British Airways Aptitude Tests, Personality Test, SJT, Assessment Centre Hiring Process & Interviews Online Preparation – 2025

Are you thinking about applying for a job at British Airways? Or perhaps you have already applied and are seeking details about their interview and hiring process. This article provides jobseekers with information about British Airways and their application process, along with tips, tricks and further resources to help you succeed in your application.

About British Airways

British Airways is a global airline, it is based near Heathrow in London but flies all around the world. They employ over 25,000 people and fly to over 200 destinations worldwide. It is likely that the number of employees will rise as air travel continues to recover from the setbacks suffered throughout the pandemic.

Employment options range from working in the sky as a pilot or cabin crew, to jobs on the ground like customer service, ground operations, cargo, engineering, corporate and support. Benefits of working for British Airways include individual bonuses, life and medical insurance, shopping discounts and travel benefits. There is an active community amongst employees with leisure clubs and facilities, and several wellness initiatives are available.

What Is British Airway’s Recruitment Process?

Requirements

Requirements need to be met before applying for a role. These differ depending on the role you seek. See below for requirements in different positions at British Airways.

• Cabin Crew Positions: To apply for a cabin crew position, you must live near Heathrow, Gatwick or London City in England and hold a valid passport. You must also meet height and fitness requirements as detailed on British Airways’ website.
• Corporate Positions: Pre-employment requirements for corporate positions will depend on the role. Roles include those for analysts, digital workers, operations, finance and strategy, brands and customer service, communications, HR, legal, sales, and security. In these jobs relevant qualifications and experience are the most important requirements, so ensuring your CV highlights these is the best way to ensure you get to the interview stage.
• Graduate Positions: There are four graduate programs offered by British Airways: Data Analytics, Finance, Logistics and Future Leaders. To be eligible for these programs you need to qualify as a recent graduate from a recognised tertiary institution.
• Pilots – You will need to be an experienced pilot to apply for a job piloting at British Airways. Pilots must have all the relevant licences and meet certain height and fitness requirements as detailed on British Airways’ website.

Application and Recruitment Process

There are several steps to the recruitment process at British Airways. Not all steps are necessary for every position, however the general guideline below lists all steps that may be required.

Initial Application

This is applicable to all positions. An online application form must be completed and submitted along with your CV and all relevant qualifications and licenses. There may also be role-specific questions and eligibility questions which you need to answer at this stage.

BA Assessment Tests

Personality and aptitude tests are used as a screening tool by many companies to ensure an applicant is a good fit and that their abilities and personality suit the company and position. Understanding what psychometric testing is and knowing how to do it well is essential when applying for your job. See below for a list of tests you may be required to complete when applying to work at British Airways.

• Verbal Reasoning Test: This will assess your ability to comprehend information, interpret text, and answer questions, as well as your written communication skills.
• Numerical Reasoning Test: This tests your math skills and understanding of numerical data. It includes analysis of graphs, tables and percentages.
• Situational Judgement Test: The SJT test assesses problem-solving skills with specific reference to real life scenarios you may encounter in the role. It evaluates skills such as communication and teamwork and looks at whether your decision-making skills and judgement are well-suited to the type of challenges you will face on the job.
• Diagrammatic/Logical Reasoning Test: This test uses illustrations and diagrams to test your logical reasoning and pattern recognition skills. For example, you may be shown several images and then asked to predict the next image in the sequence.
• Personality questionnaire: Sometimes a personality questionnaire is used during the hiring process. There are no right or wrong answers for this assessment, rather it is designed to understand your character and personality, so you should answer honestly.

Assessment tests are designed to assess your aptitude across different areas and are conducted within a set time limit. Cabin crew and pilots usually need to complete verbal and numerical reasoning tests and a situational judgement test. The tests for corporate and graduate applicants will differ depending on the program and/or role applied for but may include a situational judgement assessment, verbal and numerical reasoning tests, and inductive reasoning. There may also be skills tests relating to the position, such as typing, driving or programming.

BA Assessment Day

If your application is promising, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre, also known as an assessment day, for a one- or two-day session. Here you will participate in some role-play exercises and group activities. These assess your confidence, social skills, and how well you interact with others and work in a group.

Cabin crew and pilot applicants may be assessed on physical features such as height, weight, and reach. Corporate and graduate applicants may be asked to complete written exercises relevant to the role they are seeking. Pilots will need to complete a computer-based capacity assessment and a right to work check. In some cases, an interview will be conducted during the session.

Interview

If not already conducted, the next step will be an invitation to interview. Interview questions range from those about your personality, such as hobbies and reading habits, to your work history and more specific questions like how you would deal with a difficult situation or colleague in the workplace. Answers should be honest but should also highlight your skills and best attributes. Preparation is key here; you should research the company and role, and have several possible answers prepared.

Simulator Assessment (Pilots only)

To be offered a piloting position with British Airways you must perform well on a flight simulator assessment, which evaluates your flying skills and how you deal with any problems that may arise during a flight.

Final Checks

If you perform well on all previous steps and are offered a position with British Airways, a few final checks will need to be completed before you can start work. Final checks include financial, criminal, and medical checks as well as a security interview.

How to Prepare for the Aptitude Tests at British Airways?

Preparation is key if you want to pass both the psychometric tests and do well at the assessment day.

To prepare for pre-employment assessment tests it is important to understand these tests well and to practice. Many candidates are rejected based on their test results alone and never proceed to the next step. Take example tests so that you are familiar with the test structure and will be able to complete them within the given timeframe.

To prepare for pre-employment tests and assessment day you should understand what assessors are looking for – hint, it is not just arriving at a solution; you must also show co-operation, good communication and teamwork. Assessors want to see interactions with others that are neither passive nor domineering. Practice speaking and presenting in front of others and prepare several answers to possible sample questions.