Transportation and Material Moving · Holland code RC
Aircraft Service Attendants
Service aircraft with fuel. May de-ice aircraft, refill water and cooling agents, empty sewage tanks, service air and oxygen systems, or clean and polish exterior.
Also called: Aircraft Deicer, Aircraft Refueler, Fueler, Refueler.
O*NET 53-6032.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $40,450
- Middle half earn $35,740 to $46,830. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Apply de-icing fluid to aircraft from baskets lifted by truck-mounted cranes.
- Tow aircraft to gates or hangars using tugs, tractors, or other vehicles.
- Refuel aircraft using hoses connected to fuel trucks.
- Guide aircraft to designated areas using hand signals, batons, or other methods.
- Radio to flight dispatchers or other personnel to discuss incoming or outgoing aircraft.
- Complete forms describing tasks completed.
- Empty aircraft lavatory systems or refill them with sanitizer fluid.
- Load baggage or cargo for crew or passengers.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening3.3 / 5
- Monitoring3.3 / 5
- Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
- Writing2.8 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Public Safety and Security4.0 / 5
- English Language3.9 / 5
- Education and Training3.5 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service3.5 / 5
- Transportation3.3 / 5
- Computers and Electronics2.9 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic85
- Investigative14
- Artistic0
- Social15
- Enterprising18
- Conventional53
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- aircraft fuel system operator · DE Flugzeugtankwart/Flugzeugtankwartin · FR avitailleur/avitailleuse
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Heavy and large goods vehicle drivers (8211)273,400 employed
- Aircraft maintenance and related trades (5234)17,600 employed
- Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c. (8229)53,000 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €40,086 |
| Germany | €38,638 |
| Austria | €38,194 |
| Sweden | €37,856 |
| Netherlands | €37,077 |
| Ireland | €36,098 |
| France | €27,145 |
| Italy | €26,488 |
| Spain | €22,817 |
| Portugal | €11,142 |
| Poland | €10,099 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Related careers
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