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Career Guide / Interviewing / What To Expect During an Airline Interview (With

Example Questions)

INTERVIEWING
What To Expect During an Airline
Interview (With Example Questions)
March 12, 2021
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By: Indeed Editorial Team

Making it to the interview round for any job is a significant

accomplishment. Now that you get to meet recruiters and
hiring managers in person, it's important to demonstrate
that you're the right person for the job. For aviation jobs,
the technical portions of interviews are somewhat self-
explanatory, but you may want to learn more about the
verbal, competency-based portion of the interview. In this
article, we outline what to expect during an airline
interview, including 10 common questions with sample
answers and tips for being successful.
What to expect during an airline interview
The interview is a chance to show the airline's hiring
committee that you are a professional, respectful
individual with the charisma and requisite skills to succeed
in the job you're applying for. You may be interviewed by a
single individual, though it is most likely that you will be
interviewed by a panel of recruiters, hiring managers and
internal professionals currently working for the airline.
Interviews for airlines typically include both a technical
portion and a verbal portion. The technical portion is
similar to a test where you will be asked to perform
specific tasks related to the role's description. For pilots,
the technical portion of the interview can include a test on
anything from flight performance to meteorology. For other
aviation professionals, like flight attendants, the technical
portion may be conducted as a group assessment to test
your ability to respond to customer requests and
emergencies.
The verbal portion of the interview is where you will
discuss and demonstrate your competency in various
areas to prove that you will be successful if chosen for the
role. For airline interviews, the verbal portion typically
includes showcasing skills like problem-solving,
communication, teamwork, leadership, adaptability,
reliability and customer service. In your answers to
interview questions, give examples or tell stories of
instances when you exhibited these skills in past positions.
It's a good idea to prepare extensively for the verbal
portion of your interview by familiarizing yourself with
common questions and coming up with practice answers.
Thoughtful planning for your next interview can help you
feel confident and prepared to take on the role.
Related: How To Ace Your Next Interview: Tips and
Examples
10 common airline interview questions
Here are 10 common questions hiring managers ask
candidates in airline interviews with sample answers to
help you plan your own responses:
1. What can you tell us about yourself?

This is often one of the first questions asked in an airline

interview. Hiring committees may use this type of question
to familiarize themselves with your background to better
understand how your experience might fit into the role
you're interviewing for. When answering, outline your
educational background and any past work experiences
that led you to seek this position.
Example answer: "In 2013, I graduated from the
University of Minnesota, where I received my bachelor's
degree in hotel, tourism and restaurant management. In
the past, I worked as the assistant manager of the Hilton
hotel in Minneapolis and as a tour guide in the downtown
area. I'm passionate about improving customer
experiences through excellent teamwork, and I have
worked toward this goal in all of my previous positions."
2. Why do you want to work for our airline?

Often, interviewers ask this question to help separate

candidates who are seeking a position with a specific
airline from those simply looking for a job. Hiring
committees want you to demonstrate your interest in their
particular company. You should prepare for this question
by doing extensive research about the airline to see what
appeals to you about their values, company culture and
customer experience.
Example answer: "I am familiar with your company
culture and the excellence you strive for in your
customers' experiences. Unlike other airlines, this one
boasts an impressive portfolio of glowing customer
testimonies. I believe that I share the same values of
hospitality and hold a people-first mentality. I am excited
by the prospect of becoming part of your network of
professionals who hold a growth-oriented mindset."
3. Why would you be a good fit for this position?

Even though airline hiring committees have access to your

resume, cover letter and other application materials, they
ask this question to see if you can effectively communicate
why you are a good fit over other candidates. They want to
hear, in your own words, how you see this position fitting
into your portfolio of work experience, the skills you've
learned and your long-term professional goals. You should
also explain what value you bring to their airline.
Example answer: "In my past experiences in the
hospitality industry, I've carefully developed my skills in
customer service, communication, organization,
leadership and adaptability. I believe these skills will
directly apply to this open position. I'm excited to interact
with customers and make their flight experiences better
than they expect. In the long term, I hope to work in a
leadership capacity for an airline, and I see this role as a
great opportunity to begin that professional development."
4. Tell me about a time when you experienced a challenge at work. How
did you handle it?

