In strong contrast to the pandemic years when airline employees were laid off or asked to go on leave, the situation is quite different in several parts of the world. The Chinese aviation sector, which has been slower than the rest of the world in recovering from the pandemic, is now ready to expand, with airlines hiring cabin crew members. And judging from the number of applications, they seem spoilt for choice.
Lucrative career option
A career as a flight attendant has become quite lucrative for thousands of young Chinese graduates with the promise of a good salary and the absence of other lucrative opportunities in a sluggish market.
Reuters reports that Chinese airlines have embarked on a cabin crew hiring spree and have been overwhelmed by the number of applications they have received. It notes that China usually requires its flight attendants to have a graduate degree and pass a government-administered English language test.
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Despite higher requirements for the role than those in Western nations, Chinese airlines face no shortage of applications for the positions, as many fresh graduates do not seem to have many other good job options in a relatively weak market. China Southern plans to induct 3,000 cabin crew this year and has already received more than seven times as many applicants by the end of December. Reuters quotes Li Hanming, an independent expert on China’s aviation industry, as saying,
“There have always been a large number of young girls and boys who want to do this job, as the income is not bad, usually between 10,000 ($1,454) and 20,000 yuan a month, and it is fun, allowing you to fly around the world.”
Preparing for next year
China has taken its own time in easing COVID-related lockdowns, impacting the balance sheets of all its airlines severely. The Big 3 airlines of the country – Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern made a combined loss of $15.8 billion in 2022, nearly three times the $5.9 billion they lost in 2021.
But things are looking up, with both domestic and international travel in the country rebounding. The country’s domestic capacity breached pre-COVID capacity last month, and while international travel is nowhere near the 2019 level, it is showing signs of improvement.
And it is precisely for these reasons that Chinese Airlines have gone on a hiring spree. The fresh recruits won’t be able to start active duty immediately, as it takes about a year of training before they can fly.
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Chinese airlines are anticipating a good 2024. Despite airfares remaining high, Chinese travelers have shown interest in traveling, with queries for outbound travel also showing signs of significant improvement.
Airlines want to be ready for growth in demand next year, which is why they’re starting with the hiring process now, so they are prepared by the time 2024 rolls out. It seems that China is finally ready to emerge from the shadows of the pandemic.
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Source: Reuters