Welcome. Let’s begin with a classic question. Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
İlhan Tan: Hello, there. My name is İlhan Tan. I am the oldest of three brothers. Before I started flying, I worked as a football referee for around seven or eight years. I’ve been flying for 11 years; seven as an official and four as a chief. I met my wife on a flight while we were on duty. Turkish Airlines provided me with a wife, as well as a job.
Hande Şahin Öner: I’m Hande Şahin Öner. I studied Graphic Design at Anatolian Vocational High School and attended the Faculty of Technical Education at university. After graduation, I spent a year working in a printing house before starting here. After I started working, I honestly believed that my primary goal was to come here. I’ve been working for Turkish Airlines since 2011. After seven and a half years as a cabin crew member, I began working as a cabin chief.
So, how did you make the decision to become a cabin crew member?
İlhan Tan: I actually graduated from the Department of Mathematics. After graduating from the department, I began the job search. Then I started looking at the career pages of Türkiye’s most prestigious and leading companies. Of course, Turkish Airlines was at the top of the list, and I noticed an advertisement for cabin crew. To be honest, applying for cabin crew was somewhat coincidental. However, given how many good things in life happen by chance, this was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Hande Şahin Öner: My decision was more roundabout. I took part in the Erasmus program at the university. When I was doing Erasmus in Berlin, we sometimes traveled to different countries, usually on budget airlines. Affordable flight tickets often required flights that departed very early or very late. During one of those trips, my friends and I attempted to sleep on a bench at Madrid Airport. Pilots and cabin crew were passing by us and, despite the fact that it was 03:30, they all appeared extremely well-groomed and prepared, and they looked fresh. I was ashamed of myself at the time – and I was surprised they could go to work at that hour with such concentration. When I saw them, I said, “I’m going to do this job too!”. I was reminded of this statement later by one of my friends and it stayed in the back of my mind. When I applied, when I was at the university, I couldn’t attend the interview due to family obligations. It didn’t work out the second time, but I got it the third time.
When you applied to Turkish Airlines, did you want to join the cabin crew?
İlhan Tan: I hadn’t ever considered becoming a cabin crew member. If you do apply with prior knowledge of the profession, it will take you one step further because you’re aware of the job’s difficulties. So, if you come mentally prepared for that aspect of the job, your expectations will be manageable and you won’t feel disappointed. Otherwise, when you begin with enthusiasm and discover the less fun aspects of the job, your motivation may wane. However, this was not the case for me. I enjoy being around people and having conversations. I also enjoy traveling, exploring new places, and learning about new cultures. In this regard, after becoming a cabin crew member, I focused on the positive aspects of the job, which inspired me even more.
Hande Şahin Öner: As I previously stated, I’d been thinking about becoming a cabin crew member since I was in university.
How would you define your profession? What does a cabin crew member do, and what are their responsibilities?
İlhan Tan: What does an airline promise? It promises to get you from point A to point B safely, quickly, and exactly on time. This involves many elements. Cabin crew members will assist you in getting to your destination safely and on time once you board the plane. After the doors close and the plane takes off, the cabin crew become your mother, father, friend, nurse, firefighter and paramedic. They are also cleaners, waiters, and occasionally psychologists… As a result, if I need to summarize all of them and discuss them under four major headings, I can respond as follows: Every cabin crew member who is in charge of the aircraft’s safety, security, service and hygiene is concerned with the subheadings of these subjects.
Hande Şahin Öner: A cabin crew member must be adaptable and willing to communicate. It is also necessary to be open to new ideas and adaptable to changing circumstances. Cabin crew must be more successful than other at adapting to the processes in which they are involved because the profession requires it. Because you travel to places around the world and are exposed to different cultures, you must adapt to and respect those cultures as well. To be able to do this, you must first master the English language.
Did you know anything about the profession before becoming a cabin crew member?
İlhan Tan: I knew no one and nothing about the job. So I can say that I thoroughly tested my luck. Even when I went to the interview, I knew very little about cabin crew, because, as you know, sometimes you just want to find a job. So, after seeing the cabin crew announcement, I decided to join Turkish Airlines, which has been Türkiye’s most valuable institution and a leader in global aviation for many years. They hired me because they thought I was qualified.
What are the requirements for becoming a cabin crew member?
