Are you able to lift between 20 and 50 pounds?

"Yes, I can easily lift 50 pounds. Exercise and staying in strong physical shape is important to me, so I lift on a regular basis."

Among other physical requirements, airline stewards are required to be able to lift anywhere between 20 and 50 pounds. Physical requirements vary by airline, so be sure to research the company's specific requirements to see if you meet the expectations. You'll want your answer to this particular question to be 'yes!'

"Yes, my most recent job as a firefighter required us to lift much much more than 50lbs."

Do you have any questions for us?

"Absolutely! I'd love to hear a little bit about your experience as an Airline Steward. What drew you to the job? What do you enjoy most about it, and what has been the most challenging? Finally, what do you think has been your number one quality that makes you a successful airline steward?"

If you make it through to a one-on-one interview, you will certainly be asked this question by the end. Make sure that you have questions to ask! Even if you've asked the same question to another recruiter, you might get new insight from your interviewer(s).

"Yes, I would love to know more about your experience as a flight attendant and how rewarding has it been to you."

Tell me about the last time you lost your patience at work.

"Last week, I was working on a huge, time-sensitive project for a manager in my department. I booked a conference room to spread the materials out and get as much work done as I could in a short period of time. It was a lot to keep track of, but I made great time and even finished early. Right when I was finishing the project, that manager came into the room unannounced with an external partner to set up for a meeting. I still had the room booked for a full 30 minutes and I wasn't done tidying up my things, so I was really frustrated that I had to rush myself out of the room that was still in my name. I focused my frustration on quietly cleaning up my things and exiting the room quickly. Once I got the project fully wrapped up, I took a small break to grab water and take a deep breath. I knew that I needed to take a pause to address how frustrated I was, but I couldn't demonstrate my frustration in front of our external partner visiting, so I removed myself from the situation politely."

Work will not always be stress-free, and your interviewers know that. They are not looking for someone that never gets stressed, they're looking for someone that can navigate stress in a calm, controlled way. Being an airline steward means that you are almost always face-to-face with customers, so you need to be able to handle difficult emotions and situations with grace.

"This may sound crazy, but I don't remember the last time I lost my patience at work. I loved my job as a firefighter."

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

"I value collaboration and leveraging strengths to create the best outcomes, so I thoroughly enjoy working on a team. I am also able to work well independently, particularly as it relates to a larger team objective."

Flight crews are heavily team-focused and require an emphasis on teamwork. You can reference comfort and ability to operate independently, though you will want your answer to lean towards being collaborative and working on a team.

"I'm a team player, so I prefer working on a team to achieve our goals."

Describe the best experience you've ever had with a flight crew.

"The best experience I've had was on the first of two flights home. The first flight had been delayed by over an hour, and my layover before the second flight was only an hour and a half. I was worried I'd miss my next flight, so I went to the gate crew to ask for a status update. They understood the difficult position I was in, and they bumped me up to a first-class seat so I'd be able to deboard the plane as quickly as possible. The pilots announced that they would do their best to safely make up as much time as possible in the air. As we approached the landing, the airline stewards kept us updated on our flight gates in the new airport and announced that anyone with a layover would deboard the plane first. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that we were able to all catch our connecting flights and experience as little stress on the flight as possible. The entire team worked together to do little things to make everything work out, and I will never forget it."

Here, you are taking the perspective of the customer and what you recall to have had the greatest impact on you. Be sure to elaborate on why your response was the best experience and include that even the smallest experiences can have a great impact on customers.

"The best experience I had, was many years ago when my kids were little we were flying to Puerto Rico and my littles ones were very restless, one of the flight attendants on the flight took my little girl and carried her for a few minutes till she fall asleep, then came back with a chocolate chip cookie for my other child, her customer service went beyond what we would ever expect."

Have you ever needed to employ any life-saving techniques in real-life, such as CPR or First Aid?

"I have had to employ First Aid on several occasions. Most recently, I was watching a friendly neighborhood baseball game when the pitcher took a line-drive ball to the head. He dropped instantly, and I immediately ran out to check on him. I directed others to call an ambulance and contact his family while running a series of basic checks for memory and mobility. When the paramedics arrived, I gave them a quick run-down of what had happened and what I had checked for. I requested the location they'd be taking him to and relayed that information to his family for them to meet him there. He had suffered from a severe concussion at the time, though he is much better now and back to playing baseball!"

