Norwegian Cabin Crew Recruitment: The Complete Guide for 2026

Norwegian Air Shuttle in 2026 is a fundamentally different airline from the one this guide first described in 2017. The ambitious long-haul operation that once flew Boeing 787s to the United States, Asia, and South America ceased in January 2021. What exists today is a leaner, primarily short-haul Scandinavian carrier operating within Europe, with a network built mainly around its home markets of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

For candidates who followed Norwegian’s long-haul dream and are wondering what happened to it, a new airline called Norse Atlantic Airways was created in 2021. More on that below, and there is important context to share before you get too excited about it.

This guide covers Norwegian Air Shuttle’s current cabin crew recruitment process and gives an honest assessment of Norse Atlantic for candidates considering the long-haul route.

Norwegian in 2026: What You Need to Know

Norwegian Air Shuttle is one of Scandinavia’s largest airlines, operating short-haul routes across Europe from bases in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Spain. The airline employs several thousand cabin crew and recruits on a rolling basis throughout the year, with intake aligned to seasonal demand.

The airline recovered strongly from its 2020 restructuring and now operates as a profitable, short-haul carrier. It is not the global low-cost disruptor it once aspired to be, but it is a stable employer with a genuine product and a well-run operation. In 2026, Norwegian is actively hiring cabin crew at its Bergen and Oslo bases, with other bases recruiting as demand requires, including in Spain.

Crew are recruited through OSM Aviation, a third-party company part-owned by Norwegian that manages the airline’s cabin crew employment. Communication during the recruitment process is branded as Norwegian initially, but once shortlisted, further contact comes from OSM.

Minimum Requirements

You must meet all of the following before applying:

• Age: At least 18 years old
• Right to work: Must have the right to live and work in the country of your chosen base. Norwegian cannot sponsor work visas.
• Height: Minimum 160 cm (5’3″) without shoes
• Reach: Able to reach the overhead lockers on the aircraft — practically tested during the process
• Language: Fluent in English plus the language of the country you are applying to work in (Norwegian for Norwegian bases, Swedish for Swedish bases, Danish for Danish bases, and so on)
• Education: Minimum high school diploma or equivalent
• Health: Must pass an aviation medical examination in accordance with EASA requirements
• Swimming: Able to swim and use a life jacket
• Availability: Willing to work irregular hours, including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and public holidays

Previous cabin crew experience is not required. Norwegian recruits on attitude, service instinct, and teamwork ability.

Important note on base selection: You can only apply for one base at a time. If you submit more than one application simultaneously, Norwegian will not progress either until you specify your preference and withdraw the other. If unsuccessful at a base, check the careers portal for waiting period guidance before reapplying.

The Recruitment Process

Norwegian’s process runs as follows:

1. Online application and CV submission
2. Online assessments
3. Telephone or video interview (in some cases)
4. Assessment day
5. Final interview
6. Security vetting and background checks
7. Medical examination
8. Training

Step 1: Online Application

Applications are submitted through the Norwegian careers portal. Only apply for bases where you have the legal right to work.

Your CV should be clean, ATS-friendly, and tailored to the cabin crew role. Plain text, standard headings, no photos or graphics embedded in the document. Norwegian advises listing key competencies that match the job listing and making it easy for recruiters to see immediately why you are the right person for the role.

No photographs or cover letter are required at this stage in most cases — just your CV. The ATS screens your application and you will receive a response quickly if you have not met the basic requirements.

Step 2: Online Assessments

Shortlisted candidates are invited to complete online assessments covering:

• Behavioural personality test
• Numeracy test
• Verbal reasoning test

Allow 30 to 60 minutes and choose a time when you are well-rested and free from distractions. Have a pen, paper, and calculator to hand. Practice questions are provided before the real test begins.

