The Flight Attendant Medical Exam: What to Expect and How to Prepare

You have made it through the application, the video interview, the assessment day, and the panel interview. The airline likes you. Now they send you for a medical examination before they finalise your offer. For a lot of candidates, this is the stage that causes the most anxiety, mostly because nobody tells them exactly what is involved.

I want to fix that. After 45 years in aviation, I have seen every variation of the medical process across Australian and international carriers. Here is what it actually involves, what can cause problems, and what you can do to prepare.

Why Airlines Require a Medical

Cabin crew perform safety-critical work at altitude, under pressure, for extended periods. The medical is not a formality. Airlines need to know that you are physically capable of operating emergency equipment, lifting overhead baggage, spending 14 hours in a pressurised cabin, and responding to a medical emergency with clear thinking and full capability. The medical is about the safety of everyone on board, including you.

The specific requirements vary between airlines, but the core elements are consistent across Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates, and most major carriers.

General Health Assessment

The doctor conducting your medical will review your overall health. This typically includes blood pressure and heart rate, height and weight, skin and dental assessment, and a general physical examination. They are looking for any conditions that could affect your ability to perform cabin crew duties safely or that could deteriorate at altitude.

Being fit and healthy is an advantage, but this is not a fitness test. The standard is functional fitness, not elite athlete fitness. If you have a chronic health condition, the relevant question is whether it is well managed and whether it affects your capacity to do the job. Be honest with the medical examiner. Withholding information that later comes to light during training or employment can result in termination and damage your reputation in an industry where word travels.

Vision

You do not need perfect vision. What you need is corrected vision that meets the airline's standard. For most Australian carriers, corrected visual acuity of 6/9 or better in each eye is the target, which is roughly equivalent to 20/30 in American notation.

Glasses and contact lenses are both acceptable. Some airlines have restrictions on very high prescriptions, typically above plus or minus five dioptres, because of the risk of complications during pressurisation. If your prescription is in that range, it is worth checking the specific airline's requirements before you get too far into the process.

Colour vision is also assessed. You need to be able to distinguish between the colours used in safety equipment and emergency lighting. Full colour vision is preferred, but mild colour deficiency does not automatically disqualify candidates at all carriers. It depends on the airline and the degree of deficiency.

Before your medical, see an optometrist for a check-up if you have not had one recently. Make sure your glasses or contact lens prescription is current. If you wear contacts, bring your glasses as a backup. Do not arrive at a medical examination squinting to read the eye chart because your prescription is two years out of date.

Hearing

Your hearing is tested with an audiogram. The standard required is the ability to hear clearly in a pressurised environment and to communicate effectively over aircraft interphone and public address systems. Mild hearing loss at certain frequencies may not be disqualifying, but significant loss in the speech range typically is.

If you have any concerns about your hearing, see an audiologist before your medical. Clear, cerumen-free ears make a measurable difference to audiogram results. If you attend concerts or work in noisy environments, use hearing protection now. The cumulative damage from noise exposure is real and irreversible.

Drug and Alcohol Screening

You will be required to provide a urine sample for drug and alcohol screening. This is non-negotiable and non-negotiably disqualifying if the result is positive. The screening typically covers cannabis, opiates, amphetamines, cocaine, and benzodiazepines.

Recreational cannabis use is legal in some jurisdictions, but THC remains detectable in urine for up to 30 days after use for regular users. If this applies to you, you need to factor that into your timeline. Airlines operate in a safety-critical environment governed by strict drug and alcohol policies, and there is no appeal process for a positive screening result.

Mental Health

Most airlines do not conduct formal psychological testing as part of the pre-employment medical for cabin crew. However, the examining doctor will typically ask questions about your mental health history, including any treatment for anxiety, depression, or other conditions.

A history of mental health treatment is not automatically disqualifying. What matters is the nature of the condition, whether it is well managed, and whether it could affect your capacity to respond in an emergency. Stability and good management are far more relevant than the presence of a diagnosis in your history.

Be honest. If you are seeing a psychologist or taking medication, disclose it. The risk of concealment is much higher than the risk of honest disclosure with good medical management in place.

Skin and Dental

Emirates in particular is known for a thorough skin and dental assessment. They are looking at the overall appearance you will present in uniform, including skin conditions that are visible on the hands, neck, or face, and the condition and alignment of teeth.

This does not mean you need to be flawless. It means your presentation should be clean, healthy, and professional. Severe active acne, visible skin conditions that affect your overall appearance in uniform, or significant dental issues may be flagged.

If you have concerns about either of these, address them before you reach the medical stage. A consultation with a dermatologist or dentist before your application process is money well spent if you are targeting Emirates or another carrier with high presentation standards.

The Water Safety Test

This is not part of the formal medical at most airlines, but it often happens at the same stage of the process. Qantas requires candidates to swim 50 metres and tread water for at least three minutes. Virgin Australia has a similar requirement. The test is done in a pool with a lifeguard present.

If you are not a confident swimmer, start training now. Do not wait until the week before your assessment. Swimming 50 metres and treading water for three minutes is not difficult for a competent swimmer, but it is very difficult if you are out of practice or uncomfortable in the water. Candidates fail this test every intake, and it is entirely preventable.

Background and Documentation Checks

Running alongside the medical, airlines conduct background checks. These include identity verification, right-to-work confirmation, reference checks, and a police and criminal history check. In some cases you will also need to provide an ASIC (Aviation Security Identification Card) application or equivalent.

Gather your documentation early. You will need your passport, birth certificate or equivalent, employment references, and any relevant certificates. Having these ready before you are asked saves time and signals professionalism.

A minor criminal history does not automatically disqualify you, but certain offences, particularly drug-related, dishonesty, or serious violence convictions, can prevent the issuance of an ASIC. If you have any history you are concerned about, it is worth getting independent advice before you invest heavily in the recruitment process.

A Final Word on Being Honest

The candidates who run into serious problems at the medical stage are almost always the ones who tried to conceal something. A condition that is disclosed upfront and well-managed is far less of a problem than one that is discovered later. Airlines are not looking for perfection. They are looking for candidates who are fit for purpose, honest about their health, and capable of doing the job safely.

If you are concerned about a specific condition and how it might affect your eligibility, speak to your GP before your medical. Get a clear picture of where you stand before you get to the airline's examiner. That way you walk into the medical prepared, not anxious.

The medical exam is the final gate before your training offer. With the right preparation, it should be straightforward. If you want help understanding what to expect at each stage of the full recruitment process, my Interview Preparation Manual covers the complete picture including airline-specific requirements. And if you want to talk through any aspect of your preparation, my coaching sessions are available face-to-face or via Teams from anywhere in Australia.

You have done the hard work to get this far. Do not let the medical be the thing that stops you when a bit of preparation could have made all the difference.