants working on international routes considerable amounts of time are spent overseas. For example, you might be based in Auckland and fly often to Los Angeles, where you may spend a couple of days on ‘layover’ and then fly back, or fly onwards to London with another layover there. During these layovers the airline pays accommodation, meals and transfer costs associated with getting to the hotel and back to the airport. Air crews usually stay in good standard hotels providing comfortable well equipped rooms where the crew rest and recuperate ready for their next duty.

Because airlines operate around the clock year round, flight attendants regularly work nights, holidays and weekends. Scheduled on-duty time is usually limited to 12 hours per day, but crews working international routes may work significantly more than that.

The working week for a flight attendant can be very variable, with time spent working both on the ground and in the air. A typical flight attendant may spend around 80 to 90 hours in the air each month (around 65% of total job time), with around 50 hours a month (35% of the job time) spent on the ground preparing for flights, compiling reports and waiting for flights to arrive and depart.

With about one-third of the time away from home it’s a job that can impact on family and social life, but flight attendants get about 11 days off per month, usually taken in chunks of 3-4 days, making up for the time lost during layovers.

Unlike many jobs, most of the flight attendants time is spent working whilst on-the-move! It’s a physically demanding job as time is spent standing or walking about the aircraft. It can feel like walking uphill all the time due to the tilt of the aircraft so can be very tiring on the feet and legs! Jetlag tends to be a problem for passengers and crew alike, particularly when crossing numbers of time zones. Airline crews often travel round the world with only a few days break between trips, and this can cause high levels of fatigue and stress. Working on aircraft during flights that incur turbulence (pockets of air that causes the aircraft to suddenly drop or rise) can be very uncomfortable or even dangerous.

Because of the demands on airline crew you will need to be in good health before an airline will consider employing you, and rigorous health checks form part of the recruitment process. Even if you are in apparent good health you’ll need to be sure that you don’t suffer from motion sickness before you apply for cabin crew jobs. It would be a huge disappointment if you were accepted into the role, went through the training then discovered you were susceptible to travel sickness!

It certainly is a young persons’ job, and flight attendants frequently retire from flying in their thirties or forties at the latest.  Common health problems that flight attendants present with include back injuries (from heavy lifting of baggage, wielding service carts around, handling heavy trays etc) and illnesses related to irregular sleeping and eating patterns. Dealing with tired and disgruntled passengers is also a problem that flight attendants have to deal with and as you can’t escape the unhappy passengers this can seem quite stressful at the time! Spending a lot of time at altitude also has significant effects on the body and the pressurized air conditions and breathing of recycled air can result in a range of health and appearance problems over time.

The amount of time spent away from home may change from job to job. Delays and cancellations could mean rostered hours are disrupted at short notice so flight attendants need to be flexible and adaptable in their expectations of when they’ll be at work/when they’ll finish work. It can be hard to plan ahead in case your shift changes, and if you are on ‘stand-by’ you are expected to be readily available in case a colleague is sick and unable to work.

All airlines place high emphasis on the appearance of their crew who are expected to have a smart uniformed appearance at all times, from arriving at the airport till leaving the airport at the end of a duty. Flight attendants are known the world over for their ‘glamorous’ appearance and strict uniform codes are in place with all airlines, although some are stricter than others!

It is also a very competitive industry to get into, as more people apply for flight attending roles than there are positions available. It’s a career that’s always in demand, and although the long, irregular hours can be physically exhausting, the benefits, such as travelling around the world, discounted air travel etc, make it worth while.

Skills and knowledge needed by flight attendants

You may already have some of the knowledge needed for flight attending, and it may even be that having that knowledge helps you to secure the job! In addition to any knowledge you already have at recruitment the airline ensures that its new flight attendants are up-skilled and trained in key areas relating to the role:

• Airline and travel terminology
• Aircraft emergency procedures
• Operation of emergency equipment
• 24 hour clock
• Calculations of journey times around the world
• City and airport codes
• Airline regulatory bodies
• Airline law enforcement
• Airport authority and security procedures.
• First aid and CPR
• Providing service to a wide range of passengers
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Organisational and time management skills
• Good standards of literacy and numeracy
• Destinational knowledge

In addition, Flight Attendants will be provided with additional hospitality training so they can develop skills and knowledge in:

• Food service – including silver service with airlines where first class service is offered
• Drinks service – tea and coffee, alcoholic and soft drinks
• Food safety and hygiene

Working Conditions

Flight attendants work out of a base city and fly on routes determined by the airline that employs them. For a flight attendant working on domestic routes this may involve flying to and from your home city to other parts of the country several times a day.

For flight attendants working on international routes considerable amounts of time are spent overseas. For example, you might be based in Auckland and fly often to Los Angeles, where you may spend a couple of days on ‘layover’ and then fly back, or fly onwards to London with another layover there. During these layovers the airline pays accommodation, meals and transfer costs associated with getting to the hotel and back to the airport. Air crews usually stay in good standard hotels providing comfortable well equipped rooms where the crew rest and recuperate ready for their next duty.

Because airlines operate around the clock year round, flight attendants regularly work nights, holidays and weekends. Scheduled on-duty time is usually limited to 12 hours per day, but crews working international routes may work significantly more than that.

The working week for a flight attendant can be very variable, with time spent working both on the ground and in the air. A typical flight attendant may spend around 80 to 90 hours in the air each month (around 65% of total job time), with around 50 hours a month (35% of the job time) spent on the ground preparing for flights, compiling reports and waiting for flights to arrive and depart.

With about one-third of the time away from home it’s a job that can impact on family and social life, but flight attendants get about 11 days off per month, usually taken in chunks of 3-4 days, making up for the time lost during layovers.

Unlike many jobs, most of the flight attendants time is spent working whilst on-the-move! It’s a physically demanding job as time is spent standing or walking about the aircraft. It can feel like walking uphill all the time due to the tilt of the aircraft so can be very tiring on the feet and legs! Jetlag tends to be a problem for passengers and crew alike, particularly when crossing numbers of time zones. Airline crews often travel round the world with only a few days break between trips, and this can cause high levels of fatigue and stress. Working on aircraft during flights that incur turbulence (pockets of air that causes the aircraft to suddenly drop or rise) can be very uncomfortable or even dangerous.

Because of the demands on airline crew you will need to be in good health before an airline will consider employing you, and rigorous health checks form part of the recruitment process. Even if you are in apparent good health you’ll need to be sure that you don’t suffer from motion sickness before you apply for cabin crew jobs. It would be a huge disappointment if you were accepted into the role, went through the training then discovered you were susceptible to travel sickness!

It certainly is a young persons’ job, and flight attendants frequently retire from flying in their thirties or forties at the latest.  Common health problems that flight attendants present with include back injuries (from heavy lifting of baggage, wielding service carts around, handling heavy trays etc) and illnesses related to irregular sleeping and eating patterns. Dealing with tired and disgruntled passengers is also a problem that flight attendants have to deal with and as you can’t escape the unhappy passengers this can seem quite stressful at the time! Spending a lot of time at altitude also has significant effects on the body and the pressurized air conditions and breathing of recycled air can result in a range of health and appearance problems over time.

The amount of time spent away from home may change from job to job. Delays and cancellations could mean rostered hours are disrupted at short notice so flight attendants need to be flexible and adaptable in their expectations of when they’ll be at work/when they’ll finish work. It can be hard to plan ahead in case your shift changes, and if you are on ‘stand-by’ you are expected to be readily available in case a colleague is sick and unable to work.

All airlines place high emphasis on the appearance of their crew who are expected to have a smart uniformed appearance at all times, from arriving at the airport till leaving the airport at the end of a duty. Flight attendants are known the world over for their ‘glamorous’ appearance and strict uniform codes are in place with all airlines, although some are stricter than others!

It is also a very competitive industry to get into, as more people apply for flight attending roles than there are positions available. It’s a career that’s always in demand, and although the long, irregular hours can be physically exhausting, the benefits, such as travelling around the world, discounted air travel etc, make it worth while.

Skills and knowledge needed by flight attendants

You may already have some of the knowledge needed for flight attending, and it may even be that having that knowledge helps you to secure the job! In addition to any knowledge you already have at recruitment the airline ensures that its new flight attendants are up-skilled and trained in key areas relating to the role:

• Airline and travel terminology
• Aircraft emergency procedures
• Operation of emergency equipment
• 24 hour clock
• Calculations of journey times around the world
• City and airport codes
• Airline regulatory bodies
• Airline law enforcement
• Airport authority and security procedures.
• First aid and CPR
• Providing service to a wide range of passengers
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Organisational and time management skills
• Good standards of literacy and numeracy
• Destinational knowledge

In addition, Flight Attendants will be provided with additional hospitality training so they can develop skills and knowledge in:

• Food service – including silver service with airlines where first class service is offered
• Drinks service – tea and coffee, alcoholic and soft drinks
• Food safety and hygiene

Working Conditions

Flight attendants work out of a base city and fly on routes determined by the airline that employs them. For a flight attendant working on domestic routes this may involve flying to and from your home city to other parts of the country several times a day.

For flight attendants working on international routes considerable amounts of time are spent overseas. For example, you might be based in Auckland and fly often to Los Angeles, where you may spend a couple of days on ‘layover’ and then fly back, or fly onwards to London with another layover there. During these layovers the airline pays accommodation, meals and transfer costs associated with getting to the hotel and back to the airport. Air crews usually stay in good standard hotels providing comfortable well equipped rooms where the crew rest and recuperate ready for their next duty.

Because airlines operate around the clock year round, flight attendants regularly work nights, holidays and weekends. Scheduled on-duty time is usually limited to 12 hours per day, but crews working international routes may work significantly more than that.

The working week for a flight attendant can be very variable, with time spent working both on the ground and in the air. A typical flight attendant may spend around 80 to 90 hours in the air each month (around 65% of total job time), with around 50 hours a month (35% of the job time) spent on the ground preparing for flights, compiling reports and waiting for flights to arrive and depart.

With about one-third of the time away from home it’s a job that can impact on family and social life, but flight attendants get about 11 days off per month, usually taken in chunks of 3-4 days, making up for the time lost during layovers.

Unlike many jobs, most of the flight attendants time is spent working whilst on-the-move! It’s a physically demanding job as time is spent standing or walking about the aircraft. It can feel like walking uphill all the time due to the tilt of the aircraft so can be very tiring on the feet and legs! Jetlag tends to be a problem for passengers and crew alike, particularly when crossing numbers of time zones. Airline crews often travel round the world with only a few days break between trips, and this can cause high levels of fatigue and stress. Working on aircraft during flights that incur turbulence (pockets of air that causes the aircraft to suddenly drop or rise) can be very uncomfortable or even dangerous.

Because of the demands on airline crew you will need to be in good health before an airline will consider employing you, and rigorous health checks form part of the recruitment process. Even if you are in apparent good health you’ll need to be sure that you don’t suffer from motion sickness before you apply for cabin crew jobs. It would be a huge disappointment if you were accepted into the role, went through the training then discovered you were susceptible to travel sickness!

It certainly is a young persons’ job, and flight attendants frequently retire from flying in their thirties or forties at the latest.  Common health problems that flight attendants present with include back injuries (from heavy lifting of baggage, wielding service carts around, handling heavy trays etc) and illnesses related to irregular sleeping and eating patterns. Dealing with tired and disgruntled passengers is also a problem that flight attendants have to deal with and as you can’t escape the unhappy passengers this can seem quite stressful at the time! Spending a lot of time at altitude also has significant effects on the body and the pressurized air conditions and breathing of recycled air can result in a range of health and appearance problems over time.

The amount of time spent away from home may change from job to job. Delays and cancellations could mean rostered hours are disrupted at short notice so flight attendants need to be flexible and adaptable in their expectations of when they’ll be at work/when they’ll finish work. It can be hard to plan ahead in case your shift changes, and if you are on ‘stand-by’ you are expected to be readily available in case a colleague is sick and unable to work.

All airlines place high emphasis on the appearance of their crew who are expected to have a smart uniformed appearance at all times, from arriving at the airport till leaving the airport at the end of a duty. Flight attendants are known the world over for their ‘glamorous’ appearance and strict uniform codes are in place with all airlines, although some are stricter than others!

It is also a very competitive industry to get into, as more people apply for flight attending roles than there are positions available. It’s a career that’s always in demand, and although the long, irregular hours can be physically exhausting, the benefits, such as travelling around the world, discounted air travel etc, make it worth while.

Skills and knowledge needed by flight attendants

You may already have some of the knowledge needed for flight attending, and it may even be that having that knowledge helps you to secure the job! In addition to any knowledge you already have at recruitment the airline ensures that its new flight attendants are up-skilled and trained in key areas relating to the role:

• Airline and travel terminology
• Aircraft emergency procedures
• Operation of emergency equipment
• 24 hour clock
• Calculations of journey times around the world
• City and airport codes
• Airline regulatory bodies
• Airline law enforcement
• Airport authority and security procedures.
• First aid and CPR
• Providing service to a wide range of passengers
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Organisational and time management skills
• Good standards of literacy and numeracy
• Destinational knowledge

In addition, Flight Attendants will be provided with additional hospitality training so they can develop skills and knowledge in:

• Food service – including silver service with airlines where first class service is offered
• Drinks service – tea and coffee, alcoholic and soft drinks
• Food safety and hygiene

Chapter Eight:   The Flight Attendant Role

Overview

Airline careers have an attraction all over the world because there is no other industry that can provide the fun and variety with worldwide travel as part of the job!

Flight attendants form part of an overall aircraft crew – a Flight Crew (the pilots and navigators) and Cabin Crew (the flight attendants)

Flight attendants work as part of a team to provide a range of services to passengers, and have a key role in ensuring that on board safety regulations are followed.

Major airlines are required by law to provide flight attendants on most of their aircraft, although some small aircraft that carry only a few passengers are exempt.

The role is often misunderstood, with some people describing flight attendants as ‘trolley dollies’!  It requires good physical health, excellent communication skills, tact and diplomacy, along with plenty of patience and understanding.

This module provides an introduction to the specifics of the flight attending role, and will help you to identify how well you match up with the requirements of airlines.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Identify key attributes and personal qualities required in a flight attending role
• Identify the key physical requirements for success in a flight attending role
• List the prime functions and responsibilities of a flight attendant on a commercial aircraft

Introduction

Prime Responsibilities – What do Flight Attendants Actually Do?!

The primary responsibility of a flight attendant is passenger safety, followed by customer satisfaction and comfort.

Flight Attendants are expected to handle all situations in a professional way, providing excellent customer service whilst remaining extremely well groomed at all times. In addition to serving meals and refreshments, flight attendants have to be able to deal with a wide range of situations that may occur on board, including health and safety issues, terrorism, evacuations and emergency landings.

Pre-flight

Flight attendants start their ‘shift’ by attending a briefing by the In-flight Service Director that takes place at least one hour before a flight departs.

Prior to a flight, the entire crew receive a briefing on the flight, its schedule, passenger load, special service requests and general operating conditions, such as details of any unusual weather en route, problems at either the departure or destination airports. Crew who have not worked together before are introduced, and they are issued with a passenger manifest – a list of all passenger names and seating, so that they know which passengers have ordered special meals, can identify the location of babies and children, identify unaccompanied minors and VIP’s.

On arrival at the aircraft the crew check all cabin equipment, first aid kits and other emergency equipment, and make sure the plane is carrying sufficient supplies.

As passengers board the flight attendants greet the passengers at the aircraft door, check their boarding cards to ensure they are on the correct flight, direct them to their seats and provide help to ensure that cabin luggage is stowed safely.

During this pre-flight stage flight attendants are very busy attending to passengers needs as they get seated, and this often means re-seating passengers who have not been able to get seats together, sorting out sky cots, pillows, blankets and other aircraft items. The flight attendants distribute headphones for the aircraft entertainment system, along with airline kits such as socks or eye masks.

As it is critical for the aircraft to take off on time the cabin crew work under pressure to ensure that all the passengers are seated, baggage is stowed, and seat belts are fastened, before they take up their positions to deliver their safety demonstration showing passengers what to do in an emergency.

In-flight

Safety is one of the main aspects of this role, and the cabin crew’s prime responsibility during flight is to ensure that all passengers are safe and that they follow instructions from the crew as different situations arise.

Flight attendants ensure that passengers are familiar with emergency equipment at the commencement of their journey. In an emergency they stay calm, make sure the captain’s instructions are followed, and check safety equipment is being used correctly.

Flight attendants are trained in a range of emergency aircraft situations, and will put this training into action in the event of an emergency.

At take-off the flight attendants take up their positions around the aircraft, often seated in ‘jump seats’ facing the passengers. This is designed to provide passengers with a uniformed airline representative providing a calm, reassuring manner.

During flight the crew heat, prepare and serve meals and drinks, maintain a clean and tidy galley, and on international flights, sell duty free goods.

Looking after the passengers takes up most of the flight, and on long flights the role of passenger service becomes particularly extensive. Flight attendants distribute reading materials, pillows, blankets, headsets and other in-flight equipment. Drinks service takes place on all flights, and on long flights can take place several times, with cold beverages, hot teas and coffees.

On most flights there will be at least one snack or meal service, and the cabin crew will heat/arrange and service the food according to standards laid down by the airline. Depending on the class of service this can range from full silver service (First Class) to the distribution of lunchbox meals with cold snacks.

The cabin clear-up is also handled by the cabin crew, who clear away the remnants of the food service, and operate a recycling system so that the aircraft is clean and rubbish sorted and stowed before the aircraft lands. With short flights this may involve working with tight time pressures!

In between serving meals flight attendants help passengers who are sick or nervous, attend to families travelling with young children, help unaccompanied minors to feel more reassured, and generally mix and mingle in the cabin making sure that the passengers are ‘fed and watered’ and as comfortable as possible. If a passenger becomes sick, all cabin crew are trained to administer first aid.

Dealing with medical problems is a common feature of the flight attending role – from passengers who may be nervous or suffer from air sickness, to passengers who have a medical problem during a flight. This could include anything from a passenger with a severe migraine to a heart attack or early onset of child birth! Flight attendants all take part in first aid training as part of their induction training and are regularly re-trained to keep up with current practices.

Whilst many airports now offer passengers duty-free shopping either on arrival or departure, most airlines continue to offer in-flight duty-free shopping particularly on longer flights where time permits. This is handled by the cabin crew who are provided with a range of popular items that passengers can buy on a duty-free basis. Typically this includes perfume, liquor, cigarettes, and jewellery such as watches, bracelets and earrings. The flight attendants perform the role of retail sales person and reconcile their stock and product sales before the end of the flight as the duty-free cartons are sealed prior to landing.

Flight attendants are also alert to security problems, notifying the Captain of anything untoward, and keeping an alert eye on passengers who are causing concern because of inappropriate behaviour or whose behaviour may threaten the safety of others.  The cabin crew are the eyes and ears of the flight crew during flight, as the flight crew are located in the flight deck at the front of the aircraft, behind locked doors, and not able to observe what is happening in the passenger cabin.

A flight attendants job doesn’t end when the plane has landed! They compile reports, and ensure all paper work is completed for Customs, and complete the ordering of items for the continuation of the flight or the next flight that the aircraft will make.

Most people have a preconceived notion that this is a glamorous job and whilst it is exciting to travel around the world as part of your job, it is also a physically and mentally challenging job. Flight Attendants are not ‘glorified waitresses’ – rather they are there to provide passengers with safety in the air as well as a comfortable flight. They undergo rigorous training in order to be able to deal with dangerous or unexpected situations that may present on any given flight.

Chapter Eight:   The Flight Attendant Role

Overview

Airline careers have an attraction all over the world because there is no other industry that can provide the fun and variety with worldwide travel as part of the job!

Flight attendants form part of an overall aircraft crew – a Flight Crew (the pilots and navigators) and Cabin Crew (the flight attendants)

Flight attendants work as part of a team to provide a range of services to passengers, and have a key role in ensuring that on board safety regulations are followed.

Major airlines are required by law to provide flight attendants on most of their aircraft, although some small aircraft that carry only a few passengers are exempt.

The role is often misunderstood, with some people describing flight attendants as ‘trolley dollies’!  It requires good physical health, excellent communication skills, tact and diplomacy, along with plenty of patience and understanding.

This module provides an introduction to the specifics of the flight attending role, and will help you to identify how well you match up with the requirements of airlines.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Identify key attributes and personal qualities required in a flight attending role
• Identify the key physical requirements for success in a flight attending role
• List the prime functions and responsibilities of a flight attendant on a commercial aircraft

Introduction

Prime Responsibilities – What do Flight Attendants Actually Do?!

The primary responsibility of a flight attendant is passenger safety, followed by customer satisfaction and comfort.

