Cabin Crew/Ground Crew Training

[Nick W.]

Hey All,

Was asked the other day how long it takes for Cabin Crew and Ground Crew (i.e. check-in agents, rampies, etc.) to be trained by major carriers and what stages they go through, and was curious if anyone here could shed any light on it?

Has anyone had any experiences with this kind of training, maybe some stories to tell?

I'm sure the info it out there somewhere, but would be a good reference thread for anyone who wants a quick search sometime down the track!

Cheers,

Nick

[Adam G]

Hey Nick,

Cabin Crew is approx 5 weeks depending on the operator & amount of a/c being endorsed on.

That covers SOPs, EPs for each a/c type, Service & Admin/Misc training.

Can't help with Ground Staff!

[Radi K]

Ground Staff is about 3-4 weeks.

Focus is mainly on the legal aspects such as DG's, Special Seating etc

Also a big chunk is on the res systems etc

[Brendan Lawrence]

Hey Nick, as Adam said, my ground school / training as Jetstar cabin crew was a 4 week course but stretched out over 5 weeks due to Christmas/New Year public holidays and that was on one aircraft type (A320). I've since received a 1 day conversion on the A321 and soon will receive what I think is a 3 day conversion on the A330.

The ground schools following mine have 5 week courses because the training now incorporates all 3 aircraft types (320, 321, 330).

And as Adam mentioned, this includes Standard Operating Procedures (about 1 week), Non-Normal Procedures (a few days), Emergency Procedures & Drills (almost 2 weeks), Equipment (1 week), CRM/Crew Resource Management (3 days), Aircraft Familiarisation (1 day), Aviation First Aid (1 day), Grooming (half day), and Service which we only received half a day's training on from Gate Gourmet - which I like to point out to people who think we're just trolley-dollies, haha.

During EPs the testing and exams are tough and frequent! At the height of it there was pretty much an exam every second day. All theoretical exams had to be passed with 80% or higher. All practical assessments and written drills (land impact, ditching, decompression and emergency cabin prep) all have to be passed at 100%. Having said that, they do allow 1 re-sit if required. And the trainers are FANTASTIC - very supportive, friendly and helpful at all stages. After all the airline is investing money in you from the beginning by training you.

Ground school was a fantastic experience though! Testing but fun, especially during the wet drill (life rafts and lifejackets in the pool) and the slide descent (on the 747 trainer as well about double the height of the A320 - bit scary). Really bonded with the 23 other crew in my school - studied after class at local cafes or went out for a drink here and there, and still do regularly now after being on line for about 10 weeks or so.

[Nick W.]

Adam, Radi and Brendan, thankyou very much for your replies!

Very good info. In regards to this type of training, I understand that on the whole it is funded by the airline/organisation it is done through, but is there a form of certification for such positions for later employment? How long does the average cabin crew/ground staff member stay in their position? I have heard stories ranging from mere weeks to years, pending on contracts and whether it is a part-time/full-time/casual basis.

Would like to hear your opinions.

Brendan, congrats on your achievements! I trust you are enjoying the career so far? Sounds like you've had some great experiences already!

Nick

[Adam G]

Hi Nick,

For cabin crew...

Within Australia the company you're working for pays for the training, although some overseas airlines require their trainees pay or be subject to a bond.

There is no certification as such - for example if you completed CC training at DJ & then went to QF, you need to do the full training again, nothing is transferred - this is largely due to airlines working to very different SOPs & EPs. Having said that, past flyers are certaily more employable in similiar roles (all else being equal).

How long they are employed naturally depends on the employee - there are people who have been at the airline I work at since Day 1 & others that have left during training. You could safely say <5 years for LCC & a lot more for legacy carriers - when considering those averages it's important to compare the terms & conditions they are employed under & the demographics of people they employ - for example the new QFLH QCCA contract, one would assume would result in higher turnover at lower years of service due to the decreased T&C's & therefore the different demographic of applicant it will attract.

[Nick W.]

Thanks for the info, Adam.

A few airlines are expanding their bases, so should be interested if this results in many crew changing location and so forth.

N

[David M]

Nick,

As mentioned previously, cabin crew training is about 4-5 weeks and sometimes a little less and others a little more. I did a quick EP training course with a major airline a few years back and it was 12 days solid. The airline I work for now took three weeks for ground school and then a couple of weeks of line training, before being passed to fly. As solo flight attendants you really need to know your stuff when the proverbial hits the fan!

As for checkin - I knew nothing about airline ops as far as reservations etc and I learnt what I need to get by, in about three days. It was a constant learning curve for the next three months, trying to get my head around a completely foreign booking system, along with DG's and the airline requirements for seating etc.

Operations side of things was a completely different kettle of fish! You really have to have your mind switched on and be able to multi task every moment of your shift. I guess it took a month of working every situation before I became comfortable with the position. Even after all that.. you get one day that throws a spanner in the works and you really earn your money! Just ask Adam P!!!!

Hope this helps.

David.M.

[Adam P.]

Dave,

ADL ops doesn't count!!!