What would you do if you saw one of your colleagues deliberately being rude to a passenger?
"I'd approach him in the galley and chat him up, see if there's anything that's bothering him that might affecting his attitude. Maybe he had a fight with a friend or family member and he didn't leave his personal baggage when he came in to work. If that's the case, then I'll try to let him vent a little bit with me, and then encourage him to focus on something positive. Then I'd suggest to him that the passenger he was rude to looks a little upset at something and that he should check in with him. That way the passenger gets a taste of my colleague's more positive attitude."
Strong customer service is crucial to the success of an airline. At times, cabin crew can become stressed and out of focus and this can lead to some bad interactions with passengers. Your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have the ability to diagnose potential customer service issues your colleagues may be having and address those issues promptly. Discuss with the interviewer how you would deal with this type of situation in an effective and personable manner. If you have experienced this before, use a real-life example.
"My reaction would be different depending on if the colleague was one of my direct reports or not. If the individual reported to me, I would speak with them about the situation in private and request that an apology be granted. If possible, I would upgrade the passenger on their flight seating as well. If the colleague was an equal, I would likely leave it be and just take special care and attention on the flight to make the passenger feel comfortable and welcome. If the situation became a common occurrence, I would bring it up with management."
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Anonymous Answer
I would ask my co-worker if everything was ok with them and if there was anything I could do. Then offer to take over the situation with the passenger. I would do my best to ease the tension with that passenger and give them the best customer service.
Cindy's Feedback
Good! You're demonstrating compassion and good judgment.
Anonymous Answer
If I see that situation I would say to my colleagues. I will handle this situation, it's okay to take a break and then talk to the passenger; first, apologize for my colleague's attitude and give the passenger any reward that we allow to give them when that type of situation happens.
Marcie's Feedback
It sounds like you have a good idea of how you would handle this type of situation which the interviewer will appreciate. It's great that you would offer to take over so your colleague can take a break. Apologizing and providing some sort of compensation would also be helpful in smoothing things over with the passenger. Consider talking a bit about how important delivering exceptional customer service is to you. You might also discuss how you would follow up with your colleague to find out why they acted that way and then speak with a manager about their behavior if it seemed warranted. Good job!
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