Cabin Attendant Duties: A Practical Guide for South African Job Seekers

Cabin crew play a central role in airline safety, customer service, and in‑flight operations. Understanding core cabin attendant duties is essential if you are exploring aviation careers or planning to apply for positions from South Africa via job platforms like SAYouth.mobi, Indeed, or airline career portals.

Below is an evidence-based overview of key cabin attendant duties, drawn from major international and South African airlines, training providers, and regulatory-related guidance.

1. Core Cabin Attendant Duties

1.1 Ensuring Passenger Safety

Safety is always the primary responsibility of cabin crew. According to Qatar Airways’ cabin crew job profile, cabin attendants are responsible for ensuring the “safety, comfort and satisfaction of passengers” throughout the flight, with safety listed as the top priority in their role description (Qatar Airways careers – Cabin Crew).

Similarly, Lufthansa explains that flight attendants are “responsible for the safety of passengers” and are trained to carry out safety and emergency procedures on board (Lufthansa Group careers – Flight Attendant).

Typical safety‑related cabin attendant duties include:

Conducting pre-flight safety equipment checks (e.g., seatbelts, life vests, oxygen equipment) as described in cabin crew safety training outlines by EASA–related cabin crew safety references.
Ensuring compliance with safety regulations such as seat belt fastening, luggage stowage, and use of electronic devices, as highlighted in Emirates’ cabin crew job description, which notes that crew must enforce cabin safety regulations and instructions (Emirates Group Careers – Cabin Crew).
Conducting safety demonstrations or monitoring that passengers understand video safety briefings, a standard duty noted across international airlines, including British Airways cabin crew recruitment.

1.2 Conducting Safety Demonstrations and Briefings

Cabin crew perform or supervise safety demonstrations before take‑off. British Airways explains that cabin crew “demonstrate safety procedures and ensure that all passengers follow them,” including seat belt usage and emergency exit awareness (British Airways careers – Cabin Crew).

Duties in this area generally include:

Demonstrating the use of seatbelts, life jackets, and oxygen masks.
Pointing out emergency exits and advising on evacuation procedures.
Providing specific safety briefings for passengers seated at emergency exit rows or those needing special assistance.

2. Pre‑Flight Cabin Attendant Duties

2.1 Pre‑Flight Briefings

Before boarding, cabin crew attend a pre‑flight briefing led by the captain or senior cabin crew. Emirates describes these briefings as covering route details, passenger profile, special service requirements, and safety procedures (Emirates Group Careers – Cabin Crew).

Typical briefing‑related duties:

Reviewing flight details (destination, flying time, expected weather, and potential turbulence).
Discussing any passengers with special needs, unaccompanied minors, or VIPs, as noted in Qatar Airways cabin crew recruitment information.
Confirming individual positions and responsibilities in normal and emergency situations.

2.2 Aircraft and Cabin Checks

Cabin attendants must ensure the cabin is ready for boarding and take‑off. According to IATA’s description of cabin crew responsibilities, pre-flight checks include verifying that emergency equipment is present and in working order, and that the cabin is clean and properly stocked (IATA – Cabin Crew Roles and Responsibilities).

Common pre-flight checks involve:

Verifying emergency equipment (oxygen bottles, fire extinguishers, first aid kits).
Checking galleys for secure stowage of catering items and trolleys.
Ensuring lavatories are clean and stocked with supplies.
Confirming seats, tray tables, and overhead bins are functioning correctly.

3. In‑Flight Cabin Attendant Duties

3.1 Passenger Boarding and Seating

During boarding, cabin crew help passengers find seats, manage carry‑on bags, and identify special requirements. South African low‑cost carrier FlySafair, in its cabin crew job listings, notes that duties include assisting passengers during boarding and ensuring overhead stowage is safely packed (FlySafair careers – Cabin Crew).

Boarding-related duties typically include:

Greeting passengers at the door and checking boarding passes as directed.
Assisting with locating seats and stowing carry‑on luggage safely.
Identifying and supporting passengers with reduced mobility, unaccompanied minors, or pregnant passengers.

3.2 Safety Compliance During Flight

Cabin attendants regularly monitor the cabin to maintain compliance with safety regulations and comfort standards. Lufthansa highlights the duty of “monitoring the cabin during the flight” and ensuring passengers follow safety instructions (Lufthansa Group careers – Flight Attendant).

Duties include:

Checking seatbelts during taxi, take‑off, turbulence, and landing.
Verifying that aisles and exits remain unobstructed.
Ensuring galley equipment is secured.

3.3 Food and Beverage Service

In‑flight service is a visible part of cabin attendant duties. Emirates states that cabin crew are responsible for providing “world-class in‑flight service, including serving meals and beverages,” in line with company standards (Emirates Group Careers – Cabin Crew).