Airline Stewards receive extensive training on life-saving techniques and emergency protocols. Knowing these skills and techniques is one thing, it's another to use them in a real-life emergency situation. The interviewers are interested in your ability to step in and use emergency protocols under pressure. If you do not have an example of this, then draw a connection to another high-stress situation in which you've performed well.

"Yes; as a firefighter, I had to perform CPR and first aid countless times."

If you had a long layover in an unfamiliar place, what would you do with your time?

"My favorite way to discover a new place is on foot. I like to let my feet and spontaneity guide the way, so I'll just start walking and see where it takes me. I'd follow yummy smells and try local cuisine, I'd follow soothing sounds and take a river walk, and I'd follow anything eye-catching, like a string of shops or art galleries. By the end of my walks, I am usually ready to take a nice deep rest to gear up for the next leg of the trip."

One of the perks of the job is seeing new places all over the world. How would you take advantage of this benefit? When answering this question, be mindful of the expectations you'd be held to, such as no alcohol or substances within a certain timeframe prior to working. It's great to demonstrate your interest in maximizing your layovers, just be sure it doesn't appear to be at the expense of performing your job at the end of the layover. Keep it professional!

"I would definitely try to learn as much about the culture and people as I can."

What does our dress code mean to you?

"I believe that the dress code is a direct representation of the airline. To me, that means it represents trust, respect, and loyalty. Trust that anyone in the uniform puts safety and customer experience first. Respect on two levels: 1) for the caliber of the airline and employees, and 2) for the treatment of customers. Finally, loyalty to passengers, safety, and travel."

An airline's dress code is a reflection of their identity as a company. Dress codes can be very strict depending on the airline, and the interviewers want to ensure that you can draw meaning to the uniform and respect it as a symbol of the brand.

"The dress code is important to me because it represents the company I work for."

Are you able to be on your feet for prolonged periods of time?

"Absolutely. I have a strong retail background, so I am very accustomed to being on my feet and moving about for long shifts."

Airline Stewards might have long-distance flights for 10+ hours, and they might cross the country twice in one day. One of the physical demands of the job is being on your feet and 'on' for hours at a time, so you want your answer to this question to be 'yes!'

"Yes; I have a strong military and fire department background."

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

"I would love to be in Paris, France. My very first trip outside of North America was a family vacation to Paris when I was younger, and I have very fond memories of traveling the streets, wandering the museums, and eating delicious food with them. That trip helped influence my interest in studying French. Now that I'm fully fluent in the language, I love to go back and make new memories."

This is a fun question to elaborate on, so consider a place that will offer you the most to share. Personal stories and connections always stand out and can resonate well, so don't forget to share 'why' you'd choose your desired place.

"I would be in Greece enjoying the Mediterranean with my finance."

What do you do if you notice a fellow employee texting in front of customers?

"I would want to address it with my colleague, but not in front of customers. So, I'd approach my colleague with a task or request for support with something to stop the texting in the moment. When we'd be back away from passengers, I'd mention that I noticed them texting out in front of passengers and ask if everything was okay. I would approach that conversation in as non-accusatory of a way as possible while still on the plane to keep things level and cool and also to allow them to explain what might've been happening."

You can expect to see at least one situation-based question regarding a colleague not adhering to an expectation. The interviewer is interested in your ability to balance professionalism and expectations while navigating a complex situation. You want to demonstrate an ability to overcome discomfort and keep safety and customer service first.

What was your most recent post on social media?

"I posted early this morning that I was very excited to come here today to get one step closer to my dream job and that Icouldn't wait to become an Airline Steward with this company."

Airlines do a great deal of research on candidates prior to hiring, including reviewing social media. In general, you want to make sure your social media is clean, secure, and fairly professional. The interviewers are using this question to catch you off-guard a bit and see how you handle something unexpected. You want to make your answers as applicable to being an Airline Steward as possible, so find a way to incorporate that even in this answer.

"I posted a picture of my son and me for National Son's Day."

If a customer refused to unplug and put away their laptop during takeoff or landing, what would you do?

"If I walked by again and noticed that the customer hadn't unplugged and put away their laptop, then I would remind them that it is time to put away their devices. If they still refused to put it away, then I would inform them of the safety implications for themselves and other passengers on the flight. Sometimes, people are less inclined to follow rules that they don't understand, so I would make sure they knew the reasoning behind that rule."

