The road to becoming cabin crew is a difficult and stressful one that takes much patience and commitment. The airlines know they will receive thousands of applicants and pick their crew wisely, and the recruiters know exactly what they are looking for. It is a fact that getting into Harvard is easier than getting a cabin crew job.

Assessment days

Some airlines offer open days or walk-in interviews, but this is increasingly rare, and if successful, the candidate is invited to an assessment day for the next stage of the recruitment process. After the initial application screening, successful candidates will be invited to an assessment day. These are invitation only and held all over the world, in the case of an international airline. The testing process can change slightly from airline to airline.

Reach test

The first and most important part of the assessment day is the reach test. Candidates have to reach to a height of around 210cm (depending on airline) without shoes on tiptoe with one or both hands. The fingertips should reach the marker, unfortunately, any candidates who do not reach it will be asked to leave. It is crucial that this is passed due to the need for the crew member to be able to reach the safety equipment on the aircraft.

Emirates cabin crew
Cabin crew assessment days are far from easy. Photo: Emirates

Introduction and first interview

Surprisingly even before and during the reach test, candidates are monitored by the recruiters to see how they interact with people. The recruiters will introduce everyone to the airline with a presentation. Then small groups of candidates will have their first interview and be asked a few general questions each, just to introduce themselves. At each stage, more candidates will leave the assessment day.

Maths test

Not all airlines ask for a maths test, but some do. There will be basic questions applicable to the cabin crew job, like calculating how many trays are in a meal cart or how much change is given after an onboard purchase. Currency exchange is sometimes part of a question.

Language test

Most airlines ask for fluent English, which is the language used in aviation, for clarity. The English test might consist of a story to be read, and the candidate has to answer multiple choice questions about it. Another test often used is where the candidate has to match the task to the text to check the knowledge of words and phrases. Essays are another popular test on a subject such as 'If I ruled the world, what would I do and why?' For foreign language speakers (non-native), there is an oral test by the recruiters that speak their language to check that the candidate is suitably proficient.

Knowledge test

Some airlines have knowledge tests also, to check that the candidate knows about basic geography, the 24-hour clock and airport codes.

Lufthansa cabin crew
The group task is a major way of assessing the potential cabin crew, especially for teamwork and communication skills. Photo: Lufthansa Group

Group task

All airlines use the group task to assess the candidates for skills in communication, teamwork and leadership, which are essential to the cabin crew role. Cultural awareness, creativity, active listening, initiative and motivation are also looked for. A complex task is set using role play and discussion to see if the candidate can 'shine'. This could be to create an advertisement for the airline, choose who to remove from a desert island or make a model out of unusual items. Many of the candidates will be 'cut' at this stage.

Final interview

This is the one to three people interview, where the candidate can really prove they'd be good cabin crew and understand the role and the expectations. Questions will often be customer service focused, enabling the candidate to give direct examples from their experience.

What's next?

About a month to 6 weeks afterward, the airline informs the candidate whether they are successful or not. If it is negative, the candidate can reapply after six months (just because of the sheer number of applications the airlines receive). If positive, the next stage is to pass background checks and a medical before they can start training with the airline.