Is it really that hard to be a flight attendant? 5,000 applicants compete for 100 spots – China Airlines’ acceptance rate under 3%

Travel Center / Taipei Report

Is it really that hard to be a flight attendant? To meet the needs of new routes, national carriers held preliminary interviews today (22nd) and tomorrow (23rd), planning to recruit 130 candidates. However, over 5,000 people showed up to compete, resulting in an acceptance rate of less than 3%, setting a record for the highest number of applicants for flight attendant positions in history.


                  ▲Is fulfilling your dream of becoming a flight attendant really that difficult? (Photo / Reporter Yu Ruru)

This round of preliminary interviews for China Airlines flight attendants only recruited 130 candidates, yet attracted 5,000 applicants, with an acceptance rate of less than 3%. The preliminary interview included overhead bin height tests, document screening, and interviews. During the interviews, examiners will evaluate candidates based on their approachability, attitude, and verbal communication skills. Candidates can check the preliminary interview results on the China Airlines corporate website from 12:00 noon on June 24th to 12:00 noon on June 27th. Those who pass the preliminary round will attend the second round of interviews in late June. The second round focuses more on oral tests in Chinese and English, as well as assessments of service professionalism. Korean-speaking candidates will also take a Korean oral test.

Those who pass the second round will be comprehensively evaluated based on their performance in the first and second rounds, English proficiency test scores, and physical examinations. After receiving training notifications, they are expected to report for duty in batches between July and September to undergo a nine-week pre-service training program covering basic aviation and ground subjects. Upon completing the initial training, they must still complete three months of flight training and a probationary period before officially becoming China Airlines flight attendants.

In addition to internal reviewers, this selection process also involved judges from various fields in industry, government, and academia, who used their extensive work experience and hiring expertise to select candidates with excellent deportment, warmth, service enthusiasm, and those who best embody the “customer-first” spirit. For other positions, China Airlines is also recruiting full-time and hourly ground service staff—registration is open online from June 27th to July 10th; professional maintenance personnel can apply from now until June 30th, while pilot recruitment remains ongoing.