İlhan Tan: Cabin crew members are expected to meet certain health requirements, as well as height and weight ratios. The ratios differ between men and women. You should not have a criminal record. When wearing the uniform, you should have no visible scars or tattoos. Of course, you are expected to speak English. Allow me to explain the level of English as follows. As I previously stated, as cabin crew members, we are the people who passengers turn to for answers to all their questions, concerns and complaints. A passenger will not only ask us, “What’s for dinner today?” – They may inquire about luggage transfers or connecting flights. He’ll even ask us if his mother, who is sitting next to him, is upset right now and what we can do to reassure her. Or she will attempt to explain a health problem to us despite the fact that she does not speak English, forcing us to intervene. So the cabin crew member must be fluent in English. Not just formal language, but also colloquial language. Considering all this, I believe that an above-average level of English is required.
Hande Şahin Öner: The first requirement is English proficiency. According to my observations of the company’s selection and screening procedures, after submitting your application, you are assigned a personality inventory and an online English test to take at home. As far as I am aware, this is a placement test. Then you’re scheduled for a face-to-face interview. Following that, I believe they begin physical checks with a height and weight measurement. Then there’s a face-to-face English interview. The interview process continues in front of a board of managers from our company, as well as psychologists, and representatives from recruitment firms. After several stages, a health report is requested. Health is a critical issue in continuing the process as well as doing the job. When you provide this information and perform well in the interviews, the recruitment process begins. Then you have training and a three-month start-up period.
Did you study English privately or in school before applying for cabin crew?
İlhan Tan: During my time, there was a super lise (a high school that taught English better than other high schools). I attended the super high school, then went to university and participated in the Erasmus program, spending a year in Italy. I was able to put the theoretical English I had learned in Italy into practice. I also mentioned that I enjoy discovering new cultures. This includes acquiring a new language; learning another language is taking another step toward becoming a global citizen. Also, when you meet a passenger who is attempting to communicate with you, you realize that the phrase “one person, one language” isn’t meaningless. This is not only for your personal development, but also to effectively manage the aircraft’s processes. As a result, language proficiency is essential for this position.
It’s helpful to discover this; there’s a perception that “if you don’t speak English, you fly domestically and if you do, you fly abroad”.
İlhan Tan: Actually, I can open a parenthesis on this topic. Türkiye has a very rich history, culture and cuisine. People fly Turkish Airlines to get to places in and around Türkiye, particularly tourists. For example, the majority of the passengers flying from İstanbul to Nevşehir are Japanese. They really want to go and see Cappadocia. As a result, even if you only fly domestic routes, if you don’t speak English, you won’t be able serve foreign passengers on your plane. Because passengers of all nationalities travel on all our routes, knowledge of English is required for domestic flights as well.
And are there any other languages you have mastered?
İlhan Tan: I also speak Italian, but I prefer not to use it because when I speak Italian, it is mainly among friends. So I understand the “you” address – the informal address – rather than the formal address. I try not to use it unless absolutely necessary, but, if necessary, I can inform passengers in Italian with their permission.
Hande Şahin Öner: I started the job knowing only one language. I attempted to learn some German during my Erasmus year, but I can’t speak it fluently because I didn’t practice. It’s too bad, as it would have been a significant accomplishment for me, particularly in this profession. As a cabin crew member, being bilingual or trilingual is clearly preferable.
Let’s get to the real question: What type of training is required to become a cabin crew member?
İlhan Tan: To become a cabin crew member, it is necessary to first submit an application – you can visit airline career pages and Turkish Airlines cabin crew member recruitment announcements to learn about the necessary conditions and application requirements. Aside from that, as far as I know, cabin crew member do not receive a four-year academic education, although some universities have departments dedicated to civil aviation cabin services. The program generally last two years and the department also offers courses for those interested in working as cabin crew member. We have many colleagues who graduated from the Civil Aviation Cabin Services Department and started flying. In addition, cabin crew members come from a variety academic backgrounds and professional groups ranging from dentists to lawyers.
After your cabin crew application was accepted, what was the process? And how much training was required before you began flying?
İlhan Tan: After being accepted and completing my documents for the Turkish Airlines cabin officer application stage, I received approximately two months of training and, after fulfilling the requirements, I was able to start flying. The program includes trainings on basic safety, technical issues and aircraft type, and emergency and routine situational procedures. In addition, there are concept trainings for the services we provide.
