The Benefits of Recruiting More Experienced Cabin Crew Members Aged 50 and Above

The demand for aviation professionals continues to rise, this is a result of increased aircraft traffic over pre-pandemic levels, personnel turnover, and the ongoing expansion of the commercial fleet all over the world. Reacting to the growing market demands, the aviation industry is searching for ways to address shortage issues, one of which is bringing in advanced-age cabin crew, adding more diversity and real-life experience to the team.

The Growing Demand for Cabin Crew

According to Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook (PTO), commercial carriers will need 980,000 new cabin crew members by 2043 to keep the global commercial fleet running. The PTO acknowledges South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa as the fastest-growing regions in the aviation industry, the personnel needs are predicted to more than triple over the next 20 years.

One way to solve cabin crew shortage is the possibility of attracting long-serving flight attendants and bringing more diversity to the crew. Diversity stands for variety, which includes differences in culture, gender, ethnicity, age, and more. Age difference is one of the important factors in forming a diverse team because it brings together people with varying levels of real-life experience. This allows advanced-age members to mentor those who are still developing their expertise.

The Office for National Statistics in the UK reports that involvement in professional activities among people over 50 has been increasing in recent years. Last year, UK-based airline EasyJet announced its plans to bring in more stewards and stewardesses aged 50 or over by adopting the “returnships” scheme. Compared to a few years ago, the carrier selected more than four times as many over 60 flight attendants. These changes encourage airlines to rethink their recruitment standards.

A few years ago, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conducted a study, providing insights about flight attendant retirement ages. The study showed that the average age of flight attendants globally is 49, with 74% aged 40 and above.

“Experienced cabin crew members have a variety of non-technical skills developed through their careers and personal experiences. Communication, problem-solving, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are all qualities that develop over time and cannot be entirely conveyed through instruction. Strong soft skills are essential for creating cohesive, diverse teams that contribute to flight safety and great service,” explains Jekaterina Shalopanova, Chief Business Officer at Aerviva.

Experience and Customer Satisfaction

Experience plays an important role in maintaining flight safety as it is linked to a deeper knowledge of safety and emergency procedures. Long-time flight attendants are likely to have faced and managed complex situations during flights, strengthening their ability to handle complex scenarios.

Long-standing practice is important not only for flight safety but also for ensuring customer satisfaction. It helps improve understanding of how to communicate with customers more effectively, and how to recognise their needs, fears, and differences. The maturity of experienced cabin crew members may enhance passenger interactions with more understanding, hence they can relate more easily to tired parents, the sick, or others experiencing a rough time.

Flight attendants, who have more extensive real-life experience, often may have greater authority with passengers adopting their expertise in communication, customer service, conflict management, and verbal social skills, these professionals are more likely to defuse the situation and prevent an escalation in the threat level.

Emotional Intelligence, Stability, and Reliability

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand and manage personal emotions, as well as recognise and influence the emotions of those around. EI is typically a combination of four core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Though it can vary from person to person, more mature people are likely to have a deeper knowledge of emotional intelligence because of longer life experience and the ability to see situations from different viewpoints. However, emotional intelligence should be considered cautiously because it is also influenced by an individual’s personality and social environment.Because of emotional maturity and dedication to the profession, seasoned professionals can be considered as more loyal to the company. Long-term career professionals are deeply involved in their roles, making them effective team players.They are less likely to change occupations as they may find greater satisfaction in their professional position.

Rethinking Airline Recruitment Practices

There exists no international standard for flight attendant retirement age, and certain airlines, such as British Airways and EasyJet, have no retirement or maximum age criteria for applicants. Since initiatives to promote advanced age in cabin crew teams are growing, it is worth airlines rethinking their approach to team structuring by evaluating the benefitsofexperienced andadvanced-aged flight attendants. This is a solution to fostera more diverse team and fulfill the expectations of passengers of all ages. “Considering long-time experience, there are numerous reasons to select cabin crew members over the age of 50, as these professionals provide a wealth of knowledge, excellent customer service, empathy, stability, and other benefits to the team. By evaluating all the advantages, airlines could reconsider their recruiting tactics and acknowledge the value of a more diversified team in addressing the cabin crew shortfall,” notes Jekaterina Shalopanova, Chief Business Officer at Aerviva.

About Aerviva:

Aerviva is a Dubai-based international consultancy, specializing in aviation recruitment and document management. The consultancy seeks to develop bespoke solutions for clients’ specific needs, guiding them with their global expertise as well as deep understanding and experience in the aviation industry. For more information: www.aerviva.com

Source : Aerviva