The aftermath of U.S. airstrikes on Iran has spread to the foreign airline job market in South Korea. Qatar Airways has postponed its cabin crew interviews scheduled for Seoul, raising anxiety among job seekers who have been preparing for first-half hiring.
According to aviation industry sources on the 4th, Qatar Airways, the national carrier of Qatar, notified Korean applicants via email on the 2nd that cabin crew recruitment interviews scheduled for March 7 in Seoul would be postponed. The airline stated, "The interview schedule will be rearranged, and we will notify you as soon as the new dates are confirmed."
Qatar Airways had conducted Korean cabin crew recruitment in March last year but postponed the hiring schedule in August due to heightened Middle East tensions, including missile threats near Doha, the capital of Qatar. The airline had planned to reopen the invitation-based selection process this month for previous applicants who had completed video interviews, but this was derailed again following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran and escalating regional tensions.
As hiring schedules become uncertain, job seekers' concerns are mounting. Yoo Jin-ah, 26, who has been preparing for a foreign airline cabin crew position for a year, said, "For foreign airline recruitment, you prepare for each step according to the schedule, from English interviews to swimming tests. With the interview suddenly postponed, I have to redo my entire preparation plan. Many of us are worried the recruitment might be canceled altogether."
Middle Eastern airlines are considered desirable employers in the foreign airline job market. Industry insiders estimate that more than half of Korean cabin crew hired by foreign airlines come from the so-called "Big Three Middle Eastern carriers"—Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad Airways. As Dubai and Doha serve as global aviation hubs connecting Europe and Asia, their extensive long-haul routes and large-scale recruitment have attracted concentrated interest from Korean applicants.
An aviation industry official said, "Job seekers who have been preparing for first-half recruitment may face continued uncertainty for the time being. Etihad Airways' April recruitment of Korean cabin crew could also change depending on the situation."