Most travelers think of flight attendants as the men and women who provide drinks and snacks during the flight, but they actually play a much more important role. Flight attendants are responsible for the safety of passengers as well as their comfort, and are the first responders to any type of emergency during the flight. Preparing for this role requires a significant amount of training and education, and for those wishing to become a Delta Airlines flight attendant, this means completing a comprehensive training course.

Skills and Qualifications

In order to qualify to be a flight attendant at Delta Airlines, you must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma and have the legal authorization to work in the United States. You should be comfortable flying and working an erratic schedule. There are no height or weight requirements, but you must be able to physically fulfill the duties of your position and complete the training course, much of which is physical in nature. You will need good people skills in order to interact pleasantly with the wide variety of customers you will come in contact with on a daily basis. Sometimes, Delta looks specifically for bilingual job candidates, but this is not always the case.

Training Course

Once hired as a flight attendant, you will complete Delta flight attendant training, a paid eight-week program. Delta's training facilities are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Atlanta, Georgia. These facilities have classrooms, airplane simulators, fire training pits, ditching pools and door trainers. You will be trained to help passengers board and disembark, stow bags properly and serve food and drink. You will also learn how to respond in an emergency; this includes learning medical procedures such as CPR, taking defense courses to defend yourself against unruly passengers and learning how to operate various emergency equipment on the plane, including emergency exits, oxygen masks and life rafts.

Required Certifications

Delta flight attendant school serves to prepare you for any situation that may arise and to help you gain your certification. Flight Attendant Certification is required by the Federal Aviation Administration and is required of any flight attendant who works on transport category aircraft. The certificate shows that you have demonstrated proficiency in safety, security and emergency protocols. At the end of your eight-week training course, you will receive your Flight Attendant Certification, which you must have before you can begin working.

How to Apply

Delta Airlines accepts applications for flight attendant positions through its website. Once on the website, you can create a profile and apply for any listed open positions. You also can enter referrals if you were referred to the position from a current Delta Airlines employee. Once you have created a profile, you can use that profile to apply for new positions as they open up.