Happy Birthdays, Canada and USA!

Today is Canada Day and Friday marks Independence Day, two holidays important to the people of Canada and the United States of America, respectively.  These two nations share a lot in common, never mind one of the longest peacetime borders in the world.

Airlines In Canada and the USA

Both countries have been taking it on the chin lately when it comes to their airline sectors, with the US probably suffering the most. Canada is doing better in the current economic challenge as the housing sector downturn in the US is chiefly an American thing. However, high jet fuel prices isn’t good for anyone and,  where the US has embraced deregulation and seen a spate of recent airline failures, Canada has cautiously gone down the same path, but with less abandon.

I was going to use this month’s hiring forecast to take a special look at Canada, but there isn’t much to report other than this:

Seeking Work In Canada?

If you are an American who doesn’t have the right to work in Canada, applying for a position with a Canadian registered air carrier is useless. Conversely, if you are a Canadian seeking work in the US, you won’t find employment either. The reason: flight attendants are not classified as one of those positions where workers are needed. In fact, with all of the layoffs over recent years, there are many furloughed flight attendants looking for work. One exception: if you are seeking work in your own country for a position with the other country’s air carrier, you might be eligible for employment.

Canadian flight attendant jobs can usually be found posted on the airline’s website or on Workopolis, the big job search engine specific to Canada.  Since rolling out the new Cabin Managers last fall, I’ve also added information about Porter Airlines, small regional operator based in Toronto. This airline is now flying to Newark Airport, but their flight crew is domiciled in Toronto. Other positions such as customer service representative, ramp agent, and aircraft maintenance engineer are open to US citizens at Newark.

Flying Internationally

Both Canadians and Americans can sometimes find work in other countries, especially if a call for employment of foreign nationals has been made. Cabin Managers has tracked two air carriers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways and both are hiring. Each airline has held open houses recently in the US and in Canada, providing an opportunity for people to check them out. A third airline, Gulf Air, which is based in Manama, Bahrain, is also hiring flight attendants. They have a specific page for US or Canadian residents to visit to learn more this opportunity.

The Months Ahead

Beyond the short term, events unfolding over the coming months will foretell the direction the airline industry is heading. If fuel prices remain elevated or continue to rise, then more bankruptcies will take place and employment prospects will further dim. If fuel prices drop significantly, much of the pressure will be reduced though not altogether removed. And, as long as the threat of higher fuel prices remain, further consolidation will take place in a bid to cut costs.

As always, please bookmark this site and check back frequently for updates. If you have some information to share, feel free to hit the comment button and share what you have with everyone else.

Safe flying!

A quick survey of the airline industry landscape and it isn’t difficult to realize that the hiring forecast for flight attendants is currently gloomy.

A few bright spots remain, especially for the flight attendant prospect willing to be based and work overseas. Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways are at the vanguard of those types of airlines hiring today, with regional US providers also hiring. With the latter, you can expect substandard pay and tough working conditions.

Charter Airlines: Offering Something Different

For June, instead of repeating the usual choices or focusing on the downside of the industry, I thought it would be of interest to readers if I mentioned those airlines who primarily or exclusively fly charter. Specifically, airlines which fly sports teams, companies, and vacationers on demand.

Please note that although a charter airline is listed, it doesn’t mean that they are hiring at the moment. Typically, these types of air carriers are quite small and staffed with crew who have been employed for a long time. Some use supplemental flight attendants for special flying (such as Haj pilgrimmage), but for the most part you must be trained by them and already on their payroll in order to fly with them:

Allegiant Air — This ten year old airline is located in the Las Vegas, NV area and flies both scheduled and charter flights. The airline routinely holds information sessions for flight attendants.

Miami Air International — Founded in 1990, this Miami, FL-based airline provides charter service for companies and for the federal government. At present, Miami Air is extensively involved in ferrying troops back and forth to the Middle East.

Omni Air International — Located in Tulsa, OK, Omni is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The airline flies for international charter operators and provides service under government contracts. Several of the airline’s jets are currently being wet-leased to other companies.

Pace Airlines — Located in Winston-Salem, NC, Pace exclusively operates as a charter air carrier. The airline has contracts with sports teams and companies and launched Hooters Air in 2003, a scheduled airline service that closed shop in 2006.