Hande Şahin Öner: In my case, the training lasted approximately two months and included several modules, ranging from the use of technical materials inside the aircraft to the use of fire extinguishers and ovens. There were also detailed trainings on how to handle errors in these areas. Trainees also receive training in passenger communication and basic aviation. After completing these trainings and passing the exams, you are now qualified to fly as a cabin crew member. Following that, there is a three-month observation period.
What kind of a roadmap is followed on your first day flying? For example, do you start with domestic flights?
İlhan Tan: Initially, there is no distinction between destination and aircraft type among cabin crew. My first flight as cabin crew member was to Manchester; a colleague’s first flight was to Van. After some experience, we are trained for wide-body aircraft and that’s usually when we start traveling to places like the United States and China, which we call transoceanic. So, in our first stages, we can travel on narrow-body aircraft, whether it’s a domestic or international route – given that the average range of such aircraft is six to seven hours, taking off from İstanbul and drawing a radius covers a significant distance.
Do you receive certifications and do those have validity periods?
İlhan Tan: Yes, there are certificates, and each has a validity period. As such, it’s not a one-time event like obtaining a driver’s license. The aviation industry is dynamic and subject to constant change and updating so we also have to stay up to date. Each year, we undergo further training, not in two-month increments like the first time, but more concisely. Prior to that, we thoroughly review all the materials in the online trainings that have been assigned to us. Then we are trained face to face. At that point, if we pass, our certificates are updated and sent to us. The certificates are valid for one year. Aircraft are part of this learning process; in other words, we also have trainings regarding specific aircraft each year.
What would you recommend to a young person who wants to join the cabin crew? What do they need to know?
Hande Şahin Öner: First and foremost, this is a team effort. Of course, knowing the language is important, as I will discuss later, but our profession is similar in that you meet someone new every day and must work in harmony with that person to produce an almost perfect result. You must be a team that can work together immediately and seamlessly. For example, “Hello, my name is Hande. I am your cabin chief today” and four of my brilliant friends board the plane with me. It is critical for them to manage their mental states, leave their personal problems behind when they put on the uniform, and adjust to the flight. Because, once we board the aircraft, we must be present for our passengers at all times, including during medical emergencies. As a result, if we can’t communicate with one another, we can’t give our passengers a good impression. For example, if I smile at my passenger and say, “Welcome!” or “How are you today?” I am confident that their trust and faith in me will grow. It’s the same with the team. So, I’d suggest that anyone interested in this business should first learn how to be a team player and work with others. Prospective cabin crew should also work on improving their ability to quickly adapt to new innovations. Legislation can change on a daily basis; and we are constantly learning new things and getting new information. One of the clearest examples was the pandemic: We had to adapt quickly and manage the process in a healthy manner, but thus we were able to continue our flights. At this point, your capacity to adapt quickly is critical. Today, a document is published; you read and learn. The following day, 20 more documents may be published – and I have to know and apply all of them. In addition, prospective cabin crew member should have excellent communication skills, especially when traveling abroad or when meeting a foreigner. Because we not only work in Türkiye – and have many transit passengers – but we also have large numbers of foreign passengers visiting our country and we must be able to communicate effectively with them. I believe that knowing English is not enough here; you must also be open to communication. Personal development is critical at this stage. Aside from that, knowing a foreign language is also important. For example, if you study French at university, declare it when you begin working. If you decide to learn Japanese after you start flying, you can proceed from there. In other words, if you want to improve yourself, Turkish Airlines offers many opportunities. For example, I earned my Master’s degree while working at Turkish Airlines, which provided me with numerous benefits. You can definitely advantage of professional development opportunities while working. As I said earlier, knowing the language, being open to communication, and understanding that personal development is a serious investment are all necessary before beginning work. Knowing this is beneficial for anyone interested in becoming a cabin crew member.
İlhan Tan: And I would say, “I wish there was an undergraduate program where we could learn all of these skills”. Being a cabin crew member is so much more than simply boarding a plane. Many factors are involved, including time and crisis management, stress management, leadership, and motivation. If the cabin officer candidate has such skills and is continuously improving them, they can adapt to the profession more quickly.
Do you think graduates of the Department of Civil Aviation Cabin Services are automatically qualified to be cabin crew members?
