Airline cabin crew recruitment sees only 1% acceptance rate; TransAsia Airways: 'Star looks don’t give an edge'

▲ Although many applicants resembled celebrities or entertainers, TransAsia Airways stated that star-like appearances do not affect scores. (Photo / Provided by TransAsia Airways)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

Starting today (July 27) and continuing for two days, TransAsia Airways is once again recruiting flight attendants, with estimated monthly salaries reaching up to NT$50,000. TransAsia Airways said that a total of 2,598 people applied this time, and with only 25 positions available, the acceptance rate is less than 1%. Additionally, among the nearly 2,600 applicants, only 131 were male, accounting for just 0.5%—far lower than the previous 2:8 gender ratio—making the recruitment scene today one of “a single green sprout in a sea of red.”

▲ The recruitment test includes challenges such as retrieving items barefoot at certain heights.

TransAsia Airways recently signed a contract to introduce Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with the first new plane scheduled for delivery in May 2016. The airline stated that its current routes mainly cover cross-strait flights and outlying islands, and in the second half of the year, it will also launch new services to cities such as Wuxi, Shenyang, and Changzhou. To meet the needs of the new fleet and routes, the airline is recruiting new aviation personnel.

▲ A total of 2,598 candidates applied this time, with an acceptance rate of less than 1%.

TransAsia Airways also pointed out that after officially starting work,the monthly base salary plus allowances for flight attendants is around NT$40,000 to NT$50,000.Since the existing routes do not require significant time zone adjustments, this recruitment drive attracted many applicants. In addition to basic cabin crew qualities and skills, those with foreign language abilities in English or Japanese, as well as nursing expertise, can receive extra points.

▲ Female applicants made up about 95.5% of the candidates, with only a few males in sight.

In the past, many applicants would include their “star-like appearance” in their personal statements to leave a better impression on judges. Therefore, this time the airline set up a separate field for this trait to allow candidates to showcase their uniqueness. However, TransAsia Airways public relations officer Chen Yun-long also noted that this field is optional, and having star-like looks will not influence the score.

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