How to Become a Flight Attendant

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©Copyright Kara Grand - How to Become a Flight Attendant
HOW TO 
BECOME 
A 
FLIGHT 
ATTENDANT
for airlines in the Middle East
a step 
by 
step 
guide
Kara Grand
Welcome to the amazing world of 
flying!
The perfect candidate is an adventurous, passionate person, 
easily bored in a monotonous environment, willing to relocate 
to the Middle East and start working in the airline industry as 
a flight attendant (by far the most awesome job in the world!). 
In this book we will be discussing the expat cabin crew 
lifestyle, as these airlines present the most advantages for the 
employees, ranging from working hours and schedule, to paid 
uniform, accommodation and transport, bonuses and a 
cosmopolitan lifestyle. While the advice in this book can be 
used to succeed in any flight attendant interview, every airline 
has different general requirements for recruiting cabin crew. 
Here, you will learn about the interview process for Emirates, 
Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways. I am not advertising any of 
the companies and no one can say that one is better than the 
other. It is your decision to make who you wish to work for. 
All three airlines are excellent with their employees and 
customers and you will gain amazing experience working for 
either one of them.
I have been working in the airline industry for 7 years, as a 
cabin crew and purser. From the first month of flying, until the 
last moment, I could not believe that at the end of each 
amazing month of travel I will still get paid more than I could 
have made anywhere else.
I have seen 52 countries without counting the ones where we 
just arrived at the airport and departed 1 hour later.
I met the man who would become my husband on one of my 
flights.
I served and talked to princesses, sheiks, rock stars, F1 drivers, 
best-selling authors, a holder of Nobel Peace Prize and a blond 
socialite whose name I can not divulge. It has been the most 
exciting period of my life. I embarked on a new and very 
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different adventure when I decided to stop flying to raise my 
daughter.
But before all of this, I was just like you: dreaming of maybe 
one day being a cabin crew, travel and experience the world 
with all that it has to offer. I struggled to understand how the 
interviews work and what makes some people successful and 
some unsuccessful. I was turned down by airlines and sent 
back home to get more customer service experience. I was 
frustrated and could not understand what were they looking 
for. One day I realized what was the secret and that’s when I 
got the job.
I know that so many of you are a perfect fit for this career and 
lifestyle. I want to help you reach your goals, so I created the 
website www.FlighAttendantCentral.com. What started on 
11-11-2011 as a small blog with a couple of articles, became an 
amazing community with talented people who were all aiming 
high and following their dream to work in the sky. 
This is how this book came to life. Based on real answers, 
practical scenarios, exercises and what you really need to 
succeed, I covered every single possible aspect so you can be 
successful at the interview from your first try.
I’ve put my heart and soul into this book and I hope you enjoy 
it.
I love hearing from my readers, whether it is to hear your 
success stories or answer your questions. 
You can always contact me at kara@flightattendantcentral.com
See you soon ‘up there’,
% % % % % % % % % % -Kara
©Copyright Kara Grand - How to Become a Flight Attendant
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How to use this book
This book is designed as a handbook. You will probably not 
read it all in one time, but rather go to the chapters that are of 
interest to you at a certain time. Read the Assessment Day 
chapter before your big day or go through the 101 Questions 
and Answers before your Final Interview.
There are links throughout the book to get you to the next 
step, regardless which airline you apply for. At the end of each 
chapter you can go back to the Table of CONTENTS.
Chapter 1 describes the life of a flight attendant, as well as the 
companies. At the end of the chapter is the very popular topic 
‘Your worries and questions answered’ that clarifies aspects such 
as tattoos, minimum and maximum age, marital status or 
swimming skills.
Chapter 2 will get you deep into the interview process. You will 
learn how to create your CV, how your application photos 
should look like, how to create an online application for each 
airline, what is an Open Day or an Assessment Day, and how 
should you prepare for them, what you should know about the 
group exercise (including 3 examples of exercises and how 
should you approach them), English tests ( 3 examples), math 
test, personality profile test and the final interview. Here you 
will also learn how to be confident during the interview and 
how long you have to wait to get an answer. The chapter ends 
with the paperwork you need to prepare to join the airline.
In Chapter 3 we will discuss what comes after the interview, 
how to handle the relocation, what to pack and what to expect 
once you get there. Also, you will know what kind of 
information you will learn during your training.
Print out chapters like ‘101 Questions and Answers for the Final 
Interview’ or ‘100 Missing Words English Test’. It will help you 
see the exercises better and write down your own answers. Or 
you can print it all and take it with you when you go for the 
interview. Let’s not waste any more time. Shall we start?
©Copyright Kara Grand - How to Become a Flight Attendant
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Copyright and Internet Resources Notice
This book is copyrighted with all rights reserved. It is illegal to 
copy, distribute or create derivative works from this book in 
whole or in part, or to contribute to the copying, distribution 
or creating of derivatives from this book. No part of this book 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted 
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-
copying, recording or otherwise, without express written 
permission of the author.
I expect you to abide by these rules. I actively and regularly 
search the Internet for people who violate my copyrights.
When you purchased the book, you agreed that the 
information contained in this book is an expression of 
opinion . You are responsible for your own behavior, and none 
of this book is considered legal, medical or personal advice.
Throughout the book you will find links to Internet resources. 
When this book was released for publication, I made sure that 
all the links are accurate and point to resources available on 
the Internet and all the information was up to date. 
Sometimes these resources change, so you may not be able to 
reach the webpage I intended you to see. Let me know if that 
happens. 
I will provide updated and corrected links and information in 
posts or pages at www.FlightAttendantCentral.com.
©Copyright Kara Grand - How to Become a Flight Attendant
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Welcome to the amazing world of 
flying!
Chapter 1 - What are you getting 
into
1.1 The life of a flight attendant
1.2 Your prospect employer
1.2.1 Emirates Airlines
1.2.2 Etihad Airways
1.2.3 Qatar Airways
1.3 Who is hiring
1.4 Your worries and questions answered
Chapter 2 - Let's get you the job
2.1 Before the assessment
2.1.1 Creating your CV
2.1.2 Application photos
2.1.2.1 Passport photo
2.1.2.2 Full length photo
2.1.3 Online application
2.1.3.1 Emirates Airlines
2.1.3.2 Etihad Airways
2.2.3.3 Qatar Airways
2.2 The assessment
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2.2.1 How to dress for your assessment day
2.2.2 How to be confident during the assessment 
day
2.2.3 Documents
2.2.4 Open Day
2.2.5 CV Submission Day
2.2.6 Assessment Day
2.2.6.1 Introduction 
2.2.6.2 Reach test
2.2.6.3 The group exercise
2.2.6.3.1 Exercise 1 - Prioritization
2.2.6.3.2 Exercise 2 - Customer service
2.2.6.3.3 Exercise 3 - Team-building
2.2.6.4 English test
2.2.6.4.1 100 Missing Words Test 
2.2.6.4.2 Reading and Understanding Test
2.2.6.4.3 Essay writing
2.2.6.5 Math test
2.2.6.6 Personality profile test
2.2.6.7 Raven test (IQ test)
2.2.7. Final Interview
2.2.7.1 Confidence during the interview
2.2.7.2 Final Interview 101 Question and Answers
2.3 After the assessment
2.3.1 Golden Call and Successful Candidate Email
2.3.2 Document submission
2.3.3 Date of Joining (DOJ)
2.3.4 Documents to prepare for your departure
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Chapter 3 - Off you go!
3.1 Family and friends
3.2 What to pack
3.3 New place called home
3.4 The training
See you up there!
©Copyright Kara Grand - How to Become a Flight Attendant
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Chapter 1 - What are you getting 
into
1.1 The life of a flight attendant
I will present to you a list of the greatest aspects of being a 
flight attendant, as well as the less glamorous parts of the job. 
You must make an informed decision when choosing this 
career.
Pros
Being a flight attendant has enormous benefits, especially 
when you are young and adventurous.