The interviewers are looking for your ability to balance continued patience and customer-service mindset with a focus on safety and adhering to flight procedures. You might consider asking the customer another time to put away their device, and you might also include the reason as to why it is important to do so.

"I would explain to the passenger the safety reasons why he or she needs to unplug. and if the person still won't listen, I would ask another coworker to ask the person."

How has your most recent job prepared you to become an Airline Steward?

"My most recent job was in retail, so I am very familiar and comfortable with a flexible schedule, working on holidays and weekends, and always being 'on' for the customer. I thrive in the dynamic environment that retail and the airline industry provide, and I love serving others and providing excellent customer service."

Consider how your current or previous job might correlate to key components of being an Airline Steward, such as safety, customer service, dynamic work environment, and so on. Draw connections using skills that you know to be valued in both professions.

"My most recent job as a firefighter has prepared me in the sense that my job revolved around helping people."

Why do you want a career as an airline steward?

"I want to leverage my skills to serve others and support people in getting where they need to go. I am a very customer-focused employee, and I get a lot of energy out of working with others. Of course, I love to travel, but more than that I love to learn from the people I meet and the interactions I have with them. I believe this career perfectly aligns with my passions and career aspirations."

Be sure to go beyond 'I love to travel,' because this is the most common answer they will hear. Think deeply about why you actually want to be an airline steward, what skills you might enjoy employing in the profession, and how you'd like to grow in the career.

"I would love to be a flight attendant because I enjoy working with people. In my past position, I worked with a team."

What is your best quality?

"I would say that my best quality is patience. I am a fairly empathetic person, and I regularly remind myself that I don't know what everyone might be going through at any given moment. When I frame my thinking in that way, patience with people and situations comes naturally."

To prepare for this question, consider what key qualities are needed for the position. Review the job description and research what those key qualities might be. List what you believe to be your top 5 qualities - or poll family and friends - and compare the lists. You want your response to be honest and true to you while reflecting what they need in the position.

"My best quality would be that I work well with others and I love helping people."

If the airline CEO came on board, what would you do?

"I would resume all of my tasks and duties to ensure safety and security for all passengers on the flight. I might introduce myself and thank them for flying on our aircraft that day, but I would mostly want to continue on with my job and ensure that all passengers receive the high-quality service and respect that they expect and deserve from our airline."

This can be a trick question because airlines want to treat all of their customers as though they are equally important and special as, say, the CEO. When answering this question, be sure to emphasize the importance of maintainingsafety, customer service, and treating all passengers highly and with respect.

"I would resume my duties to ensure a safe and pleasant flight as if it was a regular guest."

Describe a time when you had to de-escalate a situation.

"One day, a student at the elementary school I worked at refused to come inside from recess with his teacher, and he ran off into the woods. I saw that the teacher was conflicted between the class lined up and the student in the woods, so I radioed for support from additional school staff and headed over to the woods. I approached the student slowly and calmly and acted like nothing was wrong. I simply asked what was up and if he wanted to talk about it, and he said no. I told him that was fine, I just wanted to make sure he was safe and that I'd just hang out in case he might want to chat. After a minute or so, I mentioned that I needed to get back inside and that I'd love a walking buddy. While I don't know what initially triggered him, I recognized that he needed some space in that moment but not full free-reign."

Airline Stewards embody several things at one time: customer service support, counselor, enforcement, waiter, and more. You are the first line of defense for anything that might arise, so your interviewers are looking to make sure that you are capable and ready to de-escalate a situation, or even prevent it from escalating in the first place. Airline Stewards must do this while remaining cool, calm, and collected, so be sure to express your ability to maintain calm confidence in difficult situations.

Do you speak any languages in addition to English?

"In addition to English, I speak French fluently and have very basic proficiency in Spanish and Italian. I am very keen on improving my Spanish and Italian language skills, and I am always interested in the possibility of expanding my language profile even further."

Airline stewards serve customers from all over the world and are often scheduled to fly to many different countries. The ability to speak more than one language is a huge value-add to the airline and will allow you to ultimately tailor your schedule to match your language abilities.

Why do you want to work for this airline?

"This airline is a leader in the industry and is respected for its reputation of safety, consistency, and customer service focus. I admire your efforts to serve through your widespread community engagement efforts alongside your ability to connect friends and families to one another. I have been a loyal passenger of this airline for several years and appreciate the attention to detail you put in even the little things, and I would love to give back to the airline all that it has given me over the years."

