Air New Zealand Limited Airline Customer Service Agent Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Air New Zealand Limited interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
1. Our staff are expected to withhold the highest standards of professionalism while on the job. What does being professional mean to you on the job?
How to Answer
If you have ever flown commercially, you know that all airline staff look the part and walk the part of being a true professional on the job. With this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you'll bring a professional attitude and demeanor to the Customer Service Agent job at Air New Zealand. As you respond to the question of what being a professional on the job means to you, it is important to understand that professionalism is defined as the level of excellence that is expected of a professional, and this definition directly applies to this role in the way that you handle yourself and your service to others while on the job.
Answer Example
"I've always prided myself on being a true professional in any job that I've held during my career. For this job as a Customer Service Agent, that would mean coming to work each day well groomed and in uniform, well rested, and ready to go. From there, my professionalism would be on display by the way that I reflect the airline's core values of honesty, integrity, pride, and excellence in all that I do. I really appreciate the fact that Air New Zealand is open to Ta Moko tattoos on their staff to recognize the heritage of the Maori people."
2. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment during your career?
How to Answer
With this question, it is important to know that your interviewer is likely looking to gain insight into what you consider important in your work and how you get things done while on the job. Prior to your interview, be sure to really think about what you truly believe is your greatest accomplishment during your career and make sure that it highlights some key qualities for this role as a Customer Service Agent with Air New Zealand. As you answer, speak with enthusiasm and detail to really sell your interviewer on your answer.
Answer Example
"I consider my greatest accomplishment to be the time I helped lead a team of colleagues on a project to maximize our efficiency as a department. This idea of the project came at the request of our department director, and she tasked me with being the lead on the project because of my knowledge and experience in the department. I took the time to evaluate the two to three others I would invite to the project team and selected them based on their performance within the department. I organized weekly meetings for us to meet, and we started with brainstorming ideas and then putting our ideas into action. In just three short months, we took a handful of proposals to our director that involved redistributing duties among our staff to be more streamlined in our work. Looking back on this two years later, it's amazing how successful this work was, and I am so proud to have taken the lead on it."
3. At Air New Zealand, teamwork is the key to providing the best overall experience to our customers. How do you work as part of a larger team?
How to Answer
While it may be easy to assume that working as a Customer Service Agent is a solitary job working with customers, the truth is that you'll be working as part of the larger Air New Zealand team towards one overall goal--to provide the best service possible to all customers. Your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are an agile team player who gets along well with others, is able to take direction, and is able to grab the bull by the horns and take the lead, when it is called for. In your answer to this question, don't hesitate to give examples of how you've worked as part of a larger team in the past.
Answer Example
"I feel really at home working in a team-based environment, and that really drew me to applying at Air New Zealand. If you were to talk to my references or any past colleague and manager, they would tell you that I am reliable in doing what I say and saying what I do at all times. They would tell you that I have excellent communication skills, the ability to problem solve as part of a larger team, and that I bring a positive attitude to work on a daily basis. From my own perspective, I have the ability to take direction from others and also to take the lead on things when I am the expert in any situation."
4. If a customer approached you with a question or request that you weren't sure how to respond to, what would be the next steps you would take?
How to Answer
In an attempt to dive into your ability to problem solve on the job with Air New Zealand, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you are quick and resourceful, while continuing to provide great service to the customer. Describe the open and honest approach you would take with your customer and set a timeline for finding them an answer. As you answer, make sure to explain the steps you would take to find the right person with the answer. The keys to displaying your ability to help customers in this situation are honesty, timeliness, and follow-up with the customer.
Answer Example
"In my current role working with incoming customer calls to our business, I am often asked questions that I don't know the answer to. In these situations, I let the customer know that I will get them in touch with the best person to answer their question and do so right away. I let them know that if they get a voicemail, they can leave a message and the call will be returned shortly. In these situations, it is important that I know our staff, their expertise, and their daily schedules to be able to get customers in touch with the right person. In this role working for a much larger airline, it will also be important that I know the staff well and the types of colleagues best suited to answer customer questions. I would let the customer know that I am unable to answer their question, but that I want to make sure it gets answered, and I'd work quickly to contact the right person for the answer."
5. Talk about a time you had to deal with an unreasonable person in the workplace. How did you handle that situation with ease?
