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- Dubai 04:33 05:50 12:21 15:48 18:46 20:03
A cabin crew member on board an Emirates aircraft. Picture used for illustrative purposes only. (FILE)
A resurgent aviation sector is driving a recruitment spree to get the best looking cabin crew, particularly for airlines in the Middle East and India.
Gearing up to meet the surge in demand, by training young women and men, Frankfinn Air Hostess Training Institute estimates show that 400 new commercial jets are set to join the fleet of Indian carriers over the next 10 years. And that opens up the sector for new recruitments that could be in thousands, said KS Kohli, Chairman of the institute in Dubai.
With many new entrants in the civil aviation sector, and addition to fleets of existing airlines, Kohli sees shortage in qualified and well-trained cabin crew. This would essentially lead to airlines poaching for good staff, he added.
Citing the example, he said Indian carriers have been losing crew to market rivals as air hostesses’ salaries start at Rs70,000 in the booming Indian aviation sector.
Some of the crew also migrate to markets like the Gulf countries and join airlines like Emirates, Etihad, or Qatar Airways.
“Firing of airline staff has stopped and hiring has resumed,” he said referring to the Indian market.
Based in Knowledge Village, the institute that has 114 training centres in 95 cities, targets students who have completed their grade 12.
As looks and vital statistics have always been important aspects that dictate the opportunities of cabin crew, Kohli said maintaining themselves is an essential part of their lifestyle.
Most carriers look for girls with a minimum height of 5ft, especially because reaching the overhead lockers would be a problem for shorter girls. The institute admits students who are at least 5ft tall. It takes an undertaking from shorter girls that they would be open to working as ground staff.
Boys who choose the profession need to be at least 5ft 7 inches tall.
He said air hostesses need to maintain themselves with the “same care of a Bollywood star.” They will be demand as long as they look good but lose out once they get married, pregnant or obese.
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