The selection of flight attendants for the 2010 Asian Games kicked off in Guangzhou on August 9, with a record number of applicants. About 10,000 people are competing for 400 positions offered by China Southern Airlines (CSN). CSN, which is a sponsor of the games, will be catering to athletes, referees, officials, news reporters and visitors flying to Guangzhou for the sports meet. The flight attendants will serve on flights to Guangzhou during the games, as volunteers at games venues and as 'image ambassadors' for the games. CSN said about 40 per cent of the applicants had education levels of a Bachelor's degree or higher. Liu Lu, a final year student at the Zhengzhou Institute of Aeronautical Industry Management, said she was chasing her dream. 'It has always been my dream to become a flight attendant and I will try my best to overcome any difficulties in the selection process.' Cai Beibei, who has been studying at Ryukoku University in Japan came to Shenzhen for her summer holidays, also applied as soon as she heard of the opportunity. The main reason for the huge number of applicants is the relatively high pay. The starting salary is about 5,000 yuan (HK$5,673) - far more than the average 2,000 yuan for university graduates in other industries. Also, the position is regarded as prestigious and a valuable addition to a resum? Lu Yubin, a chief attendant at CSN, said: 'A fresh attendant can earn 5,000 to 6,000 yuan per month. After two or three months, if they become an experienced attendant they can get 8,000 yuan per month. If they are promoted to a chief attendant, the monthly income is about 12,000 yuan.'
