Like to become an Airline Flight Attendant. Do you measure up?

If you are like thousands of others, you've wanted to or at least thought about becoming an airline flight attendant at some stage in your life. And there is no doubt, becoming an airline flight attendant is the absolute dream of many the world over. No matter where I travel across the globe there are always many questions asked of me from flight attendant hopefuls or soon to be flight attendants about the flight attendant position, but some are definitely asked more often than others.
I guess the two ever burning constant questions that I get from potential flight attendants the world over concern height and weight. It is something that I can associate with because I was no different when I wanted to become an airline flight attendant. Here I have given the answers and some reasoning behind them.

What are the maximum and minimum height guidelines for airline flight attendants?

Not all, but many airline carriers set minimum and maximum height limits for their flight attendants. The primary consideration is firstly the personal safety for that of the flight attendant and the safety of the passenger. Secondly, the delivery of customer service. Safety is identified in the ability to conduct or participate in an evacuation and be able to operate emergency exits. Service is identified in many ways and the ability to reach overhead lockers to provide customer service in luggage stowage and in-flight accessibility of passengers' belongings is just one.
And it only takes minor reasoning to realize that a flight attendants reach which is normally a function of height for meal delivery, is also very important. Especially when participating in serving 200 or more people many times during a tour of duty in a two seat span aircraft.
Similarly height on the maximum scale requires you to be able to move about the cabin safely without fear of hitting your head or body on any aircraft structure.
This might be on an over wing aircraft where the wing structure encroaches head space in the cabin for example or perhaps head space that is encroached by drop down TV screens presents an important consideration for some airlines.
Obviously it becomes a huge consideration for airlines if they were to employ a person of such a stature that was at odds to the work place in which they were required to work. Especially if that work place could potentially hurt that person in the normal course of their duties.
Further, to employ a person that could not carry out the functions of the flight attendant job role which includes both safety and service due to their height or physical capabilities would be silly, dangerous and possibly fatal.
A minimum used by many airlines starts at 1.58m and the maximum for many is stated as 183 cms.

Weight

While the airline flight attendants of yesteryear were perhaps confronted with a set of scales, the modern day weight requirements for flight attendants are weight in proportion to your height. Translated, this means you can look like real people! In most cases your weight has little to with your competency to fulfill the job role as flight attendant. An airline flight attendant must be able to perform the duties required irrespective of weight. Weight from an applicant's perspective will only play its part if it prohibits the flight attendant applicant from performing the duties of a flight attendant.

About the Author

Tom Reincke has enjoyed an airline career for more than 16 years both domestically and internationally. Having been a Flight Attendant Cabin Manager for 7 years and a regular participant in Flight Attendant interviews, Tom has written a complete insiders guide to how to become a Flight Attendant which is available at: http://www.flightattendantsecrets.com