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Cabin Crew Requirements: Height, Age, Tattoos & More
Every hard requirement explained — reach tests, tattoo policies, age limits, language rules — and which airlines are flexible about what.
7 min read · updated 2026-08-31
Height and reach: it's about the overhead bins
Airlines don't care about height for looks — they care that you can reach emergency equipment in the overhead compartments. That's why most requirements are phrased as arm reach: Emirates wants 212 cm (with a 160 cm minimum height), Qatar Airways wants 212 cm reach, Wizz Air wants 210 cm on tiptoes with no height minimum at all, and Ryanair uses a 157–188 cm height band.
Practical tip: measure your standing reach on tiptoes at home against a wall. Most people 158 cm and taller can hit 210–212 cm. If you're borderline, practice — reach improves with shoulder mobility.
Tattoo policies: the strictest rule in the industry
Tattoo policy is where airlines differ most. The Gulf three (Emirates, Qatar, Etihad) enforce zero tattoos visible in any uniform variant, and cover-up makeup or plasters are explicitly banned. US majors like American Airlines still require no visible tattoos.
The flexible carriers: Cathay Pacific relaxed its policy in 2023, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic accept small visible tattoos (not on face/neck), and several European low-cost carriers judge case-by-case. If you're inked, target these airlines first — and never lie on an application, because grooming checks at assessment days include hands, forearms and neck.
Age, education and documents
Minimum age is 18 for most European and Asian carriers, 21 for Emirates, Qatar Airways and most US majors. There is no upper age limit at most Western airlines — US carriers regularly hire crew in their 40s and 50s — while Gulf carriers in practice favor younger applicants for first hires.
Education: high school completion is the near-universal minimum. You'll also need a passport with at least 12 months' validity and no travel restrictions, plus a clean criminal record for security clearance.
Medical, swimming and the rest
You must pass an aviation medical: good general health, vision correctable to normal (glasses and contacts are fine at most airlines), and no conditions incompatible with cabin pressure work. Swimming 25–50 meters unaided is required for ditching training. Visible piercings beyond one pair of earrings, extreme hair colors and long nails all fail grooming standards at conservative carriers.
Do you actually meet the requirements?
Answer five questions about your age, reach, tattoos, languages and documents — we check them against every airline's published requirements and show you exactly where you stand.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be a flight attendant with glasses?
Yes at almost every airline, as long as your vision is correctable to the required standard. Some Asian carriers historically preferred contacts for the uniform look — check the specific airline.
Is there a weight requirement?
No airline publishes a weight number anymore. The standard is 'weight in proportion to height' and the practical test is fitting the jumpseat harness and moving through the cabin. Singapore Airlines and some Asian carriers assess this more strictly than Western airlines.
Do airlines accept married applicants or parents?
Western airlines: yes, no restrictions. Gulf carriers historically preferred single new joiners but have no formal ban; company housing is single-occupancy for new crew.
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