Top 10 frequently asked Cabin Crew questions

It’s only natural than many of you would have similar questions and concerns in your quest to become cabin crew. We asked the lovely Charlie on our help desk what your most Frequently Asked Questions are and she gave us the following real life examples.

Do you think age 44 is too old to start?
For most of the UK airlines there is no upper age limits and 44 is still young! As long as you are physically fit, weight in proportion to height and don’t mind jet lag or working through the night then you will be fine. The job is physically demanding and it is a lifestyle not just a job, which you will either love or hate!
If you visit our website and click on the front page of who is recruiting now this will give you an idea of the criteria for the different airlines.

What qualifications do I need to take this year to be a cabin crew?
Qualifications are important and you must possess at least 3 GCSE’s grade C and above, for most UK airlines and also demonstrate you have excellent customer service skills to offer from previous or present work.


Can you give me role plays tips to pass the assessment day?
For most UK airlines you need to demonstrate you have excellent customer service skills to offer from previous or present work plus excellent team work skills. The assessors will be looking for someone who is motivated, resilient, responsible and a good communicator, which are all key skills that need to be demonstrated in a group and role play exercise. If you can incorporate these into your responses you are half way there. There may well be scenarios or role plays involving a challenging work situation or a difficult customer.


I am currently looking for a vacancy within Thomas cook airlines, do you know when they will be recruiting and when will it be posted on your website?
I’m afraid we don’t know when the airlines are going to start recruiting as they all vary due to many different reasons. Aside from checking on either our website or theirs regularly.

What do I need to do for a presentation?
You may not even be asked to present anything, and if you are they will give you plenty of time to prepare. If you are, these are the things they will be looking for:

• How confident you are
• How clearly you speak
• How well you can follow instructions
• How engaging you are (i.e. are you interesting or a bit dull when presenting info!)
• How well you cope with pressure
• How well you can make yourself understood
• You will be expected to be nervous so don’t think this will hold you back, the assessors will take this into account. However, they are also looking to see how well you can pull yourself together and make a good show of being calm and in control, despite the circumstances!

Hi I’ve nearly 20 years flying experience crew, purser, cabin manager, however I came out of it 6 years ago, and haven’t worked since. Now I want to go back however I’m not sure that full time in the air is for me now.
It depends on who you are applying to. Some airlines don’t like a big gap in career history, although your experience should speak for itself. I know with BA, as soon as you start your training course you can apply for part time but there is no guarantee of how long it will take to get. They look at each case individually so may give preference to a parent with small children for instance.

How do l sent my CV at the cabin crew Emirates company?
If you would like to apply to Emirates you need to access their application process online. Some open days are held in the UK or Dubai, however you will be based in Dubai. The process is a 3 day interview.

I am overjoyed to say I have just been successful with my application and now going through the next stage etc before starting the training. Can you please let me know how long the training last and is it a residential training course?
Congratulations! Have you had your assessment day yet? It depends on the airline but for the majority the initial training course lasts approx. 6 weeks. It’s not residential so you would need to be staying close by and travel in each day. For most airlines, you will be paid during the training course. Good luck!

If I am not successful at one stage of the interview, is it possible to reapply or is there a limit on how many times you can apply and go through the process?
Most airlines say if you are not successful then you have to wait 6 months before you can reapply. This can vary but they should state this on the email you receive. There is no limit to how many times you can apply, you just have to wait 6 months in-between.