1. See the world at no cost to you
The airlines have impressive route maps. Whatever 
destination farther than 4 hours flight away implies that the 
crew will have a layover in that city. Depending on the flight 
frequency, your length of stay could be anything from 24 hours 
to 100 hours. All expenses paid and you can browse the city, do 
some sightseeing, see concerts, explore restaurants, and 
whatever else you can think of.
2. Meet awesome people
Many expat airlines pride themselves with the number of 
nationalities they employ. My airline had more than 120 
nationalities. You will meet people from countries you never 
knew existed (Faroe Islands anyone?) to countries that seem so 
far and exotic, such as Japan, Nicaragua, Luxembourg, 
Paraguay, Azerbaijan or Eritrea.
Not only your colleagues, but also your passengers are from all 
over the world, and everybody has a unique story to tell. All 
you have to do is listen and wow your heart!
3. Broaden your mind and experiences
One of my colleagues had a small book in which she was 
writing the same 5 phrases in all the languages that people she 
met were speaking. She was building quite a collection! 
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I met a girl from Finland who started studying Arabic and in 1 
year she was able to have conversations with native speakers. 
Another amazing woman was going to Nepal every time she 
had some days off. She was collecting and bringing supplies to 
local schools and spending some time with children who are so 
poor they have never even seen a TV. 
My friend Nadine went to Traditional Massage School in 
Thailand and got herself a diploma on how to be a real Thai 
massage therapist. 
You go, you see, your mind and heart grow. This job gives you 
continuous opportunities to find passions and hobbies that 
you will never be able to pursue at home with a 9-5 job and 2 
weeks of vacation per year. 
4. Loads of free time
Every month you will get 8 to 12 days off. Having all that time 
and all the possibility and quietness, I managed to finish my 
university studies while I was flying. You will finally find the 
time to pursue other dreams, education or passions.
5. Flexible ever-changing team and environment
If you work with Maxine who is not the nicest person or the 
most helpful colleague, that is ok. You will not see her the next 
day at work, or next week or even next month! Hey, if all stars 
align, you might never have to see Maxine again.
Also, no two flights are the same. If today you serve croissants 
and coffee, tomorrow you will serve steak. Today your flight is 
2 hours, tomorrow it might be 8 hours. Monday you sleep at 
home, and Tuesday in a hotel in Brussels. No two days are 
alike. If you don't like monotony, this will be a fantastic 
experience. 
This was one of the biggest revelations for me. I loved it! 
6. Your accommodation, transportation and uniform
will be taken care of
Most expat airlines offer their crew accommodation in the 
newest and most modern buildings in the city. You will have to 
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share a two or three bedroom apartment with a flat mate. The 
airline will keep in mind either your request to move in with a 
training colleague (we refer to them as batch mates) or based 
on your preferences (smoking/non smoking, vegetarian/meat 
eaters, same nationality, same religion, etc). This is great, 
especially at the beginning when you do not know many 
people, there will be somebody to come home to, talk and eat 
together.
Transportation to and from the airport is provided in the 
company buses . You wi l l be p icked up f rom your 
accommodation building and dropped off at the airport. Door 
to door service.
A full set of uniform - couple of jackets, a week supply of 
blouses, skirts and pants, scarves, cardigans, suitcases and 
handbags, as well as shoes and sometimes even pantyhose is 
provided for you at the beginning of service. There will be 
yearly replacements of items such as shoes and clothing. 
7. People will be admiringly staring at you and your
colleagues when walking through airports
The uniform and the airport is for a flight attendant what a 
bikini and the runway is for a swimsuit model. People will go 
out of your way, take pictures of you, hold their children up so 
they can see the ‘pretty ladies’, whistle and wave. It is an 
amazing feeling. You will feel proud, important and admired.
8. Staff travel
Every airline offers its employees the opportunity to buy 
tickets at 90% discount (plus airport taxes). They are called 
ID90, and while you will only be accepted for travel if there 
are available seats (and most of the time there will be a vacant 
seat), it is the cheapest way to see the world. You can use them 
to fly with your airline or with partner airlines. And because 
you might have 4 or 5 days off in a row, why not visit the 
pyramids in Cairo, ancient city of Petra or beautiful Athens in 
these days?
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9. Discounts everywhere
Every year my airline provided us with a thick book of 
coupons. They were discount cards for various shops and 
services. This was awesome! They range from sun glasses to 
make-up, coffee shops and even laser treatments or teeth 
whitening. I even got 10% off the price of my car when I 
flashed my crew badge.
Cons
There is always the reverse of the coin. This is an honest 
analysis of the hard times and what you should expect in 
between the glamour and jet-setting. 
1. Away from home and family
While we all strive for independence and finally leave the 
bedroom that still has traces of your babyhood, there will be 
times when what you miss most will be your mother's cooking 
or the non-ending chats with your friends. Most of the times 
you will make friends with your colleagues who are in the same 
training program as you. You will most likely find people from 
your country and be able to speak your native language and 
bond. But you will miss your home for a while. This normally 
happens until the first time you go back, time when youstart 
referring to your new base as 'home'.
Also, by keeping in touch with your family and friends via 
emails, Skype or Facebook, you will still find meaningful time 
together.
2. Flexible ever-changing team and environment
While this is also an advantage, it definitely has its 
disadvantages. When you meet and work with people that you 
like and get along with very well, you will want to continue 
seeing them at work every time you go. That is of course not 
possible. See the people you like outside work and maybe you 
will not gain a colleague, but you will get a friend.
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3. Health
Flying puts quite a lot of stress on your body. You will need to 
pay extra attention to how you take care of yourself, from your 
skin, hydration, weight management (those yummy 
casseroles!), blood circulation and flu&cold prevention. You 
will quickly learn the secrets of staying in top notch shape and 
be at your best physical condition.
4. Relationships
Some of your friends might understand that you can not 
attend their weekend party or birthday gathering because you 
have a night flight. Your partner might be open to the fact that 
you are gone 10 days at a time. At a certain point however, this 
will start weighing on you. You will want to be present, don't 
miss out important events and spend more time with your 
friends. This is perfectly normal and you should always do your 
best to make up for what you were missing by buying a coffee 
or a drink for your friend whose birthday you missed and 
spend the most time you can with your loved one. 
5. Holidays
This is a difficult one. Flights do not get cancelled on 
Christmas Eve, New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Eid or 
Diwali. As hard as it sounds right now, you will sometimes 
have to go to work on December 31 at 10PM to operate that 
flight to Hong Kong. Your friends will be ready for party, your 
boyfriend or girlfriend will be crying because the only thing to 
kiss at midnight will be just a picture of you, but there is 
nothing you can do about it. In the aircraft you will wish 
people Happy New Year, at midnight local time over 
whichever country you fly over, the pilots will make a public 
announcement wishing everybody a Happy New Year and you 
will cheer in the galley with your colleagues over a glass of 
Ginger Ale, not because you particularly like the taste, but 
because it has the same color as champagne.
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From all the pitfalls of this amazing job, this is by far the most 
difficult to bear with.
Now that you learned the good, the bad and the ugly, you need 
to know that there are 7 conditions you must meet as 
prerequisites before starting your application:
1. You need to be fluent in English - speak, read and write.
2. You have graduated from high school (or hold a GED).
3. You are at least 21 years old.
4. You have a vertical arm reach of 212cm (or 210cm for
Etihad Airways) - on your tip toes. 
5. You have no visible tattoos while wearing the cabin crew
uniform - short sleeve shirts, knee-length skirts.
6 . You are physical l y fit to meet the cabin crew
requirements.
7. You are able to deliver excellent customer service.
If you decide this is a lifestyle for you, then let's talk about the 
future:
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1.2 Your prospect employer
Not all airlines are created equal. You will want to know not 
only who is hiring, but also what is the size of their fleet and 
human resources, prospects, plans for expansion and hiring, 
management style, route map and the name of the CEO. 
