Dreaming of A Career in the Skies? American Airlines Reopens Flight Attendant Recruitment

Dreaming of A Career in the Skies? American Airlines Reopens Flight Attendant Recruitment

American Airlines made a pretty exciting announcement today as it reopened Flight Attendant recruitment for its Cabin Crew team.  The job posting was made live at 9 am CST with no end date yet announced.  However, if previous recruitment drives are anything to go by, expect the window to be short and competition stiff.

AA is the world’s largest airline and already employs over 25,000 Flight Attendants.  For this position, you’ll either need to be a U.S. citizen or have a visa that allows you to live and work in the United States.  And of course, you’ll need a valid passport and the unrestricted right to visit any destination in AA’s route network.

If you can offer a “warm welcome, gracious service and a safe and comfortable feeling”, then you might have what it takes to become an American Airlines flight attendant.  You don’t need to have previous flying experience but AA is looking for “service professionals of the highest calibre.”

You’ll need to have a “desire, drive and passion for providing outstanding service” even in the most challenging of circumstances.  For an opportunity like this, we’d highly recommend creating a customised resume tailored to the needs of the role.  AA recruiters are looking for candidates who can prove the following skills:

  • A brand ambassador – Present’s a professional and smart image,
  • Able to work independently and as part of a team,
  • A people person who is happy interacting with customers and resolving issues,
  • De-escalation techniques and resolving customer complaints,
  • Adaptable and able to handle a wide range of situations,
  • Safety and security conscious,
  • Proud of the brand and willing to represent the organisation in the best light,
  • Physically fit and able to withstand extreme work environments.

Talking of health and fitness, you should be aware that the Flight Attendant role can be physically demanding.  AA warns potential recruits they must be able to push or pull moveable carts weighing in excess of 250 pounds and lift objects up to 35 pounds.

Oh, and as a brand ambassador, you need to adhere to the strict Flight Attendant uniform standards.  That means no visible tattoo’s, no facial piercings and no crazy hair styles.

As a Flight Attendant, you’ll have to adhere to strict uniform standards. Photo Credit: American Airlines

You’ll need to be at least 20 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.  Recruiters would prefer to hear from candidates with at least two years of customer service experience – so make sure to highlight any customer facing experience you have.

Willing to Relocate

American Airlines serves 357 destinations in 56 countries around the world.  If successful you’ll join a team of 25,500 Flight Attendants who serve 542,936 passengers on 6,329 daily departures.

As a multi-hub airline, AA is looking for Flight Attendants who can join their team in any of the following locations: Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas/Ft Worth, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Raleigh/Durham, NC; San Francisco, CA; St Louis, MO; Washington, DC.

Although you get to select a preferred base, AA will assign cities to new hires based on the needs of the airline.  If successful you’ll be expected to relocate as required.

How to Apply

Finally, one last thing – Training takes about 6 and a half weeks at the airline’s HQ in Dallas/Fort Worth.  You won’t be paid during this time.

Applications can only be submitted online.  You can access the job advert and submit an application on the official American Airlines careers website: here.

Mateusz Maszczynski

Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for a well-known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.

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