A corporate flight attendant works on noncommercial aircraft like corporate jets and charter planes. Corporate flight attendants, like other flight attendants, are concerned about their passengers’ safety and comfort, but they also perform a variety of specialty services unique to private aviation. Some corporate or business flight attendants begin their careers in commercial aviation and later transition, while others receive specialized training to become corporate flight attendants and begin working in this field immediately.
Using a flight attendant may be required law in some cases. This member of the crew is not required on smaller private flights, but can be very useful because the pilot and copilot must focus on flying and cannot provide passenger services. Once the clients have arrived at their destination, the corporate flight attendant assists in the preparation of the plane for takeoff, handles clients while on board, and prepares the plane for the next flight.
Like regular flight attendants, corporate flight attendants handle luggage, food service, and seating, but they also provide more personalized services. Bilingual flight attendants who can provide services to a wide range of clients may be retained international companies, and cultural training may be provided so that flight attendants feel comfortable working with people from a variety of cultures and religions. For example, a corporate flight attendant might wear a hijab when serving Muslim customers or follow formal etiquette when dealing with Japanese customers.
Despite the fact that flight attendants are not technically public relations professionals, they are an important part of the companies for which they work. When a company sends a plane to pick up clients, the corporate flight attendant may be the client’s first face-to-face interaction with the company, and he or she may make or break the deal. A good corporate flight attendant is adaptable, friendly, and sensitive to passengers’ needs.
Fill-in work is available for some private flight attendant jobs, which require a flight attendant to register with a placement agency. Others may work as part of the regular crew of a specific aircraft, or as part of the air crew of a specific aviation company or private corporation that provides air travel to its clients and employees. Staff who work on a private plane usually get better pay than those who work in commercial aviation, especially if they have years of experience and specialized training, which can include service quality.