These issues will give you a better idea of what you might 
experience once you are in - not to mention that these topics 
might come up in your final interview. Companies want to 
know if you were interested enough in them to research at 
least the basics of the airline. You will find a short history of 
each airline in the pages that follow. 
Middle East
There are a couple of big players on the middle-eastern market 
right now, all of them looking to expand their cabin crew 
numbers. They are the only ones for the true expat crew 
lifestyle. Once hired, they will be taking care of all the 
paperwork details, such as obtaining a residence visa and work 
permit, your flight attendant licenses and tests.
The only language requirement is English, any other language 
on top of that is considered an advantage. 
These airlines create the highest standards of service and in-
flight experience for their passengers and they set the bar 
quite high for the rest of the airlines in the world.
The average age of flight attendant is quite low, so if you are 
ambitious and stick around, there are high chances of 
promotion. 
There is no government pension plan or maternity leave, 
however your income is tax free. Be smart and plan ahead for 
your future. 
Europe
Airlines in Europe require that your have the right to live and 
work in the European Union, as well as fluency in the language 
of the airline, English and an advantage for speaking any other 
EU language. 
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You will not be offered accommodation and transport as you 
are expected to already reside in that country, have a home and 
a car. 
Obtaining a cabin crew l icense is sometimes your 
responsibility and in some countries is a prerequisite before 
applying for the job. 
Being a flight attendant in Europe has enormous benefits, 
from maternity leave,early retirement and good pay. 
United States
Airlines in United States require that your have the right to 
live and work in the US. 
Fluency in English and sometimes Spanish is required. 
Considering the fragile economy, most american airlines cut 
down massively in their staff and in-flight service. On 
domestic routes the passengers may only get a drink and pay 
for an alcoholic beverage or snack. On most airlines, the 
passengers need to pay for everything from headsets to the in-
flight entertainment system. 
You will be expected to not only care for the passenger's safety, 
but also be a good sales person, make inventories of products 
and manage the on-board petty cash transactions. The average 
flight attendant age is quite high, so you need to wait longer to 
get promoted. A newbie usually starts flying domestic routes 
with possibilities of promotion to international flight 
attendant once you gain some experience.
Asia
While the residence visa and flying license might be taken care 
of by the airline, you will be expected to speak the language of 
the airline, English and other asian languages.
There are some competitive airlines in Asia such as Singapore 
Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Asiana or Hainan Airways.
The average age of the flight attendants is quite low, with 
some airlines hiring crew as young as 18 years old.
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In this book we will focus on the top 3 big players in the 
Middle East: Emirates Airlines (Dubai), Etihad Airways (Abu 
Dhabi) and Qatar Airways (Doha)
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1.2.1 Emirates Airlines
History
Based in Dubai, Emirates was founded in 1985 when Dubai 
was just a small city in the desert. Dubai Airport was mostly 
used by big airlines for a pit stop on their way to and from Asia 
and Australia. The airline was founded with backing from 
Dubai's Royal Family, whose Dubai Royal Air Wing provided 
the airline's two first aircraft. The start-up capital was $10 
million, but apart from that, Emirates was required to operateindependently.
First flight was EK600 Dubai-Karachi, on 25 October 1985. 
The airline became profitable within its first nine months and 
continued growing ever since. 
By the 1994, Emirates was one of the fastest growing airlines 
with 15 aircraft connecting 32 destinations. 
As of 2012, Emirates has a fleet of 178 aircraft connecting 122 
destinations.
Emirates currently competes with British Airways, Cathay 
Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Thai 
Airways International, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and 
others on the lucrative London-Sydney Kangaroo Route. 
Chairman and CEO
His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Trivia
• Emirates introduced an in-flight mobile phone service in
2008, becoming the first international carrier to do so.
• In the same year, Emirates took delivery of their first Airbus
380, and flew its first flight to New York.
• Emirates has diversified into related industries and sectors,
including airport services, engineering, hospitality services,
catering, and tour operator. Emirates has seven subsidiaries
and its parent company has more than 50.
• 127 languages are spoken by Emirates employees.
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• Emirates has more ultra long-haul flights than any other
carrier in the world.
• Current slogan: Fly Emirates. Hello tomorrow
• Previous slogans: Fly Emirates. Keep Discovering, Fly
Emirates to over 100 destinations, Fly Emirates in 6
continents.
• The airline is the seventh-largest airline in the world in terms
of international passengers carried, and the largest in the
world in terms of scheduled international passenger-
kilometers flown.
Numbers
Total number of employees - 33634, out of which
Cabin Crew - 13277
Flight Deck Crew - 2845
* as of 2012
Weekly flights - 2300
Number of destinations - 122 (74 countries on 6 continents) 
* as of 2012. New destinations are added each year
Fleet
Airbus 330 - 25
Airbus 340 - 16
Airbus 380 - 27
Boeing 777 - 110
Total number of aircraft - 178 plus 206 on order
* as of 2012
Emirates features and amenities
Emirates offers First, Business and Economy Class cabins, 
award winning ICE In-Flight Entertainment System, Emirates 
Sky Lounges, chauffeur transfer at some of the airports, a wide 
choice of check-in options as well as a Skywards, Emirates 
popular frequent-flyer program. Below you will find a detail 
description of each of these features.
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Emirates First Class 
There are 3 types of first class seating: the full suite with 
doors, flat bed 'Skycruiser' seat (without doors) and 'Sleeper' 
seats.
The full suite has closing doors to ensure privacy, a mini-bar, a 
coat rack and storage. They also feature the ICE system on a 
58 cm (23 in) LCD screen. The seat converts into a 2m (6 ft 7 
in) fully flat bed.
On its new Airbus 380-800, first class features private suites, 
two shower-equipped lavatories, a spa and access to the first/
business class bar area and lounge. First and business class 
cabins are located on the entire upper deck of Airbus 380-800 
aircraft.
Emirates Business Class
The business class seat reclines to a fully flat bed and features 
massage function, privacy partition, winged headrest with six-
way movement, two individual reading lights and an overhead 
light, in-seat power supply, USB Ports and an RCA socket for 
laptop connection, over 600 channels of entertainment on 
ICE, shown on a 43 cm (17 in) wide TV screen.
On Airbus 380-800 aircrafts, business class passengers also 
have access to an on-board bar at the rear of the aircraft. The 
guests also have the ability to customize and save seat and in-
flight entertainment settings to a memory key for re-use on 
future flights
Emirates Economy Class
The seat has a 79–81 cm pitch (31–32 in), adjustable headrests 
and a personal TV screen for the ICE in-flight entertainment. 
There are also in-seat laptop power-outlets on newer aircraft 
and laptop recharging facilities in galleys in older aircraft.
Dining
Emirates First Class and Business Class dining feature a wide 
range of dishes available on demand throughout the flight. The 
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dishes are presented on Royal Doulton fine bone china with 
exclusive Robert Welch cutlery, alongside fine wines. 
High Tea and hors d’oeuvres are served in the Onboard 
Lounges.
The passengers can enjoy multiple courses and complimentary 
champagne and vintage wines, along with other cocktails and 
beverages.
In Economy Class, passengers can enjoy a number of 
regionally inspired dishes with locally sourced ingredients, like 
Lamb Brochette with Arabic Spices or Grilled Chicken Breast 
with Caramelized Plums.
A complete range of complimentary drinks are served, 
including wines and cocktails. Champagne can also be bought 
in-flight.
In-flight entertainment system ICE 
ICE won the best in-flight entertainment from Skytrax every 
year since it was introduced in 2003. It offers between 600 and 
1200 programs of music, movies and video games to all 
passengers. ICE contains a link to an in-flight email server 
which allows passengers to access, send or receive emails for 
US $1 per message. ICE also contains a seat-to-seat chat 
service. 
In November 2006 the airline signed a deal with mobile 
communications firm AeroMobile to allow in-flight use of 
mobile phones to call or text people on the ground.
Frequent-flyer program
Emirates has over 5.72 million customers using their Skywards 
frequent-flyer program. 
