With the expanding aviation pie, a plethora of opportunities is opening up for cabin crew, including airhostesses, in India and with the international airlines.
Airlines in India have a combined fleet of 178 planes, with an average of six cabin crew. In the West, airlines like Ryan and CanAir have fleets of over 1,000 planes each. "We are aiming to achieve similar levels. The potential is tremendous," says Ajay Jasra of Spice Jet.
"An estimated 10,000 vacancies are expected to be created this year for cabin crew," says Kohli, chairman of Frankfinn, an airhostess training academy.
Discussing why international airlines are eyeing airhostesses from India Jasra says, "They are preferred for their ability to speak English fluently and for their good looks and tanned skin. Given the right benefits they don't job-hop too much."
He adds that Indian women are adaptable and quick learners.
"They don't have reservations unlike their western counterparts about covering their head with scarves as required by some of the airlines in the Middle East."
"Every Indian girl has hospitality in her blood. It's integral to our culture. Go to the poorest Indian home and the man with a single piece of bread will insist to have half of it," says Naval Rai, vice president, in-flight services and hospitality, Paramount Airlines.
Sensing the opportunity many small-town girls have jumped onto the bandwagon. Gone are the days when the likes of Maureen Wadia, Parmeshwar Godrej and Sunita Menon walked the aisle of a plane.
The increase in demand for airhostesses, a constant search for fresh faces coupled with increasing awareness among parents of small-town girls as also the fact that one needs only a 10+2 degree (except in Indian airlines, where one needs to be a graduate), perks like flying the globe and fancy salaries -- the jobs are fast attracting the girls in the hinterland, says Kohli.
Not only has the demographic profile
Explains Rai: "Some passengers create a ruckus despite knowing that food is not served on board a no-frill. Being patient yet firm critical." The airhostess is trained to treat a customer like a king irrespective of the cost of his ticket." he says.
While most people don't realise it, there is more to an airhostess' job than looking pretty. For starters one needs to be fit to be able to stand through the course of the flight.
To be able to serve food in narrow aisles is critical. Adds Jasra, "At Spice, all Cabin crew receive industry information to help them keep abreast."
"While people don't realise it airhostesses are trained to take care of the passenger's safety at all times -- from Emergency landing to hijack," says Rai.
Linked to is the myth that only good-looking women can hope to be hired. "I look for a smile on the face and a physically fit person. The complexion -- fair or dark -- is immaterial," says Rai. Adds Jasra: "If you stand at 5'3" and display some aptitude for hospitality, you can hope to be hired. You can leave the rest to the airline which trains you in their culture and values." Kohli also informs that it not true that one needs to know a foreign language to be hired by an international airline.
While it is true that career as a hostess is short-lived there are plenty of avenues open. Women are moved as ground-staff to train new people entering the business or enter the hotels or business process outsourcing firms as managers. They can also teach at institutes. "The airlines is considered at the top of the pyramid of the hospitality industry."