American Airlines Baggage Handler Job Description & Interview
Job Description and Duties
What Does a American Airlines Baggage Handler Do?
Baggage handler positions with American Airlines regularly include physically demanding job duties. Employees mainly load and unload customer luggage and other cargo. Handlers must properly organize all luggage onto corresponding flights. Workers must also operate heavy machinery to perform job responsibilities quickly. Ramps, conveyor belts, and motorized carts make up some of the tools baggage handlers use on a regular basis.
Are There Any Physical Requirements?
Hiring requirements for American Airlines baggage handlers include several physical qualifications. Associates must possess the ability to comfortably lift and carry certain amounts of weight to gain employment. Baggage handlers frequently work outdoors in all kinds of weather, including humid summer months and harsh winters. Potential hires must exhibit hard work ethics, schedule flexibility, and desires to grow within the company.
Salary and Compensation
How Much Do They Get Paid?
American Airlines trains all entry-level baggage handlers to properly perform jobs. Programs cover organizing luggage, tagging cargo for corresponding flights, and properly operating all workplace machinery and tools. Upon receiving employment from American Airlines, baggage handlers enjoy competitive pay scales. Salary options range from $39,853 to $53,199 annually.
Additional Job Benefits
In addition to great pay, a career with American Airlines also comes with enticing job benefits. Employment benefits include health and life insurance packages, 401(k) retirement plans, travel discounts, and reduced airfare for qualified associates.
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American Airlines Ramp Agent Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
American Airlines Ramp Agent: I was a ramp agent, and your primary duties are to bring in incoming planes that arrive at the airport, download the luggage, cargo, and mail, upload the new luggage, cargo, and mail, and then get the plane out on time.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
American Airlines Ramp Agent: The work environment was great. The people at the airline… everybody was very fun-loving and were like me – they loved to travel and they loved what they were doing.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
American Airlines Ramp Agent: My favorite part was the travel – the discount travel that you receive when you work there – and all the discounts that come along with working for an airline, like hotel discounts and when you’re in cities visiting, they give you discounts on different activities. There’s always an airline discount somewhere.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
American Airlines Ramp Agent: A typical day… well, there is no typical day when you work outside. Depending on the weather, that is in the summer very hot. You’re working hard. You’re working in airplane bins. You’re wearing knee pads. It’s very physical. You’re having to lift very heavy luggage. In the winter, it was a whole other story, because you’re deicing planes and dealing with Mother Nature and delays. So, there really isn’t a typical day in the airline industry, but that’s what made it fun.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
American Airlines Ramp Agent: The interview process was an open interview. They would have a conference room at a hotel, and everybody would sit in a huge circle. They would go around the room, and you would have to talk about yourself, say who you were and something about yourself. After that, they would be observing your personality and if you were outgoing to see if you had good customer service skills. After that, we were excused from the room, and we would come back a half hour later. And if your name was on the list, you would continue to the next part, which was more of a one-on-one interview. And from there, some people got chosen to maybe do typing tests. But it was basically a couple hours in a hotel room for the initial interview process.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
American Airlines Ramp Agent: Well, for a ramp agent, they wanted to make sure that you were willing to work holidays and you’re willing to work out in the different weather and to be able to handle all of the heavy luggage and cargo. So that’s the first thing, if you’re physically and mentally able to do that.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
American Airlines Ramp Agent: I think just being very positive and outgoing. I feel like a lot of my coworkers there were the same way, so it made it a really nice work environment. And I think that’s probably what set me apart.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
American Airlines Ramp Agent: Definitely, it’s a great industry to work in. It’s very exciting, and lots of opportunities… and if you can handle the odd hours and holiday days, it’ll be a great experience.