The four primary tiers are:
• Blue
• Silver which requires 25,000 tier miles for entry
• Gold, which requires 50,000 tier miles for entry
Platinum, which requires 150,000 tier miles for entry
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Departure services
Passengers may check-in between 2 to 48 hours prior to flight 
departure. This may be done over the counter or at the lounge 
within the airport. Self-service kiosks are available at Dubai 
International Airport and certain stations of the Dubai Metro.
Alternatively, the check-in can be made through the Internet 
or by SMS. Online printing of boarding passes is available 
through Internet check-in. 
Lounges
First and business class passengers, as well as Skywards Gold 
and Silver members, have access to Emirates Lounges. The 
airline has 32 lounges in 28 cities. Skywards Silver members can 
use the lounge in Concourse 1 at Dubai Airport. At airports in 
which Emirates does not operate a departure lounge, a third 
party departure lounge is usually provided for First and 
Business class passengers as well as Skywards Gold members.
Chauffeur-drive
First and business class passengers can make use of 
complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers in selected 
cities.
Cabin Crew Life
Dubai
Dubai is one of the most exciting cities in the world. It is 
home to Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world, Palm 
Islands - the man made palm tree shaped islands hosting 
Atlantis Hotel and Aquaventure Water Park, Ski Dubai - the 
indoor ski slope that allows you to be in the snow right after 
tanning on the beach and so many other amazing attractions. 
Living in Dubai is an adventure and a continuous discovery of 
what the city has to offer - restaurants serving any kind of food 
you can think of, night life, desert safaris, concerts and events.
Accommodation
You will be offered accommodation in one of the city's newest 
and most modern buildings with facilities such as internet 
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room, gym and crew lounge. You will be sharing a two or three 
bedroom apartment withcolleagues of the same gender. 
Accommodation will be assigned based on your preferences 
for a house-mate (smoking or non-smoking, vegetarian or not, 
same country, etc). You will have your own bedroom and 
bathroom and you will be sharing the common area such as 
the living room and kitchen. 
All your utilities are paid by the company.
Transportation
An Emirates-branded bus will come to pick you up from your 
accommodation about one hour before your duty starts. This 
may be a flight, training or airport reserve duty. During the bus 
ride you can do some reading or catch up with your colleagues.
The same service will be available when you return from the 
airport.
Salary
The basic salary for a new entry cabin crew is US$1094 paid in 
the local currency (AED4020). Once you start flying you will 
be paid US$14.97 (AED55) for each flying hour. Every month 
you will average between 50-75 flying hours. 
On top of your salary and flying hours, you will be paid a meal 
allowance for the time you spend away from base (during your 
layovers). The meal allowance is calculated per hour spent at 
your layover destination and paid in the local currency. That is 
your pocket money for the time you are away.
Schedule
You will have between 8-12 days off every month. On the 
25-28th of the month, the next month’s schedule will be 
published. One seven months you will be assigned a reserve 
month, meaning that you will not have any schedule flights, 
but be on-call for the flights which don’t have the required 
cabin crew. You will be called in advance to operate a flight.
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Annual Leave 
You are entitled to 30 days annual leave. You will be given one 
free ticket per year to travel back to your country. 
Travel concession
You will have unlimited discount tickets (ID 90 or ID 50) for 
yourself, your parents, spouse and children on Emirates routes 
or on partner airlines. You will also have a limited number of 
tickets for your non-family contacts, to be used only on 
Emirates flights.
Uniforms
A new Emirates uniform was launched in 2008, in-line with 
the delivery of Emirates’ first Airbus 380 aircraft.
The ladies uniform is beige in color and it includes the 
Emirates red hat with veil, red kick-pleats in the skirts, fitted 
blouses, red leather shoes and handbags. 
The male flight attendants wear a chocolate brown suit, 
featuring pinstripes, with a cream shirt and a caramel, honey 
and red tie. 
For the on-board uniform, male and female cabin crew wear 
service waistcoats.
Both male and female Pursers wear chocolate brown color 
suits.
The uniform will be dry-cleaned free of charge and 
replacement items will be given yearly.
Career perspective
You will start-up as Cabin Crew Economy Class and have a 
line of promotion as Cabin Crew Business Class, Cabin Crew 
First Class, Cabin Senior Economy Class, Cabin Senior 
Business and First Class and Purser.
12-24 months of experience is required to apply to next level 
position.
Company values
The primary focus for Emirates and its employees is to deliver 
superior customer service. In turn, Emirates provides its 
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employees with benefits such as comprehensive health plans 
and paid maternity* and sick leave. Another strategy employed 
by Emirates is to use profit sharing and merit pay as part of 
their competency based approach to performance 
management.
* Emirates is the only middle-eastern airline to offer its cabin crew employees maternity leave.
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1.2.2 Etihad Airways
History
Based in Abu Dhabi and founded in 2003 by royal decree, 
Etihad Airways became the National Airline of the United 
Arab Emirates. First flight was Abu Dhabi-Beirut in 
November 2003. 
By June 2006 the airline managed to add 30 destinations in an 
amazingly short period of 30 months.
In 2008, Etihad announced the largest aircraft order in history 
(at that time) at the Farnborough International Air Show, 
ordering 205 aircraft.
In 2012 Etihad had 61 passenger aircraft and flew to 74 
destinations all over the world. 
CEO 
Mr. James Hogan
Trivia
• Etihad is the fastest growing airline in the history of
commercial aviation.
• Etihad means ‘United’ in Arabic.
• 120 nationalities are currently employed by Etihad.
• All passengers on Etihad flights are referred to as ‘guests’.
• In June 2004 Etihad launched the first direct flights from the
United Arab Emirates to Toronto, Brussels and Geneva.
• The airline gained global exposure with the start of F1 Abu
Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009 where they became main
sponsors. Also you can find the Etihad logo on the shirts of
Manchester City Football Club.
• In 2012, Etihad won for the fourth consecutive year ‘World’s
Leading Airline’ at the World Travel Awards.
• Current slogan: From Abu Dhabi to the World
• Previous slogan: Change the way you see the world
Numbers
Total number of employees - 8000, out of which
Cabin Crew - 3000
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Flight Deck Crew - 900
* as of 2012
Weekly flights - more than 1000
Number of destinations - 74 (55 countries on 5 continents)
* as of 2012. New destinations are added each year.
Fleet
Airbus 319/320 - 17
Airbus 330 - 22
Airbus 340 - 11
Boeing 777 - 11
Total number of aircraft - 61
* as of 2012
Etihad features and amenities
Etihad offers its guests 3 classes of travel - Diamond First 
Class, Pearl Business Class and Coral Economy Class, E-Box 
in-flight entertainment system at every seat, Etihad Guest - 
the award winning frequent-flyer program, Etihad Lounges 
and chauffeur-drive at selected destinations.
Diamond First Class
In August 2009, Etihad introduced its new First Class Suite, 
featuring Poltrona Frau leather seat that converts to a fully flat 
bed, a large wood-finished table, Arabic-styled sliding doors 
that offer complete privacy, a 58 cm (23 in) personal 
entertainment screen, a personal wardrobe with mirror, 
personal minibar, and four individual lighting options with 
dimmers, in-seat power points and USBs. 
First Class cabin also includes a changing room. 
Pearl Business Class 
Etihad’s Pearl Business Class offers a seat that converts to a 
fully flat bed and features leather headrests, armrests and 
ottomans upholstered by Poltrona Frau, massage functions, 
ambient lighting with dimmer settings, in-seat storage space 
and Panasonic eX2 inflight entertainment system on a 39cm 
(15.4 in) personal screen. 
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Coral Economy Class 
The Coral Economy seats are ergonomically designed ,with a 
81cm (32 in) pitch, footrest and a deep recline. Each seat is also 
equipped with a handheld controller, USB port and power 
sockets underneath the 26cm (10.4 in) personal entertainment 
touch-screen. The seat features a coat hook and a cup holder.
Dining
Etihad has introduced ‘Inspired Service’ in all three classes of 
travel. 
