What to Expect

Flight attendant trainees undergo some intense training to learn how to make flying a pleasurable and safe experience for passengers.

Matt Simmons had all the necessary requirements to be a flight attendant -- age of majority, a second language (he spoke German), a senior first aid certificate and the correct height. But after going through the initial stages of the flight attendant selection process, he got a letter thanking him for his interest. His application had been unsuccessful.

"You can imagine how I felt," he says. "And I had to wait 12 months before I could reapply."

Simmons used this time wisely by further improving his German and by learning another language. "I was determined to get in," he says.

Eventually, the opportunity to reapply came up and he again went through the initial interview process. After passing these, he was called in for a seminar. He had to wear business clothes and bring his birth certificate and his passport.

"The purpose of the seminar is firstly to provide you, the applicant, with information about the role and lifestyle of a flight attendant," he says. But more importantly, it's a selection process. "The facilitators are watching everything you do and say."

Applicants are seated in small groups and the first task is to introduce themselves to one another.

"We were later shown some videos of aircraft crashes, just to show us that this job is not just about providing service but also being there in case there is an emergency," he says.

During his selection seminar, Simmons was assigned mock tasks. He had to find alternate accommodations for customers who found their hotels were fully booked. "The important thing here was our ability to work as a team," he says. "The solution was only secondary."

There was a final interview a few days later. After that, Simmons also had to undergo a medical test. "The medical is quite simple -- a hearing test, eyesight test, a declaration, simple spinal check and a urine test."

After waiting for so long, Simmons was finally offered a job. His first trip was to London, Singapore and Bangkok. He says the work was extremely difficult, but he loved every moment of it.

"This is the best job in the world," he says. "It was a long, long wait to get in, but it was definitely worth it."