Airline interviewers often ask this question to see how you

handle inevitable challenges and conflict within the
workplace. Answering this question is a great opportunity
to showcase your self-reflective skills and problem-solving
abilities. Demonstrate your capacity to remain calm, come
up with solutions and reflect upon the situation to improve
your handling of future challenges.
Example answer: "In my role as the assistant manager of
the Hilton in Minneapolis, I ran into a conflict when one of
my employees accidentally double-booked half of our
rooms for a large conference in town because of a system
error. I knew I had to solve this problem quickly. With my
team's help, within a half-hour, I called all of our sister
hotels within the immediate region and sourced rooms for
all of the customers we couldn't accommodate, free of
charge to them.
In the end, most of the customers seemed satisfied with
the arrangement, and I navigated this challenge and
learned from it. I later developed and implemented an
organizational system to prevent this issue from ever
occurring again."
5. What does excellent customer service mean to you?

Because airlines can only be successful when most of

their customers are satisfied, customer service is a key
component of their business models. Airline interviewers
ask this question to see how you might fit into their
expectations for customer service.
Example answer: "I see customer service as the
backbone of any successful business. Without customers,
businesses wouldn't exist, and because of that, we must
make sure each customer has a positive experience
where their particular needs are met. In the end, it is our
responsibility as an airline to deliver on the promises our
brand makes."
6. What type of work environment do you prefer?

Airlines provide a very specific type of work environment—

fast-paced and collaborative. Because of this, they may
ask this question to make sure that your personal
preferences line up with the work experience they have to
offer you.
Example answer: "I thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative
environment that presents a new set of challenges each
day. I think the work environment your airline offers would
be a great fit for me, as I am an extrovert who gets energy
from helping others in my job."
7. Which languages do you speak?

While this might seem like a straightforward question,

most airline interviewers ask this because speaking
multiple languages can be a huge benefit for airline
employees. Aviation professionals interact with customers
from across the globe on a daily basis, so being able to
converse in a variety of languages can serve you well.
Example answer: "I currently speak English and a little
Spanish that I learned on the job as a tour guide.
However, I'm open to the challenge of trying to learn
additional languages so that I can communicate effectively
and serve customers from all corners of the globe."
8. Have you ever flown passenger before? What was that experience
like?
There's a good chance that if you're interviewing to work
for an airline, you have been a passenger on a flight
before. When answering this question, use your customer
experience to your advantage to discuss the values you
would bring to the role you're interviewing for.
Example answer: "I'm an avid traveler and have flown
passenger on flights hosted by many airlines. While the
experience is different every time, excellent in-flight
service always stands out to me as a customer. I truly
appreciate it when an airline professional picks up on my
needs as a passenger and addresses them to make my
experience great. I hope to bring this value into my work
with your airline."
9. What is your greatest weakness?

While you'll spend most of your interview talking about

your strengths, skills and professional goals, interviewers
are likely to ask about your greatest weakness as well. It's
important to take this question seriously and show hiring
committees that you understand what areas you need to
work on.
Example answer: "My greatest weakness is that I am
sometimes too detail-oriented. I can get bogged down in
the details of my work and lose sight of the big picture or
goal. I think that this weakness can benefit me when
working with individual customers, but it may make things
more challenging when I am responsible for
accomplishing a goal in a short amount of time."
10. Describe yourself in three words
By answering this question well, you can demonstrate
your ability to self-reflect and think quickly. Try to choose
three positive words, and be ready to explain why you
chose them in case they ask you to. It can help to make
the words relevant to the airline job you are applying for.
Example answer: "I would describe myself as a patient,
collaborative and determined individual."
Related: 125 Common Interview Questions and
Answers (With Tips)
Tips for airline interviews
While every airline seeks different qualities and
competencies in their prospective employees, here are a
few tips to help you prepare for and execute your interview
successfully:
Do your research

As mentioned above, it's important to thoroughly research

the specific airline you are interviewing for. It's a good idea
to be familiar with their values, mission and policies to
explain how you would fit into their company and why you
are interested in working for their airline in particular.
Practice answering questions with a friend

To prepare for the verbal portion of your interview, it may

help to practice answering potential interview questions
with a friend. You'll want to be able to explain your past
work experiences and have stories and examples ready to
share with the hiring committee. Rehearsing responses
and getting used to verbalizing your thoughts can help you
tremendously when your interview comes around.
Related: 21 Job Interview Tips: How To Make a Great
Impression
Dress the part

For an airline interview, dress in business professional

clothing. Aviation professionals are often required to wear
uniforms with suits, ties and jackets, so it's important to
dress like you want to work around those individuals.
Ask the hiring manager questions

It's important to show that you have thought seriously

about taking on this position, so asking the hiring manager
questions about the role and the airline itself can be highly
beneficial in an interview. Asking questions can show your
passion for the aviation field and help you determine
whether the specific role is right for you.
Related: How To Prepare for an Interview
Follow up

Following up after an interview by thanking your

interviewers is a best practice for any job that can help you
leave a positive impression. Be sure to express your
gratitude for the opportunity to interview and your
excitement for the role.
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