How to Become a Flight Attendant After 50

“That’s really what kicked it into high gear for me. It’s like, ‘Wow, this is really what I want to do next as a career change midlife,’ ” he says. After a stint as a ramp attendant at Tampa International Airport, he applied for a job at Frontier Airlines and began the interview process.

The process for becoming a flight attendant is a lengthy one, Castro says. Depending on the airline, applying and going through training could take anywhere from a few months to roughly a year. Herrera says it took approximately six months from the time he applied to the time he finished training and was hired.

Van Ort says the process includes informational screening interviews, which are typically conducted electronically, although they may be observed by a human. Then there may be a video interview. If you make it past these rounds, you may be invited for a face-to-face interview. Pass muster there, and you may receive a conditional job offer that requires you to attend the airline’s training program, which could take at least a few months. Once you successfully complete training, you must pass a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exam.

2. Will I need a background check to become a flight attendant?

Aside from the sheer length of the process, there are some challenges and potential pitfalls along the way, Castro says. For example, you have to make sure your résumé is submitted in the proper electronic format and contains the exact keywords the automated tracking systems use to prescreen the many résumés the airlines receive. In addition, it’s important to brush up on your interviewing skills — both video and in-person — as airlines are looking for polished candidates who can interact well with their customers, Castro says. And if you don’t make the cut at any point, there is typically a waiting period of six months to a year before you can reapply.

One more thing to be aware of: Airlines typically require a 10-year background check. A history of crime or alcohol or drug offenses could disqualify candidates from consideration.

3. What’s the flight attendant training program like?

After you make it through the screening and interview process and are offered a conditional job, you will likely be invited to the airline’s training program, which may last from three to six weeks. “Once you’re invited to training, you’re not guaranteed a job until you have your wings pinned at the end of training,” Castro says. “It’s very grueling and very intense, and many people don’t make it all the way through. They end up going home.”

Candidates must be able to be away from home for the training period. Flight attendants typically need a high school diploma and, to work international flights, may also have to be fluent in a foreign language, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

From a physical perspective, training may require opening and closing heavy doors and other similar activities, so you should be physically capable of meeting the demands of the job. During the training process, the airline can release you at any time, Van Ort adds. In addition, flight attendants need good communication and negotiation skills, as well as patience and an ability to follow rules. After all, at 35,000 feet, following the rules is important, Van Ort says. Harris notes that her negotiation and people skills from her time in law enforcement have been helpful in her new career.

4. What’s it like starting work as a flight attendant?

Once a candidate completes training and is offered a job, they must be ready to travel wherever they are needed. Castro says that most airlines put new flight attendants “on reserve,” which means they are just there to cover what anyone else isn’t available to do. “If there’s a flight delay and the crew can’t make it, they’re going to call you and put you on the flight. You’re not going to know your schedule ahead of time — you will know what days you work, but not where you’re going or what you’re doing. One day you could be in Paris, France, and the next day you could be in Wichita, Kansas,” she says.

But once you start gaining seniority — this point varies by airline, Castro says — you can begin picking and start “bidding” on the flights you want to work as much as a month ahead of time.

Van Ort says preparation is essential to understand what airlines are looking for and to be ready for what will be a competitive, rigorous hiring process. Herrera adds that before you apply to an airline, it’s a good idea to talk to flight attendants about the job if possible. “Be patient and do the study you need. Do your research online,” he says. “Talk to people in the industry, because it’s a life-changing decision.”

“If this is something you really want to do, it’s going to get hard. You’re going to shed tears. You’re going to get frustrated,” Harris says. “But if you keep going and you keep pushing, you will definitely get through it.”