Flight Attendants are expected to handle all situations in a professional way, providing excellent customer service whilst remaining extremely well groomed at all times. In addition to serving meals and refreshments, flight attendants have to be able to deal with a wide range of situations that may occur on board, including health and safety issues, terrorism, evacuations and emergency landings.

Pre-flight

Flight attendants start their ‘shift’ by attending a briefing by the In-flight Service Director that takes place at least one hour before a flight departs.

Prior to a flight, the entire crew receive a briefing on the flight, its schedule, passenger load, special service requests and general operating conditions, such as details of any unusual weather en route, problems at either the departure or destination airports. Crew who have not worked together before are introduced, and they are issued with a passenger manifest – a list of all passenger names and seating, so that they know which passengers have ordered special meals, can identify the location of babies and children, identify unaccompanied minors and VIP’s.

On arrival at the aircraft the crew check all cabin equipment, first aid kits and other emergency equipment, and make sure the plane is carrying sufficient supplies.

As passengers board the flight attendants greet the passengers at the aircraft door, check their boarding cards to ensure they are on the correct flight, direct them to their seats and provide help to ensure that cabin luggage is stowed safely.

During this pre-flight stage flight attendants are very busy attending to passengers needs as they get seated, and this often means re-seating passengers who have not been able to get seats together, sorting out sky cots, pillows, blankets and other aircraft items. The flight attendants distribute headphones for the aircraft entertainment system, along with airline kits such as socks or eye masks.

As it is critical for the aircraft to take off on time the cabin crew work under pressure to ensure that all the passengers are seated, baggage is stowed, and seat belts are fastened, before they take up their positions to deliver their safety demonstration showing passengers what to do in an emergency.

In-flight

Safety is one of the main aspects of this role, and the cabin crew’s prime responsibility during flight is to ensure that all passengers are safe and that they follow instructions from the crew as different situations arise.

Flight attendants ensure that passengers are familiar with emergency equipment at the commencement of their journey. In an emergency they stay calm, make sure the captain’s instructions are followed, and check safety equipment is being used correctly.

Flight attendants are trained in a range of emergency aircraft situations, and will put this training into action in the event of an emergency.

At take-off the flight attendants take up their positions around the aircraft, often seated in ‘jump seats’ facing the passengers. This is designed to provide passengers with a uniformed airline representative providing a calm, reassuring manner.

During flight the crew heat, prepare and serve meals and drinks, maintain a clean and tidy galley, and on international flights, sell duty free goods.

Looking after the passengers takes up most of the flight, and on long flights the role of passenger service becomes particularly extensive. Flight attendants distribute reading materials, pillows, blankets, headsets and other in-flight equipment. Drinks service takes place on all flights, and on long flights can take place several times, with cold beverages, hot teas and coffees.

On most flights there will be at least one snack or meal service, and the cabin crew will heat/arrange and service the food according to standards laid down by the airline. Depending on the class of service this can range from full silver service (First Class) to the distribution of lunchbox meals with cold snacks.

The cabin clear-up is also handled by the cabin crew, who clear away the remnants of the food service, and operate a recycling system so that the aircraft is clean and rubbish sorted and stowed before the aircraft lands. With short flights this may involve working with tight time pressures!

In between serving meals flight attendants help passengers who are sick or nervous, attend to families travelling with young children, help unaccompanied minors to feel more reassured, and generally mix and mingle in the cabin making sure that the passengers are ‘fed and watered’ and as comfortable as possible. If a passenger becomes sick, all cabin crew are trained to administer first aid.

Dealing with medical problems is a common feature of the flight attending role – from passengers who may be nervous or suffer from air sickness, to passengers who have a medical problem during a flight. This could include anything from a passenger with a severe migraine to a heart attack or early onset of child birth! Flight attendants all take part in first aid training as part of their induction training and are regularly re-trained to keep up with current practices.

Whilst many airports now offer passengers duty-free shopping either on arrival or departure, most airlines continue to offer in-flight duty-free shopping particularly on longer flights where time permits. This is handled by the cabin crew who are provided with a range of popular items that passengers can buy on a duty-free basis. Typically this includes perfume, liquor, cigarettes, and jewellery such as watches, bracelets and earrings. The flight attendants perform the role of retail sales person and reconcile their stock and product sales before the end of the flight as the duty-free cartons are sealed prior to landing.

Flight attendants are also alert to security problems, notifying the Captain of anything untoward, and keeping an alert eye on passengers who are causing concern because of inappropriate behaviour or whose behaviour may threaten the safety of others.  The cabin crew are the eyes and ears of the flight crew during flight, as the flight crew are located in the flight deck at the front of the aircraft, behind locked doors, and not able to observe what is happening in the passenger cabin.

A flight attendants job doesn’t end when the plane has landed! They compile reports, and ensure all paper work is completed for Customs, and complete the ordering of items for the continuation of the flight or the next flight that the aircraft will make.

Most people have a preconceived notion that this is a glamorous job and whilst it is exciting to travel around the world as part of your job, it is also a physically and mentally challenging job. Flight Attendants are not ‘glorified waitresses’ – rather they are there to provide passengers with safety in the air as well as a comfortable flight. They undergo rigorous training in order to be able to deal with dangerous or unexpected situations that may present on any given flight.

Chapter Eight:   The Flight Attendant Role

Overview

Airline careers have an attraction all over the world because there is no other industry that can provide the fun and variety with worldwide travel as part of the job!

Flight attendants form part of an overall aircraft crew – a Flight Crew (the pilots and navigators) and Cabin Crew (the flight attendants)

Flight attendants work as part of a team to provide a range of services to passengers, and have a key role in ensuring that on board safety regulations are followed.

Major airlines are required by law to provide flight attendants on most of their aircraft, although some small aircraft that carry only a few passengers are exempt.

The role is often misunderstood, with some people describing flight attendants as ‘trolley dollies’!  It requires good physical health, excellent communication skills, tact and diplomacy, along with plenty of patience and understanding.

This module provides an introduction to the specifics of the flight attending role, and will help you to identify how well you match up with the requirements of airlines.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Identify key attributes and personal qualities required in a flight attending role
• Identify the key physical requirements for success in a flight attending role
• List the prime functions and responsibilities of a flight attendant on a commercial aircraft

Introduction

Prime Responsibilities – What do Flight Attendants Actually Do?!

The primary responsibility of a flight attendant is passenger safety, followed by customer satisfaction and comfort.

Flight Attendants are expected to handle all situations in a professional way, providing excellent customer service whilst remaining extremely well groomed at all times. In addition to serving meals and refreshments, flight attendants have to be able to deal with a wide range of situations that may occur on board, including health and safety issues, terrorism, evacuations and emergency landings.

Pre-flight

Flight attendants start their ‘shift’ by attending a briefing by the In-flight Service Director that takes place at least one hour before a flight departs.

Prior to a flight, the entire crew receive a briefing on the flight, its schedule, passenger load, special service requests and general operating conditions, such as details of any unusual weather en route, problems at either the departure or destination airports. Crew who have not worked together before are introduced, and they are issued with a passenger manifest – a list of all passenger names and seating, so that they know which passengers have ordered special meals, can identify the location of babies and children, identify unaccompanied minors and VIP’s.

On arrival at the aircraft the crew check all cabin equipment, first aid kits and other emergency equipment, and make sure the plane is carrying sufficient supplies.

As passengers board the flight attendants greet the passengers at the aircraft door, check their boarding cards to ensure they are on the correct flight, direct them to their seats and provide help to ensure that cabin luggage is stowed safely.

During this pre-flight stage flight attendants are very busy attending to passengers needs as they get seated, and this often means re-seating passengers who have not been able to get seats together, sorting out sky cots, pillows, blankets and other aircraft items. The flight attendants distribute headphones for the aircraft entertainment system, along with airline kits such as socks or eye masks.

As it is critical for the aircraft to take off on time the cabin crew work under pressure to ensure that all the passengers are seated, baggage is stowed, and seat belts are fastened, before they take up their positions to deliver their safety demonstration showing passengers what to do in an emergency.

In-flight

Safety is one of the main aspects of this role, and the cabin crew’s prime responsibility during flight is to ensure that all passengers are safe and that they follow instructions from the crew as different situations arise.

Flight attendants ensure that passengers are familiar with emergency equipment at the commencement of their journey. In an emergency they stay calm, make sure the captain’s instructions are followed, and check safety equipment is being used correctly.

Flight attendants are trained in a range of emergency aircraft situations, and will put this training into action in the event of an emergency.

At take-off the flight attendants take up their positions around the aircraft, often seated in ‘jump seats’ facing the passengers. This is designed to provide passengers with a uniformed airline representative providing a calm, reassuring manner.

During flight the crew heat, prepare and serve meals and drinks, maintain a clean and tidy galley, and on international flights, sell duty free goods.

Looking after the passengers takes up most of the flight, and on long flights the role of passenger service becomes particularly extensive. Flight attendants distribute reading materials, pillows, blankets, headsets and other in-flight equipment. Drinks service takes place on all flights, and on long flights can take place several times, with cold beverages, hot teas and coffees.

On most flights there will be at least one snack or meal service, and the cabin crew will heat/arrange and service the food according to standards laid down by the airline. Depending on the class of service this can range from full silver service (First Class) to the distribution of lunchbox meals with cold snacks.

The cabin clear-up is also handled by the cabin crew, who clear away the remnants of the food service, and operate a recycling system so that the aircraft is clean and rubbish sorted and stowed before the aircraft lands. With short flights this may involve working with tight time pressures!

In between serving meals flight attendants help passengers who are sick or nervous, attend to families travelling with young children, help unaccompanied minors to feel more reassured, and generally mix and mingle in the cabin making sure that the passengers are ‘fed and watered’ and as comfortable as possible. If a passenger becomes sick, all cabin crew are trained to administer first aid.

Dealing with medical problems is a common feature of the flight attending role – from passengers who may be nervous or suffer from air sickness, to passengers who have a medical problem during a flight. This could include anything from a passenger with a severe migraine to a heart attack or early onset of child birth! Flight attendants all take part in first aid training as part of their induction training and are regularly re-trained to keep up with current practices.

Whilst many airports now offer passengers duty-free shopping either on arrival or departure, most airlines continue to offer in-flight duty-free shopping particularly on longer flights where time permits. This is handled by the cabin crew who are provided with a range of popular items that passengers can buy on a duty-free basis. Typically this includes perfume, liquor, cigarettes, and jewellery such as watches, bracelets and earrings. The flight attendants perform the role of retail sales person and reconcile their stock and product sales before the end of the flight as the duty-free cartons are sealed prior to landing.

Flight attendants are also alert to security problems, notifying the Captain of anything untoward, and keeping an alert eye on passengers who are causing concern because of inappropriate behaviour or whose behaviour may threaten the safety of others.  The cabin crew are the eyes and ears of the flight crew during flight, as the flight crew are located in the flight deck at the front of the aircraft, behind locked doors, and not able to observe what is happening in the passenger cabin.

A flight attendants job doesn’t end when the plane has landed! They compile reports, and ensure all paper work is completed for Customs, and complete the ordering of items for the continuation of the flight or the next flight that the aircraft will make.

Most people have a preconceived notion that this is a glamorous job and whilst it is exciting to travel around the world as part of your job, it is also a physically and mentally challenging job. Flight Attendants are not ‘glorified waitresses’ – rather they are there to provide passengers with safety in the air as well as a comfortable flight. They undergo rigorous training in order to be able to deal with dangerous or unexpected situations that may present on any given flight.

Cabin Baggage

In addition to baggage checked into the hold of the aircraft, passengers are allowed one or two items of hand luggage that can be carried onto the plane and stowed in the luggage compartments above the seating areas of the passenger cabin. The type of items classed as cabin baggage includes: Ladies handbags, Camera, Laptop, Briefcase, and a Bag of duty free goods.

Airline cabin crew meet passengers at the doors of the aircraft as they are boarding their flight and check to see what type of hand luggage is being taken onto the aircraft. Airlines observe the general safety precaution that all cabin baggage must be able to fit in the overhead lockers or under the seat. Many airlines have cabin baggage measuring devices in the gate lounges so passengers can check to see if their bags fit the dimensions required. Larger items may be taken from passengers and stowed in the hold if they don’t fit in the overhead lockers, and with restricted spaces to store items in the passenger cabin loose items become a safety hazard.

Checkout Virgin Blue’s baggage regulations here: http://www.virginaustralia.com/nz/en/plan/baggage/carry-on-baggage/.

You’ll see that they specify very thoroughly what items of luggage can be taken onto the aircraft. They even list the kind of small items a passenger may carry, such as a coat, an umbrella, books or a pair of crutches.

As a flight attendant your role, along with other members of your crew, will be to ensure that cabin baggage is capable of being stowed safely, and to help passengers stowing the baggage securely prior to take off.  This can become quite tricky as passengers often don’t want to be separated from their possessions so good communication and customer service skills are important here.

Restricted cabin baggage items

There are a number of items that are no longer allowed to be carried in cabin baggage, and these include:

• Hand tools with sharp cutting edges
• Sharp instruments, such as scissors
• Matches and lighters
• Some types of batteries
• Liquids, gels and aerosols in quantities above 100mls (less than this volume can be carried on board but must be in a small clear plastic bag which can be examined by security staff prior to boarding)

** There are some exceptions to the ‘no liquids’ rule, mainly around the carriage of prescription drugs and medication and drinks for infants and small babies.

Cabin Baggage

In addition to baggage checked into the hold of the aircraft, passengers are allowed one or two items of hand luggage that can be carried onto the plane and stowed in the luggage compartments above the seating areas of the passenger cabin. The type of items classed as cabin baggage includes: Ladies handbags, Camera, Laptop, Briefcase, and a Bag of duty free goods.

Airline cabin crew meet passengers at the doors of the aircraft as they are boarding their flight and check to see what type of hand luggage is being taken onto the aircraft. Airlines observe the general safety precaution that all cabin baggage must be able to fit in the overhead lockers or under the seat. Many airlines have cabin baggage measuring devices in the gate lounges so passengers can check to see if their bags fit the dimensions required. Larger items may be taken from passengers and stowed in the hold if they don’t fit in the overhead lockers, and with restricted spaces to store items in the passenger cabin loose items become a safety hazard.

Checkout Virgin Blue’s baggage regulations here: http://www.virginaustralia.com/nz/en/plan/baggage/carry-on-baggage/.

You’ll see that they specify very thoroughly what items of luggage can be taken onto the aircraft. They even list the kind of small items a passenger may carry, such as a coat, an umbrella, books or a pair of crutches.

As a flight attendant your role, along with other members of your crew, will be to ensure that cabin baggage is capable of being stowed safely, and to help passengers stowing the baggage securely prior to take off.  This can become quite tricky as passengers often don’t want to be separated from their possessions so good communication and customer service skills are important here.

Restricted cabin baggage items

There are a number of items that are no longer allowed to be carried in cabin baggage, and these include:

• Hand tools with sharp cutting edges
• Sharp instruments, such as scissors
• Matches and lighters
• Some types of batteries
• Liquids, gels and aerosols in quantities above 100mls (less than this volume can be carried on board but must be in a small clear plastic bag which can be examined by security staff prior to boarding)

** There are some exceptions to the ‘no liquids’ rule, mainly around the carriage of prescription drugs and medication and drinks for infants and small babies.

Cabin Baggage

In addition to baggage checked into the hold of the aircraft, passengers are allowed one or two items of hand luggage that can be carried onto the plane and stowed in the luggage compartments above the seating areas of the passenger cabin. The type of items classed as cabin baggage includes: Ladies handbags, Camera, Laptop, Briefcase, and a Bag of duty free goods.

Airline cabin crew meet passengers at the doors of the aircraft as they are boarding their flight and check to see what type of hand luggage is being taken onto the aircraft. Airlines observe the general safety precaution that all cabin baggage must be able to fit in the overhead lockers or under the seat. Many airlines have cabin baggage measuring devices in the gate lounges so passengers can check to see if their bags fit the dimensions required. Larger items may be taken from passengers and stowed in the hold if they don’t fit in the overhead lockers, and with restricted spaces to store items in the passenger cabin loose items become a safety hazard.

Checkout Virgin Blue’s baggage regulations here: http://www.virginaustralia.com/nz/en/plan/baggage/carry-on-baggage/.

You’ll see that they specify very thoroughly what items of luggage can be taken onto the aircraft. They even list the kind of small items a passenger may carry, such as a coat, an umbrella, books or a pair of crutches.

As a flight attendant your role, along with other members of your crew, will be to ensure that cabin baggage is capable of being stowed safely, and to help passengers stowing the baggage securely prior to take off.  This can become quite tricky as passengers often don’t want to be separated from their possessions so good communication and customer service skills are important here.

Restricted cabin baggage items

There are a number of items that are no longer allowed to be carried in cabin baggage, and these include:

• Hand tools with sharp cutting edges
• Sharp instruments, such as scissors
• Matches and lighters
• Some types of batteries
• Liquids, gels and aerosols in quantities above 100mls (less than this volume can be carried on board but must be in a small clear plastic bag which can be examined by security staff prior to boarding)

** There are some exceptions to the ‘no liquids’ rule, mainly around the carriage of prescription drugs and medication and drinks for infants and small babies.

Oversized items and sporting equipment

Some passengers use their baggage allowance to check in an item that is described as ‘oversized’. Such items are just too large to take into the passenger cabin and includes:

• Portable musical instruments
• Bicycles
• Surfboards
• Snow skis
• Snowboards
• Water skis
• Golf bag containing golf clubs and shoes

Airlines can only carry these items if there is enough space in the hold, and travellers

should always notify the airline in advance if they want to travel with such an item. Typically the kind of passenger who needs such an item to be available at their destination is involved in a professional sport and needs to take their own equipment.

As with the normal baggage the weight restrictions apply, and length restrictions are also considered as the hold of an aircraft has limited space for such items. Most passengers travelling with such items pay excess baggage in order to carry a suitcase plus their oversized item.

Larger items, such as hang gliders, kayaks and canoes cannot be checked into the hold of a passenger aircraft as they are simply too big, and must be sent as cargo in aircraft which are specifically designed to carry such items. Obviously that needs to be organised well before travel, with the cargo department of the airline or with a freight company.

Pushchairs and baby carriages

In addition to normal baggage allowances, airlines allow passengers one pushchair or similar item to be checked into the hold. Wheelchairs are also permitted as a free additional baggage item.

Passengers are advised to check their baggage allowance on their ticket, and to check with the airline if they are in any doubt.

The Piece System

This baggage system applies only in the following areas of the world:

• Flights to and from the USA, Canada and Mexico
• All domestic flights in the UK
• In the Caribbean and on some South American routes

If the code ‘PC’ is printed on the ticket in the baggage allowance section, the piece system applies, allowing traveller to check in two bags or cases. Each bag should not weigh more than 32 kilos, and travellers are given a maximum permitted size for each piece. This is known as ‘total dimensions’, with the largest being 158 cm.

This bag measures 30 cm x 70 cm x the 45 cm, so is therefore below the ‘total dimension’ of 158 cm.

Passengers travelling in different classes of service are given different baggage allowances. Usually, the higher class of service, the greater the baggage allowance.

The piece system allows travellers in the economy cabin to have 2 bags with overall dimensions of 273 cm. When the bags are of different sizes the dimensions of both are added together.

Travellers in Business and First Class can check in two bags each with a maximum dimension of 158 cm to a total of 316 cm.

Restricted check-in baggage

Airlines have a list of items that are not allowed to be carried in baggage checked in the aircraft hold. These include:

• Fireworks and explosives
• Firearms and weapons
• Corrosive materials (acid etc)
• Matches
• Gas cylinders
• Toxic substances

Oversized items and sporting equipment

Some passengers use their baggage allowance to check in an item that is described as ‘oversized’. Such items are just too large to take into the passenger cabin and includes:

• Portable musical instruments
• Bicycles
• Surfboards
• Snow skis
• Snowboards
• Water skis
• Golf bag containing golf clubs and shoes

Airlines can only carry these items if there is enough space in the hold, and travellers

should always notify the airline in advance if they want to travel with such an item. Typically the kind of passenger who needs such an item to be available at their destination is involved in a professional sport and needs to take their own equipment.

As with the normal baggage the weight restrictions apply, and length restrictions are also considered as the hold of an aircraft has limited space for such items. Most passengers travelling with such items pay excess baggage in order to carry a suitcase plus their oversized item.

Larger items, such as hang gliders, kayaks and canoes cannot be checked into the hold of a passenger aircraft as they are simply too big, and must be sent as cargo in aircraft which are specifically designed to carry such items. Obviously that needs to be organised well before travel, with the cargo department of the airline or with a freight company.

Pushchairs and baby carriages

In addition to normal baggage allowances, airlines allow passengers one pushchair or similar item to be checked into the hold. Wheelchairs are also permitted as a free additional baggage item.

