Airline customer service agents are responsible for ensuring that passengers and baggage board the correct aircraft safely and efficiently. Also known as passenger service agents or check in assistants, they will usually work for individual handling agents on behalf of an airline.

Typical duties include:

• dealing with passenger enquiries about flight departures and arrivals
• checking passengers in
• allocating seat numbers
• issuing boarding passes and luggage labels
• weighing baggage and taking any excess charges
• escorting passengers to and from aircraft
• taking special care of people with special access needs and unaccompanied children
• calming and reassuring nervous passengers.

The work may sometimes involve helping passengers through immigration and customs or escorting passengers who have night flight connections. Customer service agents may also specialise in different areas of work, such as computer control.

Hours and Environment

Airports operate long hours so airline customer service agents are often required to work shifts.

As a customer service agent you may be based behind a check in desk for the majority of your time. You may also need to do a lot of walking from one part of the airport to another.

Skills and Interests

To be a customer service agent you should:

• enjoy working with the public and meeting new people
• have strong written and spoken communication skills
• be physically fit
• have a patient and reassuring manner
• be polite and tactful
• have a smart tidy appearance - a uniform will be provided
• be a team player.

Entry

There are no fixed entry requirements for becoming an airline customer service agent, although many employers will ask for GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) in subjects such as English and mathematics, or equivalent qualifications. Some employers may also ask you to take a medical test.

Other requirements may include:

• previous experience of working in a customer service role
• the ability to speak a foreign language
• living near the airport or having  your own transport or good access to public transport that matches shift patterns.

Distance can often be a factor as airports locations tend to be far from town or city centres. 

Training

Once you are employed as an airline customer service agent, your initial training programme will normally last around four to eight weeks full-time and cover:

• basic procedures
• familiarisation with the airport
• security training
• emergency and evacuation procedures
• using the public address system
• manual handling, eg heavy lifting and pushing wheelchairs.

This may be followed by further on-the-job training which could include shadowing existing staff.

As an airline customer service assistant you can also work towards several relevant formal qualifications:

• EMTA Awards Ltd (EAL)/City and Guilds NVQ Level 2 in Providing Aviation Operations on the Ground
• EMTA Awards Ltd (EAL)/City and Guilds NVQ Level 3 in Co-ordinating Aviation Operations on the Ground
• Edexcel BTEC Level 3 National Award, Certificate and Diploma in Airline and Airport Operations
• NCFE Level 2 Certificate for Airport Passenger Service Agents

Other relevant qualifications include the NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 in Customer Service. You may also be asked by your employer to take a first aid certificate.

Opportunities

Most opportunities for customer service agents can be found at London’s two major airports – Heathrow and Gatwick  – and also in UK regional airports including Stansted, Manchester, East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford, Birmingham and Glasgow.

Working as a customer service agent can lead to openings in other areas of work. You may be able to progress to a management position, for example flight dispatcher which involves overseeing all aspects of the turnaround of aircrafts. Many customer service agents train to become air cabin crew. See the separate Air Cabin Crew profile for further details.

You will find vacancies advertised on most handling agents' and major airlines' websites. You can also check the job sections of your local airports' websites and local newspapers, and visit airport job centres.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

On entry customer service agents earn around £10,000 to £13,000 a year.
Experienced customer service agents can earn £14,000 to £20,000 a year.

Customer service agents may receive extra allowances for working overtime and unsocial hours, as well as for special skills such as foreign languages. Some airlines provide subsidised travel after a qualifying period.

Further information

Citygate
St James' Boulevard
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 4JE
0191 239 8000 Concorde House
Trinity Park
Solihull
Birmingham
B37 7UQ
Tel: 0121 635 5520 Customer Services
SEMTA House
14 Upton Road
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD18 0JT
Tel: 0870 240 6889 Tel: 020 7294 2800