How to Answer
Travelers can often be very unreasonable to deal with for the team at Air New Zealand. Your interviewer needs to hear that you have a calm, cool, and collected approach to handling unreasonable customers, if hired to be their next Customer Service Agent. Whether a customer is experiencing a major delay that requires a change of personal plans or a customer is traveling for a life-altering reason, you need to approach them with empathy and professionalism no matter what that situation brings your way. The example you share can be from an experience with a colleague, manager, or customer, just make sure that you can explain your approach with the unreasonable customer by setting the stage for the situation, and explaining how your actions provided a positive outcome.
Answer Example
"Having worked in the food industry from a young age, I learned lessons pretty quickly on how to deal with unreasonable customers. One shift, I was working as the night lead, and we had a very angry customer from our drive through who came into the store after receiving his order. He was berating our cashier, and having heard this from the kitchen area, I immediately went out to try and calm the situation down. He demanded that he receive a full refund for his order because the meal he had ordered had ketchup on the sandwich, and he wasn't aware of that. I explained to him that while our drive through menu did explain all condiments on the sandwiches, I'd be happy to have another sandwich made to his order at no extra cost. While he still mumbled a few extra words after that response, I know he got the point that he was being very out of line to our staff for his mistake, and he apologized to our cashier after receiving his new sandwich. In any situation like this, it is important to maintain a professional approach, even when someone is out of line."
6. What appeals to you most about being our next Customer Service Agent at Air New Zealand?
How to Answer
During your interview, your interviewer will be looking to hear about your personal motivation for applying for this position with Air New Zealand. To really sell them on your desire to join their team and make an immediate impact now and into the future, try to focus your answer on the customer service aspects of the job because it is the heart and soul of the role and should be the reason why you are applying for this position. Prior to your interview, try to research the mission and values of the organization and touch on some points that relate to their mission and values.
Answer Example
"Throughout my career, I've been working my way towards a role that is customer facing and customer focused in every aspect of the job, and after carefully researching my next move, this position is perfect for my skillset and career goals. I chose Air New Zealand because my values align closely with your diversity initiatives and customer-first culture."
7. This position would require a background and employment verification check. Would you have any issues being subjected to this?
How to Answer
Prior to applying to and interviewing for this role at Air New Zealand, it is important to know that the Civil Aviation Authority has strict regulations for background checks for airline staff. They require commercial airlines to run criminal background checks on prospective employees, and there is a specific list of criminal activities that can automatically disqualify your candidacy for the job. As well, they do require that an employment verification check does take place, where Air New Zealand will look into at least the last 10 years of your employment history. At this point in your interview, you need to be open and honest about any gaps in employment that you have and any blemishes that you have on your criminal record. Keep in mind, you should explain any gaps in employment with a legitimate reason, and you should address anything on your criminal record, even if it is something as small as a simple speeding violation in a vehicle.
Answer Example
"I have no issue being subjected to a criminal background check and employment verification. My current employer is required to run a criminal background check on our staff every two years. As you can see from my resume, I have no gaps in employment over the last 15 years of my career since high school. The only item that shows up on my criminal record is a reckless driving violation I received eight years ago for driving too fast in icy conditions and hitting a tree alongside the roadway."
8. Safety and security are extremely important to us at Air New Zealand. How can you help foster a culture of safety for our staff and customers?
How to Answer
To help keep passengers and all airline staff safe and well, the airline industry has strict safety requirements that all employees of Air New Zealand need to adhere to. To add to that, specific airports also have many safety and security protocols that all passengers and staff must adhere to. By posing this question during your interview, your interviewer is looking to get a sense that you believe in safety first and will both obey all safety and security measures and promote them among your coworkers. As you answer this question, try to focus on a time when you needed to be focused on safety on the job, and explain your overall mindset towards safety to ensure that your interviewer walks away from your interview knowing that you are a safety-minded individual.
Answer Example
"I'm a very caring individual who wants people to be safe and happy at all times, so I put a lot of effort into ensuring that the workplace is as safe as it can be for all people who enter it. In my current job, I focus on safety by ensuring that lobby areas are clean and free of germs, and that there is no clutter in travel areas that would make for a tripping hazard. I understand that there are very strict safety and security measures in the airport setting, and I would make it a priority to learn those measures from the first day on the job at Air New Zealand."
9. Talk about a job where you had to multitask your duties each day. What did you do to stay organized and on task throughout the day?
