Aviation

In recent months, Hong Kong has sustained solid growth in passenger volume and aircraft movements, creating greater job opportunities for flight crews.

In September, passenger traffic climbed 5.4 per cent from a year earlier to 4.3 million, and flight movements rose 6.1 per cent to 27,695, according to the Hong Kong International Airport. The growth in passenger traffic was mainly driven by visitor traffic which registered a yearly growth of 7 per cent.

Despite the growing demand and seasonal blips, competition for positions will remain strong because the incentive of travel attracts more applicants than there are jobs. Only the most qualified are hired. A bachelor’s degree is increasingly the standard for most flight attendant jobs. Since airlines operate year-round, around-the-clock, flight attendants may need to work nights, holidays, and weekends. They must be flexible, reliable, and willing to relocate.

In addition to receiving more passengers, airlines are keen on operating new generation aircraft. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world’s first carbon-composite airplane, took its virgin flight on October 26.

The aircraft, which is expected to set a benchmark in air travel, features design improvements rendering medium- and long-haul flights more comfortable. It is expected that more airlines will deploy new generation aircraft in the coming years.