Dragonair eyes to recruit 300 more flight attendants

The third recruitment day this year to cope with the increasing passenger volume and flight frequency.

Dragonair on Monday announced that it will organise another cabin crew recruitment day at the end of October.

Dragonair is inviting more high-calibre candidates to join its professional team, after the cabin crew recruited earlier this year have already completed training and started inflight duty. The upcoming recruitment day is organised to cope with the growing volume of passengers, flight frequency increase as well as future business development. This recruitment exercise is the third one this year. The airline expects to recruit around 300 flight attendants from now until next year, according to a Dragonair report.

Interested applicants are welcome to register in-person on 31 October, 2010 at Regal Airport Hotel, Hong Kong International Airport. From 9am to 2pm on the recruitment day, all qualified candidates will be registered and invited for first round of interviews. There is no quota on the number of registration.

Dragonair General Manager Inflight Services Cecilia Leung said: “Airline business is a dynamic and challenging industry. To young people interested in joining the service industry, cabin crew offers an attractive career in terms of salary and benefits, the experience and exposure gained on the job, as well as the training opportunity provided.“

Ms Leung continued, “Cabin crew is not only a job, it is an excellent starting point for long term career development. The career path can lead to different opportunities and career advancement in the airline industry. The overwhelming response we received at the two recruitment days held earlier this year further confirm the attractiveness of this profession. We believe the upcoming recruitment day will continue to attract passionate and committed high-calibre candidates.”

Earlier in June and September, Dragonair organised two recruitment days and hired about 120 flight attendants. Some of them have already completed the training programme and started inflight duty.

Kana Wong, a cabin crew inductee who has just finished training in October and started her flight duty, said that the job of cabin crew is very different from her previous job at office. During the 7-week intensive training programme, each inductee has to learn a wide range of skills and knowledge.

Trainee must also pass a series of assessments during training. “I am lucky to have a group of great colleagues. We supported and encouraged each other throughout the training. It made me appreciate the Dragonair working culture, which is about close relationship and teamwork. After I officially began inflight duty, I feel more strongly about the importance of cooperation and teamwork,” Kana said, “I am also very impressed by the training on flight safety, including emergency procedures and first aid, which has greatly enhanced our safety awareness and our sense of responsibility and commitment to ensure the safety of the hundreds of passengers onboard.”

As a cabin crew, the career prospects are broad and wide. Based on seniority and performance, a cabin crew can be promoted to supervisory positions such as Purser. Opportunities are also available for on-ground supporting roles and even management positions. Billy Au, Manager Manpower and Bases, was a cabin crew for a few years. He appreciates the experience which equipped him with thorough understanding of frontline work. Billy said,

“Aviation industry involves diverse areas. My experience as a cabin crew allowed me to understand the frontline duties, the actual working environment, as well as its limitations and requirements. I also worked at the Operations Department and Corporate Communication Department. My inflight working experience benefits me in working at different positions and provides me with greater room for career advancement.”

Successful candidates will begin a comprehensive seven-week training programme in December that will equip them with the knowledge and skills needed for the Flight Attendant role - including service procedures, safety, security, food and beverage, and aircraft knowledge - to help them deliver the consistently high level of service for which Dragonair is renowned.

Dragonair, an affiliate member of oneworld, is a Hong Kong-based airline operating a fleet of 31 passenger aircraft and serving 30 regional destinations, including 17 cities in Mainland China. Dragonair has been recognised for its product and service quality, and was voted “World's Best Regional Airline” in the annual World Airline Survey run by Skytrax in 2010. Dragonair is part of the Cathay Pacific Group, providing seamless connectivity for passengers to more than 110 cities around the globe.