You will want to do extensive research on the company so you're able to clearly outline why they are the best for you. Look into current news about the company, the current leadership, and any information you can find on the company culture. The interviewers are looking for candidates that know and represent their company well.

"I would love to work for this airline because it's one of the best and fastest-growing airlines. I also greatly enjoy working with people, so I think this job is a perfect fit for me."

Describe a time you went above and beyond.

"Last week, I was crossing the street at the light and noticed a man with a baby struggling to carry his grocery bags and push the stroller. The light was about to change, so I turned back and offered to help carry the bags to allow him and his baby to get safely across. Once we made it across the street, I offered to continue carrying the bags until we made it to their car which was parked nearby. Even though it was a small thing and didn't take much time out of my day, I could tell that he was grateful for the help."

Don't overthink this question - your response to this can be as simple as choosing to help someone cross the street because you noticed their hands were full and the light was changing. The main thing the interviewers are looking for here is a candidate that is customer-focused and can identify the little things that might make a customer's experience better and more memorable. They will have a series of questions and scenarios to identify your ability to jump into action when needed; in this question, they're looking for the intuitive side of airline stewards that will see that someone looks cold and come offer them a blanket.

What do you anticipate to be challenging about a career as an airline steward?

"I anticipate planning certain things in advance to be more difficult as an airline steward given the nature of scheduling and occasional 'on-call' duties. That said, I thoroughly enjoy a dynamic and changing schedule, so I am ready for whatever side effects that might bring."

Your response to this question will indicate how much research you've done on what it means to be an airline steward, so make sure you've researched the position in detail and looked up testimonies from airline stewards in the field. When answering this question, you'll also want to demonstrate your ability and willingness to overcome whatever challenge you present.

"I would probably find the schedule to be most challenging, as I would have to get used to it again."

Who would you choose to sit next to on a 24 hour flight?

"I would love to sit next to the Airline Steward with the longest career at this company. I'm certain that they would have some amazing stories to tell, great advice, and tips on how to overcome some of the challenging aspects of the job. It would be really informative and a lot of fun to learn from a leader in the industry, so that would be who I'd choose to sit next to on a 24-hour flight."

Most interviews to become an airline steward offer few instances to answer questions and really stand out, so you want to make sure that all of your answers pertain as close to being an airline steward as possible - even a question like this!

"I would choose to sit next to the most senior flight attendant, so I can ask about their experience as a flight attendant."

How do you decompress after, or in the middle of, a stressful situation?

"If I am in the middle of a stressful situation, I try to pause and focus on my breathing. I'll either count breaths or count seconds, and it's usually able to ground me surprisingly quickly. If I find that I need more of an opportunity to decompress, then I'll get some exercise in, either with a walk, run, or quick visit to the gym. Getting that stressful energy out of my system helps me hit the reset button and keep moving."

Airline Stewards navigate stressful situations in one way or another on every flight. Stress builds over time and is important to address, so the interviewers want to ensure that you are prepared with a strategy to take care of yourself and appropriately manage the stress of the job. As the question suggests, your strategy might be useful mid-flight, so consider what you could do during and after the stressful situations occur.

"When I have to deal with a stressful situation, I pause, breathe, relax, and keep calm."

How would you handle working closely with a colleague that you didn't get along with?

"We aren't always going to work alongside friends or people we get along well with, so it's important to focus more on what we're working on and less on who we have to work with. I try to regularly remind myself of what is needed and expected of me and my team at work and focus my energy on that while maintaining professional interactions and relationships with my colleagues, regardless of how I feel about them."

Flight crews change on a regular basis, so you won't be working with the same people on every flight. That said, you will likely come across the same fellow airline stewards multiple times throughout your career. Given the customer-facing nature of the position, the interviewers want to ensure that you are capable of putting differences aside to perform well with your team members, even if you don't always get along. You'll want to emphasize keeping customer needs and experience first, which means leaving your grievances at the gate.

"We aren't always going to work with the ideal person, but as professionals, we have to work as a team to get our job done and provide the best customer service possible."

Are you available to work holidays and weekends?

"Yes, I can be very open and flexible with my schedule at any time of the year, so I will be ready whenever I'm needed."

Flying never stops, no matter what holiday or day of the week. You will be expected to be flexible and available to fly on weekends and holidays, especially in your first year or two of flying. The interviewers use this question to weed out individuals that are not openly available, so be sure to demonstrate your willingness and ability to work whenever needed.

"Yes, as a retiree, I'm very flexible to help and work when needed."