Passengers are advised to check their baggage allowance on their ticket, and to check with the airline if they are in any doubt.

The Piece System

This baggage system applies only in the following areas of the world:

• Flights to and from the USA, Canada and Mexico
• All domestic flights in the UK
• In the Caribbean and on some South American routes

If the code ‘PC’ is printed on the ticket in the baggage allowance section, the piece system applies, allowing traveller to check in two bags or cases. Each bag should not weigh more than 32 kilos, and travellers are given a maximum permitted size for each piece. This is known as ‘total dimensions’, with the largest being 158 cm.

This bag measures 30 cm x 70 cm x the 45 cm, so is therefore below the ‘total dimension’ of 158 cm.

Passengers travelling in different classes of service are given different baggage allowances. Usually, the higher class of service, the greater the baggage allowance.

The piece system allows travellers in the economy cabin to have 2 bags with overall dimensions of 273 cm. When the bags are of different sizes the dimensions of both are added together.

Travellers in Business and First Class can check in two bags each with a maximum dimension of 158 cm to a total of 316 cm.

Restricted check-in baggage

Airlines have a list of items that are not allowed to be carried in baggage checked in the aircraft hold. These include:

• Fireworks and explosives
• Firearms and weapons
• Corrosive materials (acid etc)
• Matches
• Gas cylinders
• Toxic substances

Oversized items and sporting equipment

Some passengers use their baggage allowance to check in an item that is described as ‘oversized’. Such items are just too large to take into the passenger cabin and includes:

• Portable musical instruments
• Bicycles
• Surfboards
• Snow skis
• Snowboards
• Water skis
• Golf bag containing golf clubs and shoes

Airlines can only carry these items if there is enough space in the hold, and travellers

should always notify the airline in advance if they want to travel with such an item. Typically the kind of passenger who needs such an item to be available at their destination is involved in a professional sport and needs to take their own equipment.

As with the normal baggage the weight restrictions apply, and length restrictions are also considered as the hold of an aircraft has limited space for such items. Most passengers travelling with such items pay excess baggage in order to carry a suitcase plus their oversized item.

Larger items, such as hang gliders, kayaks and canoes cannot be checked into the hold of a passenger aircraft as they are simply too big, and must be sent as cargo in aircraft which are specifically designed to carry such items. Obviously that needs to be organised well before travel, with the cargo department of the airline or with a freight company.

Pushchairs and baby carriages

In addition to normal baggage allowances, airlines allow passengers one pushchair or similar item to be checked into the hold. Wheelchairs are also permitted as a free additional baggage item.

Passengers are advised to check their baggage allowance on their ticket, and to check with the airline if they are in any doubt.

The Piece System

This baggage system applies only in the following areas of the world:

• Flights to and from the USA, Canada and Mexico
• All domestic flights in the UK
• In the Caribbean and on some South American routes

If the code ‘PC’ is printed on the ticket in the baggage allowance section, the piece system applies, allowing traveller to check in two bags or cases. Each bag should not weigh more than 32 kilos, and travellers are given a maximum permitted size for each piece. This is known as ‘total dimensions’, with the largest being 158 cm.

This bag measures 30 cm x 70 cm x the 45 cm, so is therefore below the ‘total dimension’ of 158 cm.

Passengers travelling in different classes of service are given different baggage allowances. Usually, the higher class of service, the greater the baggage allowance.

The piece system allows travellers in the economy cabin to have 2 bags with overall dimensions of 273 cm. When the bags are of different sizes the dimensions of both are added together.

Travellers in Business and First Class can check in two bags each with a maximum dimension of 158 cm to a total of 316 cm.

Restricted check-in baggage

Airlines have a list of items that are not allowed to be carried in baggage checked in the aircraft hold. These include:

• Fireworks and explosives
• Firearms and weapons
• Corrosive materials (acid etc)
• Matches
• Gas cylinders
• Toxic substances

Chapter Seven: Baggage

Overview

Travellers frequently worry about their luggage more than any other aspect of airline journeys, with the possible exception of their seating!

Airline rules around the transport of passengers luggage have changed in recent times due to heightened concerns over terrorism and general security.

All items passengers bring onto an aircraft are generically known as ‘baggage’  and this module introduces you to the two key baggage systems in place:

The Piece System
The Weight System

You will learn how these baggage systems operate, and how to interpret and apply the rules around the carriage of baggage in the passenger cabin. Airline staff are charged with enforcing the baggage rules, and in ensuring that carry-on baggage is capable of being stowed safely during flight.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Describe the features of the weight and piece baggage systems in airline travel
• Apply appropriate baggage allowance system to a range of passenger situations
• Identify key airline and security requirements for the storage of baggage in the aircraft hold
• Identify key airline and safety requirements for the carriage of hand baggage in the aircraft cabin

Checked in Baggage

Baggage handed over to airline staff at check-in is transported to the aircraft and placed in the hold. It is taken out of the aircraft and next seen by passengers in the baggage hall at the destination airport.

For passengers travelling on a journey involving connecting flights the baggage is usually automatically transferred from aircraft to aircraft with the attached baggage tags acting as key references so the baggage ends up on the correct aircraft.

Generally the system work well, but from time to time baggage goes missing. Airlines have lost baggage departments to track and trace baggage around the world.

Baggage allowances vary from one airline to the next according to plane size and journey length. British Airways uses baggage guidelines which are similar to most major carriers so we will refer to them often during this module.

The Weight System

Under the weight system, all checked baggage must be under a certain weight, regardless of the number of bags, determined by the class of service booked. Some airlines allow ‘pooling’ of baggage allowances so a family or group travelling together can share their allowance so as to maximise each available kilos and space.

The traditional weight allowed for an Economy Class ticket is 20 kgs, with Business and First Class passengers 30 kgs.

In response to changes in the cabin baggage regulations a number of airlines have increased the weight limits of checked baggage on economy tickets from 20 kgs to 23 kgs.

Some airlines have also standardised their checked baggage allowances, providing the same weight restriction to all passengers, regardless of class of service.

In New Zealand, for example, health and safety regulations require all airline baggage to weigh no more than 23 kgs as it is regarded as unsafe for airline staff and baggage handlers to lift bags heavier than that. This requirement is strictly enforced and passengers presenting with heavier bags will be asked to repack the bag until the 23kg weight restriction is reached.

Some airlines also differentiate between domestic and international flights – with different baggage restrictions applying.

British Airways, for example, only allow one piece of checked baggage per passenger on any domestic flight, whereas up to three bags may be carried on international flights. Check the British Airways website that explains their current regulations: http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/checked-baggage-allowances

Excess Baggage

Passengers with more baggage than is permitted by the airline can pay an excess baggage fee and check in additional bags into the hold of the aircraft. Traditionally this used to be a very expensive option, but more recently airlines have introduced ‘cost per bag’ systems, which allows passengers to take extra bags at a reasonable cost. British Airways allow passengers to take up to 10 additional bags and charge around 50 pounds for each piece of excess baggage.

Check here (http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/excess-baggage-charges) for details of Air New Zealand’s excess baggage charges and you will see that charges start at $20 per bag on a domestic flight and rise to as much as GBP350 for three extra bags on a flight from the UK.

Chapter Seven: Baggage

Overview

Travellers frequently worry about their luggage more than any other aspect of airline journeys, with the possible exception of their seating!

Airline rules around the transport of passengers luggage have changed in recent times due to heightened concerns over terrorism and general security.

All items passengers bring onto an aircraft are generically known as ‘baggage’  and this module introduces you to the two key baggage systems in place:

The Piece System
The Weight System

You will learn how these baggage systems operate, and how to interpret and apply the rules around the carriage of baggage in the passenger cabin. Airline staff are charged with enforcing the baggage rules, and in ensuring that carry-on baggage is capable of being stowed safely during flight.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Describe the features of the weight and piece baggage systems in airline travel
• Apply appropriate baggage allowance system to a range of passenger situations
• Identify key airline and security requirements for the storage of baggage in the aircraft hold
• Identify key airline and safety requirements for the carriage of hand baggage in the aircraft cabin

Checked in Baggage

Baggage handed over to airline staff at check-in is transported to the aircraft and placed in the hold. It is taken out of the aircraft and next seen by passengers in the baggage hall at the destination airport.

For passengers travelling on a journey involving connecting flights the baggage is usually automatically transferred from aircraft to aircraft with the attached baggage tags acting as key references so the baggage ends up on the correct aircraft.

Generally the system work well, but from time to time baggage goes missing. Airlines have lost baggage departments to track and trace baggage around the world.

Baggage allowances vary from one airline to the next according to plane size and journey length. British Airways uses baggage guidelines which are similar to most major carriers so we will refer to them often during this module.

The Weight System

Under the weight system, all checked baggage must be under a certain weight, regardless of the number of bags, determined by the class of service booked. Some airlines allow ‘pooling’ of baggage allowances so a family or group travelling together can share their allowance so as to maximise each available kilos and space.

The traditional weight allowed for an Economy Class ticket is 20 kgs, with Business and First Class passengers 30 kgs.

In response to changes in the cabin baggage regulations a number of airlines have increased the weight limits of checked baggage on economy tickets from 20 kgs to 23 kgs.

Some airlines have also standardised their checked baggage allowances, providing the same weight restriction to all passengers, regardless of class of service.

In New Zealand, for example, health and safety regulations require all airline baggage to weigh no more than 23 kgs as it is regarded as unsafe for airline staff and baggage handlers to lift bags heavier than that. This requirement is strictly enforced and passengers presenting with heavier bags will be asked to repack the bag until the 23kg weight restriction is reached.

Some airlines also differentiate between domestic and international flights – with different baggage restrictions applying.

British Airways, for example, only allow one piece of checked baggage per passenger on any domestic flight, whereas up to three bags may be carried on international flights. Check the British Airways website that explains their current regulations: http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/checked-baggage-allowances

Excess Baggage

Passengers with more baggage than is permitted by the airline can pay an excess baggage fee and check in additional bags into the hold of the aircraft. Traditionally this used to be a very expensive option, but more recently airlines have introduced ‘cost per bag’ systems, which allows passengers to take extra bags at a reasonable cost. British Airways allow passengers to take up to 10 additional bags and charge around 50 pounds for each piece of excess baggage.

Check here (http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/excess-baggage-charges) for details of Air New Zealand’s excess baggage charges and you will see that charges start at $20 per bag on a domestic flight and rise to as much as GBP350 for three extra bags on a flight from the UK.

Chapter Seven: Baggage

Overview

Travellers frequently worry about their luggage more than any other aspect of airline journeys, with the possible exception of their seating!

Airline rules around the transport of passengers luggage have changed in recent times due to heightened concerns over terrorism and general security.

All items passengers bring onto an aircraft are generically known as ‘baggage’  and this module introduces you to the two key baggage systems in place:

The Piece System
The Weight System

You will learn how these baggage systems operate, and how to interpret and apply the rules around the carriage of baggage in the passenger cabin. Airline staff are charged with enforcing the baggage rules, and in ensuring that carry-on baggage is capable of being stowed safely during flight.

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this module you will be able to:

• Describe the features of the weight and piece baggage systems in airline travel
• Apply appropriate baggage allowance system to a range of passenger situations
• Identify key airline and security requirements for the storage of baggage in the aircraft hold
• Identify key airline and safety requirements for the carriage of hand baggage in the aircraft cabin

Checked in Baggage

Baggage handed over to airline staff at check-in is transported to the aircraft and placed in the hold. It is taken out of the aircraft and next seen by passengers in the baggage hall at the destination airport.

For passengers travelling on a journey involving connecting flights the baggage is usually automatically transferred from aircraft to aircraft with the attached baggage tags acting as key references so the baggage ends up on the correct aircraft.

Generally the system work well, but from time to time baggage goes missing. Airlines have lost baggage departments to track and trace baggage around the world.

Baggage allowances vary from one airline to the next according to plane size and journey length. British Airways uses baggage guidelines which are similar to most major carriers so we will refer to them often during this module.

The Weight System

Under the weight system, all checked baggage must be under a certain weight, regardless of the number of bags, determined by the class of service booked. Some airlines allow ‘pooling’ of baggage allowances so a family or group travelling together can share their allowance so as to maximise each available kilos and space.

The traditional weight allowed for an Economy Class ticket is 20 kgs, with Business and First Class passengers 30 kgs.

In response to changes in the cabin baggage regulations a number of airlines have increased the weight limits of checked baggage on economy tickets from 20 kgs to 23 kgs.

Some airlines have also standardised their checked baggage allowances, providing the same weight restriction to all passengers, regardless of class of service.

In New Zealand, for example, health and safety regulations require all airline baggage to weigh no more than 23 kgs as it is regarded as unsafe for airline staff and baggage handlers to lift bags heavier than that. This requirement is strictly enforced and passengers presenting with heavier bags will be asked to repack the bag until the 23kg weight restriction is reached.

Some airlines also differentiate between domestic and international flights – with different baggage restrictions applying.

British Airways, for example, only allow one piece of checked baggage per passenger on any domestic flight, whereas up to three bags may be carried on international flights. Check the British Airways website that explains their current regulations: http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/checked-baggage-allowances

Excess Baggage

Passengers with more baggage than is permitted by the airline can pay an excess baggage fee and check in additional bags into the hold of the aircraft. Traditionally this used to be a very expensive option, but more recently airlines have introduced ‘cost per bag’ systems, which allows passengers to take extra bags at a reasonable cost. British Airways allow passengers to take up to 10 additional bags and charge around 50 pounds for each piece of excess baggage.

Check here (http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/excess-baggage-charges) for details of Air New Zealand’s excess baggage charges and you will see that charges start at $20 per bag on a domestic flight and rise to as much as GBP350 for three extra bags on a flight from the UK.

Unaccompanied Minors (UNMR)

Children travelling alone on a flight wearing a large ID tab is a frequent sight at airports and on board flights these days. They may be returning to their families after attending a school overseas, or being returned to a custodial parent or guardian, or even joining grandparents or family members for a holiday without their parents.

Whatever the reasons, the frequency of children travelling by themselves has led airlines to set up programmes that address the specific needs of children travelling alone.

The common term that is used to describe children who fly alone is unaccompanied minors (also known as UMs).

The key feature of an unaccompanied minor is that the child is travelling without a parent, guardian or other trusted adult that the child knows. Under these circumstances, the airlines must take great care to ensure that they look after these children appropriately, and that they are flown to their destination safely.

Most airlines set an age range within age the term ‘minor’ is applied. It is generally between the ages of five and eleven years old. As these ages differ it is always advisable for travellers to check with the airline prior to making a booking.

Airlines usually charge for their unaccompanied minor services, and the fees will vary from airline to airline.  Some airlines will not permit unaccompanied minors to take routes that require a change of flights (connecting flights) as these may require the child to transit a busy airport terminal. Airline rules should always be checked for each individual case.

Many airports have a specific area for checking in unaccompanied minors, or other passengers requiring special assistance.  At check in the adult accompanying the minor to the airport will provide information about the unaccompanied minor and forms are completed that include  the child’s identification; flight itinerary; a parent or guardian’s authorization; and the details about who will be meeting the child at the destination

Unaccompanied minors are provided with ID tags, and these can vary from standard ID cards on lanyards worn round the neck, baseball caps, buttons or rosettes. All of these are designed to ensure that the child can be readily identified by airline staff, both on the ground and during the flight.

Unaccompanied minors are escorted by airline staff through security to the boarding gates where they will be pre-boarded onto the flight by a member of the cabin crew.

During the flight, the unaccompanied minor is looked after by the cabin crew. Most airlines work hard at taking care of these special passengers, recognising that children may be scared or worried about taking this kind of journey on their own. Airlines frequently provide special children’s packs, containing drawing materials, stickers, fun activities and other items designed to keep the children entertained! Special children’s meals are provided in funky lunch boxes, even including McDonald packs.

Upon arrival the child is kept on the aircraft until all the other passengers have disembarked before being handed over to a ground staff member who will escort the child to the arrivals area to collect baggage and be met by their designated family or friend.

Travelling with a Comfort Animal

Comfort Animals are used in Animal Assisted Therapy to improve the physical, social, emotional and cognitive condition of the patient. Most Comfort Animals are dogs and cats, however this therapy can also include parrots, horses, elephants, lizards, and monkeys. These pet animals are now recognized as providing a valuable service to the elderly and to others with a medical disability and have recently reached the status of Service Animals. Service Animals include guide dogs for the vision impaired, and mobility dogs.

Comfort animals, where appropriate, are allowed to travel with their human owner in the aircraft cabin. Specific laws exist governing this type of travel:

Service Animals

A service animal can accompany a person on an airplane. Dogs trained to aid with seizure alerts, psychiatric comfort and emotional support are considered service dogs under U.S. federal government statutes.

Proof

Passengers must present airline staff with proof the animal is a trained service animal. Accepted forms include identification cards, service harness, written authorization or credible visual or verbal statements when the need for a service animal is obvious to staff.

Seating

Service animal laws allow the animals to sit with the passenger in need as long as emergency exits are not obstructed. Large animals will be accommodated in the baggage hold in appropriate crates designed for the carriage of animals.

Airline staff have the right to question or prohibit the use of an animal only if it poses a threat to others.

Health Regulations

There are a number of health regulations governing the carriage of animals in the cabin of an aircraft and these should be checked at the point of booking and at check in prior to departure. A record of health may be required by the airline, and some countries require one that is issued within 10 days prior to departure. Some airlines require a service/comfort animal to be vaccinated at least 30 days prior to departure, and some countries require proof of rabies vaccination for dogs 12 weeks and older. Most airlines also require that animals are at least eight weeks old and have been weaned at least five days prior to your flight.

Participating Airlines

A significant number of international airlines have signed up to the comfort animal programme, including Air Tran Airways, Alaska Airlines, Allegant Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, United, US Airways, Virgin America, Air France, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic

Unaccompanied Minors (UNMR)

Children travelling alone on a flight wearing a large ID tab is a frequent sight at airports and on board flights these days. They may be returning to their families after attending a school overseas, or being returned to a custodial parent or guardian, or even joining grandparents or family members for a holiday without their parents.

Whatever the reasons, the frequency of children travelling by themselves has led airlines to set up programmes that address the specific needs of children travelling alone.

The common term that is used to describe children who fly alone is unaccompanied minors (also known as UMs).

The key feature of an unaccompanied minor is that the child is travelling without a parent, guardian or other trusted adult that the child knows. Under these circumstances, the airlines must take great care to ensure that they look after these children appropriately, and that they are flown to their destination safely.

Most airlines set an age range within age the term ‘minor’ is applied. It is generally between the ages of five and eleven years old. As these ages differ it is always advisable for travellers to check with the airline prior to making a booking.

Airlines usually charge for their unaccompanied minor services, and the fees will vary from airline to airline.  Some airlines will not permit unaccompanied minors to take routes that require a change of flights (connecting flights) as these may require the child to transit a busy airport terminal. Airline rules should always be checked for each individual case.

Many airports have a specific area for checking in unaccompanied minors, or other passengers requiring special assistance.  At check in the adult accompanying the minor to the airport will provide information about the unaccompanied minor and forms are completed that include  the child’s identification; flight itinerary; a parent or guardian’s authorization; and the details about who will be meeting the child at the destination

Unaccompanied minors are provided with ID tags, and these can vary from standard ID cards on lanyards worn round the neck, baseball caps, buttons or rosettes. All of these are designed to ensure that the child can be readily identified by airline staff, both on the ground and during the flight.

Unaccompanied minors are escorted by airline staff through security to the boarding gates where they will be pre-boarded onto the flight by a member of the cabin crew.

During the flight, the unaccompanied minor is looked after by the cabin crew. Most airlines work hard at taking care of these special passengers, recognising that children may be scared or worried about taking this kind of journey on their own. Airlines frequently provide special children’s packs, containing drawing materials, stickers, fun activities and other items designed to keep the children entertained! Special children’s meals are provided in funky lunch boxes, even including McDonald packs.

Upon arrival the child is kept on the aircraft until all the other passengers have disembarked before being handed over to a ground staff member who will escort the child to the arrivals area to collect baggage and be met by their designated family or friend.

Travelling with a Comfort Animal

Comfort Animals are used in Animal Assisted Therapy to improve the physical, social, emotional and cognitive condition of the patient. Most Comfort Animals are dogs and cats, however this therapy can also include parrots, horses, elephants, lizards, and monkeys. These pet animals are now recognized as providing a valuable service to the elderly and to others with a medical disability and have recently reached the status of Service Animals. Service Animals include guide dogs for the vision impaired, and mobility dogs.

Comfort animals, where appropriate, are allowed to travel with their human owner in the aircraft cabin. Specific laws exist governing this type of travel:

Service Animals

A service animal can accompany a person on an airplane. Dogs trained to aid with seizure alerts, psychiatric comfort and emotional support are considered service dogs under U.S. federal government statutes.

