To be successful, airlines must attract and retain high quality and well motivated employees. Airlines spend a great of time and money on recruitment and training. Taking into account the cost of training as well as wages, airlines spend about one third of their total revenue on employees. Worldwide this exceeds $100 billion a year.
On a world wide basis, airlines currently employ about a million and a half people including pilots, flight attendants, air maintenance engineers, station agents, reservations clerks, baggage handlers, security people, cleaners, cooks, accountants plus not a few managers. In some cases (pilots and engineers) the individual joins the airline with extensive credentials and training in hand . In other cases the airline does all the training.
Some of the particulars regarding the various jobs are set out below.
PILOTS
The Captain of a jumbo jet flying for a major carrier earns upwards of $250,000 US a year and represents the pinnacle of the pilot trade. Alas very few young pilots just starting out, will ever make it to that level.
In fact to become an airline pilot with a major airline is a long and difficult road. To starters the license requirement is, typically, the ATPL or ATP ( Airline Transport Pilot License). The ATP requires at least 1200 hours flying time and includes an Instrument and Multi -engine rating. Pilots must also pass numerous written exams and must maintain rigorous medical standards.
For decades and until very recent days, it has been a buyer’s market for pilots wherein the airline could choose from a large pool of highly qualified applicants. In fact, most pilots hired by large carriers had several thousand flying hours. However in recent times, the pilot supply pipeline is drying up with ex military types becoming fewer and large numbers of older pilots retiring
Today’s airline pilot career path often begins with getting a Commercial license at a Community College. This takes at least two years to complete and requires at least 200 hours flying time along with all the required ground school . With the basic Commercial license in hand, the young pilot will then try to build up his or her flying time by working for smaller air carriers. When sufficient flying time is accumulated, s/he will apply to a bigger ( and better paying ) carrier.
AIR MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS MECHANICS)
With somewhat different designations in different countries ( i.e. airframe and/or powerplant “mechanic” in the US), like pilots, these folks are licensed by the regulator. Typically AMEs are graduates from a 2 to 3 year course offered by Community Colleges or from the military. These highly trained professionals are subjected to strict standards imposed by the airline’s Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO). Like pilots these folks are in increasingly short supply.
FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
One of the largest group of airline employees, the flight attendant, or FA, is charged with responsibility for cabin safety and service. In most cases, language, communications skills and grace under pressure are important job prerequisites along a good general education. Normally FAs are hired and trained by the airline from scratch. The typical initial training course takes about six weeks which is followed by on the job tutoring and periodic recurrent training.
STATION AGENTS
These folks are found at the airline ticket counter, airport lobby, baggage counter, and gate check-in desks, They rotate through several areas and perform a broad range of duties including quoting fares and schedules, making reservations, issuing tickets, baggage check-in, flight check-in and boarding. Typically these folks are trained by the airline and are paid by the hour.
RESERVATION CLERKS
The first point of customer contact, the duties of the res clerks include answering telephonic questions on schedules and fares, initiating and completing ticket transactions. They may also deal with cargo bookings. In most cases, these folks are trained by the airline and are paid by the hour.
RAMP STAFF
These people work on the airport apron, loading and unloading cargo, mail, baggage and food-service supplies. They operate a variety of ramp equipment and may also fuel aircraft. In some cases, these employees are responsible for cleaning the aircraft interiors. The working environment can be very tough with a strong emphasis on safety and efficiency. Typically ramp staff are trained by the airline and are paid by the hour. In some cases, this work is contracted out to third parties.
OTHER
There are a wide variety of other airline jobs including sales reps, data entry persons and other clerical positions, as well as operational control functions. Typically these jobs are trained by the airline and are salaried positions.
In addition airlines also require many highly paid many professionals who are expert in general management, finance, communications, human resources, law, and marketing. An overview of the typical airline management organization and process is offered in the AIRLINE ORGANIZATION section .