Primaris Airlines — This Las Vegas, NV air carrier is one of the newest and smallest charter operators, having gotten its start in 2002. Though flying just two aircraft, the airline made news a few years ago when they announced that they would purchase 20 Boeing 787 aircraft, a deal they later rescinded.

Ryan International Airlines — Headquartered in Rockford, IL, Ryan started out in the early 1970s as a cargo carrier and began adding passenger flights some ten years later. Today, the company flies for tour operators and is important provider of transportation for college and professional sports teams.

Sun Country Airlines — Headquartered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Sun Country offers limited scheduled and regular charter services, the latter for tour operators in Mexico and the Caribbean. The airline recently began to build up its Dallas business in a bid to serve travelers to Mexico. Bobbie Sullivan reported April on Professional Pilot News that Sun Country laid off 45 pilots, so please keep that in mind if applying.

USA3000 Airlines — Established in 2001 by Apple Vacations, USA3000 is headquartered in the Philadelphia, PA area. The airline’s all-Airbus 320 fleet is one of the newest in the industry and flies tour groups from the Northeast and Midwest to Florida, the Dominican Republic, and to Mexico.

USA Jet Airlines — Operating a fleet of MD-9 aircraft with seating for just 50-74 passengers, Ypsilanti, MI-based USA Jet serves freight and charter clientele exclusively. The airline flies sports teams, political candidates, members of the media, tour groups, and provides travel for companies.

World Airways — Based in Peachtree City, GA, World Airways has been flying for 60 years. Primarily a freight hauler and a charter operator, World’s largest customer is the federal government. The airline also owns North American Airlines.

Xtra Airways — Located in Elko, NV, Xtra got its start in 1987 as Casino Express Airlines. The company flies mostly charter flights including for casino tour operators. Flight attendant applications are being accepted with anticipated hiring to commence in Spring 2009.

This list isn’t comprehensive, but it does include all of the U.S. based airlines who regularly provide charter service.

A Stable Future?

One question that prospective candidates have in mind when working for a charter airline is this — are they stable enough to survive the ups and downs of the business? Though it is impossible to predict how any airline will perform long term, the advantage for a charter operator is that their increased costs (namely fuel) are passed on to the customers.

Unlike scheduled airlines who must hold the line on costs or risk losing business, the pressure for charter operators is a bit different — they still want to offer the best service at a decent price, but they can only do this by recouping their rising costs from their customers.

In conclusion, if you are interested in seeking employment with a charter operator, then click on the provided links and see what they have to offer. Send your resume directly to the airline and bookmark their hiring information page(s) to keep tabs on them.

Further Reading

All-business-class airlines take off despite past failures

Sun Country cuts pay of managers to limit losses

TOURISM: If not by air, then how?

USA Jet Airlines Unit Earns FAA Diamond Award

USA3000 Airlines to offer flights to Mexico, Jamaica

World Airways to Continue Operating Three MD-11 Freighters for Lufthansa Cargo

Boeing 787 courtesy of Yasobara.

Omni Air courtesy of Christopher Kern.

World Airways courtesy of Peter Rimar.

In all the many years I have been tracking the airline industry, I do not recall a month as difficult as the one just ended. Clearly, April 2008 will be remembered historically as one when five air carriers went bankrupt, when Northwest and Delta Airlines announced their merger, and where USAirways and United Airlines drew closer to announcing their own merger plans.

For flight crew members and those aspiring to become one, a constant stream of bad news has made a tough industry all the more bleaker. What was during the early days of flying an outstanding career choice, looks just about to be the opposite.

Breaking down the news further we learned:

Aloha, Frontier, EOS, ATA Airlines, and Skybus each have declared bankruptcy. Only Frontier is still flying, hoping to reorganize and eventually work their way out of bankruptcy. Previously, MAXjet Airways and Big Sky Airlines closed their doors.

Fuel prices, perhaps the single biggest culprit behind the collapse of many air carriers, remains extremely high. Many airlines are unable to pass these costs on to customers, resulting in large losses they could no longer handle.