Proof

Passengers must present airline staff with proof the animal is a trained service animal. Accepted forms include identification cards, service harness, written authorization or credible visual or verbal statements when the need for a service animal is obvious to staff.

Seating

Service animal laws allow the animals to sit with the passenger in need as long as emergency exits are not obstructed. Large animals will be accommodated in the baggage hold in appropriate crates designed for the carriage of animals.

Airline staff have the right to question or prohibit the use of an animal only if it poses a threat to others.

Health Regulations

There are a number of health regulations governing the carriage of animals in the cabin of an aircraft and these should be checked at the point of booking and at check in prior to departure. A record of health may be required by the airline, and some countries require one that is issued within 10 days prior to departure. Some airlines require a service/comfort animal to be vaccinated at least 30 days prior to departure, and some countries require proof of rabies vaccination for dogs 12 weeks and older. Most airlines also require that animals are at least eight weeks old and have been weaned at least five days prior to your flight.

Participating Airlines

A significant number of international airlines have signed up to the comfort animal programme, including Air Tran Airways, Alaska Airlines, Allegant Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, United, US Airways, Virgin America, Air France, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic

Unaccompanied Minors (UNMR)

Children travelling alone on a flight wearing a large ID tab is a frequent sight at airports and on board flights these days. They may be returning to their families after attending a school overseas, or being returned to a custodial parent or guardian, or even joining grandparents or family members for a holiday without their parents.

Whatever the reasons, the frequency of children travelling by themselves has led airlines to set up programmes that address the specific needs of children travelling alone.

The common term that is used to describe children who fly alone is unaccompanied minors (also known as UMs).

The key feature of an unaccompanied minor is that the child is travelling without a parent, guardian or other trusted adult that the child knows. Under these circumstances, the airlines must take great care to ensure that they look after these children appropriately, and that they are flown to their destination safely.

Most airlines set an age range within age the term ‘minor’ is applied. It is generally between the ages of five and eleven years old. As these ages differ it is always advisable for travellers to check with the airline prior to making a booking.

Airlines usually charge for their unaccompanied minor services, and the fees will vary from airline to airline.  Some airlines will not permit unaccompanied minors to take routes that require a change of flights (connecting flights) as these may require the child to transit a busy airport terminal. Airline rules should always be checked for each individual case.

Many airports have a specific area for checking in unaccompanied minors, or other passengers requiring special assistance.  At check in the adult accompanying the minor to the airport will provide information about the unaccompanied minor and forms are completed that include  the child’s identification; flight itinerary; a parent or guardian’s authorization; and the details about who will be meeting the child at the destination

Unaccompanied minors are provided with ID tags, and these can vary from standard ID cards on lanyards worn round the neck, baseball caps, buttons or rosettes. All of these are designed to ensure that the child can be readily identified by airline staff, both on the ground and during the flight.

Unaccompanied minors are escorted by airline staff through security to the boarding gates where they will be pre-boarded onto the flight by a member of the cabin crew.

During the flight, the unaccompanied minor is looked after by the cabin crew. Most airlines work hard at taking care of these special passengers, recognising that children may be scared or worried about taking this kind of journey on their own. Airlines frequently provide special children’s packs, containing drawing materials, stickers, fun activities and other items designed to keep the children entertained! Special children’s meals are provided in funky lunch boxes, even including McDonald packs.

Upon arrival the child is kept on the aircraft until all the other passengers have disembarked before being handed over to a ground staff member who will escort the child to the arrivals area to collect baggage and be met by their designated family or friend.

Travelling with a Comfort Animal

Comfort Animals are used in Animal Assisted Therapy to improve the physical, social, emotional and cognitive condition of the patient. Most Comfort Animals are dogs and cats, however this therapy can also include parrots, horses, elephants, lizards, and monkeys. These pet animals are now recognized as providing a valuable service to the elderly and to others with a medical disability and have recently reached the status of Service Animals. Service Animals include guide dogs for the vision impaired, and mobility dogs.

Comfort animals, where appropriate, are allowed to travel with their human owner in the aircraft cabin. Specific laws exist governing this type of travel:

Service Animals

A service animal can accompany a person on an airplane. Dogs trained to aid with seizure alerts, psychiatric comfort and emotional support are considered service dogs under U.S. federal government statutes.

Proof

Passengers must present airline staff with proof the animal is a trained service animal. Accepted forms include identification cards, service harness, written authorization or credible visual or verbal statements when the need for a service animal is obvious to staff.

Seating

Service animal laws allow the animals to sit with the passenger in need as long as emergency exits are not obstructed. Large animals will be accommodated in the baggage hold in appropriate crates designed for the carriage of animals.

Airline staff have the right to question or prohibit the use of an animal only if it poses a threat to others.

Health Regulations

There are a number of health regulations governing the carriage of animals in the cabin of an aircraft and these should be checked at the point of booking and at check in prior to departure. A record of health may be required by the airline, and some countries require one that is issued within 10 days prior to departure. Some airlines require a service/comfort animal to be vaccinated at least 30 days prior to departure, and some countries require proof of rabies vaccination for dogs 12 weeks and older. Most airlines also require that animals are at least eight weeks old and have been weaned at least five days prior to your flight.

Participating Airlines

A significant number of international airlines have signed up to the comfort animal programme, including Air Tran Airways, Alaska Airlines, Allegant Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, United, US Airways, Virgin America, Air France, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic

Looking after Families with Children

These passengers are often the ones who look the most harassed on any journey, particularly on long haul flights! Even the shortest flight takes hours of pre-flight checking in and waiting at the airport, and by take off children can often be tired and agitated.

Good flight attendants will take special care with these families, helping to seat the children, provide children’s activity packs and stowing away the large amount of cabin baggage families often need to travel with.

People travelling with small children often arrive at the aircraft with a ‘buggy’ or ‘stroller’ that needs to be folded and given to the cabin crew for stowing during flight. They retrieve these strollers on arrival and help passengers organise their children and baggage ready for disembarking.

Babies are often accommodated in ‘sky cots’ (also known as bassinets) attached to the bulkhead (dividing wall) of an aircraft. These have to be requested at the time of booking, and flight attendants help passengers with the fitting of the sky cots to the cabin bulkhead. Airlines have weight restrictions on the use of these sky cots and these should be checked out by the passenger at the time of booking. Sky cots are not very big, suitable for new born babies to babies around six months old.

Children under two travel with their car seat strapped into the airline seat to provide a safe and snug travel arrangement. Older children sit in airline seats in the usual way.

If a flight is not full the cabin crew may help in rearranging seating so a family can spread out across more seats. This is one of those moments of excellence that can transform a journey from a nightmare to enjoyable in one move!!

Good flight attendants will be alert to the needs of families:

• Helping families by organising pre-boarding before other passengers
• Stowing baggage for the family
• Offering to hold baby while a mum attends to other children
• Heating milk and baby food in the galley
• Helping the parent to navigate the baby-change area/table on the aircraft
• Providing additional seating for the children to stretch out and sleep
• Providing activities for small children to keep them entertained
• Provision of infants seat belts to extend the parents seat belt where the infant is on a lap

Looking after passengers with disabilities

Passengers may present with a wide range of disabilities, including vision impaired, hearing impaired and mobility issues.

Flight attendants should take extra care to ensure that these passengers are treated with high levels of dignity and respect, helping them to enjoy their journey and thus becoming a regular loyal customer!

Mobility Issues

Passengers may be wheelchair bound, or may be able to walk with assistance from a walker, crutches or stick. Passengers who are walking may have a restriction in the amount of walking they are able to undertake, or may be able to walk on level ground but not be able to navigate steps up to an aircraft.

Passengers should notify the airline of their mobility issue at the time of booking, and this information will feature on the ‘passenger manifest.’ The manifest (sometimes known as passenger or flight list) contains the names and booking details of all the passengers booked on a flight, including special notes regarding mobility, meal requirements etc. This helps the airline, and specifically the cabin crew, to be able to plan for the flight and to take into account the seating requirements and needs of all the booked passengers.

During the pre-briefing of all flights information is shared between the crew about the passenger ‘payload’. This helps to ensure that special arrangements, such as ensuring a wheelchair-bound passenger is seated close to an on-board toilet, can be put in place before the first passenger has even boarded.

Passengers using wheelchairs may arrive at the aircraft in their own fold-up wheelchair. These can be stowed in the on board coat closet or in the aircraft hold. As with a pushchair or stroller, wheelchairs are allowed as part of the baggage allowance, in addition to the passengers’ suitcases.

Manual fold up wheelchairs can actually be stowed in the on board coat closet, though there will only be room for one wheelchair. Airlines work on a first-come, first served basis for the storage of wheelchairs on board. If you cannot secure this space, the airline will store your chair with the main luggage. This will not affect your luggage allowance.

Flight attendants can make a real difference for these passengers. Passengers with disabilities are usually invited to pre-board the aircraft before other passengers. Flight attendants should be ready to assist with boarding and existing the aircraft, including organising a lifting device that may be needed to help passengers with very limited mobility.

Whilst cabin crews are trained to provide help to all passengers, particularly those with special needs, airlines can legally reserve the right to refuse travellers who are unable to look after their own needs for the duration of the flight. Passengers with significant mobility issues are therefore advised to travel with a competent escort to help during the flight.

Similarly, if a passenger suffers from severe hearing and vision impairments which might hinder their ability to respond to cabin-staff instructions in an emergency; then a travelling escort may also be required.  For travellers who are hard of hearing, airlines should provide all facilities accessible to the average traveller by providing telecommunication devices for the deaf or text telephones. Many aircraft now have such devices within the in-seat entertainment systems, so passengers can enjoy the movies/music provided in-flight.

Airlines always advise such passengers to contact them directly before making a booking in order to ensure that their needs can be met.

Airline Special Service Request Codes (SSR)

A special service requests code (SSR) is used by airlines to document information about passengers. This includes special meal requests, special baggage handling requests, unaccompanied minors, and disabled passengers, among other things. Some SSR codes are used across the air travel industry, and some are airline-specific.

Mobility Codes

Travellers with ’reduced mobility’ can be identified by the airline code – PRM. The use of this code will help at check-in, boarding the aircraft, in flight, and exiting the aircraft on arrival.

The following codes are use within airlines to provide specific information on the level and type of disability of a passenger. These are used at the time of booking and will feature on the passenger manifest or list used by the cabin crew.

WCHR – Passenger who can walk up and down stairs and move about in an aircraft cabin, but who requires a wheelchair or other means for movements between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal.

WCHS – Passenger who cannot walk up or down stairs, but who can move about in an aircraft cabin and requires a wheelchair to move between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal.

WCHC – Passenger who is completely immobile, who can move about only with the help of a wheelchair or any other means and who requires assistance at all times from arrival at the airport to seating in the aircraft or, if necessary, in a special seat fitted to his/her specific needs, the process being inverted at arrival.

DEAF – Passenger who is deaf or a passenger who is deaf without speech.

BLND – Blind

DEAF/BLND – Blind and deaf passenger, who can move about only with the help of an accompanying person.

STCR – Passenger who can only be transported on a stretcher.

MAAS (Meet and assist) – All other passengers in need of special help.

There is another category, which is not yet internationally recognised:

WCHP – Passenger with a disability of the lower limbs who has sufficient personal anatomy to take care of him/herself, but who requires assistance to embark or disembark and who can move about in an aircraft cabin only with the help of an on-board wheelchair.

Checkout the Wikipedia page on special service request codes:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_service_request_code

Checkout this excellent site on flying with disabilities:http://www.flying-with-disability.org/

Looking after Families with Children

These passengers are often the ones who look the most harassed on any journey, particularly on long haul flights! Even the shortest flight takes hours of pre-flight checking in and waiting at the airport, and by take off children can often be tired and agitated.

Good flight attendants will take special care with these families, helping to seat the children, provide children’s activity packs and stowing away the large amount of cabin baggage families often need to travel with.

People travelling with small children often arrive at the aircraft with a ‘buggy’ or ‘stroller’ that needs to be folded and given to the cabin crew for stowing during flight. They retrieve these strollers on arrival and help passengers organise their children and baggage ready for disembarking.

Babies are often accommodated in ‘sky cots’ (also known as bassinets) attached to the bulkhead (dividing wall) of an aircraft. These have to be requested at the time of booking, and flight attendants help passengers with the fitting of the sky cots to the cabin bulkhead. Airlines have weight restrictions on the use of these sky cots and these should be checked out by the passenger at the time of booking. Sky cots are not very big, suitable for new born babies to babies around six months old.

Children under two travel with their car seat strapped into the airline seat to provide a safe and snug travel arrangement. Older children sit in airline seats in the usual way.

If a flight is not full the cabin crew may help in rearranging seating so a family can spread out across more seats. This is one of those moments of excellence that can transform a journey from a nightmare to enjoyable in one move!!

Good flight attendants will be alert to the needs of families:

• Helping families by organising pre-boarding before other passengers
• Stowing baggage for the family
• Offering to hold baby while a mum attends to other children
• Heating milk and baby food in the galley
• Helping the parent to navigate the baby-change area/table on the aircraft
• Providing additional seating for the children to stretch out and sleep
• Providing activities for small children to keep them entertained
• Provision of infants seat belts to extend the parents seat belt where the infant is on a lap

Looking after passengers with disabilities

Passengers may present with a wide range of disabilities, including vision impaired, hearing impaired and mobility issues.

Flight attendants should take extra care to ensure that these passengers are treated with high levels of dignity and respect, helping them to enjoy their journey and thus becoming a regular loyal customer!

Mobility Issues

Passengers may be wheelchair bound, or may be able to walk with assistance from a walker, crutches or stick. Passengers who are walking may have a restriction in the amount of walking they are able to undertake, or may be able to walk on level ground but not be able to navigate steps up to an aircraft.

Passengers should notify the airline of their mobility issue at the time of booking, and this information will feature on the ‘passenger manifest.’ The manifest (sometimes known as passenger or flight list) contains the names and booking details of all the passengers booked on a flight, including special notes regarding mobility, meal requirements etc. This helps the airline, and specifically the cabin crew, to be able to plan for the flight and to take into account the seating requirements and needs of all the booked passengers.

During the pre-briefing of all flights information is shared between the crew about the passenger ‘payload’. This helps to ensure that special arrangements, such as ensuring a wheelchair-bound passenger is seated close to an on-board toilet, can be put in place before the first passenger has even boarded.

Passengers using wheelchairs may arrive at the aircraft in their own fold-up wheelchair. These can be stowed in the on board coat closet or in the aircraft hold. As with a pushchair or stroller, wheelchairs are allowed as part of the baggage allowance, in addition to the passengers’ suitcases.

Manual fold up wheelchairs can actually be stowed in the on board coat closet, though there will only be room for one wheelchair. Airlines work on a first-come, first served basis for the storage of wheelchairs on board. If you cannot secure this space, the airline will store your chair with the main luggage. This will not affect your luggage allowance.

Flight attendants can make a real difference for these passengers. Passengers with disabilities are usually invited to pre-board the aircraft before other passengers. Flight attendants should be ready to assist with boarding and existing the aircraft, including organising a lifting device that may be needed to help passengers with very limited mobility.

Whilst cabin crews are trained to provide help to all passengers, particularly those with special needs, airlines can legally reserve the right to refuse travellers who are unable to look after their own needs for the duration of the flight. Passengers with significant mobility issues are therefore advised to travel with a competent escort to help during the flight.

Similarly, if a passenger suffers from severe hearing and vision impairments which might hinder their ability to respond to cabin-staff instructions in an emergency; then a travelling escort may also be required.  For travellers who are hard of hearing, airlines should provide all facilities accessible to the average traveller by providing telecommunication devices for the deaf or text telephones. Many aircraft now have such devices within the in-seat entertainment systems, so passengers can enjoy the movies/music provided in-flight.

Airlines always advise such passengers to contact them directly before making a booking in order to ensure that their needs can be met.

Airline Special Service Request Codes (SSR)

A special service requests code (SSR) is used by airlines to document information about passengers. This includes special meal requests, special baggage handling requests, unaccompanied minors, and disabled passengers, among other things. Some SSR codes are used across the air travel industry, and some are airline-specific.

Mobility Codes

Travellers with ’reduced mobility’ can be identified by the airline code – PRM. The use of this code will help at check-in, boarding the aircraft, in flight, and exiting the aircraft on arrival.

The following codes are use within airlines to provide specific information on the level and type of disability of a passenger. These are used at the time of booking and will feature on the passenger manifest or list used by the cabin crew.

WCHR – Passenger who can walk up and down stairs and move about in an aircraft cabin, but who requires a wheelchair or other means for movements between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal.

WCHS – Passenger who cannot walk up or down stairs, but who can move about in an aircraft cabin and requires a wheelchair to move between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal.

WCHC – Passenger who is completely immobile, who can move about only with the help of a wheelchair or any other means and who requires assistance at all times from arrival at the airport to seating in the aircraft or, if necessary, in a special seat fitted to his/her specific needs, the process being inverted at arrival.

DEAF – Passenger who is deaf or a passenger who is deaf without speech.

BLND – Blind

DEAF/BLND – Blind and deaf passenger, who can move about only with the help of an accompanying person.

STCR – Passenger who can only be transported on a stretcher.

MAAS (Meet and assist) – All other passengers in need of special help.

There is another category, which is not yet internationally recognised:

WCHP – Passenger with a disability of the lower limbs who has sufficient personal anatomy to take care of him/herself, but who requires assistance to embark or disembark and who can move about in an aircraft cabin only with the help of an on-board wheelchair.

Checkout the Wikipedia page on special service request codes:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_service_request_code

Checkout this excellent site on flying with disabilities:http://www.flying-with-disability.org/

Looking after Families with Children

These passengers are often the ones who look the most harassed on any journey, particularly on long haul flights! Even the shortest flight takes hours of pre-flight checking in and waiting at the airport, and by take off children can often be tired and agitated.

Good flight attendants will take special care with these families, helping to seat the children, provide children’s activity packs and stowing away the large amount of cabin baggage families often need to travel with.

People travelling with small children often arrive at the aircraft with a ‘buggy’ or ‘stroller’ that needs to be folded and given to the cabin crew for stowing during flight. They retrieve these strollers on arrival and help passengers organise their children and baggage ready for disembarking.

Babies are often accommodated in ‘sky cots’ (also known as bassinets) attached to the bulkhead (dividing wall) of an aircraft. These have to be requested at the time of booking, and flight attendants help passengers with the fitting of the sky cots to the cabin bulkhead. Airlines have weight restrictions on the use of these sky cots and these should be checked out by the passenger at the time of booking. Sky cots are not very big, suitable for new born babies to babies around six months old.

Children under two travel with their car seat strapped into the airline seat to provide a safe and snug travel arrangement. Older children sit in airline seats in the usual way.

If a flight is not full the cabin crew may help in rearranging seating so a family can spread out across more seats. This is one of those moments of excellence that can transform a journey from a nightmare to enjoyable in one move!!

Good flight attendants will be alert to the needs of families:

• Helping families by organising pre-boarding before other passengers
• Stowing baggage for the family
• Offering to hold baby while a mum attends to other children
• Heating milk and baby food in the galley
• Helping the parent to navigate the baby-change area/table on the aircraft
• Providing additional seating for the children to stretch out and sleep
• Providing activities for small children to keep them entertained
• Provision of infants seat belts to extend the parents seat belt where the infant is on a lap

Looking after passengers with disabilities

Passengers may present with a wide range of disabilities, including vision impaired, hearing impaired and mobility issues.

Flight attendants should take extra care to ensure that these passengers are treated with high levels of dignity and respect, helping them to enjoy their journey and thus becoming a regular loyal customer!

Mobility Issues

Passengers may be wheelchair bound, or may be able to walk with assistance from a walker, crutches or stick. Passengers who are walking may have a restriction in the amount of walking they are able to undertake, or may be able to walk on level ground but not be able to navigate steps up to an aircraft.

Passengers should notify the airline of their mobility issue at the time of booking, and this information will feature on the ‘passenger manifest.’ The manifest (sometimes known as passenger or flight list) contains the names and booking details of all the passengers booked on a flight, including special notes regarding mobility, meal requirements etc. This helps the airline, and specifically the cabin crew, to be able to plan for the flight and to take into account the seating requirements and needs of all the booked passengers.

During the pre-briefing of all flights information is shared between the crew about the passenger ‘payload’. This helps to ensure that special arrangements, such as ensuring a wheelchair-bound passenger is seated close to an on-board toilet, can be put in place before the first passenger has even boarded.

