Airline Customer Service Careers The US airline industry is gradually moving away from all thebloodletting that brought about the bankruptcy of four majorcarriers over the past several years while at the same timemarked the emergence of many discount carriers into theforefront of the business. Indeed, the face of commercialaviation has changed dramatically over the past decade and itnow appears that the worst is behind us. This does not mean thatfurther layoffs and downsizings are not possible, but for theperson seeking a customer service career in the aviationindustry, the future has brightened considerably.
Customer service opportunities with the airlines includes thefollowing job titles: reservation agents, ramp agents, lineservice technicians, customer service agents, baggage handlers,and various management positions including station manager,customer service manager, and airport operations manager.Similar job titles exist, but for the sake of brevity in usingthe term "airline customer service" I mean those groundpersonnel tasked with assisting customers as they get to andfrom their destinations.
So, exactly who is hiring? Well, on any given day just abouteveryone could be. The turn over rate for customer servicepersonnel can be high, depending on the airline and the workingconditions. To make it easier on you, the following is a breakdown of the various airlines who hire customer service agents.In most cases you will work directly for the airline but in somecases a position may be with a vendor or for the airportauthority itself.
Legacy Carriers - American, Continental, Delta,Northwest, United, and USAir all qualify as legacy carriers.Simply defined these are the carriers that helped the airlineindustry get its start in the U.S. Out of the six listed, onlyAmerican and Continental have avoided bankruptcy. Thus, a careerwith a legacy carrier can be a risky proposition.
Foreign Carriers - Many foreign carriers fly in and outof the U.S. and are worth a look. Depending on the carrierselected, you may be required to speak the language of thecarrier's country in addition to speaking English. Chiefcarriers include: Air Canada, Mexicana, Air France, BritishAirways, Japan Airlines,
Korean Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, andflag carriers as well as discount carriers from dozens ofcountries from around the globe.
Discount Carriers - Some of the strongest carriers inoperation today are discount airlines. Two of the best areSouthwest and JetBlue, both of which are expanding and arehiring on a regular basis. Other discount carriers include:Spirit, USA3000, and many small more regional carriers.
Regional Operators - Working as "feeder" airlines for thebig carriers, regional operators include Colgan, Republic,Shuttle America, American Eagle, Comair, and Great Lakes. Someof these carriers are awash in cash with very promising futures.
Charter Carriers - A few airlines fly chartered flightsprincipally although some have scheduled flights too. Some ofthe more noted charter operators include: Miami Air, XtraAirways, and Sun Country.
Cargo Carriers -- Not every carrier moves people. Somecarriers move goods, merchandise, and equipment. Customerservice jobs as sales agents and equipment handlers are anoption for potential employees. Chief cargo companies include:DHL, FEDEX, UPS, Emery Worldwide, and Amerijet.
Two recently launched carriers, EOS Airlines and Maxjet Airways,went through a hiring surge immediately preceding their firstflights in Autumn 2005. As with any start up, long term careerpossibilities are a big question as most start ups eventuallyfail.
In all, the opportunities for you in the airline industry haveimproved. While pay for hourly workers is generally low thebenefits, including flight privileges, are usually fairly good.In spite of everything, the airline industry remains a point ofinterest for so many people and with decreasing fuel prices andstrength in the economy, the job market for customer servicepersonnel is on an upswing.
About the author:
Matt Keegan is the proprietor of a flourishing article writing,web design, and marketing business based in North Carolina, USA.He manages a number of sites including the
Corporate Flight AttendantCommunity and the AviationEmployment Board.
