The profession of a flight attendant is usually associated with the young, looking like a model girl. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just fly several times with Lufthansa or Air France. You will find out that the average flight attendant age is above 30. So when is the best time to start working in the clouds? Are there any preferences that guide the airlines? 

What is the best age to start working as a flight attendant?

Every airline has its criteria for the flight attendant’s age, which are not always published. While the minimum is determined by aviation law, the maximum cabin crew age depends on the company’s requirements.

Europe – flight attendant age limitations

The minimum hiring age in Europe is 18 years old at the time when you apply for a job. Below are examples of some of the requirements of companies:

Ryanair: above 18

WizzAir: above 18

Air Europa: 21-35

Vueling: 18-30

Iberia: 18-30 (candidates with no experience)

Swift Air: 18-32

Volotea: 18-32

EasyJet: above 18

Aer Lingus: 21-35

Swiss Airlines: 21-35

HiFly: above 21

Norwegian: above18

Middle East – cabin crew age requirements

Minimum flight attendant age is 21 years old when you become officially employed. It means that you can apply approx. 2 months before, usually, airlines wait up to 6 months for candidates to reach the appropriate age. And let’s be realistic here – you have more chances to fly for airlines in the Middle East if you start early. Most of airlines prefer to hire crew up to around age of 33. Examples of requirements:

Oman Air: 21-30

Air Arabia:21-30

Flyadeal: 23-35

Saudia Airlines: 22-30

Flynas: above 21

Asia – flight attendant age requirements

Asian airlines have similar standards as Europe when it comes to minimum flight attendant age. However, most of them employ candidates not exceeding 30 years of age. Examples:

Air Asia: 18-28

Cathay Pacific: minimum 18

Lion Air: 18-25

Philippine Airlines: 18- 27

Korean Air: 18- 27

CHECK ALSO: Flight attendant job offers. 6 ways of searching for them.

Private Airlines (Business Jets, VIP) – age requirements

Private airlines: The situation in private airlines is different. It is hard to determine the desired age of the cabin crew. Most business jet companies and private owners require a minimum of two years of aviation experience, so age is not so much taken into account. Some of the aircraft’s owners have their preferences. CV and skills often count more than the birth date. However, each case is different. I know people who got a job at the age of 40 and above.

Flight attendant job – age limitations. Why does it matter?

Airlines prefer to hire young candidates for a simple reason – they will stay longer in the company. Flight attendant job is not always compatible with private life. There is a bigger chance that young employees don’t plan to settle down, and their careers are more important. A flight attendant’s initial training is costly, so it is always better to keep the employee for several years.

The attractiveness of work also dictates the average age of the crew. Why Ryanair flight attendants usually do not exceed their thirties, and British Airways cabin crew is older? Because working in a low-cost airline is the least attractive, so logically after gaining some experience, the crew seeks employment with national or other carriers. Their employees often stay in the company for years. Sometimes there are also cultural factors – in the Middle East or Asia, women who got married are more likely to quit their job than European and American women.

The best option is to start applying as early as possible because the market competition is high and it does not mean that you will get a job from the first time. Some companies, especially charters, offer employment only for the summer season (e.g. Enter Air and Small Planet in Poland), so you can gain some experience during studies.

What was my age when I started working as a flight attendant? 

I started flying about a month after I got my master’s degree. I got hired by a low-cost Saudi airline called Flynas. The night I landed for the first time in Saudi Arabia was my 25th birthday. A few months later, I moved to my first private airline to fly for the Saudi Royal Family.

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Become a Flight Attendant. Cabin crew recruitment by OlaSupertramp

Remember that if you exceed a slightly maximum age, it doesn’t mean that you can not try. Airlines often treat each case individually and change the internal regulations. The reason can be a good CV or a great experience. It may be your performance at the interview or one tiny detail that decides about a positive result. If you already got the invitation for an assessment day or a job interview, recruiters already accepted your age. Half of the success is in your hands, so now it’s time to shine and show them they need to hire you!

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