Being a flight crew may appear to be an ideal career for someone who enjoys flying, but they wonder whether flight attendants make good money.
Do flight attendants make good money? It is one of the most frequently asked questions by aspiring flight attendants. Yes, they make good money, but they also get many other bonuses.
The bonuses which contribute to a flight attendant’s pay include:
Health advantages, such as medical and dental care, as well as crew discounts in numerous motels, car rentals, airport stores, excursions, fitness and beauty centers, and so on, all contribute to the financial benefits of being a flight crew.
A flight staff’s annual salary in 2022 was approximately $79,472. The best 90% of airline employees generate more than $115,000 annually, whereas the bottom 10 percent earn less than $49,497.
There will be people who earn more – I know many girls in personal jet aviation who make €64,000 per year – and those who earn less than €10,000.
Even if you start working for an aircraft, you will only understand how much you generate every month because your flights determine it. Yes, and a few other aspects we’ll cover in this article.
So let’s get started!
Do Flight Attendants Get Paid Well?
Many crew members assume they’re not making profits from what BA promised them when they joined the mixed fleet, which has sparked much debate. The annual base salary for these fresh cabin crew is £15,612, which equates to around £1,200-£1,400 per month.
They are paid £3.14 per hour, for a monthly salary of £500-£900. Adding one basic pay of £1,200 to their hourly wage (£900 total) raises it quite a bit, but it varies based on how much you fly.
If you fly a lot, it can enhance your pay, but if you’re sick, have your annual leave, or are expected to show up on a good amount of standbys, you’ll get disappointing pay that month.
If you are appointed to Top Class Cabin Crew, your salary will increase from £25,000 to £29,000. This would include a basic wage of £18,319 per year, hourly pay while flying, bonuses for meeting performance goals, and commission on in-flight retail sales.
You can access this category immediately if you have at least two years of flight experience as a cabin crew and hold an EASA attestation.
You could eventually be promoted to Customer Service Manager, with a base salary of around £27,500 and annual earnings of approximately £35,000.
You can be encouraged to become a Customer Care Manager, with a salary of around £27,500 and annual earnings of about £35,000.
To conclude, not each British Airways flight attendant is compensated the same. Newly hired cabin crew typically earn significantly less than those employed before 2010, who receive greater sector pay, relatively high basic pay, and increased allowance pay.
What factors influence how much money a flight earns?
The airline for which you work
All airlines have varying pay scales, which vary by region, based on the type of procedure: charter airlines, corporate planes, and whether it a major or a low-cost airline. Major airlines pay more than regional or low-cost airlines, but you must conduct your investigations before applying to your preferred airline.
The level of experience or seniority
Different salary bands exist within the company based on seniority or experience level. So a trainee Iberia flight attendant might earn 1700€ per month, while a senior one might earn around 3500€.
Since this is a competence level of pay, more experience leads to higher pay scales and flying payments for flight attendants. This means that individuals who joined later may have a significantly lower base salary, substantially impacting their take-home pay.
Other additional services that contribute to a flight attendant’s earnings include:
Working Night Shifts:
These are called red-eye trips because continuing to work overnight can result in a red-eye appearance.
Speaking other languages:
If you work on airlines that necessitate the language of the location cabin crew, you will be rewarded for each international language you speak.
Allowances for layovers
This is compensated whenever flight crews must spend the night at a departure point. Because the company provides the hotel room, this allowance is only for meals.
Position or aircraft type
If you are promoted to Business, First, or Cabin Manager, your starting salary & flying pay will increase.
Allowance for Transportation
In many companies, for example, you get a monthly transportation allowance of 100€.
Commissions
Airline companies also have commission programs that can help you earn more money. It could be a 10% or 20% discount on all duty-free and designed to cater to sales ranging from 40€ to 900€ per month. In my company, it is 10% of all onboard sales, distributed among some of the required crew to operate so that everyone receives a commission. This commission is paid to crew members who sell duty-free items on other airlines.
Flight attendants on American, Delta, Spirit, and Frontier Airlines in the United States make in-cabin pitches for credit and debit cards tied to each airline’s frequent-flier program. They pay success commissions at various rates, usually approximately $50 or more for each approved application.
Hiring via third parties
It is becoming more prevalent in many industries, including the aviation industry. This is inappropriate, but the third-party contractor usually offers lower wages, working conditions, or benefits. As a result, you may earn less than your coworkers until the company directly hires you.
Other perks and advantages
Other perks of working as a flight crew are becoming increasingly common in several industries, including aviation. There isn’t anything wrong with this, but the third-party contractor usually offers lower wages and working conditions or benefits. As a result, you may earn less than your coworkers until the company directly hires you.
You may be able to obtain free or discounted airfare. These are provided by almost all airlines, and sometimes they include your friends and family, which is not a bad thing.
But, just a heads up. This perk is also known as flying standby, which means you can only board a plane when seats are available. There are no assurances. As a result, it can be highly stressful if you are stuck at an airport till an aircraft with empty seats has become accessible. That’s why most flight attendants return from vacation a few times early to give themselves a buffer in case flights overflow.
What do flight attendants earn?
The harsh reality is that there is no simple response to this question because there are so many variables. But bear with me as I walk you through them. In their first year, a flight crew can earn between €20,000 and €45,000 ($22,000 to $49,000).
Conclusion:
I know this is a lot to take in, but I hope I’ve given you a good overview of the differences in pay and conditions for flight attendants. The critical thing to remember is that there are variables. So do your investigation, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and get a clear picture of your career path and the wage levels associated with each step.
I’m happy to answer the question “Do flight attendants make good money?” and provide additional details about any airline you may have questions about.
Have a Great Flying!
