Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for becoming a Cabin Crew Member?
You need to be 18 years of age at the time of writing the SACAA Cabin Crew member licensing exam hence you may commence with training 6 weeks prior to your 18th birthday.
You need to be in possession of a class 4 medical certificate.
Do you need matric/NQF 4 for the Cabin Crew Course?
Although a matric / NQF Level 4 is not a legislated requirement, most airlines require this as a minimum requirement when recruiting crew members.
How do you get your medical certificate required for the Cabin Crew Licensing Programme?
- The first step is to go for a front view chest X-ray. This is to check for TB and can be done at any radiologist or clinic where they have an X-ray facility.
- Step two would be to make an appointment with an Aviation Medical Examiner. The X-ray must be taken with you to the medical examiner as it forms part of the medical certification process. A list of medical examiners will be found on the SACAA’s website i.e. www.caa.co.za
Do you have a payment plan in place?
Cabin Crew Licensing Training: A R1 000 registration fee is required to reserve your space on the course – this registration fee forms part of the course fee. A 50% deposit is required on commencement of training and the balance, by the 3rd week after training has commenced.
General Travel: A R1 000 registration fee is required to reserve your space on the course – this registration fee forms part of the course fee. A deposit of R4 000 prior to course commencement. A monthly repayment of R4 400 is then required throughout the year.
Do you have accommodation available?
We have service providers who offer our Cabin Crew and Ground Handling learners accommodation. They include meals and transportation to and from our training centre. Please refer to our accommodation page for more information.
Do you offer bursaries?
Cabin Crew and Ground Handling bursaries are allocated to a children’s home with whom we have an agreement in place. We do run a bursary competition on our Facebook Page a few times a year so keep an eye out. Please refer to our Financial Aid page for more information on student loans.
What is the difference between an Airhostess, Flight Attendant and a Cabin Crew Member?
Cabin Crew Members were previously known as Airhostesses and Flight Attendants. When the licensing of Cabin Crew Members was introduced by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, the regulations referred to this career as Cabin Crew – hence the change in name.
What are the primary functions of a Cabin Crew Member / Airhostess / Flight Attendant?
- The safety of passengers, crew and the aircraft is a crew members primary function.
- The secondary function is customer service. Customer Service is what normally ensures customer loyalty.
What are the requirements in terms of height restrictions for Cabin Crew Members / Airhostesses/ Flight Attendants?
Height requirements are operator specific. On larger aircraft you need to be taller as some emergency equipment is stored in the overhead stowage’s and you need to be in a position to retrieve this equipment should the need arise. On smaller aircraft the stowage’s are lower hence crew may be shorter. Therefore, height requirements depend on the operator and the aircraft type you will be operating on. The average height requirement is 1.54 or taller.
What are the requirements in terms of weight for Cabin Crew Members / Airhostesses/ Flight Attendants?
Airlines do not normally specify weight. They normally require that the Body Mass Index (BMI) does not exceed 24. You can have your body mass index checked at many pharmacies or alternatively, use one of the online portals. These portals require you to specify your height and weight to determine your BMI.
Why should I choose EPT Aviation Training as opposed to other aviation training organisations?
- What sets us apart is our commitment to excellence. We use an aircraft at our Denel premises as well as a cabin simulator located at Comair, for many of our training modules. This enables training to take place in a realistic environment.
- We compile CV’s with professionally taken photographs.
Where does the training take place?
All training conducted by EPT Aviation Training or by Global Training College takes place at our Denel Premises. The address is Denel North Gate, Building R2, Ground, 1st and 3rd floor, Atlas Road, Bonaero Park.
Is there a specific age that you need to end your career as a cabin crew member?
Here is the good news…As long as you are found medically fit, you can continue to pursue your career as a crew member.
Do you have a graduation ceremony?
Yes, we have 3 graduation ceremonies annually where we celebrate our learners achievements.
Is the licence Internationally accepted?
A South African Civil Aviation Authority licence is required when working as a crew member on any South African Registered aircraft. This enables you to work on both domestic and international flights. Airlines such as Emirates and QATAR do not require learners to have a SACAA licence.
Do you need NQF Level 3 or 4 pass with specific subjects to join the training courses you offer?
No specific subjects are required.
We do assist our learners with arranging medical appointments, please contact us should you require our assistance by sending an email to admin@eptaviation.com
Why do some training schools require a medical certificate prior to accepting you for training?
It is recommended that you complete your medical examination prior to attending training as this will prevent financial loss of training fees paid should you be found medically unfit
How long is this medical certificate valid for?
This certificate is valid for 5 years if you are under the age of 40 and for 3 years if you are over the age of 40
Can a person who wears reading glasses apply to be a cabin crew member?
Definitely but please take your glasses / contact lenses with you to the Aviation Medical Examiner when undertaking your class 4 medical.
How often do your courses take place?
We have a minimum of 2 cabin crew courses commencing monthly. There are 2 course dates annually for our long courses i.e. General Travel, Tourist Guiding and Food & Beverage.
May Flight Attendants/ Cabin Crew Members / Airhostess have tattoos?
Many airlines permit tattoos as long as they are not visible when in uniform.
Do you provide us a uniform?
No. We set ourselves apart from our competitors by doing extensive practical training on both the aircraft and the cabin simulator based at Comair. A uniform will hamper our practical training modules.
Is there a specific dress code for certain training days?
The only days our learners are required to “dress-up”, is for the CV photoshoot, for Interviewing Skills training, and when writing the SACAA licensing exam. We recommend that on these days our learners wear an outfit resembling a uniform i.e. ladies a black skirt and jacket with a white shirt. Our gentlemen a dark suit or pants and jacket with a white shirt and tie. Shoes should match the outfit.
