A cabin crew numerical test checks everyday maths: adding up a bill, giving the right change, converting between currencies, working out times and handling simple percentages. Not every airline sets one, but where it appears, the questions mirror tasks crew carry out on board, and a little preparation goes a long way.
Why cabin crew meet numbers at all
The cabin crew role is mostly about safety and service, but money and time run through a working day.
- Onboard sales. Crew sell food, drinks, gifts and duty-free items, and those sales can count towards personal commission targets. The UK careers service Prospects lists numeracy for handling cash, including foreign currency, as one of the skills the job needs.
- Currency and change. A passenger may pay in a different currency from the one on the price list, and you need to work out the change correctly and quickly.
- Times and time zones. Aviation rules give times in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on a 24-hour clock, so you will often need to switch between UTC, the time at home and the local time at your destination.
- Percentages. Discounts, promotions and simple stock counts all involve basic percentages.
None of this is advanced. The test is checking that you can do it accurately when there is a queue in the aisle.
Do all airlines use a numerical test?
No. Recruitment processes vary a lot between airlines and change over time. For example, TUI's cabin crew candidate portal lists a situational judgement test, a personality questionnaire and a motivational questionnaire for its online stage, with no numerical test. Other airlines include a maths or numerical section, either online or on an assessment day.
The best guide is your own invitation or candidate portal. If it is not clear, it is reasonable to ask the recruiter which assessments you will sit and whether a calculator is allowed. Our employer pages, such as easyJet and British Airways, describe the assessments each airline has used.
What the questions look like
Most cabin crew numerical questions fall into a few familiar types.
Bills and change
You are given a short price list and an order, and asked for the total or the change from a note.
Currency conversion
A price is shown in one currency and the passenger pays in another. You are given the exchange rate and asked for the amount due or the change.
Time calculations
You might be asked for an arrival time given a departure time and flight duration, or to convert an arrival time from UTC to local time.
Simple percentages
Typical questions ask for 10% off a price, or what share of a trolley's stock has been sold.
A worked example
Question: On a flight priced in euros, a passenger buys two sandwiches at €6.50 each and a coffee at €3.20. They pay with a £20 note. The onboard exchange rate is €1.15 to £1. How much change, in euros, should they receive?
Working:
- Sandwiches: 2 × €6.50 = €13.00.
- Total: €13.00 + €3.20 = €16.20.
- Value of £20 in euros: 20 × 1.15 = €23.00.
- Change: €23.00 − €16.20 = €6.80.
Answer: €6.80.
The exchange rate here is made up for the example. In a real test you will be given the rate to use.
A quick check helps. €16.20 is a bit under €17, and €23 minus €17 is €6, so an answer a little under €7 makes sense.
How to prepare
You do not need advanced maths. You need speed and accuracy with the basics.
- Practise mental addition of prices. Round to the nearest euro or pound first, then adjust. €6.50 + €6.50 + €3.20 is easier as 13 + 3.20.
- Practise counting up for change. Many people find it easier to count up from the total to the amount paid than to subtract.
- Learn to multiply by common rates. Multiplying by 1.15 is the same as adding 15%, and 15% is 10% plus half of 10%.
- Use the 24-hour clock. Practise adding durations like 2 hours 45 minutes to departure times, and converting UTC to local time by adding or subtracting the offset.
- Time yourself. Once your answers are right, aim to get them right faster.
- Check your answer makes sense. Change can never be more than the amount paid, and a discount always lowers the price.
Short, regular sessions are better than cramming. A few minutes a day over a couple of weeks makes these sums feel routine.
You can work through our numerical reasoning practice tests to build speed. Many cabin crew processes also include a situational judgement test, so it is worth looking at that too. For a wider view of the role, see our article on the essential qualities of an effective cabin crew member.