How to Answer
As a Customer Service Agent at Air New Zealand, no two work days are the same. Your ability to jump from duty to duty with ease will be essential for success in the role. One minute you can be working with customers on ticket transactions and the next minute you will be needed to contact customers who had a flight rescheduled, so your ability to stay organized is critical. Your interviewer will look to gain insight on your ability to multitask by having you share about a past job where you had to be an effective multitasker. As you prepare for your interview, think of a job that allows you to clearly explain the multitude of tasks you had to handle and allows you the opportunity to explain the methods and tools you used to make sure each task got done in a prioritized fashion.
Answer Example
"I can attribute success in my last two jobs to my ability to multitask. As a bartender in my younger years, multitasking was handling a room full of people, remembering their orders, and keeping the bar stocked in short order. This job really helped me think on my feet and build a great short term memory when handling many requests at the same time. My current role as a Customer Service Representative finds me working with customers on processing sales orders, checking shipping costs, and verifying current pricing on products. On top of each customer interaction being completely different, I'm also responsible for the tracking of daily sales reports and monthly reporting to our management. To stay on track, I keep a running to-do list and utilize my calendar to ensure I meet deadlines."
10. Talk about a time that you identified an area for improvement on the job in the past. How did you go about ensuring that changes were made, and why did you take this course of action?
How to Answer
By posing this question to you, your interviewer is looking to hear that you are a forward thinker who is always looking for ways to improve the overall customer experience and that this would be on your mind at all times if hired at Air New Zealand. As you reflect back upon your career, try to think of a time when you can demonstrate your ability to identify a problem, hypothesize a solution, and then set the wheels in motion to make the change a reality. As you answer, make sure to talk about the resources you used to help make the change.
Answer Example
"In my current job, we were having a big issue in regard to customer wait times on our phone system due to a new product line we were selling that was generating a ton of traffic. As one of the front line staff who was talking with customers after really long waiting times, it didn't take long to realize that customers were very upset. I knew that there were great options out there for automated phone systems to route customers to the correct person, but our management had been hesitant in the past to utilize a system like that. I made the decision to monitor our customer wait times and track the number of complaints that we were getting for a week long period before approaching our management about the need for an upgraded phone system. After seeing the data, they were supportive of the idea, and I led a team of staff that demoed new systems in the coming months."
11. Have you every had a job where you provided service over the phone? What key skills from that experience would you bring with you to Air New Zealand?
How to Answer
As a Customer Service Agent with Air New Zealand, you will be expected to provide great service, accurate information, and resolve issues for airline customers over the phone. To understand your ability to effectively handle this aspect of the job, your interviewer is posing this question to you. If you do have past experience in working a phone line, talk about that experience and the skills you used to provide great service. Most importantly, be sure to talk about the things you learned in that job that you will be able to use in this role as a Customer Service Agent. As you answer, try to focus on the things you did over the phone to provide the best service possible.
Answer Example
"I've had two jobs where I did a lot of work with customers over the phone. In high school, I worked for a restaurant and took customer orders over the phone. In my current job, I work the phone lines for incoming service calls. In each of those roles, the key to my success was mastering the business and the products that I worked with. With the restaurant, it was knowing our entire menu off the top of my head and knowing the hot specials each day. In my current role, I know our entire product catalog and services our technicians provide to be able to help diagnose customer issues. While the knowledge was a priority, my friendly attitude and willingness to serve others took over and helped me be very successful in both of these roles; I look forward to bringing those skills to work at Air New Zealand if I am fortunate enough to be offered this position."
12. Part of this role will entail escorting passengers to and from flights in a timely manner. What interpersonal skills do you have that will make you excel in this aspect of the job?
How to Answer
Because you will be working face to face with Air New Zealand passengers in many ways, your interviewer will definitely ask you some questions that will allow you to dig into your interpersonal and communication skills. As you answer any questions related to your interpersonal skills and working with customers, be sure to talk about your listening skills, verbal communication skills, positive attitude, and empathetic approach, as these are all of the necessary skills needed to provide the best service possible to customers when spending small amounts of time with them.
Answer Example
"When I would have time with a customer while escorting them, I would have a smile on my face and ask how their day is going and if I could do anything for them. I know it is important to try and relate to them in a very personable way to help make their day better. If I get a good vibe from them, I would continue to make conversation with them while also explaining anything I could about their upcoming departure. If I got the strong sense that they were in distress, I would switch into helper mode with them to try and put their mind at ease to provide them the best experience possible at Air New Zealand."
13. As a Customer Service Agent at Air New Zealand, you will help with ensuring that aircraft are prepared for flight inside the cabin. Do you have any cleaning and/or stocking experience during your career?
