Age 21 requirement

ChasenSFO

hen teaser
I was just wondering if there is any way around the age 21 requirement that most airlines have. I know its because of the sale of alcohol, but F/As at some airlines have told me they sell alcohol but hire people at age 18. My girlfriend is 20 and trying to apply at Skywest but not sure if they'll look past it. I'm not sure since I keep getting mixed answers, any ideas?
 
Mesaba (i know) and Colgan (I think) hire were two that hired at 18. Well it might have been 19, I'll ask around.v
 
JHugz used to be a flight attendant for CommuteAir and he wasn't 21 so there must be ways around it.
 
I highly doubt any airline would KNOWINGLY hire someone younger than their minimum age. WOW!!!!
 
I don't see why they would require you to be 21 to serve open containers. You only have to be 16 to serve closed containers (beers with the cap still on) & 18 to serve open containers. I think it has to do with something else.
 
Maturity maybe? I don't want to start a firestorm, but I think 18 is too young to be a FA. Of course there are exceptions, but by and large, I hardly think a teenager is mature enough to handle difficult situations that arise on virtually EVERY flight.
 
Maturity maybe? I don't want to start a firestorm, but I think 18 is too young to be a FA. Of course there are exceptions, but by and large, I hardly think a teenager is mature enough to handle difficult situations that arise on virtually EVERY flight.

That's what I was thinking.
 
Maturity maybe? I don't want to start a firestorm, but I think 18 is too young to be a FA. Of course there are exceptions, but by and large, I hardly think a teenager is mature enough to handle difficult situations that arise on virtually EVERY flight.

:banghead:
 
:banghead:


Bang your head all you want......doesn't change the cold, hard facts.....

I say this as the mother of an extremely mature and intelligent 18 year old son. I doubt he could handle the job responsibilities.
 
Bang your head all you want......doesn't change the cold, hard facts.....

I say this as the mother of an extremely mature and intelligent 18 year old son. I doubt he could handle the job responsibilities.

What facts are these? Do you have statistical facts that a 18 year old can't produce under pressure? Or they can't treat customers with respect?

I went through training like everyone else. 2 of us were 18 at the time. The one still works as a FA. 4 people washed out of training and all of them were 40+.
 
Sensitive a bit? Go back and read my first post---I said there are exceptions. I've also stated in the past that some of the biggest head cases I had the displeasure of working with were late 30's, early 40's. I also was in class with 2 18 year old young ladies who were an absolute delight to work with. (One left on her own and I'm not sure of the other one.)
I said NOTHING of not being able to provide good customer service. It's not that hard to smile and "make nice" to pax. I'm talking about situations where a difficult passenger is pushing a FAs buttons. Most 18 year old lack the confidence to handle those situations correctly. I've also seen many not take the rules and regulations seriously since they didn't happen to agree with them.
 
Sensitive a bit? Go back and read my first post---I said there are exceptions. I've also stated in the past that some of the biggest head cases I had the displeasure of working with were late 30's, early 40's. I also was in class with 2 18 year old young ladies who were an absolute delight to work with. (One left on her own and I'm not sure of the other one.)
I said NOTHING of not being able to provide good customer service. It's not that hard to smile and "make nice" to pax. I'm talking about situations where a difficult passenger is pushing a FAs buttons. Most 18 year old lack the confidence to handle those situations correctly. I've also seen many not take the rules and regulations seriously since they didn't happen to agree with them.

Not sensitive, I passed the practical and have had idiot customers and I am trying to understand your logic of the major jump in maturity that one sees from the age of 18 to 21.

You either cut it or you don't. That is what the training and testing is there for.
 
Maturity maybe? I don't want to start a firestorm, but I think 18 is too young to be a FA. Of course there are exceptions, but by and large, I hardly think a teenager is mature enough to handle difficult situations that arise on virtually EVERY flight.
Personally, I don't think anyone is old enough to be a FA. That has to be one of the toughest job in the world. I really don't know how they do it.
 
SkyWest used to allow 18 year old flight attendants, but stopped hiring them a few years ago. Not really sure why they stopped though.
 
SkyWest used to allow 18 year old flight attendants, but stopped hiring them a few years ago. Not really sure why they stopped though.

Probably something to do with Contributing to the Deliquency of minors I guess. Not that I have ever done that.....:beer:
 
I don't know about FAs but pilots that are below 21 have it hard outside of the cockpit. Flying is half the part, you still have to interact and get along with the crew at the airport, on the overnights etc. I was hired at 21 and was good enough to go out and enjoy the overnights but the age difference was noticeable with older crew pairings. I'm sure it's the same way with the FAs, although I can't imagine working inside an airplane at 18 or 19, too much responsiblity.
 
What facts are these?
Same reason a chief pilot will tell a 21 yr old kid that at 700 hrs he is too low time and turn around and hire the 40 yr old career changer with less than half the time. Procedures you can teach. Maturity and judgement? Well that comes with time.The schools of hard knocks teaches these facts.

Btw, I am not for setting an age, but at 18 you definitely have something to prove.
 
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