Flight Attendant - Aviation Cabin Crew
United Airlines invites skilled and passionate individuals to embark on a rewarding career as a Flight Attendant, becoming an essential part of the world's largest airline network. This role offers a unique opportunity to travel globally, build lasting connections, and contribute to exceptional customer experiences, all while advancing a professional career in the aviation industry.
Position Overview
A Flight Attendant at United Airlines is a vital member of the cabin crew, primarily responsible for ensuring the safety, security, and comfort of passengers during flight. This dynamic role involves navigating diverse environments, serving a global clientele, and representing the airline with pride and distinction. The position offers comprehensive training, competitive compensation, and exceptional travel benefits across United's extensive route network.
Key Responsibilities
The Flight Attendant plays a critical role in all phases of flight, including:
- Prioritizing and maintaining the highest levels of safety and security onboard the aircraft.
- Providing outstanding customer service with a "People-First" demeanor, demonstrating optimism, positivity, empathy, and grace.
- Engaging directly with customers, utilizing excellent interpersonal skills and sound judgment to resolve issues effectively and build loyalty.
- Adapting and responding efficiently to various customer-facing scenarios, including high-stress situations such as emergencies, delays, or medical events.
- Working collaboratively as a dedicated team player while also demonstrating the ability to perform tasks independently.
- Executing essential duties such as serving food and beverages (including alcohol), assisting with luggage, and operating necessary aircraft equipment and doors.
- Maintaining a professional appearance and adhering to strict uniform, grooming, tattoo, and piercing guidelines.
- Operating electronic devices proficiently for required tasks.
- Effectively communicating safety information and instructions clearly and concisely, even in noisy environments.
- Embracing a flexible schedule, available to work 24/7 including nights, weekends, holidays, and extended hours, fulfilling reserve assignments on short notice, and being away from base for multiple days. Dependability and timeliness are paramount.
- Contributing to creating memorable travel experiences for customers on every flight.
Qualifications
Prospective Flight Attendants must meet the following requirements:
- Must be 21 years of age or older at the time of application.
- Possession of a high school diploma or GED is required; two or more years of college education is preferred.
- Requires a minimum of one year of customer service experience within a service-oriented industry such as retail, hospitality, food service, teaching/education, aviation, or social service.
- Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English fluently.
- Fluency in speaking and reading Vietnamese is required for this specific role.
- Ability to speak clearly, concisely, and loudly enough to be heard in an emergency.
- Ability to hear all types and ranges of sound.
- Must possess a valid passport prior to application with at least 18 months of validity remaining and current physical possession of the passport book.
- Ability to travel to and from all countries United serves without any restrictions as a working crew member, not merely as a passenger.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Must be willing and able to work a flexible schedule, including weekdays, weekends, and holidays, in support of a 24/7 operation.
- Ability to stand, walk, kneel, bend, stoop, stretch, reach, lift heavy objects (such as luggage), and push and pull beverage carts (up to 250 lbs.).
- Ability to successfully pass a functional reach assessment with a combined 76-inch vertical and 43.5-inch horizontal reach (simultaneous, without shoes).
- Ability to sit in an assigned jump seat with seatbelt and shoulder harness fastened.
- Must adhere to professional appearance standards, including specific guidelines for tattoos (not permitted on head, hands, or neck; visible on arms, wrists, legs, feet if smaller than a credit card or covered by uniform, and not offensive) and no decorative teeth covers or adornments.
Training and Development
Successful candidates will participate in a comprehensive 6.5-week training program in Houston, TX. This intensive training covers United's safety procedures and customer service standards. Upon successful completion, trainees are welcomed as full-time employees and assigned to one of United's seven hubs (Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington Dulles) or other designated flight attendant base locations (note: relocation funds are not provided). During training, United provides accommodation, breakfast, lunch, and a $140 weekly stipend. A $1,000 bonus is awarded upon successful completion of training.
Compensation and Benefits
United Airlines offers a competitive compensation and benefits package to its Flight Attendants:
- Starting hourly flight pay is $28.88, with potential to reach the top of the base scale at $67.11 per hour based on seniority.
- Additional compensation is provided for language skills, lead positions, and international trips.
- Eligibility for competitive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life, accident & disability coverage, an employee assistance program, commuter benefits, paid holidays, paid time off (sick and vacation), and a 401(k) retirement plan.
- This position is bonus eligible, participating in profit sharing.
- Outstanding travel privileges are available, allowing the Flight Attendant, their family, and friends to fly anywhere in the world on a standby basis across the United network.
- United is committed to inclusive uniform standards that allow employees to feel authentic and celebrate individuality.
Employment Requirements
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of all onboarding requirements, including:
- Passing a pre-employment DOT drug screen (medical and recreational marijuana prohibited due to safety-sensitive nature).
- Passing DOT/FAA pre-employment and randomized drug screens.
- Successfully completing comprehensive background checks and fingerprinting.
- Undergoing vision and hearing tests.
- Passing a 10-year background check, including criminal history, ensuring eligibility to travel to and from all countries served by United (e.g., awareness of specific international requirements like Canada's regulations regarding DWI/DUI charges).
- Successfully completing a water evacuation drill during training.
United Airlines is an equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting, employing, training, compensating, and promoting individuals without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, veteran status, or other protected status as required by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are provided for individuals with disabilities to participate in the application process and perform essential job functions.