İlhan Tan: Not necessarily, because this is a people-focused business – if half of the work is technical, the other half is about people. As a result, situational understanding requires knowledge of sociology and psychology. For example, there are cultural distinctions. Turkish culture values warmth, love, and sincerity, and it is completely normal for us to just fuss over infant passengers, pick them up and so on. However, if you do this with a family from a society that is not accustomed to people picking up their babies without permission, it might be an issue. In this sense, culturally, you must have an understanding of the sensitivities of other cultures, what is and is not permitted. This type of knowledge is gained through experience and self-development.
What do you believe is the most important skill for a cabin crew member? For example, do you prioritize communication skills or general knowledge?
İlhan Tan: I prioritize clear communication. So, even if you expand the options, I’d probably say “Communication first!” Communication is one of the root causes of all the world’s problems. It is critical to understand that communication is the foundation of every reason, especially if you work in this field. When we manage a flight operation, we can come into contact with ten different units. From passenger services to dispatchers, from the cockpit to the catering staff, and from cleaning to cargo handling. When you can’t achieve effective communications, your work becomes more difficult. When you consider passenger communication as well as team communication, I believe communication is the most important factor. And by “communication,” I don’t just mean expressing yourself: We need to listen and understand what the other party is saying so that we can better manage the process.
Hande Şahin Öner: I would definitely prioritize communication skills. If I were talking to someone who is starting a new job right now, I would tell them, “In order to do this job properly, you must be very good at communication and listening to others.” This is where your ability to anticipate comes into play. I’m referring to anticipating certain situations and taking precautions. For example, turbulence on an airplane may cause some passengers to become concerned. You should understand that when they look at your face, they want to relax.
After their application has been accepted, what should a cabin crew member candidate focus on during the interview process? What did you encounter during the interview process?
İlhan Tan: First and foremost, whatever the job is, all applicants should be prepared for the interview. You must have respect for the position you are applying for – and demonstrate this respect to the interviewers. Wear a professional outfit, emanate self-confidence, and maintain a more formal style and body language. In addition, you should know about the company, department, and profession you’re applying for. You can look into these and make preliminary plans. You also need to persuade the interviewers that you are qualified for the position. Consequently, you should be prepared for any potential questions. This is how I prepared for my interview, and I believe that’s why I’m here today.
What are the interview stages? Is the process in English or Turkish?
İlhan Tan: The interview process can vary from year to year, so I can only tell you about my own interview process. We first conducted an English interview via computer. Height and weight measurements, tattoo examinations, and document checks were also performed. Then they led us to a group interview. The group interview included a human resources trainer and a few other officials. They assessed our familiarity with the profession’s challenges, why we chose it, whether we could make a difference, and what we knew and didn’t know. They then conducted face-to-face interviews with us in English. For my group, the final stage was a psychologist interview. With a psychologist, we were tested to see if we could maintain our composure in stressful situations and perform the necessary procedures and duties in a standardized manner. We then waited for the evaluation.
So, immediately following cabin crew application, the height, weight, scar, and tattoo checks are conducted. I suppose the real trainings begin after these?
İlhan Tan: Exactly. Because, if the candidate’s height and weight ratio, scar control, and so on are completed later and the candidate is not suitable, and the trainings begin after two weeks, it may be difficult to meet the required physical conditions in those two weeks. As a result, after reviewing the application, it is first determined whether the candidate meets the physical requirements.
I think you have annual check-ups, right?
İlhan Tan: Yes, we are professionals who wear uniforms and represent an institution. As a result, the uniform we wear should complement our appearance. We also work in confined areas. These should not cause us any problems. As a result, our height and weight are measured each year. There are certain procedures to follow when we are in an unusual situation. For example, we may be given time to lose weight or, if we are too thin, we may be told to gain weight.
In cases like these, are there any issues with your employment contract? I mean, can you keep flying?
İlhan Tan: Different procedures are in play here. If the individual is within acceptable limits, a deadline is set with a warning, and the person is expected to achieve the desired physical conditions by that time. If they can’t achieve the necessary conditions by that time, they have the option of taking unpaid leave. If the required conditions are not met, a different disciplinary action can be taken. These are not procedures that we, as cabin chief and crew member, are required to understand.
Let’s move on to an intriguing question. How are cabin crew salaries determined and is there any specific information you can share?
