It
seems that everyone wants a job with a major airline. And this
is no small wonder – major airlines go to far away places,
typically offer the highest pay and the largest benefit packages,
not to mention the prestige attached with belonging to one of
the nation’s major air carriers. But there are some great
things about working for smaller airlines.
Maybe
you have tried and have been unable to obtain a job with a major
airline, as the competition in this arena is most challenging
and airlines have a certain image of the employee they want.
Or maybe you are not able to relocate, and can only work for
an airline with a base in your area; perhaps you simply prefer
the idea of working for a small company, or maybe there are
just some qualities of a certain airline that you favor over
another. Whatever the reason, there can be many benefits attached
to working for a national or feeder carrier.
A
national airline is usually a medium-sized carrier, serving
a smaller region than a major airline and larger than a feeder
or regional airline. These airlines usually operate within the
confines of North America and possibly Central America and/or
the Caribbean. Airlines that are classified as national airlines
include companies such as AirTran, Midway, Spirit, Frontier
and JetBlue. If you are not interested in flying globally
on a daily basis, these airlines still offer reciprocal pass
benefits on major airlines, so the opportunity to fly internationally
during off-time is extremely likely. Most national carriers
also offer abundant benefit packages and the pay, while somewhat
less than that of the majors, increases in a timely manner.
For
those of you who prefer an even smaller scale company, there
are the regional or feeder airlines. These airlines provide
connecting service to the major airlines through hub cities
and fly to smaller towns that major airlines are unable to service.
Flight attendants
for regional airlines have many regular customers, people who
fly the same routes throughout the week, usually for business
travel. These travelers are frequent flyers who give the flight
attendants the treat of seeing familiar faces
every day. Most regional airlines require only one flight
attendant per aircraft, and many
flight attendants have found that they enjoy
this one-person-show. They are in charge of their passengers
and performing their inflight duties autonomously, working on
their own. This gives them a chance to creatively provide their
own brand of service to passengers, without having to negotiate
with other flight attendants
on inflight matters, and is considered to be the best of all
worlds for some independent souls. Regional airlines usually
have competitive pay within the industry and enjoy benefits
with other larger airlines as well. Yes, you can still travel
the globe for huge discounts!
Another
possibility for a flight attendant
career with a smaller company is with a charter
airline. Charter airlines work with groups who, in essence,
lease or rent a flight to go to a particular destination of
their choosing. Some clients of charter airlines include the
military, other airlines, vacation tour groups, athletes, rock
stars and celebrities. In most cases these airlines fly globally
and flight attendants
can be gone for extended periods of time. Flight
attendants for charter airlines have the benefit
of globe hopping as an everyday part of the job. Charter airlines
are great if you want to see the world right now - your first
trip may be to an exotic location!
There is more opportunity to move “up the ladder”
and grow in the company if you work for a smaller airline, as
there are fewer people ahead of you. Since these types of airlines
are smaller in scale, it is possible to form lasting relationships
with more people within your company, and some folks enjoy this
closer camaraderie. Airlines such as these offer you the ability
to limit your scope of travel to a given area. They follow the
same FAA regulations, holding to the same safety standards as
the big guys.
When
applying for a job with a smaller airline don’t assume
that just because they are a smaller company that the hiring
process will not be at all competitive – smaller airlines
can be extremely picky, and their hiring needs are for fewer
people. These positions are coveted as well, so keep up your
edge when interviewing and don’t let your guard down.
Keep
an open mind when applying for an airline job, and don’t
exclude the medium and small airlines. It is wise not to hold
out only for a major carrier. A smaller company may be just
the right fit for you, so consider all the possibilities before
you decide for sure.
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