Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to provide high quality customer service to passengers on a commercial aircraft, including providing appropriate assistance to passengers in conjunction with other members of cabin service team prior to departure, during flight and on arrival at a destination. It also includes advising passengers on cabin features and amenities, using cabin facilities and amenities, providing support to other crew members, and carrying out required administrative procedures. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Application of the Unit 

Work must be carried out in accordance with workplace procedures and relevant regulatory requirements including OH&S.

Use for ADF Aviation is to be in accordance with relevant Defence Orders and Instructions and applicable CASA compliance.

Work is performed under some supervision usually within a team environment.

Work involves the application of customer service principles and procedures, regulations, safety codes, security regulations and protocols to the provision of customer service to passengers on commercial aircraft across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry.

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Provide customer service prior to departure 

1.1 Passengers are met and welcomed on boarding the aircraft in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

1.2 Boarding passes are checked to confirm correct flight and seating, and passengers are directed to their seat locations in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

1.3 Carry-on baggage is monitored to ensure that it does not exceed allowable limits, and if limits are exceeded appropriate action is taken to remove it to hold stowage

1.4 Passengers are assisted to stow cabin baggage and personal items in accordance with regulatory requirements

1.5 Action is taken to ensure passengers are promptly seated with their seat belts correctly fastened in accordance with regulatory requirements

1.6 Passengers with special needs are appropriately assisted

1.7 Passengers sitting over the wings and passengers with special needs are given individual briefings in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

1.8 Appropriate responses are made to passengers' queries and requests

1.9 Passenger pre-departure cabin service items are offered as appropriate

1.10 Customer service is suspended during take-off of the aircraft

2 Advise on and use cabin features and amenities 

2.1 Passengers are advised on the relevant features and amenities available including those available for passengers with special needs

2.2 Cabin equipment and amenities are used in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

2.3 Cabin equipment and amenities are correctly stowed after use in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

3 Provide customer service during flight 

3.1 Toilets and facilities are periodically checked and serviced to ensure that they meet workplace standards and are adequately stocked with relevant resources

3.2 Passengers' safety, security and comfort needs are anticipated and appropriate action is taken and responses made

3.3 Aircraft cabin is patrolled to confirm passengers' safety and comfort needs are being adequately satisfied in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

4 Provide customer service on arrival 

4.1 Passengers are assisted in accessing baggage and personal items

4.2 Advice is provided on local time and weather conditions where applicable

4.3 Appropriate information is provided about terminal facilities and transport options

4.4 Passengers with special needs are assisted as appropriate in accordance with workplace procedures and regulatory requirements

4.5 Passengers are farewelled courteously in accordance with workplace procedures

4.6 Passengers are guided to the appropriate exit

5 Provide support to other members of the aircraft crew 

5.1 Appropriate assistance is provided to other team members of the cabin crew in accordance with workplace procedures

5.2 Other members of the crew are advised of any variations to workplace procedures

5.3 Meals and refreshments are served to the flight crew in accordance with workplace procedures and flight schedule

6 Carry out administrative procedures 

6.1 Workplace administrative procedures are identified and interpreted

6.2 Administrative procedures are implemented in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements

6.3 All required aircraft documentation/data capture is completed in accordance with workplace requirements

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

This describes the essential knowledge and skills and their level required for this unit.

Required knowledge :

• Relevant regulatory requirements

• Relevant OH&S, hygiene and environmental procedures and regulations

• Relevant customs, quarantine, equal opportunity and anti-discrimination regulations

• Principles of customer service

• Airline standards for providing appropriate assistance and advice to passengers prior to take-off, during flight and on arrival

• Action to be taken in response to flight crew instructions

• The requirements for cabin crew to suspend customer service and be seated during both take-off and landing and when otherwise directed by the pilot in command, or other senior air crew

• Airline administrative procedures

• Cabin features and amenities for various types of aircraft

• Features and amenities of terminals at designated airports

• Transport options at designated airports

• Problems that may need to be addressed when providing customer service and action that can be taken to address them

Required skills :

• Communicate effectively with others when providing customer service on an aircraft

• Read and interpret instructions, regulations, procedures and other information relevant to providing customer service on an aircraft

• Interpret and follow operational instructions and prioritise work

• Complete documentation related to providing customer service on an aircraft

• Operate electronic communication equipment to required protocol

• Work collaboratively with others when providing customer service on an aircraft

• Adapt appropriately to individual differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour and interactions with others

• Promptly report and/or rectify any identified problems that may occur when providing customer service on an aircraft in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

• Implement contingency plans for unexpected events that may arise when providing customer service on an aircraft

• Apply precautions and required actions to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist when providing customer service on an aircraft

• Monitor and anticipate operational problems and hazards and take appropriate action

• Monitor work activities in terms of planned schedule

• Modify activities dependent on differing workplace contingencies, situations and environments

• Work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

• Adapt to differences in equipment and operating environment in accordance with standard operating procedures

• Select and use required personal protective equipment conforming to industry and OH&S standards

• Implement OH&S procedures and relevant regulations

• Identify and correctly use equipment required to provide customer service on an aircraft

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required knowledge and skills, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

• The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit and include demonstration of applying:
• the underpinning knowledge and skills
• relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• other relevant aspects of the range statement

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Performance is demonstrated consistently over a period of time and in a suitable range of contexts
• Resources for assessment include:
• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
• access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace
• In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:
• relevant and appropriate materials and equipment, and
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment 

• Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
• As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests
• Practical assessment must occur:
• through activities in an appropriately simulated environment at the registered training organisation, and/or
• in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance.

Customer service may be provided:

• on any passenger-carrying aircraft type in commercial service
• during short and/or long haul services
• in any category of service, including economy, business and first class
• in any allowable operating and weather conditions
• in accordance with regulatory and operational requirements

Performance may be demonstrated:

• on an approved cabin service simulator
• in a suitably simulated work environment
• on a passenger-carrying aircraft

Aircraft features and amenities may include:

• toilets
• cabin crew alert buttons
• wheelchairs and equipment for aiding disabled passengers
• seat controls and adjustments
• equipment for use with babies
• audio-visual equipment
• overhead lockers
• telephone
• movie screens
• in-flight entertainment resources such as in-seat videos

Terminal facilities may include:

• baggage carousel locations
• transit lounges
• airline clubs/lounges
• food outlets and restaurants
• ATMs, banks and money/travellers' cheques exchange services
• duty free shopping
• customs services

Transport options may include:

• buses
• trains
• taxis
• hire cars
• shuttle buses
• rental vehicle services

Persons consulted may include:

• passengers
• other cabin crew and flight crew members
• ground staff
• catering staff
• aircraft resourcing staff
• technical staff

Dependent on the type of organisation concerned and the local terminology used, workplace procedures may be referred to as:

• company procedures
• enterprise procedures
• organisational procedures
• established procedures
• standard operating procedures

Information/documents may include:

• sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders and other regulations relevant to cabin service and safety operations
• airline procedures and instructions and job specification
• OH&S regulations and procedures
• cabin service checklists and procedures
• cabin equipment operational manuals
• emergency procedures
• flight passenger schedules
• information on terminal facilities and transport options at designated airports
• induction and training materials
• conditions of service, legislation and industrial agreements including workplace agreements and awards

Applicable regulations and legislation may include:

• relevant requirements, standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• relevant Australian Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders
• Civil Aviation Act
• relevant OH&S legislation
• environmental protection legislation
• relevant food handling and hygiene legislation
• equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation
• relevant customs and quarantine regulations
• relevant Australian Standards
• industrial relations and workplace compensation legislation

Competency Field 

I - Customer Service