CCA Training Fraud: How to Spot and Avoid Scams !
CCA training scams are now a real issue for many cabin crew candidates in France and across Europe. The mandatory nature of the Cabin Crew Attestation (CCA), regulated by EASA, has led to the emergence of abusive commercial practices that are sometimes non-compliant with applicable regulations.
Indeed, the mandatory nature of the Cabin Crew Attestation (CCA), regulated by EASA, has encouraged the emergence of abusive commercial practices, sometimes non-compliant and even fraudulent.
Non-compliant training programmes
Training courses that do not comply with EASA regulations and mandatory European standards
Opaque intermediaries
Organisations acting as resellers without transparency regarding the actual issuer of the certificate
Certificates with no operational value
Final certificates that are not recognised for operational purposes by airlines
Unrealistic promises
Job or employment guarantees that have no legal or contractual basis
However, the CCA is a safety certificate, not a marketing product. It involves your professional responsibility, the safety of passengers, and the crews you will fly with. Choosing a compliant training course is not an administrative formality; it is an act of professionalism.
This article provides clear, practical and verifiable guidance to help you make an informed decision. You will find the key warning signs, the right questions to ask, and the red flags that should alert you immediately.
The CCA: an official, regulated and mandatory certificate
The Cabin Crew Attestation (CCA) is a mandatory certificate required to operate as cabin crew in commercial air transport within the European Union. It is strictly regulated under the EASA Aircrew Regulation – Part-CC.
Key point to remember
❌ “The CCA is not mandatory” → FALSE
✅ The CCA is mandatory. Some airlines may organise the training after recruitment, but the attestation remains essential in order to operate.
There is no alternative equivalent qualification recognised at European level. Any claim of an “equivalent certification” without an EASA reference should be considered a warning sign.
Only a national civil aviation authority or an organisation approved by a Member State authority — often referred to as a CCTO (Cabin Crew Training Organisation) — can deliver a compliant CCA training course.
Training provider: CCTO or simple intermediary?
Check the official list
Is the organisation listed on an official register published by a civil aviation authority?
Request the approval number
What is the exact CCTO approval number? It must be clearly provided in writing.
Identify the final issuer
Who actually issues the CCA attestation? The name must be confirmed before any registration.
⚠️ Beware of intermediaries
Some organisations sell the training but are not the issuer of the CCA. This is not necessarily illegal, but it requires increased vigilance regarding traceability and actual compliance.
🚩 Missing approval number
Approval number not provided or stated as “pending” for several months
🚩 Evasive answers
Vague, inconsistent or contradictory responses depending on the interlocutor
🚩 Unknown issuer
The name of the final issuer is never confirmed in writing despite repeated requests
🚩 Reassuring statements without evidence
“Don’t worry, it’s recognised everywhere” with no official documentation
Moreover, many CCA training scam situations are based on a deliberate confusion between the training provider and the actual issuer of the final attestation.
👉 The final attestation: a specific EASA format
The CCA is not simply a course completion certificate or a “home-made diploma”. Therefore, an EASA-compliant attestation must follow a specific format and include mandatory information.
Practical training: fire, smoke, pool and first aid
The CCA training is based on practical skills that are essential to flight safety. These exercises cannot be replaced by videos, theoretical simulations or PowerPoint presentations.
Mandatory practical exercises
Fire and smoke training using appropriate equipment in a controlled environment
Water survival training in a pool, with life jackets, life rafts or equivalent
Cabin first aid training with real hands-on practice and professional equipment
CPR / BLS
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed on mannequins, following standard protocols with quality feedback
Training oxygen equipment
Hands-on handling of oxygen bottles and masks in accordance with certified cabin procedures
Training defibrillator
Use of AEDs on mannequins with realistic cardiac emergency scenarios
Realistic scenarios
Medical emergency, choking, burns and bleeding scenarios with assessment of actions and decision-making
Moreover, a CCA training scam very often manifests itself through incomplete practical training, particularly in first aid and/or fire and smoke training.
Essential questions you must ask
Where exactly do the pool sessions take place? (address, photos)
Where and how is the fire/smoke module conducted? (facility, duration)
What first aid equipment is used? (mannequins, AED, oxygen)
How many hours are actually dedicated to practical training? (detailed schedule)
🚩 First aid training limited to theory
Training delivered through videos or slide presentations, with no hands-on practice or equipment handling
🚩 Lack of professional equipment
No mannequins, no AED, no oxygen equipment, or outdated and poorly maintained equipment
Therefore, cabin crew training without solid hands-on first aid is a very serious warning sign. It represents a major breach of safety and regulatory compliance.