In Diamond First and Pearl Business Class, guests may dine 
when they like, choosing from an à la carte menu or ‘Kitchen 
Anytime’ menu. 
Food and Beverage Managers are available to help guests find 
the menu choices. 
In November 2011, Etihad also introduced qualified Chefs in 
its Diamond First Class cabins. 
Each in-flight menu is tailored to the route, typically including 
at least one dish inspired by the destination, one ‘Taste of 
Arabia’ dish and one Western option. Guests can indulge in a 
selection of complimentary drinks, including a boutique list of 
wines from around the world.
The Inspired Service in Coral Economy Class includes three 
main course choices, hotdesserts on selected flights and a hot 
and cold café service with a wide range of hot beverages from 
cappuccino to green tea.
In-flight entertainment system E-Box
Etihad flights are fitted with on-demand entertainment 
system. Over 600 hours of movies, TV shows, music and 
interactive games, including a kids only channel are available 
on all flights.
Power points located at every seat allow recharging laptops or 
mobile phones and connect personal devices to the system. 
WIFI and mobile telephony services are available on selected 
aircraft. 
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Frequent-flyer program
Etihad Guest is an award-winning loyalty program with over 
1.3 million members.
The four tiers are:
• Etihad Guest
• Etihad Guest Silver which requires 25,000 tier miles for entry
• Etihad Guest Gold which requires 50,000 tier miles for entry
• Etihad Guest Gold Elite which requires 125,000 tier miles for 
entry
Departure services
Guests may check-in online between 2 to 24 hours before 
departure. 
Check-in can also be done in the Etihad downtown Dubai 
terminal between 5 to 24 hours before a flight, checking-in the 
baggage and traveling to Abu Dhabi airport via luxury coaches.
Check-in in Abu Dhabi city is available either at the 
downtown City Check-in or at ADNEC.
For airport check-in, Etihad provides porter and concierge 
facilities and a separate check-in desk for First Class and 
Business Class guests, as well as Etihad Guest Gold 
cardholders. For Economy Class passengers, Etihad offers 
dedicated check-in areas for families and self-service kiosks. 
Lounges 
Etihad’s First and Business Class guests receive access to 
lounges across all destinations. 
In Abu Dhabi, the airline’s First Class lounge offers a Six 
Senses spa, cigar lounge, champagne bar and à la carte fine 
dining. 
The Business Class lounge features a Six Senses spa, 
international buffet cuisine, business and entertainment 
rooms. 
In both lounges, prayer rooms are available and children can 
be kept entertained by nannies in a family room.
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Etihad operates its own lounges in Frankfurt, London, 
Manchester and Dublin. At all the other destinations, a third 
party departure lounge is provided.
Chauffeur-drive
Etihad Chauffeur is a premium limousine service offered for 
the Diamond First Class and Pearl Business Class guests. It is 
available at 28 Etihad destinations in 16 countries.
Etihad’s Coral Economy Class guests can use the luxury coach 
transportation between Abu Dhabi International Airport and 
Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, Dubai Marina or Al Ain. 
Cabin Crew Life
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is a modern, growing city. You can visit the 
spectacular Emirates Palace - one of the most fascinating and 
luxurious hotels in the world, take a stroll on the Corniche and 
admire the tallest flag in the UAE, visit Sheikh Zayed Mosque, 
a gorgeous architectural display, enjoy a fast ride in the Ferrari 
World theme park or visit the F1 circuit at Yas Marina. You 
will find souks (traditional Arabic markets), malls, shopping, 
restaurants and entertainment options all over the city.
Accommodation
You will be offered accommodation in one of the city's newest 
and most modern buildings or in the Etihad employees 
compound with facilities such as internet room, gym, pool and 
library. 
You will be sharing an 2 or 3-bedroom apartment with 
colleagues of the same gender. The airline will take into 
consideration you preferences for a flat-mate and arrange your 
accommodation accordingly.
You will have your own bedroom and bathroom and a shared 
common area (living room and kitchen). 
Water, electricity and landline telephone are paid for by the 
company.
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Transportation
You will be picked-up from your building about one hour 
before your duty starts and dropped off at the airport crew 
center. The same is available when returning from flights. 
Salary
You will start with a basic salary of US$685 paid in the local 
currency (AED 2500). During the initial training you will be 
paid the basic salary and a meal allowance of US$685 (AED 
2500).
Once you start flying, you will get a basic salary of US$959 
(AED 3500) and a duty pay of US$11.5 (AED 42) per hour. This 
is either flight duty or ground duty and you will average 
between 70 to 100 duty hours per month.
For your layover destinations, you will be paid a layover meal 
allowance calculated per hour spent away from base and 
different depending on the country where your layover is. This 
will all be paid at the end of the month together with the rest 
of your salary in the local AED currency.
Schedule
You will have between 8-12 days off every month. You will 
know your schedule in advance, on the 25-28th of the month 
for the next month. You will be assigned flights, training (if 
necessary) and reserve duties, either home standby or airport 
standby.
Annual Leave 
You are entitled to 30 days annual leave which you can take 
either in full or in 10 day blocks. You will be given one free 
ticket per year to travel back to your country. 
Travel concession
You will have unlimited discount tickets (ID 90 or ID 50) for 
yourself, your parents, spouse and children on Etihad Airways 
routes or partner airlines. You will also have a limited number 
of tickets for your non-family contacts, to be used only on 
Etihad Airways flights.
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Uniform
The cabin crew uniform consists of a grey jacket, dark grey 
skirt and a dark grey hat with a white veil. The male cabin 
crew wear a dark grey suit with a white shirt and a white/grey/
red tie.
The in-flight uniform consists of grey aprons and a red scarf 
for the ladies and a dark grey waistcoat for the gentlemen.
Female cabin managers wear a light grey suit with tailored 
jackets, light grey hat and a white/grey/red scarf with red 
gloves and red shoes.
Male cabin managers wear a light grey suit with a red tie.
The uniform will be dry-cleaned free of charge and 
replacement items will be given to you yearly.
Career perspective
You will start as Cabin Crew Economy Class and have a line of 
promotion as Cabin Crew Business and First Class, Cabin 
Senior and Cabin Manager. If you have experience in the Food 
and Beverage or Hospitality industries, you may apply for the 
Food and Beverage Manager or In-flight Chef positions. 
You are required to have 12-24 months of experience to apply 
for the next position. 
Company values
Etihad seeks to reflect the best of Arabian hospitality - 
cultured, considerate, warm and generous service by 
employing the best candidates to be ambassadors of these 
values. The in-flight division consists of Cabin Crew and 
Cabin Managers, In-flight Food and Beverage Managers and 
In-flight Chefs. Etihad employees are well taken care of, being 
offered the newest, most modern accommodation available in 
Abu Dhabi. The company's Medical Clinic caters only for the 
employees and the Training Academy has a wide curriculum of 
courses that cabin crew can attend in their days off.
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1.2.3 Qatar Airways
History
Based in Doha, Qatar Airways was established on November 
22, 1993 and is the national airline of the State of Qatar. The 
airline started its operations on January 20, 1994 using a wet-
leased Boeing 767 from Kuwait Airways. It was originally 
owned by private members of the royal family of Qatar. 
However, it was re-launched in 1997 under a new management 
team. Currently, the Government of Qatar holds 50% stake of 
Qatar Airways and the restis held by private investors. 
June 27, 2007 marks the first Qatar Airways' flight to New 
York and on December 1, 2009 the first Australian to 
Melbourne.
Over the years, Qatar Airways has grown into one of the most 
competitive airlines in the world.
Qatar Airways is expanding at a very fast pace. The airline has 
launched 25 new destinations in 2011.
CEO 
Mr. Akbar Al Baker 
Trivia
• Qatar Airways is the only Middle-Eastern airline that won
the Skytrax rating of 5* Airline.
• It is one of the few airlines to fly to all six permanently
inhabited continents. The other carriers are Air France,
British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Korean Air, Malaysia
Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, South African and
United.
