A study of English language problems and strategies of Thai staff at a European airline call center

English proficiency for international airline customer service is important to facilitate effective communication with passengers, meet their needs and provide a positive customer experience. The purpose of this study was to find out the problems of airline call center staff in using English at work and the strategies they employ to solve their problems in immediate and long-term contexts. The participants were 31 call center staff working at an international airline company in Thailand. A questionnaire consisting of five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions was used to collect the data, along with semi-structured interviews with three participants. The results indicated rare to moderate frequency of problems in the four language skills, including understanding caller accents for listening, application of appropriate wording for speaking, distinguishing between literal and implied meaning for reading, and applying acceptable word patterns and grammatical rules for writing. Strategies used for immediately solving problems in using English at work were focusing on key words, using simple words, avoiding jargon, conducting an online vocabulary search and translation, referring to templates, and asking colleagues for help. Strategies used for long-term solving of problems were continuous practicing of skills and the use of media, such as movies, books and music.