Passengers using wheelchairs may arrive at the aircraft in their own fold-up wheelchair. These can be stowed in the on board coat closet or in the aircraft hold. As with a pushchair or stroller, wheelchairs are allowed as part of the baggage allowance, in addition to the passengers’ suitcases.

Manual fold up wheelchairs can actually be stowed in the on board coat closet, though there will only be room for one wheelchair. Airlines work on a first-come, first served basis for the storage of wheelchairs on board. If you cannot secure this space, the airline will store your chair with the main luggage. This will not affect your luggage allowance.

Flight attendants can make a real difference for these passengers. Passengers with disabilities are usually invited to pre-board the aircraft before other passengers. Flight attendants should be ready to assist with boarding and existing the aircraft, including organising a lifting device that may be needed to help passengers with very limited mobility.

Whilst cabin crews are trained to provide help to all passengers, particularly those with special needs, airlines can legally reserve the right to refuse travellers who are unable to look after their own needs for the duration of the flight. Passengers with significant mobility issues are therefore advised to travel with a competent escort to help during the flight.

Similarly, if a passenger suffers from severe hearing and vision impairments which might hinder their ability to respond to cabin-staff instructions in an emergency; then a travelling escort may also be required.  For travellers who are hard of hearing, airlines should provide all facilities accessible to the average traveller by providing telecommunication devices for the deaf or text telephones. Many aircraft now have such devices within the in-seat entertainment systems, so passengers can enjoy the movies/music provided in-flight.

Airlines always advise such passengers to contact them directly before making a booking in order to ensure that their needs can be met.

Airline Special Service Request Codes (SSR)

A special service requests code (SSR) is used by airlines to document information about passengers. This includes special meal requests, special baggage handling requests, unaccompanied minors, and disabled passengers, among other things. Some SSR codes are used across the air travel industry, and some are airline-specific.

Mobility Codes

Travellers with ’reduced mobility’ can be identified by the airline code – PRM. The use of this code will help at check-in, boarding the aircraft, in flight, and exiting the aircraft on arrival.

The following codes are use within airlines to provide specific information on the level and type of disability of a passenger. These are used at the time of booking and will feature on the passenger manifest or list used by the cabin crew.

WCHR – Passenger who can walk up and down stairs and move about in an aircraft cabin, but who requires a wheelchair or other means for movements between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal.

WCHS – Passenger who cannot walk up or down stairs, but who can move about in an aircraft cabin and requires a wheelchair to move between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal and between arrival and departure points on the city side of the terminal.

WCHC – Passenger who is completely immobile, who can move about only with the help of a wheelchair or any other means and who requires assistance at all times from arrival at the airport to seating in the aircraft or, if necessary, in a special seat fitted to his/her specific needs, the process being inverted at arrival.

DEAF – Passenger who is deaf or a passenger who is deaf without speech.

BLND – Blind

DEAF/BLND – Blind and deaf passenger, who can move about only with the help of an accompanying person.

STCR – Passenger who can only be transported on a stretcher.

MAAS (Meet and assist) – All other passengers in need of special help.

There is another category, which is not yet internationally recognised:

WCHP – Passenger with a disability of the lower limbs who has sufficient personal anatomy to take care of him/herself, but who requires assistance to embark or disembark and who can move about in an aircraft cabin only with the help of an on-board wheelchair.

Checkout the Wikipedia page on special service request codes:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_service_request_code

Checkout this excellent site on flying with disabilities:http://www.flying-with-disability.org/

Chapter Six: Passenger Types

Overview

Looking after airline passengers is one of the key roles of a flight attendant, and as passengers come in all shapes, sizes and walks of life there is no ‘one size fits all’ way of handling them all!

This module introduces you types of passengers that you may come across when working for an airline or when travelling by air.

This includes:

•  VIPs
• Families with children
• Unaccompanied minors
• Passengers with disabilities
• Passengers travelling with a service/comfort animal (Guide dog etc)

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this module you will be able to:

•  Translate airline identifiers for differing types of passengers
• List the key features of differing passenger types
• Describe the levels and range of services offered to differing passenger types

PASSENGER TYPES & CUSTOMER SERVICE

VIPs

Very Important People (known as VIPs) often travel on privately chartered aircraft and are lavished with care and attention from a dedicated flight and cabin crew, all trained in handling such passengers.

On flights that include other passengers, VIPs are usually accommodated in First or Business Class, and airlines will take care to ensure that their privacy and comfort is assured. All flight attendants are assigned to specific classes of service, and First and Business Class flight attendants will be made up of the most experienced members of the cabin crew.

Looking after VIPs in flight

From the first point of contact at check-in, VIPs are treated with every courtesy and respect. They will use the First Class check-in desk at the airport, or even be checked in via a VIP lounge available only to the most important VIPs. This might include royalty or heads of government who have specific security requirements.

VIPs will be either pre-boarded in order to ensure they are comfortably seated before the rush of the other passengers, or will board after all other passengers are seated, depending on the seating arrangements of the aircraft.

VIPs will be offered complimentary champagne on boarding, together with newspapers and magazines. On some airlines VIPs seated in First Class can have their seat in any position during take-off and landing, unlike in Economy class where the seats must be returned to the fully upright position for take off. After take-off First Class passengers can also settle into a fully reclined bed-type seat ready for a comfortable flight in the sleeping position.

Many VIPs prefer an unobtrusive service style, and cabin crew will ensure that if this is the case that these passengers are not bothered or interrupted unless they signal for service or press their call buttons.

Food and drinks services are often ‘on demand’ with the widest possible range of options on offer.

One of the key VIP service standards is to preserve their privacy and security by providing maximum space and ensuring that other passengers do not randomly visit First Class cabin to check out who’s there! Flight attendants must be vigilant to ensure that passengers stay within their service class during the flight.

On arrival VIPs disembark prior to other passengers, with privacy curtains/doors kept closed to ensure their privacy is maintained.

Chapter Six: Passenger Types

Overview

Looking after airline passengers is one of the key roles of a flight attendant, and as passengers come in all shapes, sizes and walks of life there is no ‘one size fits all’ way of handling them all!

This module introduces you types of passengers that you may come across when working for an airline or when travelling by air.

This includes:

•  VIPs
• Families with children
• Unaccompanied minors
• Passengers with disabilities
• Passengers travelling with a service/comfort animal (Guide dog etc)

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this module you will be able to:

•  Translate airline identifiers for differing types of passengers
• List the key features of differing passenger types
• Describe the levels and range of services offered to differing passenger types

PASSENGER TYPES & CUSTOMER SERVICE

VIPs

Very Important People (known as VIPs) often travel on privately chartered aircraft and are lavished with care and attention from a dedicated flight and cabin crew, all trained in handling such passengers.

On flights that include other passengers, VIPs are usually accommodated in First or Business Class, and airlines will take care to ensure that their privacy and comfort is assured. All flight attendants are assigned to specific classes of service, and First and Business Class flight attendants will be made up of the most experienced members of the cabin crew.

Looking after VIPs in flight

From the first point of contact at check-in, VIPs are treated with every courtesy and respect. They will use the First Class check-in desk at the airport, or even be checked in via a VIP lounge available only to the most important VIPs. This might include royalty or heads of government who have specific security requirements.

VIPs will be either pre-boarded in order to ensure they are comfortably seated before the rush of the other passengers, or will board after all other passengers are seated, depending on the seating arrangements of the aircraft.

VIPs will be offered complimentary champagne on boarding, together with newspapers and magazines. On some airlines VIPs seated in First Class can have their seat in any position during take-off and landing, unlike in Economy class where the seats must be returned to the fully upright position for take off. After take-off First Class passengers can also settle into a fully reclined bed-type seat ready for a comfortable flight in the sleeping position.

Many VIPs prefer an unobtrusive service style, and cabin crew will ensure that if this is the case that these passengers are not bothered or interrupted unless they signal for service or press their call buttons.

Food and drinks services are often ‘on demand’ with the widest possible range of options on offer.

One of the key VIP service standards is to preserve their privacy and security by providing maximum space and ensuring that other passengers do not randomly visit First Class cabin to check out who’s there! Flight attendants must be vigilant to ensure that passengers stay within their service class during the flight.

On arrival VIPs disembark prior to other passengers, with privacy curtains/doors kept closed to ensure their privacy is maintained.

Chapter Six: Passenger Types

Overview

Looking after airline passengers is one of the key roles of a flight attendant, and as passengers come in all shapes, sizes and walks of life there is no ‘one size fits all’ way of handling them all!

This module introduces you types of passengers that you may come across when working for an airline or when travelling by air.

This includes:

•  VIPs
• Families with children
• Unaccompanied minors
• Passengers with disabilities
• Passengers travelling with a service/comfort animal (Guide dog etc)

Learning Objectives:

On completion of this module you will be able to:

•  Translate airline identifiers for differing types of passengers
• List the key features of differing passenger types
• Describe the levels and range of services offered to differing passenger types

PASSENGER TYPES & CUSTOMER SERVICE

VIPs

Very Important People (known as VIPs) often travel on privately chartered aircraft and are lavished with care and attention from a dedicated flight and cabin crew, all trained in handling such passengers.

On flights that include other passengers, VIPs are usually accommodated in First or Business Class, and airlines will take care to ensure that their privacy and comfort is assured. All flight attendants are assigned to specific classes of service, and First and Business Class flight attendants will be made up of the most experienced members of the cabin crew.

Looking after VIPs in flight

From the first point of contact at check-in, VIPs are treated with every courtesy and respect. They will use the First Class check-in desk at the airport, or even be checked in via a VIP lounge available only to the most important VIPs. This might include royalty or heads of government who have specific security requirements.

VIPs will be either pre-boarded in order to ensure they are comfortably seated before the rush of the other passengers, or will board after all other passengers are seated, depending on the seating arrangements of the aircraft.

VIPs will be offered complimentary champagne on boarding, together with newspapers and magazines. On some airlines VIPs seated in First Class can have their seat in any position during take-off and landing, unlike in Economy class where the seats must be returned to the fully upright position for take off. After take-off First Class passengers can also settle into a fully reclined bed-type seat ready for a comfortable flight in the sleeping position.

Many VIPs prefer an unobtrusive service style, and cabin crew will ensure that if this is the case that these passengers are not bothered or interrupted unless they signal for service or press their call buttons.

Food and drinks services are often ‘on demand’ with the widest possible range of options on offer.

One of the key VIP service standards is to preserve their privacy and security by providing maximum space and ensuring that other passengers do not randomly visit First Class cabin to check out who’s there! Flight attendants must be vigilant to ensure that passengers stay within their service class during the flight.

On arrival VIPs disembark prior to other passengers, with privacy curtains/doors kept closed to ensure their privacy is maintained.

GMT

All time is currently calculated from one point on the globe – known as GMT. The location is Greenwich, a suburb of London in the UK, and the term ‘Mean Time” refers to the actual time that it is in Greenwich. Hence – Greenwich Mean Time!

Early astrologers and explorers were often recruited by Geographical Societies based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. As the explorers and map makers explored the world and found it to be round they invented a system of calculating time based on Greenwich being the starting point as Greenwich was the home base of the Geographical Societies.

These early explorers also divided the world into 24 one hour time zones. 12 of these time zones were to the east of Greenwich, and 12 to the west. If you start at Greenwich, and travel eastwards round the world, you would travel across all 24 time zones and be back where you started! This is also called a ‘circumnavigation’ of the globe.

Checkout the map below, which shows all the time zones of the world, with the middle of the map showing the GMT Line as zero degrees longitude. The lines of longitude on the map are shown at exactly one hour time zones.

(Check this website if you cannot see this map properly.)

The International Date Line

In addition to GMT, the early explorers and navigators created another key reference point for time, this time located in the Pacific Ocean. This is a notional north to south line on a map which determines the point at which the date changes. The line is known as the International Date Line.

If you travel on a ship in an easterly direction, for example from South Africa to Australia – you will travel across the International Date Line and will travel back in time by 24 hours! If you cross the date line the other way (in a westerly direction) you gain 24 hours and have effectively lost a whole day. This line is needed in order to have a fixed boundary on the globe where the calendar date resets.

The map here shows the location of the line. You will see that it’s been drawn to avoid land masses as it would be too confusing to have a country operating between two different dates!

Calculating time around the world

The zone passing through Greenwich (UK) is the only time zone in the world that is on GMT. All other time zones are either ahead of GMT (places to the east of Greenwich) or behind GMT (places to the west of Greenwich)

Thinking about where you live, checkout this map and see if you can calculate how many hours difference there is between your location and GMT.

Are you located ahead of GMT? If so, how many hours?

Are you located behind GMT? If so, by how many hours?

This online course is being authored in Auckland, New Zealand, one of the furthest places from GMT in the world! Auckland is 12 hours ahead of GMT, so when it is 10 am in London (UK) it is 10pm in Auckland – almost a full day ahead!

A useful reference for calculating time is shown here. It shows you the time differences from GMT for all countries of the world. Places that are ahead of GMT (to the east) are shown with a +symbol. E.g. Paris may be +1 hour, which means it is one hour ahead of GMT. Places that are behind GMT (to the west) are shown with a –symbol. E.g. New York may be shown as -5, which means it is 5 hours behind GMT>

The internet has a great range of online time calculators, such as:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/timezone.php
http://www.timegenie.com/time_zone_converter

Summer Time

Just when you thought that time calculations seem straightforward, let’s talk about Summer Time! In many countries this is known as “Daylight Saving Time”, sometimes abbreviated to DST.

Summer Time is a term used in countries where the government has taken the decision to put clocks forward in the spring to make the summer days longer. In these countries the clocks are put back by the same amount at the end of summer, thus making the days shorter again in the winter. Summer Time is an artificial adjustment of time.

In the UK for example, the clocks are put forward by one hour each April, and put back again in October.

This can affect the calculation of journey times, and for this reason we recommend that you always use the airlines journey times as provided to crew and passengers as they will have taken that into account when making those calculations.

Calculating a basic journey time

Passengers always want to know how long a flight will take – particularly on long flights or where they may be travelling with children. Air crew need to know the length of a journey to plan duties and rest time.

The basic calculation is this:

First of all, establish some key facts:

What is the departure time for this flight?  E.g.  10.00am

What is the difference from GMT for this departure point? E.g.     GMT

What is the arrival time for this flight?    E.g.    2pm

What is the difference from GMT for this arrival point?   E.g.     +1

Now make the calculation:

This journey appears to take 4 hours (10am to 2pm) but the arrival point is one hour ahead of GMT. We must DEDUCT this hour in order to arrive at the correct journey time. So: 4 hours less one hour = 3 hours total journey time.

NOTE:  We advise that you always use online calculators or airline schedules where possible in order to avoid giving or arriving at the wrong information.

GMT

All time is currently calculated from one point on the globe – known as GMT. The location is Greenwich, a suburb of London in the UK, and the term ‘Mean Time” refers to the actual time that it is in Greenwich. Hence – Greenwich Mean Time!

Early astrologers and explorers were often recruited by Geographical Societies based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. As the explorers and map makers explored the world and found it to be round they invented a system of calculating time based on Greenwich being the starting point as Greenwich was the home base of the Geographical Societies.

These early explorers also divided the world into 24 one hour time zones. 12 of these time zones were to the east of Greenwich, and 12 to the west. If you start at Greenwich, and travel eastwards round the world, you would travel across all 24 time zones and be back where you started! This is also called a ‘circumnavigation’ of the globe.

Checkout the map below, which shows all the time zones of the world, with the middle of the map showing the GMT Line as zero degrees longitude. The lines of longitude on the map are shown at exactly one hour time zones.

(Check this website if you cannot see this map properly.)

The International Date Line

In addition to GMT, the early explorers and navigators created another key reference point for time, this time located in the Pacific Ocean. This is a notional north to south line on a map which determines the point at which the date changes. The line is known as the International Date Line.

If you travel on a ship in an easterly direction, for example from South Africa to Australia – you will travel across the International Date Line and will travel back in time by 24 hours! If you cross the date line the other way (in a westerly direction) you gain 24 hours and have effectively lost a whole day. This line is needed in order to have a fixed boundary on the globe where the calendar date resets.

The map here shows the location of the line. You will see that it’s been drawn to avoid land masses as it would be too confusing to have a country operating between two different dates!

Calculating time around the world

The zone passing through Greenwich (UK) is the only time zone in the world that is on GMT. All other time zones are either ahead of GMT (places to the east of Greenwich) or behind GMT (places to the west of Greenwich)

Thinking about where you live, checkout this map and see if you can calculate how many hours difference there is between your location and GMT.

Are you located ahead of GMT? If so, how many hours?

Are you located behind GMT? If so, by how many hours?

This online course is being authored in Auckland, New Zealand, one of the furthest places from GMT in the world! Auckland is 12 hours ahead of GMT, so when it is 10 am in London (UK) it is 10pm in Auckland – almost a full day ahead!

A useful reference for calculating time is shown here. It shows you the time differences from GMT for all countries of the world. Places that are ahead of GMT (to the east) are shown with a +symbol. E.g. Paris may be +1 hour, which means it is one hour ahead of GMT. Places that are behind GMT (to the west) are shown with a –symbol. E.g. New York may be shown as -5, which means it is 5 hours behind GMT>

The internet has a great range of online time calculators, such as:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/timezone.php
http://www.timegenie.com/time_zone_converter

Summer Time

Just when you thought that time calculations seem straightforward, let’s talk about Summer Time! In many countries this is known as “Daylight Saving Time”, sometimes abbreviated to DST.

Summer Time is a term used in countries where the government has taken the decision to put clocks forward in the spring to make the summer days longer. In these countries the clocks are put back by the same amount at the end of summer, thus making the days shorter again in the winter. Summer Time is an artificial adjustment of time.

In the UK for example, the clocks are put forward by one hour each April, and put back again in October.

This can affect the calculation of journey times, and for this reason we recommend that you always use the airlines journey times as provided to crew and passengers as they will have taken that into account when making those calculations.

Calculating a basic journey time

Passengers always want to know how long a flight will take – particularly on long flights or where they may be travelling with children. Air crew need to know the length of a journey to plan duties and rest time.

The basic calculation is this:

First of all, establish some key facts:

What is the departure time for this flight?  E.g.  10.00am

What is the difference from GMT for this departure point? E.g.     GMT

What is the arrival time for this flight?    E.g.    2pm

What is the difference from GMT for this arrival point?   E.g.     +1

Now make the calculation:

This journey appears to take 4 hours (10am to 2pm) but the arrival point is one hour ahead of GMT. We must DEDUCT this hour in order to arrive at the correct journey time. So: 4 hours less one hour = 3 hours total journey time.

NOTE:  We advise that you always use online calculators or airline schedules where possible in order to avoid giving or arriving at the wrong information.

GMT

All time is currently calculated from one point on the globe – known as GMT. The location is Greenwich, a suburb of London in the UK, and the term ‘Mean Time” refers to the actual time that it is in Greenwich. Hence – Greenwich Mean Time!

Early astrologers and explorers were often recruited by Geographical Societies based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. As the explorers and map makers explored the world and found it to be round they invented a system of calculating time based on Greenwich being the starting point as Greenwich was the home base of the Geographical Societies.

These early explorers also divided the world into 24 one hour time zones. 12 of these time zones were to the east of Greenwich, and 12 to the west. If you start at Greenwich, and travel eastwards round the world, you would travel across all 24 time zones and be back where you started! This is also called a ‘circumnavigation’ of the globe.

Checkout the map below, which shows all the time zones of the world, with the middle of the map showing the GMT Line as zero degrees longitude. The lines of longitude on the map are shown at exactly one hour time zones.

(Check this website if you cannot see the map properly.)

The International Date Line

In addition to GMT, the early explorers and navigators created another key reference point for time, this time located in the Pacific Ocean. This is a notional north to south line on a map which determines the point at which the date changes. The line is known as the International Date Line.

If you travel on a ship in an easterly direction, for example from South Africa to Australia – you will travel across the International Date Line and will travel back in time by 24 hours! If you cross the date line the other way (in a westerly direction) you gain 24 hours and have effectively lost a whole day. This line is needed in order to have a fixed boundary on the globe where the calendar date resets.

The map here shows the location of the line. You will see that it’s been drawn to avoid land masses as it would be too confusing to have a country operating between two different dates!

Calculating time around the world

The zone passing through Greenwich (UK) is the only time zone in the world that is on GMT. All other time zones are either ahead of GMT (places to the east of Greenwich) or behind GMT (places to the west of Greenwich)

Thinking about where you live, checkout this map and see if you can calculate how many hours difference there is between your location and GMT.

Are you located ahead of GMT? If so, how many hours?

Are you located behind GMT? If so, by how many hours?

This online course is being authored in Auckland, New Zealand, one of the furthest places from GMT in the world! Auckland is 12 hours ahead of GMT, so when it is 10 am in London (UK) it is 10pm in Auckland – almost a full day ahead!