Mergers, which once looked like a bad idea are suddenly quite attractive. Northwest and Delta are working towards becoming one airline, flying under the Delta name. United was in talks with both Continental and USAirways, but after Continental pulled out, things heated up quickly with USAirways.

The Months Ahead

Expect other air carriers to also announce their closings as well as additional merger talks leading to further consolidation. American and Continental have yet to find suitable partners, perhaps they’ll consider each other or gobble up a handful of regional air carriers.

Southwest Airlines is in the best financial position of any airline, but I suspect Southwest is cautiously weighing their options.

Air charter operators such as Omni Air, Miami Air, World Airways may be able to weather the financial crisis by passing along their costs to customers.

Where To Look For Work

If you are a recently furloughed flight attendant and you desire to stay with the airlines, likely your best chance of finding work is with a foreign air carrier. Middle Eastern airlines, including Etihad Airways and Emirates Airlines are recruiting. Etihad says that they have 200 vacancies to fill while Emirates Airline isn’t listing specific openings, but they are accepting applications. In both cases you’ll likely have to relocate to Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Virgin America is still recruiting “In Flight Team Members” and is an airline worth exploring. Being part of the Virgin Group has its advantages, though 51% of the airline’s ownership is in the hands of American citizens. Consider Virgin Atlantic if you desire to fly to the UK, however they are not hiring at the moment.

Silverjet’s ability to keep flying may hinge on whether Lufthansa purchases the airline. Earlier this year, the airline was having financial difficulty and managed to raise some cash as they filled some extra seats. With EOS Airlines out of the way, Silverjet has one less competitor for their business class clientele. The airline is recruiting, but I cannot confirm if this means that they are hiring too. I have no update on L’Avion, the French business class airline flying from Paris to New York.

Porter Airlines is still recruiting for their Toronto base, but you must be a Canadian citizen or someone with the right to work in Canada. The airline began service to Newark (EWR) earlier this year and is looking to expand.

Beyond what I have mentioned, Spirit Airlines is still recruiting, World Airways is worth a look, and a handful of regional carriers may also be checking out.

First of all, I want to thank everyone who stops by this site in response to an ad, because of an internet search, or from a bookmark you made during an earlier visit. Your support means a lot to me.

Second of all, I’ve decided to publish a monthly update to cover current hiring trends as this is the easiest way for me to reach everyone without repeating the message again and again. Starting with this post, I’ll be updating the community with airline related news, information that should be accurate, fresh, and interesting. Expect fresh reports within the first five days of the new month with the occasional revision done throughout the month.

Without further delay I offer to you the following:

Delta is hiring flight attendants, but only those with bilingual skills need apply. This airline is not in the best of shape and with a merger with Northwest pending, job security will likely become an issue. Still if you are fluent in Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Hebrew, or Mandarin, then this legacy carrier could be right for you. Visit their career opportunities page for more information.

Yes, Virgin America has updated their site (and we’ve updated our information) to show that they are once again accepting applications for In Flight Team Members which is their term for flight attendants. Virgin America is on Cabin Managers’ Exclusive List, our premium group of air carriers who offer superior pay, newer aircraft, and excellent working conditions. Click on Careers when visiting the Virgin America site and search for the job on their site.

Continental Airlines is hiring flight attendants, one of the few legacy carriers in a position to expand. If I wanted to work for an established air carrier, I would include Continental on my list. Starting pay is low, but they are a good business.

Quite a few regional air carriers are hiring, bucking the trend of most national and international airlines. American Eagle, Trans States, Pinnacle, Republic, Mesa Air Group, Chautauqua, Atlantic Southeast, Colgan, and SkyWest are among those that are currently hiring. Just remember that the pay is usually quite low and in many cases you’ll be the sole flight attendant onboard.

For people wanting to work overseas, both Emirates and Etihad are worth considering. Silverjet has had some financial problems, but they are hiring crew to be based in Dubai.

Porter Airlines is hiring for crew who will be based in Toronto; they initiated service to New York (EWR) on March 31st.

Finally, there are a handful of air carriers who fly exclusively charter. Omni Air International has bases in Baltimore, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Las Vegas and the air carrier has a pair of open houses scheduled for this month.