Hande Şahin Öner: Regarding cabin crew salaries, we can say the following: We are given a base salary when we sign our contract. So, even if you never fly, you will receive a salary as a staff member. This is approximately one-third of your current salary. In addition, if you stay overnight at the destination, you receive a boarding allowance. Furthermore, because flight hours include annual leave, assume one month is 40 hours and the other is 80 hours. The salary for the month with 40 hours of flying is different from the month with 80 hours of flying. Salaries vary according to seniority and years of service. Aside from that, I am in favor of not expressing salaries in specific items, but I can say this: We are generally compensated for our efforts based on our profession. My salary, like that of the majority of my colleagues, is satisfactory. Turkish Airlines offers a very competitive salary compared to other companies in our industry in Türkiye. Furthermore, personnel working in the aviation sector are regarded worldwide as belonging to a risky occupational group. As a result, they earn more than an employee working in a different sector for a comparable period of time. For instance, because the work performed by personnel in the aviation sector carries potential life risks, there’s a payment called flight compensation. This compensation is a unit that we get simply for agreeing to complete this task. If you did not fly at all that month, you will be ineligible for flight compensation; however, if you flew for even one hour, you will be eligible because you accepted that risk.
İlhan Tan: Some people claim that cabin crew members salaries are too high, but perhaps the following data will help them understand why cabin crew are paid certain salaries. It changes every year, of course, but I read about a ranking of the world’s most difficult professions in recent years. Cabin crew was ranked the third most difficult job in the world. We work in a tough field, and a salary policy is in place to compensate.
How does the overtime system work?
Hande Şahin Öner: We can fly up to 110 hours per month and 900 hours per year. However, the Company usually tries to calculate a cabin officer’s or chief’s monthly flight time based on an 80-hour average. A total of more than 80 hours’ worth of flights can be considered overtime pay. In other words, for more than 80 hours’ worth of flights, the wage increase is comparable to that of a regular employee working a shift longer than eight hours. If I fly more than 80 hours per month, my hourly wage payment will increase slightly; if I fly 110 hours, my salary will be significantly higher than if I only fly 80 hours.
İlhan Tan: There are also monthly and annual limits, as well as daily, weekly, three, and six-month limits. Before you ask, let me explain what sleepovers are. We have daily rest limits based on when our shift begins and whether or not we get a night’s sleep. Of course, this is also affected by the frequency by which the route is flown. In other words, if there is no return flight, you stay where you are and return the following day. Sometimes we have to overnight again because we’ve exceeded our daily working limits and thus cannot safely complete the flight.
Let’s say you’re on a 10-hour transoceanic night flight. How do you and your colleagues manage in terms of rest, eating, etc.?
İlhan Tan: For a 10-hour flight, we would be on a wide-body aircraft; cabin crew member must gain experience and obtain certification before flying on these planes; someone who just completed their second or third flight won’t be assigned to a wide-body plane. There are two chiefs on the wide-body aircraft: one for Business Class and one for Economy Class. In addition, a cabin chief oversees the entire aircraft. These chiefs have cabin crew members working in their respective departments. Although it varies depending on the type of aircraft, we can estimate that an average of 10 cabin crew members are on a 10-hour flight. We serve meals to passengers shortly after takeoff and because the flight is long, again before landing. During the time between the first and second meal service, the cabin crew divides into two groups. One group rests while the other looks after passengers, and then the two groups switch.
What is the procedure for cabin crew in terms of resting during long flights?
Hande Şahin Öner: Civil aviation regulations require in-flight rest for flights lasting more than eight hours. The minimum duration of these rests has also been determined, and you cannot rest for less time than this. For example, on a 10-hour flight, I may need to rest for at least an hour and a half. Our company also shares the tables for these periods with us. These are overseen by the cabin chiefs in charge of the airplanes, and the documents also specify the minimum number of people required to be on duty at any time. The crew is divided into two groups based on the number of people. If there are 12 crew members on board, the first six will rest first, followed by the remaining six. This distribution cannot have more or fewer than one person because there’s a standard ratio for the number of personnel to passengers. These rest periods are extremely beneficial to our mental and physical health.
İlhan Tan: Insufficient sleep can also cause general exhaustion, so getting enough sleep is essential. If you are taking a night flight, you can sleep during the day. For example, for a 03.00 flight, you can sleep beforehand.
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