• Qatar Airways won ‘Airline of the year’ for the second year
running at 2012 Skytrax Awards.
• Qatar Airways has introduced a whole new business class
cabin in 2011.
• 120 nationalities work for Qatar Airways.
• Premium Terminal, the world’s first dedicated terminal for
First and Business Class passengers opened at Doha
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International Airport in 2006. It features a spa, jacuzzi, fine 
dining, meeting rooms and duty-free shops.
• Current slogan: World's Five-Star Airline
• Previous slogan: Taking you more personally
Numbers
Total number of employees - 19000
* as of 2012
Number of destinations - 101 (55 countries on 6 continents)
* as of 2012. New destinations are added each year.
Fleet
Airbus 319/320/321 - 36
Airbus 330 - 29
Airbus 340 - 4
Boeing 777 - 23
Total number of aircraft - 92
* as of 2012
Qatar Airways features and amenities
Qatar Airways offers First, Business and Economy Class 
cabins, Oryx in-flight entertainment system, Privilege Club 
frequent-flyer program and a Premium Terminal at Doha 
International Airport. 
First Class
Qatar Airways First Class seat converts into a 198cm (6.5ft) 
bed equipped with massage functions. A feathered duvet is 
provided.
The First Class passengers will be chauffeured to the aircraft 
for boarding in a BMW 7-Series.
Business Class
Business Class cabin features 180 degree flat bed seats, foot 
rest with 8 in-seat massage settings, in-seat power supply and 
touch-screen inflight entertainment on 39 cm (15.4in) 
monitors.
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Economy Class
The Economy Class seat features a pitch of 86cm (34 in) and 
an in-flight entertainment screen at each seat on selected 
flights.
Dining
First Class offers a ten-course menu including caviar, lobster, 
Arabic Mezzas and fine chocolates and a fine selection of 
wines and champagnes.
Business Class service can be a la carte or dine-on-demand. 
Made from fresh ingredients and designed by award-winning 
chefs, the menu is described as exquisite and eclectic.
Economy Class offers generous and delicious meals made from 
fresh ingredients.
In-flight entertainment system Oryx
Oryx Entertainment system is available at every seat for the 
wide-body aircraft fleet and it features over 770 audio and 
video options.
The OnAir service is gradually introduced on the Airbus A320 
fleet. Passengers are able to use their mobile phone during the 
flight for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages, e-
mail or browse the internet. 
Frequent flyer
Qatar Airways popular Privilege Club program has four tiers:
• Privilege Club
• Burgundy which requires 50 Qpoints for entry
• Silver which requires 150 Qpoints for entry
• Gold which requires 300 Qpoints for entry
Depending on flight duration and class of travel, the 
passengers will be awarded a certain number of Qpoints.
Qatar Airways has been invited to join OneWorld Alliance 
with the joining date being set for August 2013.
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Departure services
Online check-in is available between 36 hours and 90 minutes 
prior to the flight departure. Passenger may choose their 
preferred seat and print their boarding cards.
Alternatively, check-in can be done at Doha International 
Airport.
First and Business Class passengers can check-in at the 
dedicated Premium Terminal where a concierge is available to 
assist the passengers.
Premium Terminal
The Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport is a 
unique concept available for First and Business Class 
passengers flying with Qatar Airways from Doha.
The terminal features concierge meet and greet, seated check-
in areas, self-service kiosks for passengers without checked 
baggage and dedicated First and Business Class Lounges.
The First Class Lounge hosts a fine-dining area, spa, jacuzzi 
and sauna, massage treatment rooms, showers and privacy 
rooms where passengers can rest before their flights.
Other amenities available for both First and Business Class 
passengers are conference and meeting rooms, business center, 
game room, children play area and nursery, dedicated boarding 
gates and duty-free shopping.
Lounges
Qatar Airways offers its own Premium Lounge in London 
Heathrow. At all the other destinations in Qatar Airways 
network, First and Business Class guests, as well as Privilege 
Club Gold and Silver members will be provided with access to 
a third-party business lounge. 
Cabin Crew Life
Doha
The Corniche is a central point in Doha. You can take a stroll 
along the coast and admire the ever developing skyline of the 
city.
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Visit Souq Waqif, one of the oldest souqs (traditional Arabic 
market ) in Doha, a maze of tiny alley ways loaded with shops. 
There you will also find the falcon souq, a fascinating place 
where you can see price tags as high as US$10000 for a falcon. 
Numerous malls, restaurants and 5 star hotels, in addition to a 
safe environment make Doha a hospitable home for expats 
around the world.
Accommodation
You will be offered a shared apartment in one of the most 
modern buildings in Doha. The apartment is fully furnished 
and each flat-mate has their own bedroom and bathroom. 
Living-room and kitchen areas are shared.
All utilities are paid for by the airline.
Transportation
A company branded bus will pick you up from your 
accommodation building and drop you off at the airport crew 
center. This will be done approximately 1 hour before the start 
of your duty.
Also, you will be dropped off at your accommodation at the 
end of the duty.
Salary
The start-up salary for a cabin crew during the first 6 months 
(including the 7 weeks training period) is US$904 (QR 3300).
After the 6 months of probation, the basic salary will be 
increased to US$1027 (QR 3750).
You will be paid for your flying duty US$10.65 (QR39) per 
hour.
Expect to work 60-80 duty hours in one month.
On top of this you will also be paid a meal allowance at your 
layover destinations, calculated per hour of stay.
During the initial training you will be paid the basic salary and 
offered a welcome bonus of US$ 548 (QR 2000).
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Annual Leave 
You are entitled to 30 days annual leave. You will be given one 
free ticket per year to travel back to your country. 
Travel concession
You will have unlimited discount tickets (ID 90 - not 
confirmed or ID 50 - confirmed seats) for yourself on Qatar 
Airways routes. 
You will also have one ID 90 and one ID 50 per year for each 
of your parents and siblings. 
Uniform
The female cabin crew uniform consists of a burgundy tunic-
styled jacket, skirt and hat, and a white blouse. In-flight, a 
navy blue service waistcoat is worn.
The female In-Flight Service Director wears a similar designed 
suit in green color and a burgundy pattern scarf.
The male cabin crew wear a dark grey suit withwhite shirt and 
burgundy tie. 
The uniform will be dry-cleaned free of charge and 
replacement items will be given to you yearly.
Career perspective
You will start-up as Cabin Crew Economy Class (FA2) and 
have a line of promotion as Cabin Crew Business and First 
Class(FA1), Cabin Senior Economy Class and Purser(In-Flight 
Services Director).
12-24 months of experience is required to apply to next level 
position.
Company values
Qatar Airways cabin crew was voted Best Cabin Crew in the 
Middle East for the seventh consecutive year at the 2009 
Skytrax airline awards.
The airline promises its customers commitment to provide 
the highest quality of service in the air and on the ground. The 
CEO, Mr. Al Baker said ‘Qatar Airways will develop these 
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services as we continue along our path of expansion and quest 
to become known globally as the best airline in the world.’
The company offers its crew competitive tax-free package, 
company provided furnished sharing accommodation, medical 
insurance, generous airline travel discounts, promising career 
prospects and personal development opportunities.
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1.3 Who is hiring
All three airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways 
are constantly hiring cabin crew. The recruitment events are 
advertised on each airline's career website and they can be 
Open Days, CV Submission Days or Assessment Days. 
For the latest recruitment events, you can browse the careers 
website of each airline:
Emirates 
Etihad Airways 
Qatar Airways 
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https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/Careers_Overview/cabin_crew/default.aspx
https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/Careers_Overview/cabin_crew/default.aspx
http://careers.etihadairways.com/ehire/english/cabincrew.aspx
http://careers.etihadairways.com/ehire/english/cabincrew.aspx
http://careers.qatarairways.com/qatarairways/vacancysearch.aspx
http://careers.qatarairways.com/qatarairways/vacancysearch.aspx
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1.4 Your worries and questions answered
Many of my readers send me questions on a daily basis on 
various topics that ultimately summarize the worries that 
come up when going for an interview. It goes to an extent 
where some people can not even bring themselves to go to the 
interview and give it a try for fear of rejection. I am here to 
shed some light on the common issues that might come into 
your mind. 
