Language route hiring, tracked: which airlines are recruiting for which languages this season, from the crew who see the new joiners
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#1 Turkish, British, hired for English, and the language route hiring is a specific channel that candidates with a second language do not know exists. Here is how it works and what I am seeing this season. Crew, add your airline and the languages.
How it works
Airlines with routes to a country need crew who speak that country's language for the announcements, the service and the regulations (some countries require it). They recruit specifically: a Japanese speaker event, a Korean intake, a German language batch. The language requirement is tested by a native speaker at the assessment. The hires often go to the fleet that flies the routes faster than the general intake, as Amir described for Turkish.
Who does it
The Gulf carriers, constantly: Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Vietnamese, and more, in waves tied to route launches. Turkish, for the languages Zoe listed elsewhere. The US majors, for Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Hindi and others, with the language premium. The Asian carriers, for the languages of their networks. Some European carriers, for specific routes.
What I am seeing this season
From the new joiners on my flights and the crew groups: the Gulf carriers running Japanese and Korean events in Tokyo and Seoul, a Mandarin intake at one of them, and German and Italian events in Europe. Turkish running a Spanish and Portuguese round for the Latin America expansion. Two US majors advertising the language premium for Portuguese and Hindi. An Asian carrier recruiting Vietnamese speakers for a route launch.
For candidates with a language
Search the careers pages for the language, not for 'cabin crew'. The language events are listed separately. Bring the certificate and be ready for the native speaker interview, which is thorough (Yuki's honorific levels story applies). And know that the language is the door and the standard requirements are still the room: the reach, the age, the tattoos, the service background.
For crew
What languages is your airline hiring for this season, that you can see from the new joiners? Add it with the month. This is a channel that this forum can track better than any careers page.
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#2 Korean Air, and we are hiring for Japanese and Mandarin this season, small batches, native level tested. And I can confirm the Gulf carriers were in Seoul last month, because three of my colleagues went to the event.
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#3 Qatar, and the French and Arabic events in Casablanca that Sara and I came through are language route hiring in effect: the North African routes need French and Moroccan Arabic. Twice a year in Casablanca and Tunis, from what the new joiners say.
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#4 United Houston, and the Spanish language premium is being advertised in the current hiring wave, and the Portuguese one is new this year for the Brazil flying. Language qualified new hires are going to Houston and Newark. Apply with the language.
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#5 @jayhouston the Portuguese premium being new is exactly the kind of thing this thread is for. Candidates with Portuguese in the US: that is a door that opened this year.
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#6 Lufthansa offer, with Portuguese 'noted', and Hannah says it means São Paulo within two years. The language route channel is how I got the note. Candidates with a second language: it is a real advantage and it is a separate list.
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#7 Japanese, and the Gulf carriers' Tokyo events are twice a year now and the Japanese speaker intake goes to the Japan routes within months. The honorific test is real and it is thorough. Bring the keigo.