That’s it for April — if you have comments or questions, hit the reply button below and I’ll do my best to answer you as soon as I can.

Addendum — I removed information about Skybus which was part of my original report. Just today (04/05) I learned from Bobbie Sullivan that the airline is ceasing operations, citing high fuel prices and a slowing economy as chief reasons for going out of business. In addition, Bobbie pointed out that three other air carriers are also going or gone: Aloha Airlines, Champion Air, and ATA Airlines. Clearly, if you want to be a flight attendant these days high fuel prices and a sour economy could upset your plans.

For those of you who have been recently furloughed please accept my good wishes as you begin to plan your future.

Prospective flight attendants should know that employment opportunities at some air carriers are likely to change rapidly this year. Due to sustained (and high) fuel prices, some airlines are finding the going very difficult and are looking at new partnerships to help them weather the crisis. The impact on new flight attendants could be strong as newly merged entities lay off excess crew and seek to streamline their operations.

Who Is At Risk?

Anyone looking for work at a legacy air carrier — American, United, USAirways, Delta, Continental, and Northwest — probably is familiar with the difficulties each airline has been experiencing over the past seven or eight years. While American and Continental have staved off bankruptcy, the others have not.

USAirways was bought out by America West who promptly jettisoned their own name in favor of the much more established and universally known USAirways.

United, Northwest, and Delta have gone through historic losses, losing tens of billions of dollars between them and reducing staff. Out of the three, United is the strongest with Northwest and Delta considering a partnership or outright merger.

Thus, working for an established air carrier (if they are hiring) offers a great risk especially if fuel costs remain high or spike upward.

Should I Go Regional?

Besides the recommended airlines listed on the sidebar of this page, who else might the prospective flight attendant consider? Regional operators continue to hire but their pay ranges from $12-17K annually, low enough to allow workers to qualify for food stamps.

JetBlue has a newer fleet, but along with Frontier and SkyWest, this air carrier reported some of the largest drops in their respective stock prices this week.

Wait It Out Or Jump In

For the person who absolutely wants to fly, there is no time like the present for seeking work. Quite frankly, airlines are always hiring. Just be prepared for what some are considering the inevitable, that your airline may be merged, go out of business, or lay off crew. If you’re eager to start flying, then join up, but if you’re looking for job security, the airlines cannot give that to you.

Out of all the carriers flying in North America, Southwest Airlines is probably the strongest. Although they say that they are hiring flight attendants, Southwest is not accepting new applications.

You Have Everything Down Pat But The Interview Questions

Showing up at the interview on time and being impeccably addressed are pluses as are having copies of your resume and references available. However, interview questions are something you cannot control so you must master the way that you respond.

Although many airlines offer first round group interviews to screen out candidates, you will likely have a one-on-one interview with a human resources administrator or flight attendant supervisor at some point in the process. If you do, the following types of questions — tough questions at that — could be asked. Please read on, but don’t worry — I’ll share some hints with you on how to respond.

What would you do in such and such situation?

Purely hypothetical, these types of questions are designed to find out how you would respond in a particular situation. Don’t worry about getting the answer right if you aren’t certain what the answer is — your interviewer wants to know how you think through problems.

Has your experience working with the public prepared you for a job as a flight attendant?

This can seem like a simple yes/no answer, but that isn’t what your interviewer wants. Instead, give an example: While working at Big Box retailer, when a customer had a problem I made sure that I answered the question to their satisfaction. I believe my personal attention to customer needs while working in retail is the same attention I will give to airline passengers.

Brilliant — you gave an example that clearly demonstrates what you can do for the airline and you based it on your past experience.

Please tell me the reasons why you want to work for XYZ Airline?

An open question means you should respond with a definitive answer. Craft your answer carefully and give two or three reasons — avoid rambling or straying off the topic. Learn some important points about the airline and use those points in your answer. For example, “XYZ has the highest level of customer satisfaction of all U.S. air carriers. I am passionate about serving people and want to associate myself with a clear winner.”

Do you know CPR?

Closed questions leave little doubt that you should give either a yes or no answer as the interviewer is trying to assess your skills. You may be asked follow up questions to elaborate your answer. For example when asked specifics about your training you could respond: “I completed CPR training in 2004 with The Heart Fund, but I haven’t renewed by certification.”

