Concerns about air rage incidents, such as passengers opening emergency exits without permission, have caused a significant shift in the perception of flight attendant jobs, which were once thought to be for young women selected for their beauty.
In Korea, more airlines are now looking for cabin crew members who can physically restrain aggressive passengers. In contrast to the standard practice of only requiring fitness documentation, Eastar Jet, for instance, announced plans to test applicants’ physical abilities during upcoming recruitment sessions.
Each applicant will be asked to run, jump, and perform sit-ups while the budget carrier measures their arm reach and voice projection. Candidates’ reactions to in-flight emergencies will also be assessed through role-playing exercises. On April 17, Easter performed a physical strength test on current employees prior to the change in recruitment standards.
According to a company official, “We hope this will be the first step toward changing the public perception that flight attendants are hired primarily based on age and appearance.” Recently, Korean Air trained its cabin safety instructors for three days on how to use air Tasers made by Axon, a U.S. company that invented the electroshock weapon. This marked the first time Axon has trained airline safety instructors.
Instructors from Asiana Airlines, which is getting ready to merge with Korean Air, and its low-cost subsidiary, Jin Air, were also included in the full-service carrier. According to Korean Air, the instructors will teach flight attendants how to use air tasers to control instances of air rage.
According to a Korean Air official, “the training will enable flight attendants to use tasers more effectively and counteract various kinds of violent behavior in the cabin.”
Flight attendants are demanding more functional uniforms, such as sneakers, in light of the increased awareness of the cabin crew’s responsibility to ensure safety. An online campaign calling for more comfortable uniforms was started last month by unionized cabin crew from Asiana and Korean Air, emphasizing that the safety of flight attendants is crucial for the safety of passengers.