How to Answer
As passengers shuffle off of a flight that just landed and prior to the passengers boarding the plane for its next flight out, Air New Zealand staff quickly work to prepare the plane. During this preparation, Customer Service Agents are asked to help restock the food, beverage, and other items on the plane. They are also asked to do some light cleaning in the cabin of the plane. While your interviewer knows that you can likely handle this piece of the job, they're looking to hear if you do have any experience handling these types of duties during your past work. Be honest about the experience you have that relate to these two items. If you don't have direct experience with either of these duties, let your interviewer know that you are ready and willing to handle these tasks when you join the Air New Zealand team.
Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I have very direct experience in the retail industry. During my time in that industry, providing a clean atmosphere and well-stocked products was extremely important. As a cashier, I was responsible for making sure the the shelves were fully stocked around my register during my shift, and I would do so at times when foot traffic at the registers was slow. At the end of each shift, I was required to sanitize and wipe down my register area and do any sweeping and mopping necessary. Without being prompted to, I also kept my register area clean throughout my shift to provide a safer area for my customers."
14. Our Customer Service Agents often have to handle unique requests from our customers with a smile on their face. Talk about a time you had to handle a unique request that fell outside of your typical job duties. Why did you oblige the request?
How to Answer
Because of the simple nature of the industry and the fact that the passengers of Air New Zealand come from all walks of life and travel for many different reasons, customers can have some very unique demands. Your job as a Customer Service Agent will be to help customers with anything you can, within reason. To get a feel for your willingness and ability to do this, your interviewer is looking to hear about a situation in which you have had to do this in the past. As you prepare for this question, think of a time that highlights a very unique situation with a customer that fell outside of your typical duties and allows you to talk about your reasoning for helping the customer in that way. In the end, your interviewer is looking to hear that you are flexible and willing to do what is necessary to put a smile on the customer's face.
Answer Example
"During my time in Customer Service with Spark New Zealand, I did many things that were out of the scope of my job to help provide the best experience for customers. One day, we had a customer who was having major connectivity issues with their wireless internet. Being that they were running a large business and all of the techs were on the road that afternoon, I sought permission from my manager to leave my desk and go help the customer at their site and he obliged. I took the time to speak further with the customer over the phone so I could diagnose the issue and bring as much extra equipment that I could. In the end, I fixed the issue at the customer's place of business, and they were very happy with the result in such a timely manner. In this situation, I knew how important this particular customer was, so I was very willing to step outside of my normal job duties."
15. At times in this role with Air New Zealand, you may be required to transport passengers via a shuttle van. Do you have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record?
How to Answer
If your interviewer asks you any questions during your interview about holding a valid driver's license and having a clean driving record, operating an Air New Zealand vehicle will likely be part of the job. As part of the listing for this Customer Service Agent position, Air New Zealand does require a minimum restricted driver's license and prefers a full New Zealand license. This question calls for a pretty simple and honest response, where you confirm your license status and also talk about your driving record in an open and honest manner.
Answer Example
"I do have a valid driver's license and have held mine without any restrictions since I was 16 years old. The only blemish on my record is a speeding ticket for going 20 kilometers per hour over the posted limit eight years ago, and I paid a small fine for this violation."
16. As our next Customer Service Agent, you will be expected to know the entire Air New Zealand business. Have you ever held a role where knowing your business from back to front was necessary for your role?
How to Answer
At Air New Zealand, Customer Service Agents are often the face of the company to passengers. In this role, you will be expected to know all of the details on flight scheduling, ticketing, baggage policies, and many other areas of the business, so you are able to explain details to customers in your interactions with them. To get at your ability to be as knowledgeable as possible in this role, your interviewer is asking this question to see if you've had to do this in any previous roles you've held. As you answer this question, talk about the position you've held that required a vast knowledge base about the organization you worked for, and explain why having that knowledge was critical to the role. Make sure that you also reiterate to your interviewer that you are willing to learn and master every aspect of the Air New Zealand business if hire for this role.
Answer Example
"In my current job, I work with customers over the phone and with those who come into our location in-person, and I'm most often the first face they see. To best help meet their needs, I know our entire product catalog off the top of my head and also know our entire sales and marketing teams to be able to direct customers to the right person, when necessary. When I was hired for my current job five years ago, I took it upon myself to familiarize myself and learn our products and staff in a short amount of time to be the expert representative of my organization. If I'm fortunate enough to join Air New Zealand, I would work hard from the start to gain this same level of expertise in this role."
