Flight Attendant Career: Excellence at 30,000 Feet

For Starr Benson, becoming a Flight Attendant wasn’t part of her career plan. Now, almost a decade later, Starr is working as a Republic Airways^® Flight Attendant Recruiter, helping others get ahead in their own aviation careers. We sat down with Starr to talk about what it means to be a Flight Attendant at Republic Airways and what her career on the corporate side looks like.

Personal Career Growth

Starr had already enjoyed a fulfilling career in hospitality and was looking for a change. It was her family’s history in aviation that led her to a career in the skies. “My father was a pilot and Air Traffic Controller, and my nephew was a Republic Airways First Officer at the time,” she says.

It was Starr’s nephew who initially suggested a career as a Flight Attendant. “I told him if I was younger, I would give it a try, but they probably weren’t hiring people at my stage of life,” she remembers. “He assured me I’d be a good fit.”

Starr spent seven years as a Flight Attendant before pursuing a corporate career as a Recruiter. “I didn’t take a very conventional route to become a Flight Attendant,” she explains. “Even so, Republic Airways still supported my career growth.”

Culture Makes the Difference

As a Flight Attendant, having a solid culture is key. “If you’re having issues on day one, imagine what day four is going to be like,” Starr says.

She has experienced the Republic Airways culture both as a Flight Attendant and a Recruiter. “It’s the thing that brings people here and the thing that makes them stay.” Starr continues, “I know it’s cliché to say ‘We’re a family,’ but it really does feel like that here.” Starr adds that it’s an ever-growing family. “The longer you work here, the more trips you take, the more people you meet and the bigger that family grows.”

Supporting the Next Generation

Now that Starr is on the corporate side of Republic Airways, her focus is on the next generation of Flight Attendants. For her, that starts with honesty. “I always hear that people want to become Flight Attendants because they love to travel,” she says. “While that is a great aspect of the career, we look for candidates who embrace change and will provide exceptional customer service while keeping safety for passengers and crews their top priority.”

She walks candidates through the realities of the job. From the intensive four-week training to the long trips away from home. “I want the best of the best on our team,” she says. “I need to make sure they’re prepared to work in a dynamic airline operation.”

Her honesty is appreciated. “I often get emails or letters from candidates I’ve brought on thanking me for preparing them for their careers,” Starr mentions. “It helps that every one of our Flight Attendant Recruiters was a Flight Attendant themselves.”

While she wants to keep candidates grounded in their expectations, she’s also quick to share the many benefits of a Flight Attendant career. “For me, it’s the people,” Starr says. “Getting to work alongside a crew you can count on. Helping passengers get to wherever they need to be safely. Having that direct connection with all kinds of people is by far the best part of this career.”

If you’re interested in a career as a Flight Attendant, learn more right here on our website.