“Training Can Be Demanding”: LIFT Airlines Shares Expert Tips for Becoming a Flight Attendant
- LIFT Airlines is lifting the curtain on the hidden responsibilities that come with working as cabin crew
- The company's Cabin Designated Examiner revealed the qualities that could help aspiring flight attendants stand out
- From minimum requirements to surprising insights into what recruiters really look for during interviews
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Becoming a flight attendant looks like a dream job to many people. You travel, meet different people, and post fire airport pics while flying across the country. But according to LIFT Airlines, there’s way more happening behind the scenes than most passengers realise.
In honour of National Flight Attendant Day on 31 May 2026, LIFT offered aspiring flight attendants a behind-the-scenes look at the aviation industry. Cabin Designated Examiner Esmé Eloff unpacked the realities of the role and what recruiters value most in prospective cabin crew members.
Eloff explained that flight attendants are first and foremost trained safety professionals responsible for protecting passengers during flights. According to the aviation expert, cabin crew members are trained to handle emergencies, onboard security threats, evacuations, and medical incidents while maintaining a calm, welcoming environment for travellers.
A strong application starts with meeting these basic requirements:
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- Grade 12 qualification
- Strong communication skills
- Good health
- Swimming ability
- Clean criminal record
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While customer service or hospitality experience can be helpful, she emphasised that airlines also place a strong focus on personality, professionalism, and adaptability. Eloff said successful cabin crew members are calm, caring, and confident under pressure. Since the job involves working with different people and unexpected situations daily. Additionally, airlines look for people who genuinely care about passengers and can remain professional even during stressful situations onboard.
Training prepares crew for high-pressure moments
Once accepted into airline training programmes, recruits undergo intensive preparation covering both safety and customer service. The training includes firefighting, emergency drills, first aid, dangerous goods handling, and aircraft equipment training.
Cabin crew members are also trained to respond to evacuations, medical emergencies, decompression incidents, and onboard security threats.
“Training can be physically and mentally demanding, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. It builds confidence, resilience, and the ability to think clearly under pressure.”
Be authentic during interviews
In order to stand out, Eloff encouraged aspiring flight attendants to focus less on memorising answers and more on showing authenticity during interviews.
“The best advice I can give to someone considering becoming a flight attendant is to go into interviews prepared, but also be ready to think on your feet. Airlines are not only looking for the 'right”'answers, but they are also looking for how you handle the unexpected.”
She also pointed to long-term career opportunities available in the aviation industry. Cabin crew members can later move into training, management, or examiner roles as they advance in their careers.
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Haydn Halim-Henning, Brand Manager at LIFT, highlighted the importance of National Flight Attendant Day and the role cabin crew members play in every passenger's journey.
“At LIFT, our cabin crew are at the heart of every journey. They bring warmth, professionalism, and care to every flight, while carrying the immense responsibility of ensuring passenger safety at all times. National Flight Attendant Day is an opportunity to celebrate the people behind the uniforms and to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals who dream of taking to the skies.
3 More aviation stories featured in Briefly News
- An SAA cabin crew member inspired her daughter to aim for the cockpit as a profession in a heartwarming video.
- A video of a stunning flight attendant had Mzansi buzzing online, with many hoping she sees the flood of adoring comments.
- A multilingual flight attendant from Gauteng went viral after his smooth passenger welcome in several of South Africa’s official languages.
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Source: Briefly News
