what is a purser on an airplane

A purser on an airplane is the lead flight attendant on a given flight, responsible for managing the cabin crew and ensuring passengers safety and comfort. They are fully trained cabin crew members who take on additional management responsibilities and tasks. The purser is essentially in charge of the cabin crew and takes responsibility for cabin safety, passenger experience, and much of the flight paperwork. Pursers are usually pretty senior, in terms of company seniority, and it often takes years to be accepted into purser programs with commercial airlines. They have additional training qualifications to help them ensure flight safety, service standards, and crew harmony. Depending on the aircraft capacity, flight length, and size of the cabin crew, there could be multiple pursers involved. The purser is responsible for managing the cabin crew in delivering the airlines standard of service to the passengers. They ensure that the team maintains high cleanliness, tidiness, and hygiene in the cabin, including restocking the supplies after each flight segment. They interact with the passengers, especially the premium and business class travelers, to ensure their smooth and comfortable travel experience. If a passenger faces any inconvenience or complaint, the purser is the go-to person for redressal. Pursers also take feedback from the passengers on the inflight service and report back to the airline management for improvement.