I noticed you attended college from 2003 to 2005. What courses did you take? Why did you drop out and what are you future educational plans?

Multi-part questions are common and sometimes difficult to answer immediately. If you are not certain what the questions were, then ask for a repeat. Or, answer the first questions and then follow up with a, “would you please repeat the second part of your question for me?”

The STAR Technique

Career experts use a simple way to help people respond to behavioral questions, what they call the STAR technique:

Situation — describe the situation.

Task — what problem did you face?

Action You Took — what action did you take?

Result — what was the result of your action?

It can be helpful to practice answering anticipated questions prior to your interview date. If you aren’t sure what those questions will be, please remember that the details you share about yourself on your resume, cover letter or job application will hold some of those questions, while the remaining ones you’ll have to answer as presented to you. Simply respond to every question intelligently, clearly and with brevity and you’ll come across as someone the airline may want to hire.

For a humorous look at blowing your interview, please read You Can Guarantee You Won’t Get Hired for tips on how to not get that job!

Photo Credit: Maarten Uilenbroek, Netherlands

Salary negotiating is an important topic that must be addressed prior to your initial interview with a prospective employer. Knowing your bottom rate, and being able to live with it [or on it?] is an important thing for candidates to uncover before the first interview. Why then do so many of us make the tactical mistake and go to the interview unprepared?

One of the first mistakes – a real killer – is to tip your hand too early in the interview process on what you will accept for a salary. Many interviewers will attempt to screen you out by finding out what your ballpark figure is. To mention that amount too early in the interview process can and will lock you in to a figure you might not be happy with later. Try changing your salary requirements after an offer has been made and you will come across looking flakey or greedy.

You must have a salary range in mind before going on the first interview… you then have to be determined not to reveal it in that interview or you just might find yourself on the outside looking in. In other words, you will be screened out of the selection process before you can show the employer [the person with hiring authority, not the Human Resources (HR) rep.] what you can do for them.

If you are asked on the first interview what your salary requirements are you must stall the interviewer. Chances are the first interview is with an HR rep who is trained to weed people out, oftentimes the salary requirement being one of the “weeds” the rep looks at to eliminate candidates. More than likely the rep is a “no-nothing” regarding your job; he or she is tasked with presenting a certain group of candidates to the person with actual hiring authority [e.g., chief flight attendant, chief pilot, operations manager, etc.] and knows [or cares] little about your background or what you can do for the company.

I have seen the best candidates get screened out prematurely because they tipped their hand too early in the interview process.

So, what do you do if someone insists on a salary figure? The best answer can be summed up along these lines: “my salary requirements are based on the nature and scope of the position.” In other words, the more difficult the job, the higher your salary requirements will be. If pressed further — assuming the rep insists on uncovering your salary range — you can always announce a figure closer to your bottom rate. For example, if you want 60K and sense that announcing that figure ahead of time will sink you, you can tell them: “my range starts in the upper 40s to mid 50s.” That way, you won’t be screened out for what the H.R. rep might consider an excessive salary requirement. Most importantly, it will enable you to go to the all important second interview with the person who has real hiring authority.

Your second interview is your opportunity to “WOW” your potential employer. Tell them all the things you can and will do for them. Avoid salary negotiating and let them know they can’t live without you. Once you sell them on that point, you will be prepared to give your salary figure of 60K, but only discuss salary if they bring it up [your third interview should be their actual offer to you, however be prepared for an offer earlier than that if you WOW them and they insist on hiring you on the spot. In that case you should be able to secure your upper figure].

Should the remark be made that HR told them you would accept a much lower salary, you must stress that the job responsibilities detailed to you in the interview are much greater than what the HR rep had indicated. Most reasonable people will understand that HR only has a general, not a specific understanding of the job requirements, and will accept this reasoning. Reemphasize your experience, your business acumen, all the points that set you apart from the average candidate, which you are not.

I cannot tell you how often I have heard candidates fail at this important game, which it is — a cat and mouse game. Do not for a minute think that you will be able to renegotiate your salary later. If you settle for less you will have to live on less. Maybe that works for you, but chances are you will be unhappy and had wished you never caved in.

