Pursers and Flight Attendants

HOW TO GET THERE

Typical pathway

A typical path is to finish secondary school and build strong communication, customer service, and organization skills through part-time work, volunteer service, or other people-focused jobs. Some employers may prefer post-secondary study in travel, hospitality, tourism, or a related field, but requirements can vary by airline, province, and role. Before starting, candidates are usually expected to meet employer screening and safety training standards. Early experience in customer service, teamwork, and working calmly under pressure can be helpful for both flight attendants and pursers.

THE WORK

What you may do

Legacy duties

• Flight attendants greet passengers, explain and demonstrate safety procedures, check the general condition of the aircraft cabin, ensure that all necessary supplies are on board, attend to safety of passengers during take-offs, landings and emergencies, serve food and beverages to passengers and make flight announcements.
• Flight pursers, customer service directors and passenger service directors co-ordinate the activities of flight attendants, provide service to passengers during flight and complete reports.
• Ship pursers supervise ship attendants, arrange activities for passengers and conduct ship's business, such as signing on crew, maintaining payroll records, assisting passengers in preparing customs declarations and supervising baggage storage.

SKILLS TO BUILD

Skills used in this Career