How do you fancy wearing ‘The Viv’? That’s the Vivienne Westwood designed uniform, worn by Virgin Atlantic flight attendants to you and me. Well, now could be your opportunity as Virgin Atlantic has just reopened recruitment to join their team of Cabin Crew.
The news has come as a bit of a welcome surprise – After all, Virgin has only just completed a round of Cabin Crew recruitment. But you might have to be quick – Virgin hasn’t advertised an end date so depending on how popular this process is, they might stop accepting applications at any time (although if it’s anything like the last process, you should have at least a month).
The iconic airline, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson in 1984 now flies to 31 destinations including New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong with recent route openings to Cuba and Seattle. In fact, most of Virgin’s flights go to exotic locations in the USA, the Carribbean and Africa. As Branson says, Virgin Atlantic was never meant to be the biggest airline but the best.
Yet working for Virgin isn’t all glamour, glamour, glamour. Based in Crawley, the airline operates from both Heathrow and Gatwick Airport – so if you land the job you’ll be expected to work from both bases depending on your monthly roster. You also need to be aware that the airline is only offering new joirners an initial 6-month fixed term contract.
You can find out more about the salary and benefits package here: Virgin Atlantic Cabin Crew Salary and Benefits 2017
Minimum Requirements
But while Virgin Atlantic might not pay the best, or fly to the most destinations, the airline consistently gets rave reviews from its own staff. So, if you want to be part of the Virgin ‘tribe’, here are the minimum criteria you have to meet:
- At least 18 years of age.
- The right to live and work in the UK.
- Fluent in both written and spoken English.
- Arm reach of 210cm (with bare feet but on tiptoes is acceptable).
- Minimum High School education.
- A confident swimmer – able to swim at least 25 metres.
You’ll also have a proven history of delivering exceptional customer service. Oh, and don’t foget “passion, enthusiasm, tons of resilience and a genuine passion for people”. Virgin take customer service really seriously, so you’ll want to prove that you have what it takes to go and above and beyond for your passengers.
Recent Financial Performance
At the moment, the airline is performing well – In March, Virgin reported its third year of profit but 2017 might not be so good. Bookings and revenue have recently declined, the strong U.S. dollar is pushing costs up and Brexit uncertainty remains. Tom Mackay, the airline’s Chief Financial Officer recently said he expects the challenges to worsen in the year ahead.
Luckily, Virgin says its well prepared for the challenge with “a strong cash position and a successful partner in Delta (Air Lines)”. The U.S. airline acquired a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic in 2012 and has given the carrier significant support. The acquistion has seen Virgin shift its focus to North American destinations and seasonal holiday flights, supported by its successful Virgin Holiday’s division.
How to Apply
There’s no doubt that this is a fantastic opportunity but the recruitment process can be tough. Prepare your CV and application with specific examples of times you have delivered outstanding customer service or worked as a team.
Once you’ve submitted your application, you should expect to hear back from the recruitment team within one month. If you successfully pass the first stage, you’ll be invited to take part in a telephone interview and then onto an Assessment Day. The whole process will normally about six months from first applying to being offered the job.
Applications can only be submitted online, via the official Virgin Atlantic recruitment site. You can find the full job advert here. It’s time to “embrace the human spirit and let it fly”.