A useful reference for calculating time is shown here. It shows you the time differences from GMT for all countries of the world. Places that are ahead of GMT (to the east) are shown with a +symbol. E.g. Paris may be +1 hour, which means it is one hour ahead of GMT. Places that are behind GMT (to the west) are shown with a –symbol. E.g. New York may be shown as -5, which means it is 5 hours behind GMT>

The internet has a great range of online time calculators, such as:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/timezone.php
http://www.timegenie.com/time_zone_converter

Summer Time

Just when you thought that time calculations seem straightforward, let’s talk about Summer Time! In many countries this is known as “Daylight Saving Time”, sometimes abbreviated to DST.

Summer Time is a term used in countries where the government has taken the decision to put clocks forward in the spring to make the summer days longer. In these countries the clocks are put back by the same amount at the end of summer, thus making the days shorter again in the winter. Summer Time is an artificial adjustment of time.

In the UK for example, the clocks are put forward by one hour each April, and put back again in October.

This can affect the calculation of journey times, and for this reason we recommend that you always use the airlines journey times as provided to crew and passengers as they will have taken that into account when making those calculations.

Calculating a basic journey time

Passengers always want to know how long a flight will take – particularly on long flights or where they may be travelling with children. Air crew need to know the length of a journey to plan duties and rest time.

The basic calculation is this:

First of all, establish some key facts:

What is the departure time for this flight?  E.g.  10.00am

What is the difference from GMT for this departure point? E.g.     GMT

What is the arrival time for this flight?    E.g.    2pm

What is the difference from GMT for this arrival point?   E.g.     +1

Now make the calculation:

This journey appears to take 4 hours (10am to 2pm) but the arrival point is one hour ahead of GMT. We must DEDUCT this hour in order to arrive at the correct journey time. So: 4 hours less one hour = 3 hours total journey time.

NOTE:  We advise that you always use online calculators or airline schedules where possible in order to avoid giving or arriving at the wrong information.

Chapter Five:  Time Zones

Overview

There are two main methods of telling the time: the 12 hour clock and the 24 hour clock.

As small children we may have been taught the 12 hour clock and continue to use this method of telling the time in our every day lives.

The aviation industry has however adopted the 24 hour clock as the most common way of expressing time as it reduces confusion around whether a time quoted is an ‘am’ time (morning) or a ‘pm’ time (afternoon/evening).

All airline staff are required to understand and use the 24 hour clock as the preferred reference to time as this helps you to be able to understand crew schedules, timetables, airline timetables and tickets.

Airline staff around the world have the added complexity of having to adjust to time changes at their destination. They might need to calculate the length of a journey, and to figure out the amount of time between flights and shifts.

This chapter will explain the key differences between the two timing systems, and will introduce you to time zones and journey time calculations.

Top Tip: It’s almost impossible to calculate time using a calculator as time is not metric, so put the calculator away and get out your pen and paper!

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

•  Translate times to/from 24 hour clock
• Calculate time of day in 24 hour clock across a range of time zones
• Calculate journey times using GMT as a base time
• Identify the location of the International Date Line on a map provided
• Identify the origin of GMT on a map provided

Clocks!

There are two key ways of telling the time:

•  12 hour clock
• 24 hour clock

The 12 hour clock divides the day into two equal 12 hour portions. The portion from midnight one day to midday the next day is called ‘am’ which stands for ‘anti meridiem’. This is an old Latin phrase meaning ‘before mid day’

The portion of the day from 12 noon to midnight is called ‘pm’ which stands for ‘post meridien meaning ‘after mid day’.

Using the 12 hour clock means that time is stated as the time on the clock along with the descriptor, am or pm. For example, 10.20am is 20 past 10 in the morning. 10.20pm is 20 past 10 in the evening.

This system works well but forgetting to use the am/pm designator can lead to confusion.

The 24 hour clock tells time from 0000 hours (midnight) through 24 hours to the following midnight. Each time of day is unique and there is no need for am/pm descriptors. For example, 10.20am is described as 1020 hours and 10.20pm is described as 22.20 hours.

The chart on the next page shows each hour of the day translated from the 12 hour to the 24 hour clock. Use it as a reference to translate the following times from the 12 hour clock to the 24 hour clock:

Time calculations often form part of a written entry process for a job with an airline, so it’s good to learn this now! Try to remember to always use the 24 clock when referring to travel times as this will be good practice when you are working in any position with an airline or at an airport.

Check this site for a 12 to 24 hour clock ‘conversion table’:

http://www.skills.org.nz/assets/ETITO/SECURITY/Security%20literacy%20resources/ETITO%20Communications%20skills%20Security%20resource%2099.pdf

Chapter Five:  Time Zones

Overview

There are two main methods of telling the time: the 12 hour clock and the 24 hour clock.

As small children we may have been taught the 12 hour clock and continue to use this method of telling the time in our every day lives.

The aviation industry has however adopted the 24 hour clock as the most common way of expressing time as it reduces confusion around whether a time quoted is an ‘am’ time (morning) or a ‘pm’ time (afternoon/evening).

All airline staff are required to understand and use the 24 hour clock as the preferred reference to time as this helps you to be able to understand crew schedules, timetables, airline timetables and tickets.

Airline staff around the world have the added complexity of having to adjust to time changes at their destination. They might need to calculate the length of a journey, and to figure out the amount of time between flights and shifts.

This chapter will explain the key differences between the two timing systems, and will introduce you to time zones and journey time calculations.

Top Tip: It’s almost impossible to calculate time using a calculator as time is not metric, so put the calculator away and get out your pen and paper!

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

•  Translate times to/from 24 hour clock
• Calculate time of day in 24 hour clock across a range of time zones
• Calculate journey times using GMT as a base time
• Identify the location of the International Date Line on a map provided
• Identify the origin of GMT on a map provided

Clocks!

There are two key ways of telling the time:

• 12 hour clock
• 24 hour clock

The 12 hour clock divides the day into two equal 12 hour portions. The portion from midnight one day to midday the next day is called ‘am’ which stands for ‘anti meridian’. This is an old Latin phrase meaning ‘before mid day’

The portion of the day from 12 noon to midnight is called ‘pm’ which stands for ‘post meridien meaning ‘after mid day’.

Using the 12 hour clock means that time is stated as the time on the clock along with the descriptor, am or pm. For example, 10.20am is 20 past 10 in the morning. 10.20pm is 20 past 10 in the evening.

This system works well but forgetting to use the am/pm designator can lead to confusion.

The 24 hour clock tells time from 0000 hours (midnight) through 24 hours to the following midnight. Each time of day is unique and there is no need for am/pm descriptors. For example, 10.20am is described as 1020 hours and 10.20pm is described as 22.20 hours.

The chart on the next page shows each hour of the day translated from the 12 hour to the 24 hour clock. Use it as a reference to translate the following times from the 12 hour clock to the 24 hour clock:

Time calculations often form part of a written entry process for a job with an airline, so it’s good to learn this now! Try to remember to always use the 24 clock when referring to travel times as this will be good practice when you are working in any position with an airline or at an airport.

Check this site for a 12 to 24 hour clock ‘conversion table’:

http://www.skills.org.nz/assets/ETITO/SECURITY/Security%20literacy%20resources/ETITO%20Communications%20skills%20Security%20resource%2099.pdf

Chapter Five:  Time Zones

Overview

There are two main methods of telling the time: the 12 hour clock and the 24 hour clock.

As small children we may have been taught the 12 hour clock and continue to use this method of telling the time in our every day lives.

The aviation industry has however adopted the 24 hour clock as the most common way of expressing time as it reduces confusion around whether a time quoted is an ‘am’ time (morning) or a ‘pm’ time (afternoon/evening).

All airline staff are required to understand and use the 24 hour clock as the preferred reference to time as this helps you to be able to understand crew schedules, timetables, airline timetables and tickets.

Airline staff around the world have the added complexity of having to adjust to time changes at their destination. They might need to calculate the length of a journey, and to figure out the amount of time between flights and shifts.

This chapter will explain the key differences between the two timing systems, and will introduce you to time zones and journey time calculations.

Top Tip: It’s almost impossible to calculate time using a calculator as time is not metric, so put the calculator away and get out your pen and paper!

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this module you will be able to:

•  Translate times to/from 24 hour clock
• Calculate time of day in 24 hour clock across a range of time zones
• Calculate journey times using GMT as a base time
• Identify the location of the International Date Line on a map provided
• Identify the origin of GMT on a map provided

Clocks!

There are two key ways of telling the time:

• 12 hour clock
• 24 hour clock

The 12 hour clock divides the day into two equal 12 hour portions. The portion from midnight one day to midday the next day is called ‘am’ which stands for ‘anti meridian’. This is an old Latin phrase meaning ‘before mid day’

The portion of the day from 12 noon to midnight is called ‘pm’ which stands for ‘post meridien meaning ‘after mid day’.

Using the 12 hour clock means that time is stated as the time on the clock along with the descriptor, am or pm. For example, 10.20am is 20 past 10 in the morning. 10.20pm is 20 past 10 in the evening.

This system works well but forgetting to use the am/pm designator can lead to confusion.

The 24 hour clock tells time from 0000 hours (midnight) through 24 hours to the following midnight. Each time of day is unique and there is no need for am/pm descriptors. For example, 10.20am is described as 1020 hours and 10.20pm is described as 22.20 hours.

The chart on the next page shows each hour of the day translated from the 12 hour to the 24 hour clock. Use it as a reference to translate the following times from the 12 hour clock to the 24 hour clock:

Time calculations often form part of a written entry process for a job with an airline, so it’s good to learn this now! Try to remember to always use the 24 clock when referring to travel times as this will be good practice when you are working in any position with an airline or at an airport.

Check this site for a 12 to 24 hour clock ‘conversion table’:

http://www.skills.org.nz/assets/ETITO/SECURITY/Security%20literacy%20resources/ETITO%20Communications%20skills%20Security%20resource%2099.pdf

CONTINENTS

Here are some interesting facts about the continents:

Asia

Asia is the world’s largest and most populous continent located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It includes 48 countries, covers 8.6% of the Earth‘s total surface area and with almost 4 billion people hosts 60% of the world’s current  population.

Most of Asia falls within the Northern Hemisphere, with only the islands of Indonesia falling below the Equator in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tourism in Asia is big business as it can offer something for everyone somewhere within its 48 countries. The range is vast – from the beaches of Bali to the temples of Thailand, cultural tours of Japan and China, shopping trips to Hong Kong and Singapore, and treks through the tropical rainforests of Indonesia.

Africa

Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent after Asia. With a land mass of more than 30 million square kilometres it covers 6% of the earth’s total surface area. More than 1 billion people live within Africa, in 53 countries or territories, and the continent accounts for almost 15% of the world’s total population.

Africa straddles the equator with countries in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and takes in a range of climate areas.

Africa has a long and troubled history in many of its countries, but can still offer the visitor a fantastic tourism experience with trips down the Nile to see the pyramids in Egypt, safaris and game parks in South Africa, unique wild animal experiences in Tanzania and Kenya, and a chance to surf and relax on some of the best beaches in the world.

North America

North America is the third largest continent, and is the northern continent of the ‘Americas’, situated entirely within the Northern Hemisphere. It covers around 24 million square kilometres which is around 5% of the earth’s surface area. North America includes the USA (United States of America), Canada and a further 21 countries mostly in Central America and in offshore islands. The continent hosts a population of more than 530 million people.

Tourism in North America is spread across the continent, but particularly close to the west and east coasts. The state of California on the west coast is a key tourism destination for visitors all over the world, as are the beautiful east coast cities of Washington and New York. In the south, New Orleans has been a mecca for tourism for many years, although this has faded somewhat since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, the fourth largest continent and is situated almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. It covers almost 18 million square kilometres, some 4% of the earth’s total surface, and the largest single country is Brazil which covers almost half of all the South American land mass. The smallest country is the Falkland Islands, covering just 12,000 square kilometres, and located to the south east in the Pacific Ocean. This is a tiny group of islands governed by the UK. South America’s population is around 375 million people across the 12 countries within the continent. Tourism in South America focuses on some key attractions, such as the Incan temples of Peru, the Amazonian rainforests, and the stunning beach life in Rio de Janeiro.

Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent, located entirely within the Southern Hemisphere, at the southernmost tip of the world! It is mostly situated south of the Antarctic Circle, surrounded by the huge Southern Ocean. Whilst it covers 14 million square kilometres, 98% of it is covered by ice and does not host a permanent population. Around 1,000+ scientists are based there at any time, engaged in research and scientific projects. Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent on earth, so is not featured much on the tourism map!

Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent in surface area, covering some 10 million square kilometres or 2% of the earth’s total surface area. The population of more than 730 million represent 11% of the total world population, and live in the 50 countries located within the continent of Europe, from the UK in the West to the Urals in the East of the continent. All of the countries that make up the European continent are entirely located within the Northern Hemisphere.

The largest country in Europe is the Russian Federation, in both area and population, occupying 17 million square kilometres and hosting 140 million people. The Russian Federation consists of 83 federal states that have come together as ‘Russia.’

The smallest nation in Europe is the Vatican City – a tiny city state located in the centre of the Italian capital city of Rome. The Vatican City is a walled enclave, occupying less than one square kilometre (about the size of a large car park!) and hosting a population of just over 800, including the Pope.

The continent of Europe includes the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales) although these ‘British Isles’ are not located within the main European landmass, but off the West coast of continental Europe.

Europe is a huge centre for world tourism, host to scores of cities and world heritage sites. Cities such as London, Rome, Venice, Athens and Prague are all located within this continent.

Oceania

Oceania is the smallest continent, covering some 8 million square kilometres, and centred on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is generally referred to also as Australia, although it includes 14 other countries, including New Zealand. Oceania is situated entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and hosts a population of 35 million people

The largest country within Oceania is Australia, covering more than 7.6 million square kilometres and host to a population of 22 million.

The next country of any size within Oceania is New Zealand,  made up of two principal islands (North Island and South Island) totalling just over quarter of a million square kilometres, and host to less than 5 million people. This makes New Zealand ‘density’ (the numbers of people per kilometre) one of the lowest in the developed world and a key draw card for migrants and visitors.

The rest of Oceania is made up of island groups, archipelagos and atolls around the Pacific, including Fiji, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga – key tourism destinations for New Zealand travellers.

CONTINENTS

Here are some interesting facts about the continents:

Asia

Asia is the world’s largest and most populous continent located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It includes 48 countries, covers 8.6% of the Earth‘s total surface area and with almost 4 billion people hosts 60% of the world’s current  population.

Most of Asia falls within the Northern Hemisphere, with only the islands of Indonesia falling below the Equator in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tourism in Asia is big business as it can offer something for everyone somewhere within its 48 countries. The range is vast – from the beaches of Bali to the temples of Thailand, cultural tours of Japan and China, shopping trips to Hong Kong and Singapore, and treks through the tropical rainforests of Indonesia.

Africa

Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent after Asia. With a land mass of more than 30 million square kilometres it covers 6% of the earth’s total surface area. More than 1 billion people live within Africa, in 53 countries or territories, and the continent accounts for almost 15% of the world’s total population.

Africa straddles the equator with countries in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and takes in a range of climate areas.

Africa has a long and troubled history in many of its countries, but can still offer the visitor a fantastic tourism experience with trips down the Nile to see the pyramids in Egypt, safaris and game parks in South Africa, unique wild animal experiences in Tanzania and Kenya, and a chance to surf and relax on some of the best beaches in the world.

North America

North America is the third largest continent, and is the northern continent of the ‘Americas’, situated entirely within the Northern Hemisphere. It covers around 24 million square kilometres which is around 5% of the earth’s surface area. North America includes the USA (United States of America), Canada and a further 21 countries mostly in Central America and in offshore islands. The continent hosts a population of more than 530 million people.

Tourism in North America is spread across the continent, but particularly close to the west and east coasts. The state of California on the west coast is a key tourism destination for visitors all over the world, as are the beautiful east coast cities of Washington and New York. In the south, New Orleans has been a mecca for tourism for many years, although this has faded somewhat since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, the fourth largest continent and is situated almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. It covers almost 18 million square kilometres, some 4% of the earth’s total surface, and the largest single country is Brazil which covers almost half of all the South American land mass. The smallest country is the Falkland Islands, covering just 12,000 square kilometres, and located to the south east in the Pacific Ocean. This is a tiny group of islands governed by the UK. South America’s population is around 375 million people across the 12 countries within the continent. Tourism in South America focuses on some key attractions, such as the Incan temples of Peru, the Amazonian rainforests, and the stunning beach life in Rio de Janeiro.

Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent, located entirely within the Southern Hemisphere, at the southernmost tip of the world! It is mostly situated south of the Antarctic Circle, surrounded by the huge Southern Ocean. Whilst it covers 14 million square kilometres, 98% of it is covered by ice and does not host a permanent population. Around 1,000+ scientists are based there at any time, engaged in research and scientific projects. Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent on earth, so is not featured much on the tourism map!

Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent in surface area, covering some 10 million square kilometres or 2% of the earth’s total surface area. The population of more than 730 million represent 11% of the total world population, and live in the 50 countries located within the continent of Europe, from the UK in the West to the Urals in the East of the continent. All of the countries that make up the European continent are entirely located within the Northern Hemisphere.

The largest country in Europe is the Russian Federation, in both area and population, occupying 17 million square kilometres and hosting 140 million people. The Russian Federation consists of 83 federal states that have come together as ‘Russia.’

The smallest nation in Europe is the Vatican City – a tiny city state located in the centre of the Italian capital city of Rome. The Vatican City is a walled enclave, occupying less than one square kilometre (about the size of a large car park!) and hosting a population of just over 800, including the Pope.

The continent of Europe includes the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales) although these ‘British Isles’ are not located within the main European landmass, but off the West coast of continental Europe.

Europe is a huge centre for world tourism, host to scores of cities and world heritage sites. Cities such as London, Rome, Venice, Athens and Prague are all located within this continent.

Oceania

Oceania is the smallest continent, covering some 8 million square kilometres, and centred on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is generally referred to also as Australia, although it includes 14 other countries, including New Zealand. Oceania is situated entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and hosts a population of 35 million people

The largest country within Oceania is Australia, covering more than 7.6 million square kilometres and host to a population of 22 million.

The next country of any size within Oceania is New Zealand,  made up of two principal islands (North Island and South Island) totalling just over quarter of a million square kilometres, and host to less than 5 million people. This makes New Zealand ‘density’ (the numbers of people per kilometre) one of the lowest in the developed world and a key draw card for migrants and visitors.

The rest of Oceania is made up of island groups, archipelagos and atolls around the Pacific, including Fiji, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga – key tourism destinations for New Zealand travellers.

CONTINENTS

Here are some interesting facts about the continents:

Asia

Asia is the world’s largest and most populous continent located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It includes 48 countries, covers 8.6% of the Earth‘s total surface area and with almost 4 billion people hosts 60% of the world’s current  population.

Most of Asia falls within the Northern Hemisphere, with only the islands of Indonesia falling below the Equator in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tourism in Asia is big business as it can offer something for everyone somewhere within its 48 countries. The range is vast – from the beaches of Bali to the temples of Thailand, cultural tours of Japan and China, shopping trips to Hong Kong and Singapore, and treks through the tropical rainforests of Indonesia.

Africa

Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent after Asia. With a land mass of more than 30 million square kilometres it covers 6% of the earth’s total surface area. More than 1 billion people live within Africa, in 53 countries or territories, and the continent accounts for almost 15% of the world’s total population.

Africa straddles the equator with countries in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and takes in a range of climate areas.

Africa has a long and troubled history in many of its countries, but can still offer the visitor a fantastic tourism experience with trips down the Nile to see the pyramids in Egypt, safaris and game parks in South Africa, unique wild animal experiences in Tanzania and Kenya, and a chance to surf and relax on some of the best beaches in the world.

North America

North America is the third largest continent, and is the northern continent of the ‘Americas’, situated entirely within the Northern Hemisphere. It covers around 24 million square kilometres which is around 5% of the earth’s surface area. North America includes the USA (United States of America), Canada and a further 21 countries mostly in Central America and in offshore islands. The continent hosts a population of more than 530 million people.

Tourism in North America is spread across the continent, but particularly close to the west and east coasts. The state of California on the west coast is a key tourism destination for visitors all over the world, as are the beautiful east coast cities of Washington and New York. In the south, New Orleans has been a mecca for tourism for many years, although this has faded somewhat since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, the fourth largest continent and is situated almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. It covers almost 18 million square kilometres, some 4% of the earth’s total surface, and the largest single country is Brazil which covers almost half of all the South American land mass. The smallest country is the Falkland Islands, covering just 12,000 square kilometres, and located to the south east in the Pacific Ocean. This is a tiny group of islands governed by the UK. South America’s population is around 375 million people across the 12 countries within the continent. Tourism in South America focuses on some key attractions, such as the Incan temples of Peru, the Amazonian rainforests, and the stunning beach life in Rio de Janeiro.

Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent, located entirely within the Southern Hemisphere, at the southernmost tip of the world! It is mostly situated south of the Antarctic Circle, surrounded by the huge Southern Ocean. Whilst it covers 14 million square kilometres, 98% of it is covered by ice and does not host a permanent population. Around 1,000+ scientists are based there at any time, engaged in research and scientific projects. Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent on earth, so is not featured much on the tourism map!

Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent in surface area, covering some 10 million square kilometres or 2% of the earth’s total surface area. The population of more than 730 million represent 11% of the total world population, and live in the 50 countries located within the continent of Europe, from the UK in the West to the Urals in the East of the continent. All of the countries that make up the European continent are entirely located within the Northern Hemisphere.

The largest country in Europe is the Russian Federation, in both area and population, occupying 17 million square kilometres and hosting 140 million people. The Russian Federation consists of 83 federal states that have come together as ‘Russia.’

The smallest nation in Europe is the Vatican City – a tiny city state located in the centre of the Italian capital city of Rome. The Vatican City is a walled enclave, occupying less than one square kilometre (about the size of a large car park!) and hosting a population of just over 800, including the Pope.

The continent of Europe includes the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales) although these ‘British Isles’ are not located within the main European landmass, but off the West coast of continental Europe.

Europe is a huge centre for world tourism, host to scores of cities and world heritage sites. Cities such as London, Rome, Venice, Athens and Prague are all located within this continent.

Oceania

Oceania is the smallest continent, covering some 8 million square kilometres, and centred on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. It is generally referred to also as Australia, although it includes 14 other countries, including New Zealand. Oceania is situated entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and hosts a population of 35 million people

The largest country within Oceania is Australia, covering more than 7.6 million square kilometres and host to a population of 22 million.

The next country of any size within Oceania is New Zealand,  made up of two principal islands (North Island and South Island) totalling just over quarter of a million square kilometres, and host to less than 5 million people. This makes New Zealand ‘density’ (the numbers of people per kilometre) one of the lowest in the developed world and a key draw card for migrants and visitors.

The rest of Oceania is made up of island groups, archipelagos and atolls around the Pacific, including Fiji, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga – key tourism destinations for New Zealand travellers.

CABIN CREW CHAPTER OVERVIEW

Chapters & Contents:

Chapter One: Types of Airlines
Chapter Two: Aircraft
Chapter Three: Aviation Codes
Chapter Four: Airline Geography
Chapter Five: Time Zones
Chapter Six: Passenger Types
Chapter Seven: Baggage
Chapter Eight: Flight Attendant Roles
Chapter Nine: Passenger Service Excellence
Chapter Ten: Personal Presentation
Chapter Eleven: Team Skills
Chapter Twelve: Food & Drink Service
Chapter Thirteen: Passenger Announcements

Chapter One:   Types of airlines

Overview

There are currently almost 3000+ airlines flying around the world, carrying passengers and cargo 365 days of the year.

These 3000+ airlines employ more than 250,000 flight attendants whose key role is to ensure that safety regulations are followed, and to take care of the comfort of passengers during flight. Airlines are legally required to provide flight attendants on flights that carry passengers. Occasionally, with very small aircraft, the pilot will also take care of safety briefings for any passengers.

This chapter provides you with information on the types of airlines that exist, and highlights key features and differences of airline types.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

•  Identify the key characteristics of types of airlines: charter, scheduled and private/corporate
• Identify the ‘flag carrier’ airline of specific countries
• Identify examples of charter and scheduled airlines.
• Describe principle differences between charter and scheduled airlines

TYPES OF AIRLINES

Scheduled Airlines
A scheduled airline is one which provides air transport services for passengers, and/or freight. These airlines own or lease their aircraft to provide air services, and they sometimes form partnerships with other airlines for mutual benefit.

A scheduled airline may operate domestically (within one country) and internationally (to other countries).

Scheduled airlines run their services to a schedule, or a published timetable. Timetables are made available in print or online, and include full information of a planned journey from the departure point to final destination. Intending passengers can look up the planned departure time, what type of aircraft is planned for that flight, details of meal types available, information on stopovers during the journey, and the time of arrival at the destination.

Scheduled airlines also publish the ticket price for each flight, and in general terms tickets with scheduled airlines are cheaper if you book your trip well in advance, and become more expensive closer to departure.

Scheduled airlines offer a range of additional features to passengers:

• Types of seating – scheduled airlines usually feature two or three ‘classes of service’, economy, business class and first class. The class of service purchased will specify the overall size of aircraft seat,  the amount of legroom and the type and style of food service.The more you pay – the better it gets!
• Airport airline lounges – private lounges for their passengers, offering food, drink, Internet access.
• Loyalty programmes – passengers who fly often can collect ‘air miles’ or points for each journey undertaken, and these can traded for gifts or discounts on future air travel with that airline.

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You have three course options for the full course:

The BRONZE course option includes 47 informative lessons only.

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• 47 informative lessons
• several quizzes
• a final assessment
• Certificate of Completion.

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• 47 informative lessons
• several quizzes a final assessment
• Certificate of Completion
• AND access to our friendly, experienced staff who monitor this course 5 days a week;
• communication with fellow students via the online forum;
• monitoring & reporting for your business or school.

Chapter Four: Airline Geography

Overview

Cabin Crew spend their lives travelling across the world, often staying over in overseas locations between rostered duties. Knowledge of world geography as it relates to air travel is a key advantage in not only being more professional and knowledgeable at work but in being able to enjoy the exciting locations on offer!

Airline geography is principally concerned with knowing the continents of the world, and being able to mentally visualise some of the key places within a range of countries so that you can appreciate the length of the journey, the climate, and the route you might take to get there.

With airline geography you don’t need to know the highest mountain, the biggest lake, or the longest river – this is all about where places are, and how long will it take to get there!

Tip: We recommend that any students involved in the airline, travel or tourism fields purchase a good reference atlas and that you keep this with you at all times during your studies! It will help you to visualise the location of each country, and see how it relates to other parts of the world. Refer to it each time you hear of a place on news bulletins that you’re not familiar with, and see how it relates to where you live currently.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

•  Identify all the continents of the world on a map provided
• Identify 10 countries popular with travellers on a map of the world provided
• Identify the airports/cities of one country, from a choice of six countries
• Plot six international air journeys on a map provided

 Introduction

Knowing your way around the world is a great skill to have in lots of jobs, but in the airline world in particular it is an essential skill area. You will be tested at interview on your broad geographical knowledge – to see if you have an interest in the wider world, and whether you’ve made efforts to expand your horizons. You don’t have to have travelled everywhere as you can expand your knowledge of world geography without leaving the comforts of your own desktop! The internet is going to be a valuable reference tool during this chapter, and we recommend that you spend as much time as you have available expanding your knowledge of regions and countries beyond your own borders.

In the airline workplace geographical knowledge is applied on an ongoing basis without you even realising it! Your duties will take you across the country, overseas, and from place to place, on a daily basis. You will need to keep on top of your own travels, and to help passengers transit around the world your knowledge of each country will be invaluable. As an indicator of how important airlines feel it is to help passengers with their travels, a number of airlines are introducing new roles in their cabin crew – that of ‘concierge’. A concierge is member of the crew who, amongst other duties, helps passengers prepare for their destination, providing local information about the area the aircraft is travelling to.

MAP OF THE WORLD

The world is made up of seven continents. A continent is a large land mass on earth.  The continents, in size from largest to smallest, are:

1. Asia
2. Africa
3. North America
4. South America
5. Antarctica
6. Europe
7. Oceania (also sometimes referred to as ‘Australasia’)

The map above also shows the relative sizes of each continent. You can see that Asia (the largest continent) covers more than five times more land than Oceania (the smallest continent). The populations are also very different – with Asia hosting some 60% of the world’s population compared to Oceania’s with less than 1% (0.5%).

The world is also ‘divided’ into two distinct halves, or ‘hemispheres’ divided by the equator. The equator is an imaginary line on the earth’s surface, running around the middle of the earth dividing the world into the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

The Northern and Southern hemispheres are important in regards to seasons and therefore weather patterns.

Northern Hemisphere –  the half of the world that is north of the equator, containing most of the earth’s land area, and about 90% of its population.

Southern Hemisphere – the half of the world that is south of the equator, and hosting weather patterns that are the exact opposite of the Northern Hemisphere. Eg. When its summer in Europe (Northern Hemisphere), its winter in Australia (Southern Hemisphere).

Places at or near the Equator experience the quickest rates of sunrise and sunset in the world, with 12 hour days all year round, and temperatures than can be very hot and sticky! There is also little distinction between seasons and much of the equatorial area landmass is to be found in tropical rainforests or jungles.

This chapter will provide an overview of each of the seven continents.

We recommend that you read through the text and make notes on each continent. Checkout the maps provided on each continent, and spend some time online gathering additional information as it relates to your region. Answer some questions about your own location.

For example:

• In which continent is your home located?
• In which country is your home located?
• What is the capital city of your current home country?
• In which hemisphere is your home city located?
• At which time of the year (months) does the summer occur where you live?
• What is the population of your home country?
• What is the size (total square kilometres) of your home country?
• Which countries are your nearest ‘neighbours’?

Answer some questions about places that are popular tourism destinations for you and your friends:

•  Name of tourism destination: e.g. name of city or town or area
• How far is it in flying time from where you live?
• Which airlines serve that destination?
• In which country is it located?
• What is there to see and do there?
• What language is spoken there?
• Is it Northern or Southern Hemisphere?
• What will the weather be like there in the summer months?

Chapter Four: Airline Geography

Overview

Cabin Crew spend their lives travelling across the world, often staying over in overseas locations between rostered duties. Knowledge of world geography as it relates to air travel is a key advantage in not only being more professional and knowledgeable at work but in being able to enjoy the exciting locations on offer!

Airline geography is principally concerned with knowing the continents of the world, and being able to mentally visualise some of the key places within a range of countries so that you can appreciate the length of the journey, the climate, and the route you might take to get there.

With airline geography you don’t need to know the highest mountain, the biggest lake, or the longest river – this is all about where places are, and how long will it take to get there!

Tip: We recommend that any students involved in the airline, travel or tourism fields purchase a good reference atlas and that you keep this with you at all times during your studies! It will help you to visualise the location of each country, and see how it relates to other parts of the world. Refer to it each time you hear of a place on news bulletins that you’re not familiar with, and see how it relates to where you live currently.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

•  Identify all the continents of the world on a map provided
• Identify 10 countries popular with travellers on a map of the world provided
• Identify the airports/cities of one country, from a choice of six countries
• Plot six international air journeys on a map provided

Introduction

Knowing your way around the world is a great skill to have in lots of jobs, but in the airline world in particular it is an essential skill area. You will be tested at interview on your broad geographical knowledge – to see if you have an interest in the wider world, and whether you’ve made efforts to expand your horizons. You don’t have to have travelled everywhere as you can expand your knowledge of world geography without leaving the comforts of your own desktop! The internet is going to be a valuable reference tool during this chapter, and we recommend that you spend as much time as you have available expanding your knowledge of regions and countries beyond your own borders.

In the airline workplace geographical knowledge is applied on an ongoing basis without you even realising it! Your duties will take you across the country, overseas, and from place to place, on a daily basis. You will need to keep on top of your own travels, and to help passengers transit around the world your knowledge of each country will be invaluable. As an indicator of how important airlines feel it is to help passengers with their travels, a number of airlines are introducing new roles in their cabin crew – that of ‘concierge’. A concierge is member of the crew who, amongst other duties, helps passengers prepare for their destination, providing local information about the area the aircraft is travelling to.

MAP OF THE WORLD

The world is made up of seven continents. A continent is a large land mass on earth.  The continents, in size from largest to smallest, are:

1. Asia
2. Africa
3. North America
4. South America
5. Antarctica
6. Europe
7. Oceania (also sometimes referred to as ‘Australasia’)

The map above also shows the relative sizes of each continent. You can see that Asia (the largest continent) covers more than five times more land than Oceania (the smallest continent). The populations are also very different – with Asia hosting some 60% of the world’s population compared to Oceania’s with less than 1% (0.5%).

The world is also ‘divided’ into two distinct halves, or ‘hemispheres’ divided by the equator. The equator is an imaginary line on the earth’s surface, running around the middle of the earth dividing the world into the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

The Northern and Southern hemispheres are important in regards to seasons and therefore weather patterns.

Northern Hemisphere –  the half of the world that is north of the equator, containing most of the earth’s land area, and about 90% of its population.

Southern Hemisphere – the half of the world that is south of the equator, and hosting weather patterns that are the exact opposite of the Northern Hemisphere. Eg. When its summer in Europe (Northern Hemisphere), its winter in Australia (Southern Hemisphere).

Places at or near the Equator experience the quickest rates of sunrise and sunset in the world, with 12 hour days all year round, and temperatures than can be very hot and sticky! There is also little distinction between seasons and much of the equatorial area landmass is to be found in tropical rainforests or jungles.

This chapter will provide an overview of each of the seven continents.

We recommend that you read through the text and make notes on each continent. Checkout the maps provided on each continent, and spend some time online gathering additional information as it relates to your region. Answer some questions about your own location.

For example:

• In which continent is your home located?
• In which country is your home located?
• What is the capital city of your current home country?
• In which hemisphere is your home city located?
• At which time of the year (months) does the summer occur where you live?
• What is the population of your home country?
• What is the size (total square kilometres) of your home country?
• Which countries are your nearest ‘neighbours’?

Answer some questions about places that are popular tourism destinations for you and your friends:

• Name of tourism destination: e.g. name of city or town or area
• How far is it in flying time from where you live?
• Which airlines serve that destination?
• In which country is it located?
• What is there to see and do there?
• What language is spoken there?
• Is it Northern or Southern Hemisphere?
• What will the weather be like there in the summer months?

Chapter Four: Airline Geography

Overview

Cabin Crew spend their lives travelling across the world, often staying over in overseas locations between rostered duties. Knowledge of world geography as it relates to air travel is a key advantage in not only being more professional and knowledgeable at work but in being able to enjoy the exciting locations on offer!

Airline geography is principally concerned with knowing the continents of the world, and being able to mentally visualise some of the key places within a range of countries so that you can appreciate the length of the journey, the climate, and the route you might take to get there.

With airline geography you don’t need to know the highest mountain, the biggest lake, or the longest river – this is all about where places are, and how long will it take to get there!

Tip: We recommend that any students involved in the airline, travel or tourism fields purchase a good reference atlas and that you keep this with you at all times during your studies! It will help you to visualise the location of each country, and see how it relates to other parts of the world. Refer to it each time you hear of a place on news bulletins that you’re not familiar with, and see how it relates to where you live currently.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

•  Identify all the continents of the world on a map provided
• Identify 10 countries popular with travellers on a map of the world provided
• Identify the airports/cities of one country, from a choice of six countries
• Plot six international air journeys on a map provided

Introduction

Knowing your way around the world is a great skill to have in lots of jobs, but in the airline world in particular it is an essential skill area. You will be tested at interview on your broad geographical knowledge – to see if you have an interest in the wider world, and whether you’ve made efforts to expand your horizons. You don’t have to have travelled everywhere as you can expand your knowledge of world geography without leaving the comforts of your own desktop! The internet is going to be a valuable reference tool during this chapter, and we recommend that you spend as much time as you have available expanding your knowledge of regions and countries beyond your own borders.

In the airline workplace geographical knowledge is applied on an ongoing basis without you even realising it! Your duties will take you across the country, overseas, and from place to place, on a daily basis. You will need to keep on top of your own travels, and to help passengers transit around the world your knowledge of each country will be invaluable. As an indicator of how important airlines feel it is to help passengers with their travels, a number of airlines are introducing new roles in their cabin crew – that of ‘concierge’. A concierge is member of the crew who, amongst other duties, helps passengers prepare for their destination, providing local information about the area the aircraft is travelling to.

MAP OF THE WORLD

The world is made up of seven continents. A continent is a large land mass on earth.  The continents, in size from largest to smallest, are:

1. Asia
2. Africa
3. North America
4. South America
5. Antarctica
6. Europe
7. Oceania (also sometimes referred to as ‘Australasia’)

The map above also shows the relative sizes of each continent. You can see that Asia (the largest continent) covers more than five times more land than Oceania (the smallest continent). The populations are also very different – with Asia hosting some 60% of the world’s population compared to Oceania’s with less than 1% (0.5%).

The world is also ‘divided’ into two distinct halves, or ‘hemispheres’ divided by the equator. The equator is an imaginary line on the earth’s surface, running around the middle of the earth dividing the world into the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

The Northern and Southern hemispheres are important in regards to seasons and therefore weather patterns.

Northern Hemisphere –  the half of the world that is north of the equator, containing most of the earth’s land area, and about 90% of its population.

Southern Hemisphere – the half of the world that is south of the equator, and hosting weather patterns that are the exact opposite of the Northern Hemisphere. Eg. When its summer in Europe (Northern Hemisphere), its winter in Australia (Southern Hemisphere).

Places at or near the Equator experience the quickest rates of sunrise and sunset in the world, with 12 hour days all year round, and temperatures than can be very hot and sticky! There is also little distinction between seasons and much of the equatorial area landmass is to be found in tropical rainforests or jungles.

This chapter will provide an overview of each of the seven continents.

We recommend that you read through the text and make notes on each continent. Checkout the maps provided on each continent, and spend some time online gathering additional information as it relates to your region. Answer some questions about your own location.

For example:

• In which continent is your home located?
• In which country is your home located?
• What is the capital city of your current home country?
• In which hemisphere is your home city located?
• At which time of the year (months) does the summer occur where you live?
• What is the population of your home country?
• What is the size (total square kilometres) of your home country?
• Which countries are your nearest ‘neighbours’?

Answer some questions about places that are popular tourism destinations for you and your friends:

• Name of tourism destination: e.g. name of city or town or area
• How far is it in flying time from where you live?
• Which airlines serve that destination?
• In which country is it located?
• What is there to see and do there?
• What language is spoken there?
• Is it Northern or Southern Hemisphere?
• What will the weather be like there in the summer months?

Airline Codes

In the same way that airports are identified by a code, airlines are also translated into codes to help overcome language difficulty and to abbreviate airline names for ease of use.

Airline codes are two letter codes

Airline codes are always used as the basis in the flight number that identifies a specific flight.

Example: British Airways airline code is BA. British airways may operate a flight from LHR (London Heathrow airport) to PHX (PhoenixUSA airport) under flight number BA4507.

When you are at the airport check out the arrivals and departure boards and you will see the flight numbers for each flight due to arrive or depart. Alongside the flight information you will often see the logo or name of each airline. This is shown to help people know which airline each flight relates to. If you have learnt the airline codes you won’t need that extra help!

Flight tickets or coupons always feature the flight number of each sector of a journey, and you can decode those airlines to establish which airline a passenger is travelling on. Sometimes a journey may be made up of one airline all the way, or may involve a change of airline during the route.

Example:  A journey from LHR (London Heathrow) to AKL (Auckland-New Zealand) may commence with BA (British Airways) but change to NZ (Air New Zealand) in LAX (Los Angeles – USA) as British Airways do not fly into New Zealand. In this case the flight numbers may be:

LHR to LAX     BA 3440

LAX to AKL     NZ 002

A list of common airlines is provided here for you to practice coding by looking-up the two letter airline code and writing out a reference list, arranged alphabetically.  As with the airport codes, practice using flash cards, writing out the lists, and trying to use opportunities to practice whenever the chance arises. Note: This is the list you will be tested on in the assessment for this chapter.

Full lists of airline codes are commonly available online, for example: http://www.airlinecodes.info/

This site provides not just coding and decoding of airlines and airports, but includes maps of the airport location and the precise geographical location of the airport. The site includes links to some great information, such as the top airports of the world, so well worth a browse!

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/airport_code.htm

SAMPLE OF AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD & THEIR CODES

SAMPLE OF AIRLINES IN THE WORLD & THEIR CODES

Other codes which apply to airlines are regarding the aircraft.

Airlines now frequently provide Seat Maps on their websites, and here is an example of an Air New Zealand seat map for an Aerospatiale ATR72, used on its domestic network.

This is a smaller aircraft, with only 17 rows and 68 seats. The seat map allows you to rollover the image with your mouse to reveal additional information on the seating sections, as per the yellow box on this graphic. Passengers who like window seats with views could easily see that rows 8, 9 and 10 would not be their preferred seating choice as they are over-wing seats with limited vision to the scenery below. Some passengers have a clear preference for seating in the front half of the aircraft, or for more legroom, or to be near the toilet facilities. These seat maps are a great help in making a seating choice at the time of booking.