Scars
Scars can be from chicken-pox marks, stitches, cuts or burns. 
If you have any marks on your face, neck, arms or legs, you 
need to see if they can be concealed with make-up, masked by 
hair or hid under a pantyhose. 
If you can do that, the scars should not be a problem.
If you are a man, then you only have to worry about your face 
and neck, as the uniform consists of long sleeved shirt and 
long pants. Man are not allowed to put on make-up while 
wearing the uniform, so the standards are more rigid here.
Scars can fade in time with laser treatments or by using 
ointments such as BioOil.
Acne
There are numerous treatments for acne nowadays. See a 
dermatologist (not a cosmetician or beautician) who will give 
you prescribed medication for acne. If you have scars caused 
by acne, then see the previous point.
Teeth
Very few people have naturally straight and white teeth. Must 
you have perfect pearly whites? Absolutely not. However, teeth 
are important because the trademark of the flight attendant 
(or any other person working with customers) is the smile. 
Your teeth must be clean and without cavities. Even if they are 
not perfectly straight, if your smile is pleasant and warm, then 
you should be fine. See your dentist for a cleaning and check-
up before the interview.
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Braces
Teeth braces are not allowed by the grooming regulations for a 
flight attendant. If you are wearing your braces during the 
interview, explain to the interviewers when will they be 
removed.
Alternatively, you might consider having braces only on the 
inside part of your teeth.
Beauty marks
Beauty marks are brown spots or moles located on your body. 
You do not need to remove them to become a cabin crew. It is 
absolutely fine and natural to have them.
Tattoos
Tattoos have become very common, however, body art is not 
appreciated in this industry. If you want to be a flight 
attendant, you must be ink free in the following areas of your 
body: arms, legs, neck, face.
Mark on the below drawing the location of your tattoos. 
LADIES
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GENTLEMEN
If your tattoos are outside the colored area, you will not be 
accepted to work as a flight attendant.
You will be asked during your interview to describe the 
location and size of your tattoos. You might think you can skip 
this info, however there will be are located.Be truthful, as you 
will go through a thorough medical check once you are hired. 
If it is discovered then, you might be sent home. 
If you are considering laser removal, make sure you check with 
your doctor that there will be no visible scar left.
Piercings
The only visible piercings allowed are ear piercings (one in 
each ear) and earrings for ladies. No piercings and jewelry 
wearing for men.
If you have piercings in your nose, lip or eyebrows and there is 
no visible hole when you remove the jewelry, then it is all fine. 
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You must be willing to remove the jewelry from your facial 
piercings.
If your ears are not pierced, you should not pierce them to get 
the job. It is not required.
Height
The only requirement is the vertical arm reach. Emirates and 
Qatar Airways require you to be able to reach 212cm(6'11") on 
your tip toes.
Etihad Airways only requires 210cm (6'10").
You can be 158cm (5'3") or 180cm (5'11"), as long as you can 
reach the 212cm or 210cm mark, you will pass this part of the 
interview.
You can practice by measuring the required height on your 
wall and mark it with some tape. Some airlines require you to 
reach it with one hand only, while others want you to reach it 
with both hands. Practice, stretch and remember that arm 
reach can be improved with time.
Weight
Am I too fat or too skinny? The airlines require you to have a 
normal Body Mass Index (BMI). That is a formula that takes 
into consideration the proportion between your height and 
weight.
Find out your BMI here.
Eye-sight
You need to have a vision of 20/20. This can be your normal 
eye-sight, or your vision can be corrected with glasses or 
contact lenses. You can have myopia or hyperopia. As long as 
you wear the prescribed glasses and you are able to see 20/20, 
then it is ok.
Bear in mind though, that some airlines require you to wear 
only contact lenses while on duty (not glasses). Make sure you 
are comfortable with that.
Once you are hired, you need to have a pair of glasses that 
comply with the grooming regulations: black, silver or gold 
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frames of moderate design, without stones or other 
decorations. 
Swimming
You arenot required to know how to swim freely, but you are 
expected to be able to be comfortable enough in water and 
swim with the aid of a flotation device. This skill will be 
practiced during your initial training, where you will learn how 
to evacuate to aircraft during a ditching situation (emergency 
landing on water). You will be wearing a life-vest during this 
exercise.
Beauty
When you say flight attendant, we all think of the model-like 
gir ls , tal l , skinny with perfect hair and teeth. The 
misconception here is that all flight attendants must look like 
that in ordered to be get this job. This could not be farther 
from the truth. If you have a pleasant appearance, relevant 
experience, you speak English and you make a good 
impression at the interview, you will be hired even if you do 
not resemble a Barbie doll.
Education
The only education requirement in order to apply to be a 
cabin crew is a high school diploma or a general education 
diploma (GED).
Everything on top of that is an advantage. This can be either 
college, university or vocational courses.
You do not need a cabin crew course to get the job. All the 
training will be done in the airline’s training academies after 
you are hired.
Relevant experience
To apply for a flight attendant position, relevant experience 
means any customer experience you have. That can be work in 
restaurants, bars, hotels, shops, schools, hospitals, offices or 
airports. Any work can be translated from a customer service 
perspective. To see examples, jump to Creating your CV.
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No experience
If you come straight from school and have absolutely no work 
experience, but you would like to start a career as a flight 
attendant, that is absolutely fine as well. Mostly, your interview 
questions will be based on your school experience or other 
work you did while in school. To score extra points, make sure 
that you include the organizations you have been involved 
with, internships or volunteer work that you have done. 
If you show during your interview that you are open to learn 
and willing to become good at what you are doing, you will be 
hired even if you don't have any experience.
Languages
You need to be able to speak, read and write English fluently. 
This will be observed from how you present your CV, to 
dialogues during the group exercises, an English test and the 
final interview. 
All the languages that you speak in addition to English are an 
advantage. 
You are not required to speak Arabic in order to work for 
Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways.
Age
This is by far the most popular question. The only age 
requirement for becoming a cabin crew is minimum 21 years 
old at the time of the application. If you are younger than that, 
you will have to wait until your 21st birthday. 
If you are older than that, it is absolutely fine. 27 is not old, 35 
is not too old, and even when you are 42 you can become a 
cabin crew. Then why are all the flight attendants so young? 
The reason is that when you are in your 20's or early 30's, you 
are more likely to prefer this lifestyle: travel, share an 
apartment, be away from home, have an unpredictable 
schedule and change the team and the customers you work 
with all the time. The more you advance in age, the more you 
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prefer stability, a family and a schedule that will allow you to 
have the weekends or holidays off.
That does not mean that you will not be considered for this 
job when you are over 30. If you want to do it and you are a fit 
for the job, there will be no problems at all.
Marital status
You can be a flight attendant if you are married, single, 
engaged or in a relationship. In the Middle East, there are 
fewer married people doing this job. And that is because you 
are moving away from your country, and it is much easier to 
relocate and find one job instead of two. Also, people who are 
married prefer to have a regular 9-5 job that will allow them to 
spend time with their families. Why are they not as many 
married people doing this job? Because they do not apply for 
it.
When applying for Qatar Airways, please note that if you join 
the company having single status, you must maintain the single 
status for the duration of the 3 year contract.
Children
Having children is an amazing experience. You would want to 
spend as much time as possible with them, and while working 
as a flight attendant, it will be quite a challenge. You might be 
away from home for days at a time, you might miss school 
plays or major milestones. If you want to do this job and have 
children, then you must have an open mind, a very 
understanding partner and help either from your parents, in-
laws or a hired nanny.
Be aware that kindergarten and school in the Middle East is 
quite expensive and you will be expected to pay that yourself, 
without any assistance from the company.
