Interview Questions: How Flight Attendants Should Deal with Unrealistic Demands from Customers

Flight Attendant InterviewBeing a flight attendant is often depicted as a glamorous occupation. They spend a great deal of time in an enclosed space, going different places. For some people this is unimaginable, while for others it’s a dream job.

 Although being a flight attendant is described by many people as a great job, it has its pros and cons. Flight attendants deal with many things besides traveling to various places and staying presentable.

Flight attendants are employed to carry out a range of duties in airplanes such as demonstrating pre-flight do's and don’ts, conducting safety checks, enforcing precautions and regulations, and attending to the needs of passengers.

If you are or want to be a flight attendant, you should be mindful of the interview questions that are likely to be asked. One of these is about how you handle customers, especially when they’re demanding. The interviewer will be interested in how you’re going to deal with customers who make unrealistic demands. Why? It is because:

  • He or she wants to see how you’re going to respond to the customer;
  • He or she wants to assess how far your patience can go; and,
  • He or she wants to know if you have the right kind of qualities to deal with difficult people.

Now, how are you going to answer this question? Here are few reminders that can help you convince the interviewer that you can handle difficult customers:

1. Talk about the qualities you value as a flight attendant. You can also explain how your values are similar to those of the company. Of course, they would prefer someone who is compassionate enough to deal with hard-to-handle customers. Sell yourself by stating values that a flight attendant should have (e.g., sympathetic, compassionate, understanding, patient).

2. Demonstrate how you are going to empathize with the demanding customer. However, make sure that you will be able to explain how you’re going to manage the situation. Explain how capable you are at coping with stress—that you have the ability to adapt and make the best of it.

3. Cite examples from your previous job in which you were able to handle this type of situation. Talk about how you were able to implement the qualities of a good flight attendant. Describe yourself in such a way that the interviewer would love to have you on their team.

4. Showcase your problem-solving abilities. Explain how you will handle those challenging customers. Tell the interviewer that you will be understanding and patient, but you will also remain objective. If the customer’s demand is impossible, say that you will try your best to explain the situation and present alternatives.

As a flight attendant, it’s not necessary to agree with the customer all the time. You just have to fully understand the customer’s position and feelings. It’s your responsibility to convince the interviewer that you’re capable of doing this.

Read 13465 times Last modified on Monday, 07 March 2016 16:34
Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.