What is it like to be a flight attendant?

Question

I am interested in becoming a flight attendant for Pinnacle Airlines, based here in memphis, tn (where I live). I have a few questions regarding this position:

1) does the f/a have control over his/her schedule?

2) what are the hours like? for instance, does a f/a work a five day week, two weeks, or months at a time?

3) what is the pay like?

4) have you or anyone you know with a child worked as a f/a?

please feel free to provide any additional information regarding this field. it is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

The plane I flew on I asked "Don't you get sick alot?" Because I get sick on planes alot and she was the flight attendent,  that is the reason I asked that. She said "No, I work 3 days and then recover for 3 days, so I don't."

That means she worked 3 days and took off 3 days. Maybe you could do that. Really depends I guess. Ask your boss. I hope I helped.

Answer 2

Run away from this job,  this airline  and  this industry altogether.

It will take years for you to have any small control over your schedule.

You will never be home long enough to give your children the TLC which they need.

You will age prematurely.   You will not get proper rest.  You will not be home for holidays and birthdays.

Your social life will be almost zero.

Surely, you have more talents and ambition than what this miserable position can possibly offer.    Run away!

Answer 3

I have been a flt att for 7 years. Its a great job for a young, single person. I know many flt att's that have kids. It is very difficult for them. Some schedules for commerical flt atts range from 12 days a months to flying only reserve (which can be holidays and during peak travel times) However, reserve typically is given to the most senior flt att's.

Corporate flt att's are another story. They fly for companies such as American Express, Coke, Pfizer, mostly Fortune 500 and 100 companies. They have no schedule and the level of service is much more difficult. Serving complete meals (sometimes made from scratch), caviar services, wines services.....all while in the confines of a small galley area. You maybe expected to serve 14 people a 5 course meal in an hour and half.  And again, you have NO schedule. You are at the mercy of the flight departments needs. If you work for Flex Jet or Net Jets they will give you a schedule of  6 days on/4 days off. Net Jets offers a schedule of 7 days on / 7 days off. Everyday is a 14 hour day.

The salaries for commercial typically start around $17k. It goes up with years of service.

The average salary for corporate range between $38-$100+ (if you are lucky!!) The average salary is between $45-$65.

The hours are long. The regular work day can between 10-16 hrs. FAA mandates 10 hours of crew rest each night.

Commerical carriers on International flights typically state: The length of the flight equals double layover time. IE...10 hour flt...20 hour layover.

If you have kids...I would rethink this career.

Hope this info helps.

Answer 4

Being a flight attendant is like being a waitress in a tube, except you don't usually get any tips.

Answer 5

Whilel i cannot answer all of your qesutions, here is some information that may be helpful to you.

Median annual flight attendant salaries were $38,820 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $28,200 and $56,610. The lowest 10 percent earned salaries of less than $18,090, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,630. According to data from the Association of Flight Attendants, beginning median flight attendant salaries were about $14,847 a year in 2000.  

Unlike most 9 to 5 office workers who earn salaries that are privately negotiated and performance-based, flight attendant salaries are paid an hourly union rate that is based almost entirely on seniority.

For example, all first year flight attendant salaries at a particular airline might be $19 per hour; all sixth year flight attendants, $32 per hour; and all fourteenth year flight attendants, $41 per hour.

Each airline's hourly base rate is unique. Some airlines pay higher hourly rates than others. It all depends on the labor contract. Every 3 to 5 years, each airline negotiates a new labor contract with its flight attendant union. Once compensation is agreed upon, it is fixed for the duration of the contract.

Calculating Flight attendant salaries

As a flight attendant, you won't be paid this hourly rate for every hour that you work. The time you spend commuting to the airport, sleeping in hotel rooms, standing around the airport between flights, and assisting passengers during boarding and deplaning is essentially unpaid labor.

Most airlines only pay you from the time an aircraft pushes back from the gate to the time it arrives at the gate of its destination. This is commonly referred to as flight time, block time, or hard time. The major exception to this is meal expenses. Most airlines pay a nominal hourly rate to cover meal expenses. Hotel lodging is paid for by the airline.

Technically, flight attendants are paid based on accrued pay time, which includes block time plus any excess claim time. Claim time is time paid in excess of block time. For example, if you were required to deadhead to another city during a trip, you would not work the flight (and would not earn block time), but would be entitled to additional deadhead time. This additional time would be reflected in your pay time.

Instead of flight time-based pay, certain airlines compensate flight attendants based on the number of accrued monthly flight miles. Others pay flat salaries regardless of the hours (or miles) flown. These compensation methods are unique, but you should nevertheless be aware of them.

Flight attendant salaries vary for other reasons

Job performance has virtually no impact on your pay. You are expected to work at a high level and will never receive a bonus or promotion of any kind, even for exemplary service. This may seem a little strange to you, especially if you have spent a portion of your life in an office building trying to climb the corporate ladder.

On the positive side, since pay is tied directly to seniority, you will receive guaranteed annual pay raises; they are built right into the contract. As a new-hire, you might even receive a mandatory pay raise after only 6 months of employment, immediately following the probationary period. Another positive aspect of unionized labor is that it eliminates much of the jealousy and biases that surround compensation in corporate America.

For example, you will never hear someone say, "I wonder what they are paying him?, or "I know they are not paying me what I'm worth because I'm a minority." After all, seniority determines pay, which cannot be influenced by human prejudices.

On the negative side, however, you are essentially at the mercy of the labor contract and have no negotiating power as an individual when it comes to compensation. If you believe you are underpaid, you cannot exactly walk into your supervisor's office and ask for more money. Instead, you must rely on your union representatives to stand up for you - and every other flight attendant who works for the airline - during contract negotiations.

Since you cannot negotiate pay as a flight attendant, be sure to choose an airline that makes the most financial sense before accepting employment. You will want to choose an airline that is in an active hiring mode. This will help you gain seniority more quickly, resulting in better pay. You should also choose an airline with competitive flight attendant salaries. Granted contracts change every 3 to 5 years, but typically frugal airlines stay frugal and more generous ones stay generous. If you want to make the most amount of money, stick to the major airlines.

To a certain extent, any flight attendant can simply peruse the labor contract to determine what a fellow employee is earning. After all, if you know someone's date of hire, you can easily determine their hourly rate; it is in the contract! You must realize, however, that although flight hour base rates are fixed, actual monthly income can vary even between flight attendants with comparable seniority.

For example, some airlines offer premium flight attendant salaries for those who work the lead or "A" flight attendant position, work at night or on certain weekends and holidays, or fly international flights. Additionally, the number of flight hours a flight attendant chooses to fly in a given month has a dramatic affect on income. Certain airlines have a two-tiered wage system which also affects how much you can earn as a flight attendant.

Answer 6

You have some control over your schedule, but it's bid by seniority.  That means when you are new you get the stuff nobody else want's usually reserve.  That's when you sit at home and they call you when they need you.  Hours are varied, usually multiple day trips where some days you fly early, other days late.  You stay in hotels when you are out of town.  It's a montly schedule, so you can't really say how many days a week you work.  Again, it gets better with seniority.

Pay is not great, expect the first year to be around 18 grand, and maybe 20 the second year.  Yes, many FA's have children.  You will have to leave them with family while you are at work.  Hope that helps you.