👉 Instructor competence: a key criterion
A CCA training scam may also involve instructors who are insufficiently qualified or whose competencies cannot be verified.
Who teaches each module?
Names, qualifications and areas of expertise of the instructors for each subject
What are their qualifications?
Instructor certificates, recurrent training and competency audits
Do they have operational cabin experience?
Years of flight experience, aircraft types, airlines and positions held
Standardisation and quality control
Internal evaluation procedures, supervision and regular content updates
🚩 Instructor red flags
Instructors are anonymous or not identified prior to registration
No information provided on qualifications or experience
A single person delivers all modules (fire, first aid, security, etc.)
No documentation or traceability regarding completed training and qualifications
👉 Examinations: clarity, credibility and traceability
Examination arrangements may vary between Member States; however, you must always know precisely who is assessing you, under which regulatory framework, and how the results are validated and transmitted to the authorities.
Examiner identification
Name, qualifications, and link with the competent authority or the approved organisation
Clear regulatory framework
Reference to EASA Part-CC procedures and applicable national standards
Validation of results
Process for transmitting results, issuance of the CCA, and official timelines
⚠️ An opaque self-validation system, with no identifiable oversight or documented traceability, represents a major risk of non-compliance.
👉 Beware of abusive commercial promises
Identifying a CCA training scam at an early stage helps prevent significant financial losses and future professional difficulties.
Some offers rely more on aggressive marketing and sales techniques than on regulations and the actual realities of the profession. These practices aim to maximise revenue at the expense of transparency and the candidates’ best interests.
“Coaching until employment”
Follow-up services presented as essential, sometimes charged several thousand euros with no guaranteed outcome
“Priority access to airlines”
Promises of privileged relationships with recruiters, with no verifiable contractual basis
“Guaranteed selections”
Commitments to interview invitations or “reserved sessions” that cannot be legally guaranteed
“Recruitment application fees”
Charging administrative services for job applications, while direct airline applications are free
👉 Essential reminder about recruitment
Airline recruitment processes are free – no reputable airline charges candidates to access selection stages
You can apply directly – without intermediaries – through airline career websites
No third party can guarantee employment – hiring decisions rest exclusively with the airlines
Preparation for selection processes (CV, interviews, tests) can be useful; however, it typically costs a few hundred euros for targeted workshops, not thousands of euros for employment promises.
Caution with very recently established organisations
A newly established organisation is not automatically fraudulent or incompetent; however, it requires increased vigilance and more thorough checks. The lack of an operational track record makes it more difficult to assess actual compliance.
Critical checks to perform
- Clear legal existence – recent company registration extract, verifiable address, legal status
- Identity of the responsible person – name of the managing director, professional background, and traceability
- Genuine track record – not just a recently created website, but documented operational activity
- Written procedures – internal regulations and a detailed training programme
- Identified training locations – precise addresses and photos of the facilities
- Full transparency – regarding the CCA issuer and the approval number
🚩 Red flags for newly established organisations
Intense sales pressure – repeated follow-ups, aggressive sales techniques
Artificial urgency – “last available places”, “price expiring tomorrow”
Refusal to provide documents – before full payment or contract signature
Unrealistic promises – 100% hiring rates, unproven exclusive partnerships
👉 In case of doubt or a breach: submit an EASA Safety Report
If, before or during your training, you identify a serious non-compliance, you can — and should — submit a Safety Report. This action helps protect your own safety, that of future candidates, and that of passengers.
Missing mandatory exercises
Fire/smoke or pool modules not conducted, first aid training delivered without equipment or hands-on practice
Fake certificates or documents
Attestations with no EASA reference, “home-made” certificates, or fabricated approval numbers
Non-credible examinations
Self-assessment with no oversight, or exams passed without having attended the training courses
Why reporting is essential
CCA training is directly linked to flight safety. Non-compliant practices expose future cabin crew, passengers and airlines to serious operational risks.
Reporting allows the competent authorities to analyse the facts, investigate where necessary, and take action to correct deficiencies or suspend fraudulent approvals.
Submitting a Safety Report
Through the official channels of EASA or the relevant national authority
Describe the facts objectively
Precise dates, locations, observed facts and the nature of the identified risk
Provide available evidence
Documents, photos, emails, testimonies — any tangible and verifiable elements
ℹ️ Key points to remember about reporting
A report can be submitted while the training is still ongoing, not only afterwards
This is a safety action, not a commercial dispute or a customer complaint
Facts prevail over opinions — remain factual, precise and well documented
Understanding the mechanisms behind CCA training scams is now essential to protect your professional future in aviation.