Step 3: Telephone or Video Interview

In some cases, candidates who pass the online assessments receive a telephone or video call from a recruiter. This is a relatively brief conversation covering your background, motivation, and some behavioural questions. Have your SOAR-structured answers ready: SOAR to Success at Your Cabin Crew Final Interview

The call can come at any time, so have basic answers prepared — a time you delivered excellent customer service, a time you worked effectively as part of a team, and why you want to work for Norwegian.

Step 4: Assessment Day

Candidates who progress are invited to an assessment day at the base they have applied to. The Norwegian assessment day has one distinctive feature that sets it apart from most other carriers: every candidate who attends gets to complete all elements of the day, including the final interview, rather than being cut between exercises. This is more respectful of candidates’ time and means you always get to interview, regardless of how the group exercise went.

The day typically includes:

• A company and role presentation covering Norwegian, OSM, and what the contract and working conditions involve
• A group exercise — Norwegian’s group exercise is described by candidates as more in-depth than many other airlines. The same principles apply as everywhere else: communicate clearly, listen actively, involve others, and do not dominate.
• An opportunity to try on the uniform and speak with serving Norwegian cabin crew about what the role actually involves
• Document checks
• A final interview

Step 5: Final Interview

The final interview lasts 25 to 40 minutes and is competency-based throughout. It takes place on the same day as the assessment. Give specific, real examples from your work history for each question. Know why you want to work for Norwegian specifically and be able to articulate that clearly — generic enthusiasm about flying does not land well in Scandinavian culture, where directness and specificity are valued.

Step 6: Security Vetting and Medical

Successful candidates go through a two-stage vetting process — one for the Norwegian aviation authorities and one for the country of their base. A private security company carries out a comprehensive background check covering work history, references, and any extended gaps.

Norwegian conducts the medical assessment in-house and covers the cost. Candidates simply need to book a date with the recruitment team. The medical covers standard aviation fitness requirements in line with EASA regulations.

Training

Norwegian’s initial training programme runs for approximately four weeks and covers Safety and Emergency Procedures, first aid, service delivery, and aircraft-specific training. Both permanent and temporary contracts are offered, depending on the base and the airline’s operational needs.

A Note on Norse Atlantic Airways

Many candidates who search for Norwegian long-haul jobs end up researching Norse Atlantic — the separate airline founded in 2021 by Norwegian’s largest shareholder, Bjørn Tore Larsen, specifically to operate the kind of budget long-haul flying that Norwegian itself once did.

The honest picture of Norse Atlantic in June 2026 is not encouraging.

The airline has implemented major workforce and crew reductions as part of a broader restructuring effort called Project Falcon, which targets up to $50 million in annual savings. The measures include eliminating around 75 administrative positions — roughly 35% of office staff — crew furloughs, temporary pay cuts for non-flying crew, and more flexible crew base arrangements.

Norse Atlantic carried 116,000 passengers in April 2026, a 25% drop on the same month in 2025, which the airline has attributed to the impact of the Middle East crisis on long-haul demand.

The airline is now reportedly initiating a potential sale process, with JPMorgan Chase advising on options.

This is not a situation to dismiss lightly. Norse Atlantic is a carrier under serious financial pressure, with crew already experiencing furloughs and pay reductions. The long-haul budget model is inherently fragile, and the current environment of high fuel prices and disrupted transatlantic demand has made it more fragile still.

If you were considering Norse Atlantic as a career destination, the honest advice is to watch closely and wait for clarity on the sale process and financial position before committing. The airline may stabilise, restructure successfully, or be acquired by a stronger operator. It may not. Going in now, with crew already being furloughed, carries a genuine risk that candidates deserve to understand.

How to Apply to Norwegian

Open vacancies are listed on the Norwegian careers portal and updated on a rolling basis. Apply only to bases where you have the right to live and work.

Apply at careers.norwegian.com

For everything you need to prepare:

• How to Ace the Cabin Crew Assessment Day
• SOAR to Success at Your Cabin Crew Final Interview
• Free CV Templates
• CCF Ultimate Recruitment Guide