Exploring the Legal Reason Why Virgin Atlantic Removed its Makeup Rule

A Long Time Coming: Virgin Atlantic Reopens Cabin Crew Recruitment

After what feels like a seriously long wait, Virgin Atlantic has, at last, reopened the application process for new cabin crew – applications can be submitted via the official Virgin Atlantic recruitment website but you’ll have to be quick as the submission deadline is the 11th August.  In fact, the recruitment team may even close the process early if they receive enough applications so don’t waste any time on this opportunity.

At the moment, Virgin says it is looking to build what it call’s a “talent holding pool” of candidates who will start training courses as they become available from early 2020 onwards.  Rumours suggest Virgin is looking to hire between 150-200 cabin crew during this recruitment round, although successful applicants may have to wait up to 12-months to be assigned a training course.

As dual base cabin crew, you’ll be working on long-haul flights from both Heathrow and Gatwick airport, although you do get to pick what your preferred airport to fly from is (Gatwick has mainly Caribbean and vacation-route flights).  Virgin Atlantic is not currently recruiting cabin crew for it’s Manchester base and generally speaking, candidates interested in this base would have to request an internal transfer after several years.

Virgin Atlantic Cabin Crew Balloted in Industrial Action Following Rejection of Pay Deal
Photo Credit: Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic says it is looking for cabin crew “who are genuine, authentic and have an intrinsic passion for delivering the fabulous in customer service.”

We think our crew are the 5th Emergency service, superheros in the sky. We are more than delivering chicken and beef.

Both experienced and inexperienced candidates are invited to apply but you must meet these minimum requirements:

  • At least 18-years old
  • Fluent in English
  • Able to achieve an arm reach of 210cm
  • A confident swimmer – able to swim at least 25 metres

You’ll need to already have the right to live and work in either the UK or Europe as Virgin Atlantic is unable to provide sponsorship and you cannot have any criminal convictions.

Candidates with no prior flying experience will join an apprenticeship scheme, although all new joiners will go through the same five-week initial training course at the airline’s headquarters which is dubbed The Base.

Virgin Atlantic advertises the starting salary as £14,178, although this doesn’t include allowances and other benefits.  The airline is currently negotiating a new wage structure for cabin crew but talks are ongoing and nothing has yet been confirmed.

In the last few months, Virgin made headlines around the world when it announced a push for diversity and equality, announcing it would no longer make female cabin crew wear makeup, heels or skirts if they didn’t want to.

Further details and the opportunity to apply can be found 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.

Leave a Reply

An Introduction to Online Applications

You Deserve the Best Resume – Here’s How to Get It

How to Format Your Resume to be ATS Proof