BEIJING: Chinese airlines undertaking the biggest hiring drives in more than three years as travel rebounds are facing a deluge of applicants for cabin crew roles as fresh university graduates turn to the relatively high-paying career in a bleak job market.
In contrast to Western countries, where cabin crew roles are relatively low-paid and mostly do not require a university degree, becoming a flight attendant in China typically requires a bachelor's degree and preferably passing a challenging government-administrated English test.
During the pandemic, the total number of flight attendants in China fell by around 11,000, or an 11% drop from the pre-pandemic level of 108,955 in 2019, according to data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), due to attrition rather than the widespread layoffs seen in the West.
Carriers including Xiamen Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Spring Airlines are now on a hiring spree as domestic travel recovers and they plan to resume flights to popular international destinations.
They can pick from an overwhelming number of applicants at a time when a record 11.58 million college graduates are about to enter one of the country's worst job markets in decades. The gloomy global economic outlook has weakened export demand and companies in sectors like technology, education and property are cutting staff.
Hainan Airlines 600221.SS, which plans to hire more than 1,000 flight attendants this year, has already received more than 20,000 applications, it told Reuters.
Its job fair held in Jinan in February attracted 900 candidates and the company hired just 60 people, meaning a selection rate of around 6%.
China Southern, which plans to hire 3,000 cabin crew this year, said it already had more than seven times as many applicants by the end of December.
Before the pandemic, around 10% of cabin crew applications were typically successful, industry experts said.
"There have always been a large number of young girls and boys who want to do this job, as the income is not bad, usually between 10,000 ($1,454) and 20,000 yuan a month, and it is fun, allowing you to fly around the world," said Li Hanming, an independent expert on China's aviation industry.
In 2021, only 6.1% of fresh college graduates earned more than 10,000 yuan a month, the Global Times reported in February, citing education consulting and research institute MyCOS.
Wang Shenbo, who applied for a flight attendant role at Hainan Airlines, said the majority of his classmates were continuing to study for a master's degree in hopes of getting even better paid jobs.
"Some of them are not interested in the work of flight attendants, unlike me... and many of my classmates have found a job but are dissatisfied with the salary level," he told Reuters.
HIGH FARES
Despite the surge in job seekers, airlines may find it difficult to deploy new hires immediately because of year-long ground training courses, which could slow their efforts to boost capacity quickly and keep airfares high, Li said.
"Carriers have pretty bright forecast for 2024 so they need to hire crew members now, otherwise they will be short of hands next year," he added.
China's domestic capacity surpassed 2019 levels from mid-March, but international flights have recovered to just 30% of pre-pandemic levels, according to data from flight tracking app Flight Master.
As the peak summer season approaches, Chinese airlines are adding international capacity. Flag carrier Air China, HK, for example, said it would return to pre-pandemic routes including Beijing-Rome, Beijing-Ho Chi Minh City and Chengdu-London.
But for now the limited capacity has led to higher fares.
"I paid 18,000 yuan for a one-way economy ticket to fly from Frankfurt to Beijing," said Jin Huo, a businessman, "I used to pay a third (of that) for a round trip."
Reuters
Tue Apr 11 2023
An applicant is measured for height during a recruiting session for cabin crew jobs at Hainan Airlines in Beijing, China. - REUTERS
Kempen PRK KKB lancar setakat ini - Polis Selangor
Kempen PRK DUN KKB yang memasuki hari ketiga hari ini berjalan lancar dan tiada sebarang insiden tidak diingini dilaporkan setakat ini.
Buletin AWANI Khas: Asia Barat sedang ‘Stress’: Dialog menteri-menteri dunia Arab
Situasi meruncing di Gaza, konflik Iran-Israel dan ditambah pula persaingan kuat dua kuasa, Amerika Syarikat dan China dilihat terus membayangi percaturan geopolitik dan geoekonomi negara-negara Islam di Asia Barat. Beberapa Menteri Luar negara-negara Arab duduk sepentas di Mesyuarat Khas WEF, Riyadh dalam sesi ini.
#SpecialMeeting24
#SpecialMeeting24
AWANI Ringkas: Projek NTC | Sindiket Dadah
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Kilang cat terbakar, dua sekolah di Meru diarah ditutup
Penutupan dua buah sekolah terlibat iaitu SK Meru dan Sekolah Rendah Agama Meru 2 itu dibuat atas faktor keselamatan.
AWANI 7:45 [29/04/2024] – Meja bulat bersama 50 pemimpin industri dunia | Penggunaan komersial capai 80 peratus
PM yakin Malaysia jadi destinasi pelabur bernilai tinggi.
Kerajaan perkenal program solar untuk pengguna komersial.
Kelas Terapung dilaksana kawasan penduduk kepadatan tinggi.
Laporan Bank Dunia dedah hanya 58 peratus pelajar mahir membaca menjelang akhir darjah 5.
Kerajaan perkenal program solar untuk pengguna komersial.
Kelas Terapung dilaksana kawasan penduduk kepadatan tinggi.
Laporan Bank Dunia dedah hanya 58 peratus pelajar mahir membaca menjelang akhir darjah 5.
Malaysia perlu berani menentang Denmark
Hanya kemenangan menentang Denmark, kuasa besar badminton dunia, dalam aksi penting Kumpulan D Piala Thomas 2024 esok akan membawa Malaysia mendahului carta kedudukan.
Indonesia sokong pendekatan Malaysia bantu bangun 'peradaban' banduan Indonesia
Penjara bukan semata-mata tempat menghukum tetapi mentransformasikan ia sebagai institusi pendidikan yang memberi peluang kepada penghuni.
Polis tembak kereta mewah bawa dadah lebih RM100,000
Polis terpaksa melepaskan tembakan bagi mengawal keadaan selepas pemandu kenderaan terbabit bertindak agresif dan cuba merempuh anggota polis .
Polis siasat dakwaan pusat keagamaan di Nilai lakukan aktiviti mencurigakan
Ketua Polis Negeri Sembilan Datuk Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof berkata pihaknya menerima laporan berhubung perkara tersebut Jumat lepas.
Semua laluan Malaysia-Thai di daerah Tak Bai, Sungai Golok, Weng ditutup sementara
Jalan ke Sungai Golok dari daerah Tak Bai ditutup untuk pemeriksaan selepas skuad pemusnah bom menemukan paku bertaburan di jalan raya.
China hantar dua pesawat bawa pulang pelancong di Malaysia, Thailand
Syarikat penerbangan Xiamen Airlines dilaporkan menerbangkan pesawatnya ke Kota Kinabalu, Sabah dan Thailand untuk bawa pulang lebih 200 pelancong Hubei yang terkandas penularan koronavirus di Wuhan.
Insiden pesawat terbabas di landasan punca penerbangan di Filipina batal, dilencong
Sebuah pesawat penumpang Xiamen Airlines terbabas sebelum terkeluar dari landasan itu pada lewat malam Khamis, menyebabkan penerbangan dibatalkan.