You’ve probably seen the lifestyle pilots and flight attendants lead, all the fun they have, and how cooperating they are, making you wonder if you should try your luck in airlines. But then, all the critical situations you’ve seen them go through in movies may take you a step back.
Yes, there are challenges, from handling troubling passengers to tackling critical issues. However, the knowledge and experiences that you’ll gain and the benefits and compensation you’ll receive will make it all worth it in the end.
So, if you’re wondering whether it’s a good idea to start your career in the airline industry, then here are nine reasons that’ll help you decide.
- A Wide Variety of Jobs Available
There are plenty of jobs available in the airline industry. Whether you aim to work in a technical role, customs, management sector, health and hospitality, security, or as a pilot, there’s something for everyone. Besides, escalating in rank is always possible here.
The airline industry is always opening opportunities for more people frequently. While there are university degrees for aviation-related careers, you can also pursue your career in airlines by taking on additional courses, such as a course on being a flight attendant.
If you’re planning to pursue your career and grow as a flight attendant in reputable airlines, you can take some guidance from this American Airlines flight attendant requirements page and prepare yourself accordingly. You’ll precisely know how you need to be prepared and excel better to stay ahead of all the other candidates.
- Thrive in Challenges
People who love taking on challenging roles absolutely love working in airlines. Besides, it’s a great industry to grow yourself in all the ways possible, especially if you’re a fresh graduate and now planning for your career.
No matter which sector of an airline you’re working in, you’ll have to be agile, precise, and hospitable. Whether you’re handling tickets to passengers or taking care of passengers’ demands on a flight, you’ll have to maintain poise and push through.
Imagine standing for hours at your desk on a busy holiday, confirming and correcting tickets, or accepting irritable behavior from passengers with a big bright smile on your face. Not everyone can stand up against such conditions.
Besides, everything is time-bound when you’re working, so there’s almost no room for error. You may also face extreme challenges, where you need to manage the passengers in a crisis situation with a strong heart. Now that’s a challenge you can thrive in.
- Learn New Skills Constantly
The airline industry is perfect for people looking forward to developing both hard and soft skills. From data entry and fieldwork to managing people with a smile, there’s a plethora of opportunities to develop numerous skills.
Hard skills are abilities specific to the job, acquired through education, training, and gaining hands-on experience. The airline industry as a whole has plenty of such opportunities, such as administrative support, avionics technicians, aviation attorney, sales managers, etc.
Soft skills are the interpersonal qualities we hold to succeed in a job, such as communication, time management, critical thinking, stress management, etc. Every job in the commercial aviation industry requires soft skills, which you can develop with constant practice.
When applying for an airline, you’ll definitely have to present yourself with skills applicable to specialized sectors. You have a high chance of getting hired instantly if you’ve studied in one of the most popular disciplines. However, you can develop plenty of these skills on the job too.
- Travel the World
One of the best and most rewarding experiences that aviation industries provide is the opportunity to travel the world, especially if you’re employed as a pilot or a flight attendant. With every flight you fly, you have the opportunity to roam around in new countries and meet new people.
You also have the opportunity to learn about the cultures practiced in the country you’ll be visiting, whether it’s through their food, clothes, artifacts, or their historical sites. Meeting new people, talking to them, and having a good time around is also a rewarding experience.
- Enjoy Benefits
The commercial aviation industry is also one with a huge number of benefits for you to enjoy. You can enjoy nice meals and drinks in different parts of the world with your acquaintances, meet wonderful people, bond with your passengers, and enjoy wonderful discounts.
Your family and close people will also be able to enjoy the benefits of your working for an airline. They can avail of discounts on their flights and may even get free access to business-class seats. Your family can also enjoy staying in hotels and enjoying great cuisines entirely paid for by the airlines.
As an employee in an airline company, they may also send you abroad to pursue a degree, with the cost fully supplemented by the company. They may also support your living cost! Now, who wants to miss that?
- Learn New Language
There’s always an opportunity to learn, and when you’re working for an airline company, especially as a flight attendant or a pilot, learning a new language is part of the perks. Besides English and your mother tongue, you may be required to know another language just to ensure fluent communication with passengers.
Did you know that there are people working in this industry who fluently speak several languages? This doesn’t just allow you to build empathy with your passengers and allow them to feel comfortable but it also helps you to strengthen your memory.
It’s also an excellent chance to impress your friends, family, and every passing stranger with this extra ability!
- Flexible Work and Lifestyle
What happens with most jobs in service sectors? You’re bound in a fixed time frame, leaving you little to no opportunity to choose when you want to work. However, that’s not the case in the commercial aviation industry, making it another reason for you to start your career here.
You can choose your working hours and days you want to work, and even how many days a week you want to work. This industry also allows you to work a week and take a break for the next week, giving you time to rest, travel, and spend time with your family. Not many industries offer that much flexibility!
You can also enjoy a variety of lifestyles due to the traveling opportunities you can get here. Airlines also allow you to climb up the ladder of success, making this industry a tempting place for growth-savvy people.
- An Industry That’s Always Growing
Airlines are always planning for expansion. And with the booming sector of tourism, the aviation industry is always finding new ways to develop airports, including buying new airplanes, making more terminals, and allowing newer airline companies to join the sectors.
This means there’s always a chance for a new job opening. And with more people availing of air tickets, companies need more pilots, flight attendants, engineers, and operators. The more the merrier!
Technology in this industry is also booming. Many companies are always looking for ways to improve the experience of passengers with new and improved technologies. From screening people and ensuring more comfortable seats to providing a better leisurely experience, something is always changing. And you can enjoy these improvements too!
- A Rewarding Experience
Working in the airline industry, as a whole, is a rewarding experience. You won’t just excel in your career and improve your knowledge, but will also grow as a person. You’ll also have gallons of stories to share with people.
If you love traversing the world, there’s no perfect opportunity for you other than starting your career in the airline industry. Just pack your suitcase with your uniform and other clothes and accessories, and set off to your destination while on the job.
You’ll make memories with your colleagues, bond with the passengers, learn about new cultures and cuisines, and enjoy all the different faces of sunrise and sunset. Your family will also be able to experience beautiful places as a benefit of your job. Not many industries offer such rewarding experiences, at least not to our experience.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering whether to start your career in the airline industry or not, we hope that these benefits will help you consider changing your sector to commercial aviation. And if you want to test the waters and see how much pressure you can handle, this is your perfect opportunity.
Take a step forward and change your industry. You’ll be getting a lot of rewarding experiences for a lifetime and will also be growing as a person.
