India's aviation boom gives cabin crew new wings

By Sunil Kataria

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) - Never mind the long hauls and the demanding passengers -- thousands of young Indians are enrolling at flight attendant schools for a sky-high career that promises generous pay and a glamorous lifestyle.

Most of the students -- from small towns and low-to-middle income families -- have never been inside an airplane or travelled outside India.

But they've been inspired by the breathtaking growth of India's aviation industry which has fuelled strong demand for staff, on the ground and in the sky.

"We heard this is a good career to get into. Our child will have a good future," said Lal Gurg, a grocery store owner who borrowed from friends and relatives to get his 21-year-old daughter, Anju, into a flight attendant training institute.

"She would be on her own, independent. She can even support us if the need be."

India's economy is booming as is the aviation industry, which officials estimate will attract investments worth $150 billion in the next 10 years. The travel market is also forecast to expand at more than 20 percent annually till 2010.

All of this has helped turn "cabin crew" into a desirable profession when 10 years ago, parents hoped their children would become doctors, engineers or civil servants.

FLYING HIGH

Air hostessing is also still seen as a glamorous job, where you can bump into celebrities, jet-set to exotic locations and attend fancy parties -- a lifestyle most wannabe attendants from modest backgrounds can only dream of.

Samire Walia of Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training says the modest academic qualifications required for the job, and its generous pay, has added to its appeal, especially among women who feel it empowers them in a male-dominated society.

"The reason why quite a few of the youngsters are coming in from the smaller cities and the smaller towns and even rural areas is because the basic minimum qualification required is low," Walia said. "The packages offered are very attractive."

With annual per capita income in India around $800 dollars, airline salaries offer young people from small rural towns a rare chance to join the middle class.

A flight attendant with no university degree pockets about 25,000 rupees ($640) a month, while a majority of graduates -- except those from top engineering and business schools -- would earn between 7,000 and 12,000 rupees.

But it's not all smooth flying for the thousands of hopefuls who join training institutes such as Frankfinn. Walia said many students lacked language and communication skills and had to be taught basics like etiquette and grooming.

But those who do make it through the programme, and get jobs, become instant stars among their peers.

"When you enter into the cabin with your trolley, everybody starts looking at you and you feel so nice," said Ranbir, a stewardess with a private airline who only gave her first name.

"So that way it is very glamorous. And when you are not on the job you can go to parties -- every day there are parties and you are going to meet so many famous people."