Matt is the former owner of the Corporate Flight Attendant Community, a resource center for business flight attendants.

For the person crafting their first résumé the task can seem a little bit daunting, even a bit frightening. Human Resources [HR] specialists, résumé writing professionals, school advisors, and even friends and family members all have their say. When it comes down to it you must have a résumé you feel comfortable with especially since you will be the one to read it the most. Let’s take a look at some common résumé myths and misconceptions you need to be aware of before writing your first résumé.

1. Pictures are a no-no. In most European countries it is customary that a head shot photograph be included with your résumé. In the US, most résumé writing professionals frown on this practice or are outright hostile to résumé photographs. Let me tell you they are wrong to be so rigid. If you are in the fashion or aviation industries your picture is expected to be included especially when it is stipulated as part of the application process. Yes, there are state laws against discriminating, but there are none that I am aware of explicitly forbidding you from including a photograph!

2. Leave off your website address. Just below your name, address, contact telephone numbers and email address you can include your world wide web home page. Your website is an attractive ‘addition’ to any résumé as long as it meets the following two criteria: (a) that it is indeed attractive; and (b) that it isn’t overly controversial [too political, too suggestive, etc.]. Please keep in mind that for some positions controversy is warranted. If in doubt, ask!

3. Hobbies and Interests. For the person who has built up a lifetime of work experience, I suggest they leave this information out. For the person entering the workforce, this type of information can be useful, even necessary. You don’t have a solid work history to list and the HR people need to have some idea about who you are. Emphasize awards and achievements over specific hobbies and interests if you can.

4. You should only use white or off white business paper. This suggestion does apply to most fields, but if you are in creative fields — such as music or fashion — alternate color schemes can get you noticed. You may want to run your idea by a friend first; electric pink copier paper just might annoy even the most open person!

5. Font color must be black. Okay, let’s not get crazy here. If you want to use colorful paper, don’t use crazy font color schemes. You do want someone to notice your résumé, right? Oh, they will notice it alright! Stick with black, but use a dark navy if it matches the paper. All other colors can cause eye strain!

Ultimately, you must create a résumé that makes you feel comfortable. Try not to get boxed in by a rigid set of rules, especially if you are just starting out. Let flair and creativity have their place as you are marketing yourself and not a concept.

For additional career advice articles, please visit The Article Writer — Matt’s flagship website.

One area that may be needing urgent renewal is your resume. Have you taken a good look at it lately? If not, you could have a document that is outdated or no longer relevant, just the kind of information that could cost you your next job.

How often should you update your resume? At least every time some of the information on it changes, but definitely at least once a year. Please read on for some helpful tips on updating your current copy.

• Your personal information. You haven’t moved in five years and your cell phone number is still the same. How about your home phone number or your email address? Have they changed since you last updated your copy? If your information is incorrect, employers may not be able to contact you.

• Your objective. You may still be looking for full-time employment, but if the type of job you want has changed, then you need to update your objective accordingly. Better yet, write your objective to state what you can do for the company instead of what you want from them.

• Your job details. You may still hold the same position you held two years ago, but some of your work tasks could have changed. Modify the resume’s language to reflect current responsibilities and don’t forget to include awards or achievements you can take credit for.

• Your job history. Unrelated jobs and work going back more than ten years can be removed from your resume. Remember, your resume is a highlight of your experiences — save the detailed job history information for the job application.

• Your education. Have you recently received a new degree? Have you returned to school? Did you complete a course of study related to your work? Take a fresh look at your education and modify your resume accordingly.

• Your references. If you are listing references on your resume, then you must remove them. Current references should be listed on a separate document and shared only upon request. You can change the final line of your resume to read — References: Furnished upon request. That should do it.

The airlines are always looking for sharp people and one of the steps in the screening process is your resume. Make sure that your resume is up to date, accurate, and interesting. Have a friend check it for errors and keep a fresh copy handy to mail out as needed.

Set yourself apart from the pack by resolving to update your resume in the new year. Your goals are within site; don’t let your resume hold you back!

Further Reading

Flight Attendant Resource Guide