For a safe and exceptional in-flight experience

Welcome aboard to the dynamic world of cabin crew training, where safety, service, and hospitality converge at 41,000 feet! In the vast expanse of the sky, cabin crew training stands as a beacon of preparedness and assurance. From emergency procedures to impeccable service, join us as we explore the meticulous processes and simulations that shape flight attendants into guardians of your safety.

1. Cabin crew training involves immersive simulations of emergency scenarios, which are conducted in mock aircraft cabins equipped with smoke, alarms, and other sensory cues to mimic possible emergencies.

2. Customer care and service are an integral part of the inflight customer experience. Through comprehensive training, cabin crew trainees master communication skills, learn about diverse customer profiles, and practice Business and Economy class service standards.

3. In today’s increasingly inclusive world, the aviation industry plays a pivotal role in ensuring accessibility and equal opportunities for all passengers. Among the essential components of cabin crew training is specialised instruction on assisting persons with reduced mobility (PRMs). Cabin crew members are trained to offer personalised assistance to PRMs, including boarding and deplaning. This also includes training on how to safely evacuate PRMs.

4. At 41,000 feet, trust and assurance are paramount. The cabin crew seamlessly blends service and sales, ensuring every interaction leaves a lasting impression. Training equips the students with product knowledge, bolsters confidence, and expands their comfort zone through numerous role plays, ensuring they deliver exceptional experiences in any situation.

5. Door training emphasises the importance of following specific safety procedures and protocols when opening aircraft doors. Cabin crew learn the correct sequence of actions for disarming door mechanisms, verifying external conditions, and ensuring the safe egress of passengers in emergency situations. Cabin crew receive instruction on the operation and use of door opening mechanisms, including handles, levers, locks, and emergency release systems.

6. In the controlled environment of an aircraft cabin, fire poses a significant threat to the safety and well-being of passengers and crew. It is a very unlikely event, but flight attendants nevertheless receive hands-on training in basic firefighting techniques, including the use of fire extinguishers and suppression methods tailored to the unique challenges of an aircraft environment.

7. Decompression refers to the sudden loss of cabin pressure at high altitudes. Cabin crew can recognise signs of decompression, such as the sudden release of oxygen masks from the overhead compartments, which is accompanied by a loud noise and sometimes mist or fog in the cabin. In training they practise how to act accordingly and apply the correct procedures.

8. Did you know that your flight attendants have also received survival training? This training ensures that they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to be able to survive in polar, rainforest, and desert regions. This also includes first aid, fire safety, water survival, and navigation techniques. Training in the water includes techniques for the proper use of flotation devices and life jackets to maintain buoyancy and conserve energy while awaiting rescue. Here airBaltic partners with Novikontas Maritime College’s Training Centre to provide a water survival environment as close to real life as possible. The college helps the airline conduct the high-level training needed for aviation.

Sabīne Mizune (26), flight attendant

Sabīne Mizune has only recently joined airBaltic and, having just finished her training, she is already working as a flight attendant.

Sabīne began training in early December. She applied for a job as a flight attendant because she wanted to get away from the usual office routine and the eight-hour workday. She was also attracted by the opportunity to travel. Sabīne says that the training process was very intensive and she had to learn a lot of different skills that she had not even imagined a flight attendant would need to know. But the instructors were very supportive and knowledgeable, which made it easier to soak up the information and to ask for help if something was unclear.

One of the surprises was discovering how responsible the job is and how many safety procedures a flight attendant needs to know to successfully get passengers to their destination. ‘The most exciting part was the practical training day in the specialised pool, where we tried out an emergency water landing,’ Sabīne remembers. ‘The conditions in the pool had been set to imitate an emergency landing as closely as possible: the space was semi-dark and rainy, and there were waves. We put on vests, jumped in the water, formed groups, swam together towards rafts, and rowed across the pool. It was really very interesting and an unprecedented experience.’

Sabīne passed her final exam at the beginning of February, and her first few weeks of work seem to have literally flown by. ‘It was very interesting to put everything we had learned into practice in a real working environment,’ Sabīne says. ‘It’s very dynamic. We often work in an international environment with colleagues of different nationalities, and the most satisfying thing is seeing the passengers leaving the plane with smiles on their faces.’

Sabīne encourages others to not be afraid and, if they’re interested in the aviation industry, to apply for a flight attendant position and come under airBaltic’s wing!