HOSPITALITY, TRAVEL, AVIATION, SPORT AND FOOD

Cabin Crew (Air Hostess / Flight Steward)

Look after passenger safety and comfort on flights, and handle emergencies in the air.

Any Class 12 stream After Class 12 Private sector

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Meeting people from many places and backgrounds every day
Seeing new cities and countries, especially on international routes
Feeling useful when a passenger is calm, safe or cared for

It may not suit you if you dislike

Irregular shifts, night duties and time away from family and festivals
Standing for long hours, and dealing with rude or anxious passengers
Hiring depends on drives and cycles, so you may need to apply more than once

Class 11–12 subjects: Class 12 pass from a recognised board, in any stream. Air India asks for at least 50% aggregate in Class 12. Some other airlines ask for less, so check each airline's current notice. Good spoken English and Hindi matter as much as marks.
First degree: No degree is needed to start. A Class 12 pass is the base. A diploma from a training institute is optional and is not a government requirement.
Entrance exams: No government entrance exam. Each airline runs its own walk-in selection, which usually includes document checks, height and weight checks, a group discussion or interview, an English test and a medical check.
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Open to every streamAny Class 12 stream.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Greeting and seating passengers, explaining safety procedures, serving food and drinks, and checking the cabin before take-off and landing. In an emergency, such as a fire, a rapid evacuation or a medical problem, the crew must act quickly and calmly. Crew also handle passenger complaints and special needs on board.

A day in the work
A cabin crew member reports to the airport a set time before the flight for a briefing. The crew check the cabin, safety equipment and emergency exits, then welcome passengers at the door. During the flight they serve meals, handle requests and keep an eye on the cabin, while on a long flight they take short rest breaks. After landing they complete reports and wait for the next duty, which may be the next day or after a rest period.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 10–12Finish Class 12 from a recognised board with good marks. Work on spoken English and Hindi, and get comfortable speaking in front of groups. Keep your Class 10 and 12 marksheets safe, because airlines ask for them at joining.
Step 2 · Class 12 or afterCheck the careers pages of airlines you want to join. Recent Air India postings ask for freshers aged 18 to 27, 155 cm or more for women, 170 cm or more for men, a BMI within the stated range, and no visible tattoos in uniform. Older listings quote different figures, so go by the latest page.
Step 3 · Walk-in selectionAttend the airline's walk-in drive or apply online. Expect document checks, a height and weight check, a group discussion, a personal interview and an English test. Many airlines run these drives in batches, not on a fixed date each year. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 4 · Medical fitnessPass a medical exam to the DGCA standard for cabin crew. This is a fitness check covering eyesight, hearing and general health. The airline does the final check before you start training. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 5 · Airline training and probationAfter selection you train in the airline's own cabin crew course, which covers safety drills, first aid, service and emergency procedures. The training is run under a DGCA-approved programme. Crew then need annual recurrent training to stay qualified. (reported — check with the official body)

Ways in

Direct airline walk-in after Class 12Apply to the airline in its next drive. No course is needed, though good English, fitness and a strong interview matter most.
Training institute diploma firstJoin a private cabin crew or aviation diploma, usually a few months to a year, and then apply. Fees are paid by you. Airlines do not check for an institute's approval, so compare the course with care.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (school, then optional diploma route)	2 years	Your school's fees	—	—
Direct airline walk-in after Class 12 (no course)	Depends on airline drive dates	Free to attend walk-in; no fee shown on page	—	—
Training institute diploma first (private)	1 year	—	DY Patil University, Diploma in Airhostess & Cabin Crew: ₹1,50,000 per year (fee structure 2026-27)	Not on page
Airline walk-in selection (document, height, weight, GD, interview, English test)	Varies by airline drive	No government exam; airline selection fee not on page	Check the airline's careers page	—
Medical fitness check (DGCA standard)	Single medical exam	Cost not on page; check the notice	Cost not on page; check the notice	—
Airline cabin crew training and probation	Check the airline; training length not on page	Airline-run training; no fee charged (reported)	—	Paid by airline; no stipend figure on page

Total timeAbout 1 to 2 years after Class 12, depending on whether you take a diploma and when an airline holds a drive

Total costDepends mostly on the college you choose — compare fee pages; the one named private diploma is ₹1,50,000 per year, and direct airline entry shows no fee on the page.

Good to knowAirline training after hiring is run by the airline, and the page does not say whether it is paid; the ₹1,50,000 figure is for one private university diploma only.

Fees from: DY Patil University - Diploma in Airhostess & Cabin Crew (official program page, fees 2026-27). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Pay depends on the airline, the route, whether you fly domestic or international, and your experience. New crew start at the bottom of the pay scale, and seniority, international flying and language skills can raise pay over time.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~You must pay for a government-approved air hostess course to get hired.~~

Fact: No government body certifies pre-employment cabin crew courses. Airlines select on interview, English, fitness and grooming, and they give their own training after hiring.

For girls and students with disabilities

Airlines hire both women and men as cabin crew, but height and BMI limits differ by gender, so check each airline's current rules. I could not confirm any disability-specific relaxations for this job, so ask the airline directly.

Try it now

Class 7–9Join a school first-aid or safety drill group, and practise one short talk in English in front of your class each week.
Class 10–12Learn basic first aid and emergency steps through a free online course, and register for the MY Bharat youth platform if you are 15 or above.Open link ↗
College or afterTake a free course on English communication or hospitality basics on SWAYAM and read the careers page of two airlines to see their current criteria.Open link ↗

Good to know

Age, height, BMI and grooming rules are set by each airline. The DGCA sets the medical standard for crew.
Recruitment happens in drives, not on a fixed national date. Check the careers page of each airline often.
Many courses say they are 'DGCA approved'. DGCA does not approve pre-employment courses for cabin crew, so ask the airline what it accepts.
The job often means night duty, weekend and holiday flights, and time away from home. Rest rules exist, but rosters can still be tiring.

Sources: Air India Cabin Crew Programme (official careers page) · TeamLease RegTech summary of DGCA draft CAR Section 7 Series M Part I (cabin crew training, Oct 2025)