Some young women aspire to be air hostesses because they believe it is an exciting job. This perception stems in part from the fact that air hostesses have the opportunity to fly to various locations around the world, interact with a wide range of people from various backgrounds, and benefit from numerous corporate perks. While this is partially true, air hostesses must meet certain requirements in order to be hired an airline. Because airlines are self-contained businesses, their corporate objectives vary greatly depending on the goals they are attempting to achieve. A basic education to a specified level, the ability to communicate effectively with people, certifications as required the region under consideration, knowledge of some basic self-defense maneuvers, and the ability to handle emergency equipment are some of the general air hostess qualifications.
Various airlines set the bar for minimum educational requirements for air hostesses, which means that some may accept candidates who do not have a college diploma but have completed some other form of education. Some airlines may place a higher value on appearance and interpersonal skills than a college diploma, as educational requirements for air hostesses vary greatly depending on the airline. The ability to interact effectively with people, which includes the ability to communicate in a clear and understandable manner with people, leaving no room for misinterpretation, is one of the more important air hostess qualifications. Because air hostesses, as well as other service personnel who interact with passengers, are the face of the airline, this skill is extremely important. Passengers’ perceptions of these service staff are critical to the airline’s survival because it influences their decision to fly with that airline on a regular basis or to look for alternatives with more people-friendly and polite staff.
Knowing at least one foreign language may be added to the list of air hostess qualifications, depending on the airline’s policies. The reason for this is that air hostesses interact with people from various cultures and backgrounds who speak a variety of languages, so knowledge of other languages and cultures is advantageous. Because of the unpredictable nature of human nature, air hostesses may be required to learn some basic self-defense skills to protect themselves in the event that they are confronted with rowdy passengers who are either drunk or mentally ill. These abilities will also be useful in providing some form of defense in the event of terrorism or dealing with irate passengers.