How to Ace Flight Attendant Interview Questions

Becoming a flight attendant is a dream job for some. If you like travel, enjoy flying, and are skilled at customer service, you could be on your way to a soaring career as a flight attendant. How do you get one of those coveted flight attendant jobs? It’s a long process. You’ll go through several screenings and answer lots of flight attendant interview questions, and then wait from three to 12 months from the time you apply until you’re hired.

After you’ve submitted your resume, you’ll have a phone screen. If the recruiter is impressed with you, you’ll be invited to an airline hiring event with lots of other job applicants. You’ll get some info about the airline and the training process and you might get to practice making flight announcements. Then individual interviews will start. Monster has put together seven sample flight attendant interview questions and answers that are asked by the major airlines. You can study these before your interviews to help your flight attendant career take off.

7 Common Flight Attendant Interview Questions

1. Why Do You Want to Become a Flight Attendant?
2. What Makes Someone a Good Flight Attendant?
3. Give Me an Example of How You Have Worked in a Team Setting.
4. How Would You Handle a Passenger Who Will Not Comply With Flight Policies?
5. What Would You Do to Calm a Passenger Who Was Anxious and Afraid to Fly?
6. What Planes Are in Our Fleet and Where Are Our Major U.S. Hubs?
7. Are You Prepared to Be Traveling Away From Home All the Time?

Question #1: Why Do You Want to Become a Flight Attendant?

The recruiter is looking for three main things here—sincerity, passion, and an understanding of the job of a flight attendant.

• Frame your answer in a story format.
• Talk about how you felt during the experience.
• Include flight attendant tasks in your answer.

How You Could Answer

“I was in high school when I flew for the first time to see my grandmother. I was excited to go, but a little nervous. As I found my seat, one of the flight attendants welcomed me aboard, acknowledging I was an unaccompanied minor. She introduced herself and asked if I had any questions since this was my first flight. She checked on me throughout the flight to see if I needed anything.”

“It really put me at ease. I observed her and the other flight attendants and noted how they were so friendly to the passengers and seemed to like working together. I’ve set my sights on being a flight attendant ever since.”

“I’ve since honed my good customer service skills by working at Beta Hotels, checking in weary travelers. I’m also patient, cool-headed, and flexible, and I speak English and Spanish fluently. Being a flight attendant is the perfect fit for my skills and background.”

Question #2: What Makes Someone a Good Flight Attendant?

This is one of the flight attendant interview questions that gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the role and what your priorities will be when you’re on the job.

• Answer with a list. State each quality with a brief explanation of why it’s important.
• Avoid rambling.
• Start with the “top three qualities” of providing great customer service, working well in a team setting, and professionalism. Then memorize this list in case you’re asked to keep going: adaptability, physical and mental fitness, solid work ethic, ability to multi-task, decision-making skills, and warmth.

How You Could Answer

“There are many qualities that make someone a good flight attendant. The top three are customer service, teamwork, and professionalism. Our primary job is to make sure the passenger has a good experience. Everything you do on a flight involves at least two, if not more team members. And we represent the airline and want passengers to feel they are in good hands with people who are the best at what they do. I could also include adaptability, physical and mental fitness, work ethic, multitasking, decision-making, and warmth in that list.”

Question #3: Give Me an Example of How You Have Worked in a Team Setting.

This is typical of the behavioral interview questions flight attendants are asked during an interview. Employers can predict how you will approach a situation based on how you handled a similar one in the past. In this case, the recruiter is looking for your experience and comfort working in a team.

• Talk about your experience with teamwork in jobs, school, volunteering, or family.
• Provide specific examples of success with a team you belonged to.

How You Could Answer

“My high school job in a very small but busy coffee shop required constant teamwork. There were four of us behind the counter and we had to coordinate everything from who would be doing a certain task that day to how to navigate around each other to the various coffee machines. It was a fun job!”

“I currently work with three others at my hotel front desk job. It’s a bigger space than the coffee shop, but we still have to coordinate and help each other throughout the day, sharing two computers for registering and check-out, making sure guest requests are answered, and responding to phone calls.”

Question #4: How Would You Handle a Passenger Who Will Not Comply With Flight Policies?

Some flight attendant interview questions are posed in a “what if” format. The interviewer is looking for skills in conflict management, quick thinking, and good judgement. Read up on the airline’s take-off and landing policies to help answer this question with finesse.

• Talk about the importance of remaining calm.
• Highlight your communication skills.
• Touch on the theme of teamwork.

How You Could Answer

“Uncooperative passengers can be challenging. They disturb the other passengers and risk everyone’s safety. The first job for a flight attendant is to de-escalate. I took classes in de-escalation when I worked for Beta Hotels. I would calmly repeat the policy and politely ask the passenger to comply. If he continued to refuse, I would tell him the consequences he would face.”

“I would do this a couple more times and if he still was being belligerent, I would get my other flight attendants to help. Sometimes a person will respond differently to another person even if they’re saying the same thing. Hopefully we wouldn’t have to involve the air marshal onboard, but that would be the final option.”

Question #5: What Would You Do to Calm a Passenger Who Was Anxious and Afraid to Fly?

The interviewer is looking for a response that shows your approach to customer service, your empathy for passengers, and your ability to address their concerns. This is one of several important flight attendant interview questions that allows you to explain how you would interact with the passenger:

• Check in with the passenger routinely.
• Ask if she needs anything.
• Reassure her she’s not the only one who dislikes flying.

How You Could Answer

“As soon as I could tell a passenger was anxious, I would check in with her to see if she was comfortable or needed anything. I would reassure her that lots of people dislike flying, even those who fly frequently for business. Then I would offer some suggestions to distract her, like a magazine. I would let her know I would check on her again in a while and she could push the flight attendant call button if she needed anything.”

Question #6: What Planes Are in Our Fleet and Where Are Our Major U.S. Hubs?

No matter where you apply to be a flight attendant, interview questions about the airline are to be expected.

• Show that you’ve done your homework to learn about the airline.
• Enthusiasm is a plus when responding.

How You Could Answer

“Alpha flies into 230 airports in 52 countries, which is more than any other airline. Its fleet includes A320 and 737 aircrafts. Major U.S. hubs are Dallas, Atlanta, and Denver, and your newest hub is in Cleveland, giving Alpha easier access to the Midwest.”

Question #7: Are You Prepared to Be Traveling Away From Home All the Time?

One of the joys of being a flight attendant is traveling; one of the most challenging parts of the job is also traveling. Your interviewer will want to know how adaptable you are and whether you have family or other obligations.

• Communicate that you are aware of the flight attendant lifestyle
• Assert that your lifestyle is suited to being a flight attendant.

How You Could Answer

“I have thought about becoming a flight attendant for quite a while and realize it involves frequent schedule changes, long shifts away from home, and being on call. That easily fits my lifestyle. My family and friends support me in this decision, and in fact, are very excited for me to follow my dreams.”

Monster Rolls Out the Runway for Flight Attendants

Ready to get your wings? Use these flight attendant interview questions and sample answers to fly above the other candidates. While you’re mapping out your job search strategy, be sure to complete your Monster profile, so that recruiters and employers can contact you with new opportunities. Just upload your resume, and get ready to watch your career take off.