Airline customer service agent
Travel & Tourism

How to become an airline customer service agent

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

College

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant courses include a Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Customer Service.

College (Entry requirements)

You'll usually need:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through a customer service practitioner or aviation ground operative intermediate apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship (Entry requirements)

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Direct application

When applying directly for jobs, most employers will expect you to have some GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in subjects like English and maths, or equivalent qualifications.

More info

Career tips You may find it useful to have experience of working in a customer service role.

What it takes

Skills & Knowledge

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• sensitivity and understanding
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• excellent verbal communication skills
• active listening skills
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restriction & Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass security checks

You may find it useful if you can speak a second language for some jobs.

Some employers may prefer you to live near the airport or have your own transport. This is because shifts may be at times when public transport is limited.

What you'll do

Day to day

In this role you could be:

• dealing with passenger enquiries about flight departures and arrivals
• checking in passengers and giving seat numbers
• providing boarding passes and luggage labels
• telling passengers about luggage restrictions
• weighing baggage and collecting any excess weight charges
• taking care of people with special needs, and unaccompanied children
• calming and reassuring nervous passengers

Working environment

You could work at an airport. Your working environment may be crowded. You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

Career path & progression

With experience, you could progress to a supervisory role, or a management position like flight dispatcher. You could also move into other areas of airport operations, or train to become a cabin crew member.