Do you offer workplace experience on completion of the CATHSSETA accredited courses?
We have companies who assist our learners with workplace experience. Our learners do however, still need to undergo and interview with these companies. We have no control over who they select.
Where can I apply for a loan to attend your training?
Eduloan and Fundi have both provided our learners with loans for training purposes.
Do you accept bursary payments?
Yes we do. Please ensure that the bursary donor uses your initials and surname as a reference when making the payment.
Are there any additional costs when attending your training?
Our course cost includes everything required to qualify i.e. text books, stationary, transportation, SACAA licensing exam and issuing of licence, firefighting, aviation medicine etc. are all included in the course cost.
Do you prepare learner CV’s?
Yes we do. We also have professional photographs taken i.e. head and shoulders as well as a full length photo, for CV compilation purposes.
Do you guarantee employment?
We do not guarantee employment however we do forward our leaner CV’s to companies who ask for them. We do however have no control over who they call for interviews. We place all vacancies we hear of on our Facebook Page so keep a close eye on our Page.
What guarantees do I have of securing a career as a flight attendant
Your ability to secure employment as an air hostess / flight attendant / cabin crew member, will depend on you, your personality, interpersonal skills, and how well you sell yourself at the interview. EPT Aviation Training, equips you with a professionally compiled CV, and the skills required to confidently and competently enter the workplace.
How often do onboard emergency situations occur?
Fortunately with the intensive training of flight deck and cabin crew members, as well as thorough maintenance of the aircraft, emergency situations rarely occur. Should an emergency arise, crew members are trained extensively to handle the situation.
Do Airlines have restrictions regarding age when employing Crew Members?
Commercial airlines usually only employ crew up to the age of 36. Once employed you can remain in their employ until retirement. Charter companies do employ crew over the age of 36 however they normally want these crew members to have some flying experience.
Do you have open days / information sessions?
We welcome prospective learners and their families on any weekday between the hours of 8:00 and 15:30 to provide information on all our course offerings.
What are the entry requirements for the Cabin Crew Member licensing course?
You need to be 18 years of age at the time of writing the SACAA Cabin Crew member licensing exam hence you may commence with training 3 weeks prior to your 18th birthday. You need to be in possession of a class 4 medical certificate and be proficient in English as English is the International Aviation Language.
What are the entry requirements for the 10-month NQF Level 5 CATHSSETA accredited National Certificate in General Travel?
A matric / NQF Level 4 certificate is required as well as proficiency in English. There is no age restriction.
What are the entry requirements for the 10-month NQF Level 4 CATHSSETA accredited National Certificate in Food & Beverage?
A NQF Level 3 certificate and proficiency in English.
What are the entry requirements for the 10-month NQF Level 4 CATHSSETA accredited Further Education and Training Certificate in Tourist Guiding?
A NQF Level 3 certificate and proficiency in English.
What are the entry requirements for the Passenger Ground Handling Course?
A minimum of 17 years of age and proficiency in English. Although a matric / NQF Level 4 is not required to attend the training, this is normally a requirement by airlines when employing staff members.
Do you have a payment plan in place?
Our payment plans are as follows:
6 Week Cabin Crew Licensing Training: A R1 000 registration fee is required to reserve your space on the course – this registration fee forms part of the course fee. A 50% deposit is required on commencement of training and the balance, 3 weeks after training has commenced.
General Travel: A R1 000 registration fee is required to reserve your space on the course – this registration fee forms part of the course fee. A deposit of R4 000 prior to course commencement. A monthly repayment of R4 400 is then required throughout the year.
18 Week Cabin Crew Licensing including Career Management Training: A registration fee of R1000.00. A deposit of R12 000.00 and then R5 000.00 per month for a 4 month period.
11-Month General Travel Including Cabin Crew:
A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit R4 000.00 and thereafter R4 400.00 for 10 months.
10-Month General Travel Excluding Cabin Crew: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit R 4 000.00 and thereafter R3000.00 for a 10 month period.
3-Week Passenger Ground Handling: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. A deposit of R2500.00 and the balance of R2500.00 prior to course completion.
5-Week Passenger Ground Handling including Systems Training: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit of R4500.00 and the balance prior to course completion.
2-Week GDS Systems Training: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit of R2500.00 and the balance prior to course completion.
10-Month Tourist Guiding including Cabin Crew: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit R 4 000.00 and thereafter R4 000.00 for 10 months.
9-Month Tourist Guiding excluding Cabin Crew: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit R 3 800.00 and thereafter R2 800.00 for 9 months
10-Month Food & Beverage including Cabin Crew: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit R 4 000.00 and thereafter R4 000.00 for 10 months.
9-Month Food & Beverage excluding Cabin Crew: A registration fee of R1000.00 to secure your space on the course. This fee forms part of the course fee. Deposit R 3 800.00 and thereafter R2 800.00 for 9 months
What are the benefits of being a flight attendant, air hostess, cabin crew member?
- Shopping in the Far East, watching shows on Broadway in New York, staying in great hotels when you are on a lay-over and all this while being paid to do so. Generally after being employed by an Airline for 1 year, you are eligible to apply for rebate holiday travel tickets for you, and your family members, and sometimes even friends.
- No working day will be the same. Every flight will bring new challenges and the opportunity to serve and meet different people.
What are the disadvantages of being a cabin crew member?
- It usually involves very irregular long hours, with the risk of perhaps not being home with friends and family on special occasions. Fatigue, jet lag and abusive passengers.
Why do people in other professions envy flight attendants?
Easy, your office is in the sky and you do not work from 9 to 5. When everyone is queuing at the bank and in shopping centres over weekends, you are relaxing in some exotic destination.