Also, if you decide to relocate to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha 
with your family, you will not be able to live in the shared 
company provided accommodation, but find your own 
apartment for which you will be offered a housing allowance 
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from the company. You can apply for the housing allowance 
only after the first 6 months of probation.
Nationality 
There is absolutely no discrimination based on the color of 
your passport. Airlines in the Middle East cherish the diversity 
of their crew. If you come from Australia, Mozambique, Peru, 
Tajikistan, Germany or Philippines, you will be offered the 
same fair chance to interview for the flight attendant job as 
any other candidates, and your culture will be celebrated 
among the other over 100 nationalities working for the airline.
How long to wait in between assessment days
✓If you participated in an Open Day and your CV was not 
short-listed, you can go to another Open Day after 6 months. 
Remember however that you can not do the same thing over 
and over again and expect a different result. When you 
present the same CV, same photos and the same experience, 
if you were rejected once, the chances are that you will be 
rejected the second and the third time as well. Take some 
time to review your CV, volunteer for some customer service 
jobs or apply for a new job in the customer service field, learn 
a new language or acquire a new skill that might benefit you 
when working as a cabin crew.
✓If you participated in an Open Day and your CV was short-
listed, but you fail at any point during the assessment day, you 
will need to wait for 6 months to participate again in a 
recruitment event (Open Day or Assessment Day). 
✓If you passed all stages of the Assessment Day but you fail 
the final interview, you will have to wait 12 months before re-
applying.
✓If you are in any of the above-mentioned situations, use the 
time until you can try again wisely. Reading this book is a 
great step in your success: being prepared, knowing what to 
expect and improving yourself to fit the airline's expectations 
are your keys to get the job.
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✓Is this rule strict? Yes!
Confidence and fear of failure
There are a million little reasons to worry about. You can 
worry about your appearance, about the design of your blouse 
or small little things you said. Most people are chronic 
worriers. We analyze every single step we did and go crazy on 
all the details. Do you believe in the power of mind? I do, and 
I believe that you will attract in your life exactly what you 
have been thinking. If you think you are never good enough 
and worthy, why would other people think differently? But if 
you knowthat you have something to offer and you let people 
see it by being open, honest and enthusiastic, you will be 
seeing great accomplishments coming your way.
Think of it like this: the best thing that can happen is getting 
a job and an amazing new life full of adventure and travels. 
Worst thing that can happen is a gained experience of how an 
assessment day looks like. See it as a learning experience.
You might make it through the CV selection, but fail the 
group exercise. With this you learn that your CV is great, but 
you need to improve your team-working skills.
Or you pass the group exercise, but fail the English test. You 
know exactly what to focus on: improving your English.
You do not need to alter your appearance, buy an expensive 
suit for the interview or try to pretend to be someone that you 
are not. If you are fit for the job, the job will be a fit for you as 
well. Otherwise you will end up being miserable. Do it for 
passion, and it will not feel like work at all!
You are already perfect. Just let the people around you see 
that.
Want to see another topic? Explore the Table of CONTENTS.
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Chapter 2 - Let's get you the job
The cabin crew hiring process is called an assessment center or 
assessment day. Here are some definitions for you:
Assessment Day (or Assessment Center) – Is a process 
employing multiple techniques and multiple assessors to 
produce judgements regarding the extent to which a 
participant displays selected competencies.
Assessor – An individual trained to observe, record, classify 
and make reliable judgement about the behaviors of those 
being assessed.
Exercise (or Task) – A simulation or technique designed to 
elicit behaviors related to performance requirements of the 
job.
Source: Lewis Rowe, Tina; A Preparation Guide for the Assessment center Method; (2006) Charles C. 
Thomas Publishers Ltd, Illinois, USA.
Your flight attendant skills will be tested in a series of 
exercises. This hiring method has been adopted by many 
companies, as a form of interviewing. At the end of the 
assessment day you will have a 1-on-1 final interview.
There are 3 ways of getting to interview for the cabin crew 
position:
1. Assessment Day - you will be submitting an online
application and then wait to be called when the airline holds 
an assessment in your country or city.
2. Open Day - you will participate in the open day that
the airlines organize monthly in various countries around the 
world. If your CV is short-listed, you will then participate in a 
Assessment Day either immediately after, or on a future date 
which will be communicated to you. No online application is 
necessary before this event.
3. CV Submission Day - you can drop off your CV and
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required photographs during the published timings. The short 
listed candidates will be invited to participate in an 
Assessment Day either the next day or on a future date. No 
online application is necessary before the event.
We will explore step by step all the options that exist to get 
you to the assessment day. This chapter is divided in 3 parts: 
before, during and after the assessment. 
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2.1 Before the assessment
2.1.1 Creating your CV
Your CV is a very important step. You need to create a simple, 
easy to read CV that will set you apart from the other 
candidates. During the Open Day especially, there will be 
hundreds of people showing up and hoping for a chance. The 
assessors have only a minute to go through a CV, so you must 
make sure that the relevant information is there, visible and 
on the subject. Think of the assessors as clients in your shop. 
You have to make sure that your prime merchandise is in the 
front, attractive and visible.
Even if you have relevant experience, presenting it in a non-
attractive manner might diminish your chances of you CV 
being short-listed for the Assessment Day.
Let’s start with what your CV should include.
1. Personal details
Include
✓Full name (First name then family name)
✓Home address (Street, number, city, country)
✓E-mail address (name@mail.com)
✓Telephone number (mobile phone, including the country 
code)
More personal details will be asked from you when you apply 
online, however they are not necessary to be included in the 
CV.
Do NOT include
!Date of birth
!Religion
!Nationality
!Marital status
!Political affiliation
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!Name of your parents
!Email addresses that contain nicknames such as 
angel_girl4u@mail.com or me_spiderman1995@mail.com
EXAMPLE
Anna Parker
anna.parker@mail.com
386 Bleecker Street, 10012 New York, NY, U.S.A
+1 946 111 2233
2. Professional experience
In reverse chronological order, start with your latest job. 
Include
✓Period of time you worked at that specific job (month and 
year)
✓Name of the company and location
✓Job title
✓Job description (in 3-4 bullet points)
✓Outstanding results (if you had any)
Do NOT include
!the names of your boss
!your salary
!how many hours per week you work
*If you do not have any professional experience or very little
experience, it is acceptable to start your CV by listing your academic 
achievements. 
If you not sure how to translate your experience into 
professional customer service descriptions, see the following 
list of common jobs and their description. For every job below, 
you will find more than 3-4 bullet points. Just choose the ones 
that are applicable to what you did.
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Hostess 
• Organize the seating chart and manage reservations.%
• Greet guests, escort them to their table and present menus.
• Inform the wait ing staff when the customers are
seated.% %
• Ensure cleanliness of the menus, dining room, entryway and
bathrooms.
• Bid farewell to all of the guests.
• Check customer satisfaction.
Waitress 
• Escort customers to their tables.
• Present menus to customers, answer questions about menu
items and make recommendations upon request.
• Describe and recommend wines.
• Take orders for food and beverages and serve them.
• Prepare and serve specialty dishes as required.
• Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their
meals and take action to correct any problems.
• Ensure the bill is correct and the payment is made.
Bartender 
• Greet the guests, accommodate to their needs and serve
them with the utmost respect and professionalism.
• Make customers feel welcome, secure, and relaxed.
• Quickly take a guest's order, prepare the order and complete
the transaction in a swift and precise manner.
• Keep work area clean.
• Reinforce a practice of responsible service.
• Maintain a cheerful and upbeat attitude.
Cashier
• Greet and acknowledge every customer.
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• Maintain outstanding standards of product knowledge.
• Maintain awareness of all promotions and advertisements.
• Accurately and efficiently ring on registers and maintain all
cash and media at the registers.
• Communicate customer requests to management.
• Enter all media from register into the tally program.
• Maintain orderly appearance of register area and supplies
stocked.
Shop Assistant
• Be attentive to customers’ needs.
• Give information