Comments on: Flight Attending Not So Great a Job, Maybe?

By: sony_b

sony_b — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 03:45:42 +0000

New pilots don’t make squat either – same deal on pay for flight time. I have a friend who flies for one of the regional carriers that picks up flights for United, he’s on call, doesn’t get any kind of reliable shift. Makes $25k per year. He paid for his flight school and training instead of going into the military – over 100k in student loans.

By: bookworm

bookworm — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:18:52 +0000

@stuffisthings Kew Gardens = Crew Gardens. I lived in Forest Hills while I was doing it, 5 people in a 3 bedroom apartment. Everyone worked different hours so it was never really crowded. It was fine in my 20s, but I don’t think I could do it now.

I was told that if you do it for 5 years, you could essentially have another job and work for the airline 1 flight a month to keep your travel and health benefits. This was a while ago, so I’m not sure if the same rules apply today.

By: bookworm

bookworm — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:10:34 +0000

@redheaded&crazy You do several of those flights a day, sometimes combined into trips that last several days. You get a base salary plus flight time as well.

By: stuffisthings

stuffisthings — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:44:57 +0000

I remember reading a story a long time ago (I want to say it was maybe even in VICE?) about how flight attendants all live in these crowded shared apartments in Queens and whatnot. I think people basically do it for the travel and the days off.

By: highjump

highjump — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:10:15 +0000

What do you mean? I thought airline unions were out of control and uber powerful?! /sarcasm

By: redheaded&crazy

redheaded&crazy — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:43:00 +0000

other perks include working with pilots, a notoriously misogynistic and entitled bunch

i have heard so many flight attendant horror stories, i really don’t know what the appeal is. I understand that eventually you get seniority and long flights but how can they make money on the 1.5-3 hr flights that make up a huge chunk of airline schedules?