Airline Codes

In the same way that airports are identified by a code, airlines are also translated into codes to help overcome language difficulty and to abbreviate airline names for ease of use.

Airline codes are two letter codes

Airline codes are always used as the basis in the flight number that identifies a specific flight.

Example: British Airways airline code is BA. British airways may operate a flight from LHR (London Heathrow airport) to PHX (Phoenix airport) under flight number BA4507.

When you are at the airport check out the arrivals and departure boards and you will see the flight numbers for each flight due to arrive or depart. Alongside the flight information you will often see the logo or name of each airline. This is shown to help people know which airline each flight relates to. If you have learnt the airline codes you won’t need that extra help!

Flight tickets or coupons always feature the flight number of each sector of a journey, and you can decode those airlines to establish which airline a passenger is travelling on. Sometimes a journey may be made up of one airline all the way, or may involve a change of airline during the route.

Example:  A journey from LHR (London Heathrow) to AKL (Auckland-New Zealand) may commence with BA (British Airways) but change to NZ (Air New Zealand) in LAX (Los Angeles – USA) as British Airways do not fly into New Zealand. In this case the flight numbers may be:

LHR to LAX     BA 3440

LAX to AKL     NZ 002

A list of common airlines is provided here for you to practice coding by looking-up the two letter airline code and writing out a reference list, arranged alphabetically.  As with the airport codes, practice using flash cards, writing out the lists, and trying to use opportunities to practice whenever the chance arises. Note: This is the list you will be tested on in the assessment for this chapter.

Full lists of airline codes are commonly available online, for example: http://www.airlinecodes.info/

This site provides not just coding and decoding of airlines and airports, but includes maps of the airport location and the precise geographical location of the airport. The site includes links to some great information, such as the top airports of the world, so well worth a browse!

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/airport_code.htm

SAMPLE OF AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD & THEIR CODES

SAMPLE OF AIRLINES IN THE WORLD & THEIR CODES

Other codes which apply to airlines are regarding the aircraft.

Airlines now frequently provide Seat Maps on their websites, and here is an example of an Air New Zealand seat map for an Aerospatiale ATR72, used on its domestic network.

This is a smaller aircraft, with only 17 rows and 68 seats. The seat map allows you to rollover the image with your mouse to reveal additional information on the seating sections, as per the yellow box on this graphic. Passengers who like window seats with views could easily see that rows 8, 9 and 10 would not be their preferred seating choice as they are over-wing seats with limited vision to the scenery below. Some passengers have a clear preference for seating in the front half of the aircraft, or for more legroom, or to be near the toilet facilities. These seat maps are a great help in making a seating choice at the time of booking.

Airline Codes

In the same way that airports are identified by a code, airlines are also translated into codes to help overcome language difficulty and to abbreviate airline names for ease of use.

Airline codes are two letter codes

Airline codes are always used as the basis in the flight number that identifies a specific flight.

Example: British Airways airline code is BA. British airways may operate a flight from LHR (London Heathrow airport) to PHX (Phoenix airport) under flight number BA4507.

When you are at the airport check out the arrivals and departure boards and you will see the flight numbers for each flight due to arrive or depart. Alongside the flight information you will often see the logo or name of each airline. This is shown to help people know which airline each flight relates to. If you have learnt the airline codes you won’t need that extra help!

Flight tickets or coupons always feature the flight number of each sector of a journey, and you can decode those airlines to establish which airline a passenger is travelling on. Sometimes a journey may be made up of one airline all the way, or may involve a change of airline during the route.

Example:  A journey from LHR (London Heathrow) to AKL (Auckland-New Zealand) may commence with BA (British Airways) but change to NZ (Air New Zealand) in LAX (Los Angeles – USA) as British Airways do not fly into New Zealand. In this case the flight numbers may be:

LHR to LAX     BA 3440

LAX to AKL     NZ 002

A list of common airlines is provided here for you to practice coding by looking-up the two letter airline code and writing out a reference list, arranged alphabetically.  As with the airport codes, practice using flash cards, writing out the lists, and trying to use opportunities to practice whenever the chance arises. Note: This is the list you will be tested on in the assessment for this chapter.

Full lists of airline codes are commonly available online, for example: http://www.airlinecodes.info/

This site provides not just coding and decoding of airlines and airports, but includes maps of the airport location and the precise geographical location of the airport. The site includes links to some great information, such as the top airports of the world, so well worth a browse!

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/airport_code.htm

SAMPLE OF AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD & THEIR CODES

SAMPLE OF AIRLINES IN THE WORLD & THEIR CODES

Other codes which apply to airlines are regarding the aircraft.

Airlines now frequently provide Seat Maps on their websites, and here is an example of an Air New Zealand seat map for an Aerospatiale ATR72, used on its domestic network.

This is a smaller aircraft, with only 17 rows and 68 seats. The seat map allows you to rollover the image with your mouse to reveal additional information on the seating sections, as per the yellow box on this graphic. Passengers who like window seats with views could easily see that rows 8, 9 and 10 would not be their preferred seating choice as they are over-wing seats with limited vision to the scenery below. Some passengers have a clear preference for seating in the front half of the aircraft, or for more legroom, or to be near the toilet facilities. These seat maps are a great help in making a seating choice at the time of booking.

Chapter Three:     Aviation Codes

Overview

Airlines fly each day to hundreds of airports around the world, and have all been given a name to identify it. Some airports bear the name of the city in which they are located (e.g. Manchester airport) whereas others are named after a famous person (e.g. JFK Airport in New York is named after John F Kennedy, the former US president).

Some large cities have more than one airport. Passengers flying to London in the UK for example, have a choice of four main airports and several smaller ones.

In order to overcome confusion around which airport is which, the aviation industry uses a series of codes to identify both the airport names and airlines operating around the world. This coding system helps to overcome language difficulties and establishes a common method of referring to both airports and airlines.

Airport codes are also known as the IATA airport code, and consist of three letters.

Airline codes have only two letters. Airline codes form the basis of flight numbers that used to identify specific flights.

This chapter introduces you to these codes, and you should learn as many of these as possible if you intend to follow your flight attending or aviation career! Many airlines test knowledge of these at interview, and knowing some of the codes will give you an advantage from the start. Focus on the airports and airlines relevant to your home region and country as these will be the ones that form the basis of your learning.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Code and decode 20 airports from given lists of airports in the world
• Code and decode 10 airlines from a given list of international airlines
• Identify the location of a selection of cities

Airport Codes

The International Air Transport Association (known as IATA) is the regulatory body that controls aviation activities around the world. They have produced a list of airport codes that are used commonly in international aviation. These airport codes consist of three letters, and there are currently more than 250 airports worldwide.

The codes are used by airline reservations systems, in route planning, and in ticketing.

Example:

A journey from Sydney (Australia) to Madrid, is shown as SYD-MAD

A journey from Los Angeles (USA) to Auckland (New Zealand) is LAX – AKL.

Some airport codes seem very logical, such as the MAD example shown above, as the code is made up of the first three letters of the airport name. This is also the name of the city served by this airport.

Others are far less logical. LAX is a great example of this! Wouldn’t it be better to have chosen LOS as the airport code for Los Angeles? It would but LOS has already been assigned to another airport: Lagos in Nigeria.

Some airport codes are nothing like their airport name. A good example here is Malaga airport, which bears the airport code AGP!

Airline crews must become very familiar with these codes as they are used in:

• Crew rostering and scheduling
• Reservations systems
• Flight ticketing
• Printed on baggage labels
• Printed on aircraft boarding cards

Cabin crew need to translate the codes readily for their own use, and to help passengers with enquiries and to resolve problems associated with passengers travel plans.

How to learn the Airport Codes

The best way to learn these codes is by using them regularly. We also recommend writing them out, testing yourself, re-testing. You could even use ‘flash cards’ to help your learning. This involves writing each code onto a small card, and the full name of the airport on the other side of the card. Make up a pack of these cards, practise by shuffling them and holding each card up, reciting the airport name out loud, then testing yourself in short/fast bursts until you have mastered as many as possible.

It’s possible to learn 30 or more codes over a couple of days, so give it a go!!

Pick out firstly the airports near to you, and in the country in which you live. Learn these ones by ‘rote’ before moving onto the ones in other countries near to you, then the ones in countries people like to travel to from where you live.

For example, if you live in New Zealand this is the order you might learn the codes in this order:

1. All the airports in New Zealand
2. All the airports in Australia
3. All the airports in the Pacific Islands
4. All the airports at the main cities of Asia
5. All main UK & European cities
6. All US & Canadian cities
7. All cities in the Middle East & Africa
8. Anywhere else not yet covered!

Try to find ways to remind yourself about these codes, such as using/referring to them when planning your next trip that involves flying. When you’re next at an airport test yourself on the codes using the airline arrivals and departures boards – that will really help the time pass quickly!

A ‘starter’ list of important cities is provided below, and a great learning activity is to research the airport codes for each of these cities and to reproduce this list by airport code alphabetically. Note: This is the list you will be tested on in the assessment for this chapter.

Extensive lists of airport codes, arranged alphabetically by code or by airport, are found readily on the web, such as: http://www.world-airport-codes.com/

Chapter Three:     Aviation Codes

Overview

Airlines fly each day to hundreds of airports around the world, and have all been given a name to identify it. Some airports bear the name of the city in which they are located (e.g. Manchester airport) whereas others are named after a famous person (e.g. JFK Airport in New York is named after John F Kennedy, the former US president).

Some large cities have more than one airport. Passengers flying to London in the UK for example, have a choice of four main airports and several smaller ones.

In order to overcome confusion around which airport is which, the aviation industry uses a series of codes to identify both the airport names and airlines operating around the world. This coding system helps to overcome language difficulties and establishes a common method of referring to both airports and airlines.

Airport codes are also known as the IATA airport code, and consist of three letters.

Airline codes have only two letters. Airline codes form the basis of flight numbers that used to identify specific flights.

This chapter introduces you to these codes, and you should learn as many of these as possible if you intend to follow your flight attending or aviation career! Many airlines test knowledge of these at interview, and knowing some of the codes will give you an advantage from the start. Focus on the airports and airlines relevant to your home region and country as these will be the ones that form the basis of your learning.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Code and decode 20 airports from given lists of airports in the world
• Code and decode 10 airlines from a given list of international airlines
• Identify the location of a selection of cities

Airport Codes

The International Air Transport Association (known as IATA) is the regulatory body that controls aviation activities around the world. They have produced a list of airport codes that are used commonly in international aviation. These airport codes consist of three letters, and there are currently more than 250 airports worldwide.

The codes are used by airline reservations systems, in route planning, and in ticketing.

Example:

A journey from Sydney (Australia) to Madrid, is shown as SYD-MAD

A journey from Los Angeles (USA) to Auckland (New Zealand) is LAX – AKL.

Some airport codes seem very logical, such as the MAD example shown above, as the code is made up of the first three letters of the airport name. This is also the name of the city served by this airport.

Others are far less logical. LAX is a great example of this! Wouldn’t it be better to have chosen LOS as the airport code for Los Angeles? It would but LOS has already been assigned to another airport: Lagos in Nigeria.

Some airport codes are nothing like their airport name. A good example here is Malaga airport, which bears the airport code AGP!

Airline crews must become very familiar with these codes as they are used in:

• Crew rostering and scheduling
• Reservations systems
• Flight ticketing
• Printed on baggage labels
• Printed on aircraft boarding cards

Cabin crew need to translate the codes readily for their own use, and to help passengers with enquiries and to resolve problems associated with passengers travel plans.

How to learn the Airport Codes

The best way to learn these codes is by using them regularly. We also recommend writing them out, testing yourself, re-testing. You could even use ‘flash cards’ to help your learning. This involves writing each code onto a small card, and the full name of the airport on the other side of the card. Make up a pack of these cards, practise by shuffling them and holding each card up, reciting the airport name out loud, then testing yourself in short/fast bursts until you have mastered as many as possible.

It’s possible to learn 30 or more codes over a couple of days, so give it a go!!

Pick out firstly the airports near to you, and in the country in which you live. Learn these ones by ‘rote’ before moving onto the ones in other countries near to you, then the ones in countries people like to travel to from where you live.

For example, if you live in New Zealand this is the order you might learn the codes in this order:

1. All the airports in New Zealand
2. All the airports in Australia
3. All the airports in the Pacific Islands
4. All the airports at the main cities of Asia
5. All main UK & European cities
6. All US & Canadian cities
7. All cities in the Middle East & Africa
8. Anywhere else not yet covered!

Try to find ways to remind yourself about these codes, such as using/referring to them when planning your next trip that involves flying. When you’re next at an airport test yourself on the codes using the airline arrivals and departures boards – that will really help the time pass quickly!

A ‘starter’ list of important cities is provided below, and a great learning activity is to research the airport codes for each of these cities and to reproduce this list by airport code alphabetically. Note: This is the list you will be tested on in the assessment for this chapter.

Extensive lists of airport codes, arranged alphabetically by code or by airport, are found readily on the web, such as: http://www.world-airport-codes.com/

Chapter Three:     Aviation Codes

Overview

Airlines fly each day to hundreds of airports around the world, and have all been given a name to identify it. Some airports bear the name of the city in which they are located (e.g. Manchester airport) whereas others are named after a famous person (e.g. JFK Airport in New York is named after John F Kennedy, the former US president).

Some large cities have more than one airport. Passengers flying to London in the UK for example, have a choice of four main airports and several smaller ones.

In order to overcome confusion around which airport is which, the aviation industry uses a series of codes to identify both the airport names and airlines operating around the world. This coding system helps to overcome language difficulties and establishes a common method of referring to both airports and airlines.

Airport codes are also known as the IATA airport code, and consist of three letters.

Airline codes have only two letters. Airline codes form the basis of flight numbers that used to identify specific flights.

This chapter introduces you to these codes, and you should learn as many of these as possible if you intend to follow your flight attending or aviation career! Many airlines test knowledge of these at interview, and knowing some of the codes will give you an advantage from the start. Focus on the airports and airlines relevant to your home region and country as these will be the ones that form the basis of your learning.

Learning Objectives:
On completion of this chapter you will be able to:

• Code and decode 20 airports from given lists of airports in the world
• Code and decode 10 airlines from a given list of international airlines
• Identify the location of a selection of cities

Airport Codes

The International Air Transport Association (known as IATA) is the regulatory body that controls aviation activities around the world. They have produced a list of airport codes that are used commonly in international aviation. These airport codes consist of three letters, and there are currently more than 250 airports worldwide.

The codes are used by airline reservations systems, in route planning, and in ticketing.

Example:

A journey from Sydney (Australia) to Madrid, is shown as SYD-MAD

A journey from Los Angeles (USA) to Auckland (New Zealand) is LAX – AKL.

Some airport codes seem very logical, such as the MAD example shown above, as the code is made up of the first three letters of the airport name. This is also the name of the city served by this airport.

Others are far less logical. LAX is a great example of this! Wouldn’t it be better to have chosen LOS as the airport code for Los Angeles? It would but LOS has already been assigned to another airport: Lagos in Nigeria.

Some airport codes are nothing like their airport name. A good example here is Malaga airport, which bears the airport code AGP!

Airline crews must become very familiar with these codes as they are used in:

• Crew rostering and scheduling
• Reservations systems
• Flight ticketing
• Printed on baggage labels
• Printed on aircraft boarding cards

Cabin crew need to translate the codes readily for their own use, and to help passengers with enquiries and to resolve problems associated with passengers travel plans.

How to learn the Airport Codes

The best way to learn these codes is by using them regularly. We also recommend writing them out, testing yourself, re-testing. You could even use ‘flash cards’ to help your learning. This involves writing each code onto a small card, and the full name of the airport on the other side of the card. Make up a pack of these cards, practise by shuffling them and holding each card up, reciting the airport name out loud, then testing yourself in short/fast bursts until you have mastered as many as possible.

It’s possible to learn 30 or more codes over a couple of days, so give it a go!!

Pick out firstly the airports near to you, and in the country in which you live. Learn these ones by ‘rote’ before moving onto the ones in other countries near to you, then the ones in countries people like to travel to from where you live.

For example, if you live in New Zealand this is the order you might learn the codes in this order:

1. All the airports in New Zealand
2. All the airports in Australia
3. All the airports in the Pacific Islands
4. All the airports at the main cities of Asia
5. All main UK & European cities
6. All US & Canadian cities
7. All cities in the Middle East & Africa
8. Anywhere else not yet covered!

Try to find ways to remind yourself about these codes, such as using/referring to them when planning your next trip that involves flying. When you’re next at an airport test yourself on the codes using the airline arrivals and departures boards – that will really help the time pass quickly!

A ‘starter’ list of important cities is provided below, and a great learning activity is to research the airport codes for each of these cities and to reproduce this list by airport code alphabetically. Note: This is the list you will be tested on in the assessment for this chapter.

Extensive lists of airport codes, arranged alphabetically by code or by airport, are found readily on the web, such as: http://www.world-airport-codes.com/

Aircraft Seating

As described in the Classes of Service section, seating in an aircraft is determined by the class of service booked by a passenger. For example, if you book an economy class ticket, you will be assigned a seat in the economy section of the aircraft.

At the time of booking you may be able to select a seat of your choice, either by reserving it through your travel agent or by selecting it online through a reservation system. It’s important to note that even though a passenger may ‘book’ a particular seat on an aircraft, airlines reserve the right to re-assign their seating should it be necessary prior to departure. This can lead to some difficulties at check-in or on boarding an aircraft, and flight attendants are often called upon to help passengers find their assigned seating or to swap seats for family groups who may have been split up.

An excellent website run by Trip Advisor (www.seatguru.com) provides details of all airlines, filtered by specific routes and flights. The example below is based on a flight from London/Heathrow to Los Angeles with Air New Zealand. The information provided includes the specific type of aircraft that will be used, along with information on how many seats are in each of their three classes of service. Note that Air New Zealand describe their most expensive service as Business Class, their mid service is Premium Economy, and their cheapest service is Economy. Seating details are shown, including the pitch of the seat (how much the seat reclines), the width of the seat, and the numbers of seats in each class of service.

Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 (744)

Air New Zealand has completed reconfiguring their 747 aircraft to include lie-flat seats in Business and Premium Economy section. None of the armrests in Economy go up 100%.

A great website for seating plans is: http://www.seatguru.com/. The website also provides a useful seat map for intending passengers to make choices around where they would prefer to sit on this specific aircraft.

Search for Air New Zealand, and a business class seating plan.

This seat map illustrates the configuration of the Air New Zealand ‘Business Class’ (usually regarded as First class), located at the front of the aircraft, with some additional seats on the upper deck. You can see the spaciousness of the layout, with seats in chevron patterns, providing enhanced privacy and the ability to use lie-flat beds.

Premium Economy is located in the centre of the aircraft, with some additional seating on the upper deck of this Boeing 747. In this class of service seats are positioned in pairs, providing increased space around the seats with wider aisles and less crowding.

Economy Class is located at the centre and rear of the aircraft, and 294 seats makes up 77% of this 379 seat aircraft. Economy seats are configured 10 abreast, with two aisles.

Airlines now frequently provide Seat Maps on their websites, and here is an example of an Air New Zealand seat map for an aircraft used on their international network. This is  an aircraft with  59 rows. This aircraft caters for travel in Business, Premium Economy, and in Economy class. Some passengers will have a clear preference for seating in the rear of the aircraft, or somewhere with more legroom, or to be near the toilet facilities. These seat maps are a great help in making a seating choice at the time of booking.

Aircraft Seating

As described in the Classes of Service section, seating in an aircraft is determined by the class of service booked by a passenger. For example, if you book an economy class ticket, you will be assigned a seat in the economy section of the aircraft.

At the time of booking you may be able to select a seat of your choice, either by reserving it through your travel agent or by selecting it online through a reservation system. It’s important to note that even though a passenger may ‘book’ a particular seat on an aircraft, airlines reserve the right to re-assign their seating should it be necessary prior to departure. This can lead to some difficulties at check-in or on boarding an aircraft, and flight attendants are often called upon to help passengers find their assigned seating or to swap seats for family groups who may have been split up.

An excellent website run by Trip Advisor (www.seatguru.com) provides details of all airlines, filtered by specific routes and flights. The example below is based on a flight from London/Heathrow to Los Angeles with Air New Zealand. The information provided includes the specific type of aircraft that will be used, along with information on how many seats are in each of their three classes of service. Note that Air New Zealand describe their most expensive service as Business Class, their mid service is Premium Economy, and their cheapest service is Economy. Seating details are shown, including the pitch of the seat (how much the seat reclines), the width of the seat, and the numbers of seats in each class of service.