Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cabin crew requirements
Cabin crew need
t
o be
fl
exible about working times as they are expected to work weekends, overnights and
public holidays. bmi have the following requirements for anybody thinking of joining as cabin crew:
•
Minimum age is 18 - ther
e
is no maximum age limit although the mandatory retirement age is 65 years
of age;
•
Between 5'2” and 6'2” in height
with weight in proportion;
•
Minimum qualifi cations are 4 GCSEs at grades A-C including English and maths (or equivalent);
•
Applicants must hold a 10-year British or European passport before employment or have the indefi nite
right to live and work in the UK, as well as any relevant visas;
•
A minimum of 12 months' experience in a customer-facing role;
•
A high standard of physical fi tness and a visual acuity of 6/9 in each eye, aided or unaided. Contact lenses
are preferred, but glasses are acceptable;
•
Able to swim 25 metres unaided;
•
A good standard of fl uency in the English language, spoke
n
and written;
•
Immaculate appearance.
Most cabin crew opportunities with bmi occur at their Heathrow base, but jobs at other airports are available
from time to time. Currently, the airline has cabin crew based at the following airports - London Heathrow,
Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast.
Desirable qualities, qualii cations and experience
In recruiting cabin crew, bmi looks for people whose strengths and qualities match its own. Applicants must
be approachable and have excellent personal skills, such as team-working ability, i
n
itiative and adaptability,
plus high level communication skills. Cabin crew must be able to remain calm un
d
er pressure and deliver
excellent customer service, while meeting the airline's values of speed with charm and style. Leadership skills
are important for those seeking future promotion within the company.
Working conditions and rewards
The length of working days is very variable for cabin crew, depending on how many sectors they are rostered
to complete (a sector is a one-way fl ight). Staff may have to start work as early as 5.00 am and may not fi nish
until 11.30 pm. Charter fl ights may require reporting for duty/fi nishing at any time of the day
o
r night. In
addition, the working day may be affected by delays or changes to fl ights. With bmi, cabin crew ar
e
given a
roster four to eight weeks in advance. Duty days will vary between early starts and late fi nishes, the
n
umber
of sectors worked and may include standby duties at home or at the airport. The hours of work are g
ov
erned
by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations.
