How to become a passenger attendant supervisor
Official title: Passenger attendant supervisor
Also called: Cabin crew manager, Inflight service manager, Deputy service manager
Passenger attendant supervisors manage or oversee passenger attendants who work on ships, planes and trains.
Main tasks
- Manage passenger attendants
- Explain safety and workplace rules
- Inspect facilities, equipment and supplies
- Make sure equipment works properly
- Evaluate attendant performance
- Order supplies and equipment
- Train passenger attendants
- Stay informed about business operations
How to become one
You need experience to become a passenger attendant supervisor and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Required: experience in similar work. Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Aviation (Flight Attendants) (Level 4) or similar; a relevant tertiary qualification in aerospace engineering and technology or similar area; to pass a medical assessment and drug test; a First Aid Certificate; to pass a police or security check.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in aircraft operation. TEC links this job to study in aerospace engineering and technology. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Aviation (General Aviation), NZ Dip in Aviation, NZ Dip in Aviation (Aeroplane Airline Preparation). Usually 1.5 to 2 years. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $51,000 a year one year after study and $71,000 five years after; 73% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $63,000 to $111,785 a year (median $98,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $53,105 a year · Upper: $124,570 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Strong increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 72 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
- Gambling manager
- Gambling surveillance officer
- Housekeeping supervisor
- Ticket collector and usher
- Amusement and recreation attendant
- Gambling cashier
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Questions people ask
How do I become a passenger attendant supervisor?
You need experience to become a passenger attendant supervisor and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Required: experience in similar work. Other requirements: a New Zealand Certificate in Aviation (Flight Attendants) (Level 4) or similar; a relevant tertiary qualification in aerospace engineering and technology or similar area; to pass a medical assessment and drug test; a First Aid Certificate; to pass a police or security check.
How much does a passenger attendant supervisor earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $98,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $63,000 to $111,785 a year.
Has the number of people working as a passenger attendant supervisor grown in New Zealand?
It has grown strongly: TEC records a strong increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026