How to Become Cabin Crew in Sri Lanka 2026

To become cabin crew in Sri Lanka you need six G.C.E. O/L passes with a credit in English, the right age (18 to 27 in SriLankan Airlines' 2025 call) and height or arm reach (157.5 cm or 212 cm), good spoken English, and to pass the airline's selection and training. Cabin crew salary in Sri Lanka is roughly LKR 80,000 to 180,000 a month at a local airline, and far more with Gulf carriers.

This guide covers how to become an air hostess or steward with SriLankan Airlines and with Gulf airlines that recruit in Colombo. For detailed pay, see our air hostess salary guide and flight attendant salary page.

Steps to become an air hostess or flight attendant

1. 1

   Check you meet the basic requirements

   SriLankan Airlines' May 2025 cabin crew call asked for Sri Lankan citizens aged 18 to 27, with six passes at G.C.E. O/L in one sitting including a credit in English, a minimum height of 157.5 cm or an arm reach of 212 cm on tiptoes, and a body mass index within the airline's limits. That call was open to single female applicants. Requirements change from one recruitment to the next, so always read the current advert.

   • Age: 18 to 27 (SriLankan Airlines, 2025 call)
   • Education: 6 O/L passes in one sitting with a credit in English
   • Height 157.5 cm or 212 cm arm reach; BMI within limits
   • A/L is not required by that advert, but it helps at interview
2. 2

   Build your English and customer service skills

   Selected SriLankan Airlines candidates had to achieve IELTS Band 6 (former cabin crew were exempt). Gulf carriers also test spoken and written English, and look for customer service or hospitality experience. A second foreign language is an advantage.

   • Prepare for IELTS early: Band 6 was the SriLankan requirement
   • Hotel, restaurant, retail or front-office work builds the experience airlines want
   • Learn to swim confidently: Gulf airlines list it in their requirements
3. 3

   Apply when an airline advertises

   SriLankan Airlines recruits in batches and advertises in the press and on job sites. Emirates, Qatar Airways and other Gulf carriers hold assessment days or open days in Colombo, and also accept online applications.

   • Watch the SriLankan Airlines careers page and national newspapers
   • Register on Gulf airline careers sites to be told about Colombo assessment days
   • Prepare a clear CV and the full-length and passport photos airlines ask for
4. 4

   Pass the selection process

   Expect several rounds: document check and grooming check, height or reach test, group exercises, English tests, and a final interview. Gulf carriers often add an online assessment or video interview. Successful candidates then pass a medical.

   • Grooming: no visible tattoos in uniform areas for most airlines
   • Group tasks test teamwork and how you treat others
   • Final interview focuses on service attitude and handling difficult passengers
5. 5

   Complete airline training

   Every airline trains its own cabin crew in safety and emergency procedures, first aid, service and grooming before you fly. SriLankan Airlines runs its cabin crew training programme on a pay-as-you-earn basis. Private cabin crew courses in Colombo can help with interview preparation, but no airline requires them.

   • Safety and emergency procedures, including evacuation and ditching drills
   • First aid and aviation medical response
   • Service, grooming and cultural awareness modules
6. 6

   Fly, gain seniority and move up

   After training you fly as junior cabin crew, usually in economy. With experience you can move to premium cabins, then to purser or cabin supervisor roles, and later into training, recruitment or ground management.

   • Junior cabin crew to senior crew in premium cabins
   • Purser or cabin supervisor in charge of the cabin
   • Instructor, recruitment or in-flight management roles

Airline requirements compared

Based on published adverts and airline requirement summaries. Each recruitment drive can change the rules.

Cabin crew salary in Sri Lanka

SalaryLK editorial estimates, monthly, including typical flying allowances. Actual pay varies with flying hours, routes and overnight stops.

Company-specific pages: SriLankan Airlines salaries, Emirates and Qatar Airways. If you want to fly the aircraft instead, read how to become a pilot in Sri Lanka.

Pros and cons of a cabin crew career

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Cabin Crew - SriLankan Airlines Limited (May 2025 advert) - ColomboJobs
2. Emirates cabin crew requirements and qualifications - Cabin Crew HQ
3. SriLankan Airlines flight attendant requirements - Cabin Crew HQ