What is a difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?

"In one of my previous positions, I had a significant amount of work that required my attention in a lot of areas. I had a difficult time keeping up with the increasing workload even though I was working nights and weekends to get it all done. While I wanted to try to figure out how to make this work on my own, I knew that I could improve far more quickly if I sought out advice from senior colleagues. I asked them what suggestions they had, listened to how they navigated similar challenges, and even shadowed them to see how it played out in action. I was able to take the strategies I'd learned from them and significantly improve how I balanced my workload. As a result, I had more time and capacity to expand upon the work and get creative with my role."

The interviewers are looking for how you navigate situations when you are faced with obstacles. When considering examples to use in your response, be sure to make it easy for your interviewers to picture such a situation as an Airline Steward. Use an example in which you show how you've grown as an employee.

Are you willing to relocate?

"Absolutely! I enjoy where I'm living currently and would be happy to stay, though I also love to discover new places and make a home wherever I end up, so I look forward to being stationed wherever I'm needed."

The best response to this question will be 'yes' given the nature of the career and the industry. That said, if you have barriers to relocation, then consider what those barriers are and whether or not they might ever have the flexibility to change. The interviewers are looking for candidates that will be ready to step in and fill where the needs exist, so be sure to emphasize your desire to be open and flexible regardless of your answer. The majority of candidates will say 'yes,' so be sure to really sell your answer with either a story or personal motivation for your willingness to relocate. Note that if you are not willing to relocate at any point for this position, then this might not be the career for you.

"I definitely don't have a problem relocating. I'm retired so I'm very flexible."

Airline Steward Interview Questions

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1. Are you able to lift between 20 and 50 pounds?
2. Do you have any questions for us?
3. Tell me about the last time you lost your patience at work.
4. Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
5. Describe the best experience you've ever had with a flight crew.
6. Have you ever needed to employ any life-saving techniques in real-life, such as CPR or First Aid?
7. If you had a long layover in an unfamiliar place, what would you do with your time?
8. What does our dress code mean to you?
9. Are you able to be on your feet for prolonged periods of time?
10. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
11. What do you do if you notice a fellow employee texting in front of customers?
12. What was your most recent post on social media?
13. If a customer refused to unplug and put away their laptop during takeoff or landing, what would you do?
14. How has your most recent job prepared you to become an Airline Steward?
15. Why do you want a career as an airline steward?
16. What is your best quality?
17. If the airline CEO came on board, what would you do?
18. Describe a time when you had to de-escalate a situation.
19. Do you speak any languages in addition to English?
20. Why do you want to work for this airline?
21. Describe a time you went above and beyond.
22. What do you anticipate to be challenging about a career as an airline steward?
23. Who would you choose to sit next to on a 24 hour flight?
24. How do you decompress after, or in the middle of, a stressful situation?
25. How would you handle working closely with a colleague that you didn't get along with?
26. Are you available to work holidays and weekends?
27. What is a difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?
28. Are you willing to relocate?

Airline Steward Interview Questions

1. Are you able to lift between 20 and 50 pounds?

2. Do you have any questions for us?

3. Tell me about the last time you lost your patience at work.

4. Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

5. Describe the best experience you've ever had with a flight crew.

6. Have you ever needed to employ any life-saving techniques in real-life, such as CPR or First Aid?

7. If you had a long layover in an unfamiliar place, what would you do with your time?

8. What does our dress code mean to you?

9. Are you able to be on your feet for prolonged periods of time?

10. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

11. What do you do if you notice a fellow employee texting in front of customers?

12. What was your most recent post on social media?

13. If a customer refused to unplug and put away their laptop during takeoff or landing, what would you do?

14. How has your most recent job prepared you to become an Airline Steward?

15. Why do you want a career as an airline steward?

16. What is your best quality?

17. If the airline CEO came on board, what would you do?

18. Describe a time when you had to de-escalate a situation.

19. Do you speak any languages in addition to English?

20. Why do you want to work for this airline?

21. Describe a time you went above and beyond.

22. What do you anticipate to be challenging about a career as an airline steward?

23. Who would you choose to sit next to on a 24 hour flight?

24. How do you decompress after, or in the middle of, a stressful situation?

25. How would you handle working closely with a colleague that you didn't get along with?

26. Are you available to work holidays and weekends?

27. What is a difficult situation you have had to face and how did you tackle it?

28. Are you willing to relocate?