Getting wings

Many Kashmiri girls are opting for a career in the aviation industry working as airhostesses, cabin crew and ground staff.
From serving food to providing reading material, from making announcements on weather and places of interest to administration of first-aid, and demonstrating life-saving techniques with emergency equipment, an airhostess is part of the service in the sector that demands high level of congeniality, remaining at the disposal of passengers all the time.
An airhostess has to have a pleasant personality, should be not less than 5 feet 3 inches tall, must be congenial and have good communication skills.
It was her long cherished dream to become an air hostess. After passing higher secondary, Insha Mir, of Lal Chowk joined a local airhostess training institute in 2010.
“It was my childhood dream to become an air hostess. I am lucky as my parents helped me to join a not-so-popular career in Kashmir despite lot of social pressures,” says Insha, who is currently an airhostess with Singapore Airlines.
Insha says that the training at the institute helped her in developing her personality to become air hostesses.
“It was a very motivating experience (at the institute) for me. I had a very good exposure in the service industry through the one year course,” she says.
The airhostesses also known as cabin crew or flight attendants are primarily on board in an aircraft for the safety and welfare of the passengers. For an air-hostess it is a mixed bag of adventure and responsibility.
The take-off, however, comes only after she clears a written examination, group discussion and an interview. Most airlines seek young airhostesses with age less than 24. The minimum qualification is higher secondary. Though much premium is not laid on formal education, a candidate is expected to possess more than a passing acquaintance with a foreign language.
07/02/11 Kashmir Life