Airline customer service agent
Make sure that passengers and their luggage get on the right aeroplane safely and on time.
Also known as: airline/airport passenger service assistant, check-in assistant, passenger handling agent, passenger service agent
About the job
What it's like
As as airline customer service agent you'll help passengers and their luggage to get on the right aeroplane safely and on time.
You'll welcome passengers, check their passports and ask them questions, for example about their luggage or their reason for travel.
You'll reassure anxious passengers and explain the procedures to people who are not used to flying. It's important to be calm and patient with people who are annoyed or upset after a tiring or delayed journey.
Usually you'll work for an airline, or for a ground services agent on behalf of an airline.
Your main tasks could include:
dealing with passenger enquiries about flight departures and arrivals
checking passengers in to their flight
giving boarding passes and luggage labels
telling passengers about luggage restrictions and checking if they've packed any banned items
weighing baggage and collecting excess weight charges
helping unaccompanied children and people with support needs
You may sometimes help passengers through immigration and customs, or escort passengers who have flight connections. You could also specialise in different areas of airport work, such as computer control.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Take Off In Travel – check out this website guide to job opportunities in travel and tourism
Loganair Careers – find out what it's like to work for this Scottish airline
Like the sound of this career?
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Airline customer service agent'
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Airport information assistant
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Tourism and hospitality
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- attention to detail
- respecting
- empathising
- verbal communication
- cooperating
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Cantonese
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English and Communication
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French
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Gaelic (Learners)
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German
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Italian
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Mandarin
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Spanish
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Skills for Work: Travel and Tourism
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Urdu
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Modern Languages
There are no formal qualifications required but competition for these jobs can be strong, so it's useful to gain some knowledge and skills.
College
Search for qualifications and experience that show an interest in travel, tourism or hospitality such as:
Travel and Tourism
Customer Care
Modern Languages for Life and Work
Air Cabin Crew And Aviation Operations
Use the My World of Work course search to find college courses.
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in Customer Service, Retail and Travel.
Discover Modern Apprenticeships on Apprenticeships.scot.
Work
You could become an airline customer service agent through applying directly with an employer or getting an entry-level job and working your way up. You can use the My World of Work job search to find job vacancies.
The ability to speak a second or third language can be very useful for this role.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become an airline customer service agent. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
To pass security checks – see United Kingdom Security Vetting on the GOV.UK website.
To be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme run by Disclosure Scotland.
You may need to be 18 over years of age due to the various hours of work that may be required.
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