How to hire an aircraft cleaner

How to hire an aircraft cleaner, step by step

Here's a step-by-step aircraft cleaner hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an aircraft cleaner job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new aircraft cleaner
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an aircraft cleaner do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an aircraft cleaner, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect aircraft cleaner also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of aircraft cleaners.

   Type of Aircraft Cleaner	Description	Hourly rate
   Aircraft Cleaner	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$11-19
   Service Porter	Typically working in car dealerships, a service porter is in charge of performing a variety of tasks to maintain smooth operations. They maintain vehicles in good condition by conducting regular maintenance checks and repairs, refilling gas tanks, inspecting tires and batteries, and cleaning the interior and exterior of cars... Show more	$10-16
   Car Detailer	A car detailer is responsible for providing auto cleaning services, following clients' specifications within internal guidelines. Car detailers organize the interior and exterior features of the vehicles, performing cleaning and disinfecting operations with utmost safety by adhering to the organization's procedures... Show more	$11-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Squeegees
   • Safety Procedures
   • Aircraft Cabin
   • Clean Aircraft
   • Restrooms
   • Aircraft Components
   • Vacuum Floors
   • Security Checks
   • Magazines
   • Airplanes
   • Federal Aviation Administration
   • Cushions
   • Cargo Aircraft
   • Security Searches

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Clean cockpit, restrooms, tray tables, and change pillowcases and fold blankets.
   • Clean all seats, seat back pockets, tray tables and replace soil magazines.
   • Assist TSA with cabin inspections and security searches.
   • Clean stoves after kitchens are close and prepare for next shift
   • Assist in receiving and loading passenger luggage through tsa check point.
   • Sanitize high traffic areas such as restrooms, seats, doors, overhead compartments and windows.

   More aircraft cleaner duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the aircraft cleaner job description is a good way to get more applicants. An aircraft cleaner salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an aircraft cleaner in Louisiana may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level aircraft cleaner. Additionally, an aircraft cleaner with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average aircraft cleaner salary

   $15.00hourly

   $31,199 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level aircraft cleaner salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average aircraft cleaner salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$41,237	$20
   2	Washington	$37,630	$18
   3	Hawaii	$37,276	$18
   4	Massachusetts	$36,417	$18
   5	New York	$36,360	$17
   6	Oregon	$36,103	$17
   7	Minnesota	$32,948	$16
   8	Colorado	$32,618	$16
   9	Arizona	$31,566	$15
   10	Wisconsin	$30,863	$15
   11	Alaska	$30,082	$14
   12	Indiana	$29,667	$14
   13	Pennsylvania	$29,229	$14
   14	Ohio	$28,893	$14
   15	Virginia	$28,728	$14
   16	Missouri	$26,930	$13
   17	Florida	$26,769	$13
   18	Tennessee	$26,667	$13
   19	Arkansas	$26,433	$13
   20	South Carolina	$26,243	$13

   Average aircraft cleaner salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Outagamie County	$34,158	$16.42
   2	General Dynamics	$33,873	$16.29	32
   3	Allegiant Air	$31,669	$15.23	1
   4	Kelly Services	$31,558	$15.17	2
   5	Envoy Air	$31,202	$15.00	18
   6	Frontier Airlines	$30,956	$14.88	1
   7	Hawaiian Airlines	$30,778	$14.80	1
   8	Talon Air	$29,940	$14.39
   9	PrimeFlight Aviation Services	$29,579	$14.22	60
   10	Swissport Holdings Inc	$29,431	$14.15
   11	Jet Aviation	$29,385	$14.13	4
   12	AccuFleet	$29,222	$14.05	2
   13	ABM Industries	$29,164	$14.02	2,240
   14	Global Aviation	$29,122	$14.00
   15	Air To Ground Svc	$29,098	$13.99
   16	Immaculate Flight	$29,090	$13.99	3
   17	MMC Group	$27,763	$13.35
   18	Allegiant International	$26,905	$12.94	3

4. Writing an aircraft cleaner job description

   A job description for an aircraft cleaner role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an aircraft cleaner job description:

   Aircraft cleaner job description example

   *Essential Functions: *
   
   As a valued member of the PrimeFlight team an Aircraft Cleaner will join the airport team to do the following:
   * Direct lift truck movement and positioning in the Airport
   * Remove all trash from aircraft
   * Clean and restock all lavatories
   * Clean galley
   * Clean all seats, seat back pockets, tray tables and replace soiled magazines
   * Fold blankets and store blankets and pillows in overhead compartments
   * Clean aircraft floor
   * Demonstrate regular, predictable attendance at job location
   * Exceed PrimeFlight customer service and safety standards
   * Carry out other duties as assigned
   
   *Competency: *
   
   To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies: Problem Solving, Customer Service, Interpersonal, Oral Communication.
   
   *Qualifications: *
   
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this Job Description are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   *General Qualifications: *
   * 18 years of age
   * Reliable transportation
   * Eligible to work in the United States
   
   *Education/Experience: *
   
   N/A
   
   *Language Ability: *
   
   Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to communicate effectively in English.
   
   *Reasoning Ability: *
   
   Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Efficient, immediate problem solving capabilities.
   
   *Computer Skills: *
   
   No skills needed.
   
   *Certificates and Licenses: *
   
   No Certificates or Licenses required.
   
   *Supervisory Responsibilities: *
   
   No supervisory responsibilities associated with this position.
   
   *Work Environment: *
   
   The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but may become high at various times. Employee must be willing to wear/utilize company-supplied personal protective equipment (hearing protection) to mitigate their noise exposure.
   
   Some work is in an outside environment, with exposure to hot and cold temperatures and inclement weather.
   
   *Physical Demands: *
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   * Walk and climb up and down a minimum of 500 stairs daily
   * Walk, stretch, and bend
   * Lift and carry up to 50 pounds
   * Be able to work in tight spaces
   * Reach above head, full extension (72 inches) with arms
   * Use hands to finger, handle, or feel
   * Be able to hear and respond to the spoken voice and to audible alarms generated by terminal environment
   * Specific vision abilities required for this job include: Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less); distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more); color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors); peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point); depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships); ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus)
   
   #PF\_URGENT
   
   Job Types: Part-time, Full-time
   
   Pay: $13.00 per hour
   
   Benefits:
   * 401(k)
   * Dental insurance
   * Health insurance
   * Paid time off
   * Vision insurance
   Schedule:
   * 4 hour shift
   * 8 hour shift
   
   Ability to commute/relocate:
   * Memphis, TN 38132: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right aircraft cleaner for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your aircraft cleaner job on Zippia to find and recruit aircraft cleaner candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting aircraft cleaners requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new aircraft cleaner

   Once you've found the aircraft cleaner candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new aircraft cleaner. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an aircraft cleaner?