FUTURE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS HEALTH CHECKLIST
By Mihaela Moise, QR Senior Crew
You were asking us many times which health or medical checks do you have to pass one you get selected to work as cabin crew. Any airline that hires you will mention in the future contract that you will signed that you have to be healthy in order to operate any flight and maintain yourself healthy. So it will be your responsability to recover from any sickness, of course with the help of the aviation doctor.
So here you have our checklist:
- Ensure you have a thorough dental examination before attending any cabin crew interview.
- Get plenty of sleep before the interview and once you start flying, respect a period of at least 6-9 hours of rest before your duty.
- Avoid drinking a lot of alcohol and use decaffeinated beverages.
- Drink plenty of non-sparkling water to avoid being dehydrated.
- Eat well-balanced meals and avoid overeating.
- Take a spare pair of contact lenses or glasses and your prescription once hired, when leaving to the new base.
- Make sure you seek medical advice at least six weeks prior to travel for the proper vaccinations some airlines may require. Some of the shoots are followed by a booster.
- If you are on medication, take an adequate supply as it may not be available locally.
- Check thoroughly your medical insurance provided by the airline.
- For any minor pain, pay a visit to the airline clinic and get your doctor approval if fit to fly or not.
- Do not fly if having a minor ear pain, as it can really hurt during the flight. If you are having the pain up in the air, swallow often and chew on something as a prevention measure.
- Seek medical advice immediately after finishing your duty, even if you are at your base or in any other country.
- It is extremely dangerous to fly immediately after scuba-diving. You have to wait 12-24 hours after diving. So better enjoy snorkeling in that blue-water surrounding the tropical islands that you are having a layover.
- When flying to remote places, don’t eat on street-restaurants and don’t drink tap water. Rely on bottled mineral water with the seal intact. Also avoid non-cooked meals like salads or fruits, as these might not be washed with purified water.
- It’s a good idea to take vitamins and iron pills.
And don’t forget: the secret to successful flying crew, is healthy crew!
Photo credit: Tsania, our former QR colleague