Routine in‑flight service tasks:

Preparing galleys and trolleys for service.
Serving meals, snacks, and drinks according to the airline’s service schedule.
Managing special meals (e.g., vegetarian, halal, kosher) as pre‑ordered and documented in flight briefings.

3.4 Customer Service and Passenger Assistance

Many airlines position cabin crew as brand ambassadors. Qatar Airways emphasises that cabin attendants must provide “excellent customer service” and create a positive experience for passengers (Qatar Airways careers – Cabin Crew).

Typical customer-service duties:

Answering passenger questions about connections, flight duration, and onboard services.
Assisting with seat changes where feasible.
Supporting parents travelling with infants or young children.
Handling complaints or service recovery within established policies.

4. Emergency and Medical Response Duties

4.1 Managing In‑Flight Emergencies

Cabin crew are trained to manage both minor and life‑threatening emergencies. IATA notes that cabin crew are trained in emergency procedures, including evacuation, handling smoke and fire incidents, and using emergency equipment (IATA – Cabin Crew Training Overview).

Emergency‑response duties include:

Leading evacuations through designated exits during an emergency landing.
Using equipment such as fire extinguishers, emergency slides, and portable oxygen.
Following command hierarchy under the captain’s authority.

4.2 First Aid and Medical Incidents

According to safety training references compiled by EASA, cabin crew are required to receive first‑aid training to manage in‑flight medical situations until professional help is available on the ground (EASA – Cabin Crew Training Requirements).

Medical‑related cabin attendant duties may include:

Providing basic first aid (for example, treating minor cuts or fainting).
Administering oxygen when required under prescribed procedures.
Assisting onboard doctors or medically qualified passengers, including fetching medical kits or coordinating with the cockpit for a possible diversion.

5. Post‑Flight Cabin Attendant Duties

5.1 Disembarkation

Once the aircraft lands, cabin attendants supervise safe and orderly disembarkation. As explained in general cabin crew role outlines by IATA, duties extend until passengers have safely exited and any special-assistance passengers are handed over to ground staff (IATA – Cabin Crew Roles and Responsibilities).

Post‑landing duties include:

Managing passenger flow during disembarkation.
Assisting passengers who need wheelchairs or ground‑staff support.
Checking for left‑behind personal items in the cabin.

5.2 Post‑Flight Reports and Checks

After passengers disembark, cabin crew carry out final checks and may file reports. Lufthansa notes that flight attendants complete documentation relating to safety or service issues when required (Lufthansa Group careers – Flight Attendant).

Tasks can include:

Reporting any safety or security irregularities to the captain or base management.
Completing forms for incidents, medical events, or disruptive passengers.
Securing galleys and equipment for the next leg or overnight stand.

6. Regulatory and Training Context for Cabin Attendant Duties

6.1 International and Regional Standards

Cabin attendant duties are structured around regulations set by aviation authorities. IATA highlights that cabin crew must meet regulatory requirements on safety, security, and service standards, and are trained under standardised curricula (IATA – Cabin Crew Training Overview).

In Europe, EASA defines minimum training standards for cabin crew, including:

Initial and recurrent training in safety and emergency procedures.
First aid, dangerous goods awareness, and security training.
Proficiency assessments to maintain validity of cabin crew attestations (EASA – Cabin Crew).

While South Africa falls under the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) rather than EASA, the structure of duties and training is similar worldwide because it ultimately aligns with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards.

6.2 Skills and Attributes Expected

Airlines consistently describe similar personal attributes for cabin crew. For example, Qatar Airways and Emirates list the following competencies in their cabin crew job requirements:

Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to remain calm under pressure and manage difficult situations (Qatar Airways careers – Cabin Crew; Emirates Group Careers – Cabin Crew).
High standard of personal grooming and professionalism.
Cultural sensitivity and ability to work in diverse teams.

These skills support daily cabin attendant duties across safety, service, and emergency response.

7. How South African Job Seekers Can Use This Knowledge

South African job seekers and learners exploring cabin attendant duties can:

Use airline job descriptions from carriers like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa as benchmarks to understand current expectations.
Monitor local airline and recruitment pages such as FlySafair careers or general boards like Indeed South Africa cabin crew jobs for role‑specific duty lists and requirements.
Align training choices with reputable aviation training providers that follow frameworks similar to those referenced by IATA for cabin crew training and regulatory guidance from authorities such as EASA.

Understanding concrete cabin attendant duties—from safety and emergency management to customer service and post‑flight reporting—helps applicants present stronger CVs, prepare for interviews, and realistically assess the day‑to‑day responsibilities of this safety‑critical role.

Cabin Attendant Duties