17. What communication style would you bring to the Air New Zealand team?
How to Answer
While there are many directions you can take your answer to this question, it is important to know that your interviewer will not just be looking to hear how you communicate with others. They will also be looking to hear about your own personal self awareness and that you are familiar with your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to communication. Because you will be working face to face with both customers of Air New Zealand and your fellow staff members, your interviewer wants to know that you are comfortable in your own shoes when it comes to communication with others. Prior to your interview, make sure to do some self reflecting to be able to accurately describe your communication style, why it works for this kind of job, and highlight one area where you think this job will help you become a better overall communicator.
Answer Example
"I'm a person that tends to wear their heart on their sleeve and speak what's on my mind at all times. When it comes to relating to customers on the job, I am always up front and honest in both positive and negative situations with customers, and I don't shy away from hard conversations, when needed. My colleagues have always appreciated my ability to speak my mind and not be withdrawn in the workplace. Throughout my career, I've learned how to not let my emotions get the best of me. In those moments, I've learned that I need to step back, take a deep breath, and assess the situation before I go any further."
18. Have you had any cash handling experience during your career at any point, and why would this be beneficial at Air New Zealand?
How to Answer
Part of your duties, if you were hired as the next Customer Service Agent at Air New Zealand, would be receiving payment from customers for flight tickets. Payment from customers definitely could be in person at the airport, so having experience here is a plus. If you have any sort of cashier or other cash handling experience, be sure to let your interviewer know what that job entailed in this regard. If you don't have direct experience, try to study the important aspects of cashier-type duties to be able to speak to your ability to handle this part of the job.
Answer Example
"As you can see from my resume, I worked as a cashier during my final year of high school. Cashier duties required a strict attention to detail when accepting cash transactions and counting change back to customers. I also was trained to follow guidelines when accepting written checks and testing large bills for counterfeiting. A lot of transactions were also handled by credit or debit cards and I had to help customers work the self service pad for transactions. At the end of each shift, I was responsible for balancing the cash and checks in my till against the transaction registered. During my time on this job, I never had an issue with an imbalance at the end of a shift."
19. If hired as our next Customer Service Agent, you would be expected to train diligently on our software programs during your orientation process so you can hit the ground running. How would you rate your ability to do this?
How to Answer
Because almost every aspect of the business at Air New Zealand, from flight scheduling, passenger ticketing, and aircraft maintenance, is housed within one of several different software systems, you will be expected to pick up and run with any program that you train on and will use on the job. As you look to rate your ability as excellent to your interviewer, prove it by talking about all of the different programs you have worked on during your career and what your specific roles were on them. To really sell your ability to hit the ground running if hired at Air New Zealand, talk to your interviewer about your plan to learn and master whatever programs are required for this role.
Answer Example
"I consider myself very computer literate because of both my work history and my own personal use of many different programs. I am proficient in the entire Microsoft Office suite and am a go-to for colleagues on anything in Excel and PowerPoint. I also have a lot of experience in different point-of-sale programs and the Sage CRM program. In my current role, I trained myself on the point-of-sale program that I use and now train new staff on it, as well. If hired for this role, I would make mastering the systems I would be working in a top priority upon starting. I would soak in all in-person training and any online module training that I would be put through during my orientation. I would ask a lot of questions of my new colleagues to help me better understand how the program works from a big picture standpoint, as well."
20. If you were on the phone with a customer who was demanding that you match the ticket pricing of a competitor airline, how would you handle that situation?
How to Answer
To get a glimpse into how you think on your feet while also providing top notch service, your interviewer is posing this tricky scenario to you. As you discuss how you would talk to them in a friendly yet professional tone, make sure you talk about the need to refer to the Air New Zealand policies regarding this situation. While it isn't important to know the exact policies of Air New Zealand, it is important that you point out to your interviewer that you would be aware of the policy if you were hired as their next Customer Service Agent, and that you would clearly communicate that policy to the customer. If you have been in a similar type of customer service situation in the past, don't hesitate to talk about how you handled that situation, as well.
Answer Example
"If confronted with this situation on the job, I would be very cordial to the customer and explain the airline's policy on competitor price matching. If the policy allowed, I would let the customer know that I would be happy to oblige their request. If policy didn't allow this, I would explain this to the customer and let them know why we have the policy in place. This would also be a great time to point out the benefits of flying with our airline so the customer knows that they are getting the best bang for their buck."