They don’t provide parking so be careful if you have a car. The 1st problem I encountered was strong competition. Most of the people were already cabin crew from Monarch, Easyjet, Norwegian, etc. Beware: Monarch just went bankrupt, so people who have worked there for 12 years will try to get into other companies, and they will have a massive advantage over you. After the reach test we have a presentation and then we start the role play/group exercise. The role play is very difficult, first you read a PA aloud (you have 2 minutes to read it to yourself first) and then you read it to the assessor. Then, I was given a paper with a food table from a flight (w/dairy, not dairy, vegetarian, economic, business, first class etc.) and some had red crosses over them meaning they weren't available anymore. You have 30 seconds to familiarize yourself with it (VERY DIFFICULT - IT ISN'T ENOUGH TIME! and silly because in real life I imagine they have lots of time to memorize it so they will know what to say to passengers). Then, the assessor will act as around FIVE different dissatisfied clients in different situations. He was a business class passenger who ordered a non-dairy meal and there was some issue with the catering (I had to look at the food table and find a solution but it's very hard since you only had 30 seconds to look at it, and after I advised an economy non-dairy meal + desert + beverage he answered that all beverages were free in business class and he didn't look happy). Then he was an economy class passenger who was experiencing a delay of 45 min due to a mechanical failure and so he felt entitled to be upgraded to business class (say you will speak with your manager perhaps) and then he played a business class passenger who was dissatisfied with one of your colleagues - one of the cabin crew members didn't offer him champagne and was rude (cannot remember the other situations). Then they ask you not to speak with the rest of the group about it which is stupid because everyone does. I heard some of the experienced people talking and they said you should get down to the passenger's level when you speak to them. After that (and lots of waiting around) comes the group exercise, I thought it was rly intimidating, a small room with a round table, 5 candidates seat there and 3 people are around you judging your every move. Each seat on the table had our name and a paper turned downwards. Situation: inauguration flight to Tokyo and a budget of 22000 to advertise it. Each of the papers who was turned downwards in front of us (and which you have to turn upwards when the exercise starts) has some ideas on how to do it. Mine had 2 Japanese translators for 4000£, and Japanese movies for during the flight for 2000. Another girl had geishas to greet passengers, another a chef for first class meals, and so on. I believe this is a matter of luck because you can end up with very bubbly English people who want to talk all the time for example (and I am Portuguese). Furthermore they will make not so smart decisions and what can you say about that when people are judging your every move behind you? Remember to say names, say 'yes' not 'yeah', smile. Try to not interrupt them, but also give your input. But it's hard to remember everything when you are under pressure. The assessors will interrupt you in the middle to say that one of the options is not available anymore or something similar (my case was the chef). When the 20 minutes were up we stood up to leave the room and one girl noticed something in the middle of the table - turns out THERE WERE MORE PAPERS THERE THAT NEEDED TO BE TURNED with even more options! None of us realized that but we did reach a decision with the options we had had in front of us nonetheless. Anyway I don't know if it was coincidence or not but none of the 5 of us passed. So look out for everything on top of the table because the assessors will not speak to you. Then, waiting. They called a bunch of names and lead us to a room to tell us we didn’t pass. The woman who made the presentation said she only got in the second time, and another said they had interviewed a guy that morning who was trying for the third time and he actually got in. I don't know if they were lying or not but that is encouraging. Anyway, overall tips: be the bubbliest and nicest person you can be, look people in the eyes, smile and laugh a lot, look like you are having a lot of fun, bring food or change or you will starve.
Foreigners got through, as did chubby people and a girl on a jumpsuit. Also, they do not give you any feedback which is extremely annoying. The staff was very nice at least. And apparently you have scores - the role play score, the exercise score, and then they add up and if you have it above a certain number you pass. I am actually thinking of trying again in 6 months, it's hard to practice for, but at least I will know what to expect.