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Some people think that flight attendants make a lot of money (all while jetsetting around the world, staying in posh European hotels or relaxing on a white-sand beach between flights, of course).
Maybe that’s true for a very, very small percentage of flight attendants. Perhaps some private aviation flight attendants enjoy some swanky accommodations here and there while their passengers are off doing whatever rich people do.
But a recent Reddit thread is downright heartbreaking.
United Airlines flight attendants can make $67.11 an hour. That’s not doctor or lawyer money. But it’s a living. However, that rate doesn’t kick in until your thirteenth year with the airline. Your first year at United is $28.88 an hour. And that appears to be with just the mainline service. You might’ve done some time at a regional carrier, where you made less.
I’ll never forget a story about one of my college friends. Let’s call him Bobby. He was a pilot. (And, for all I know, still is.)
Another friend of mine, Troy, was connecting through Minneapolis. Paul Airport (MSP) one night around 2005. He saw our friend Bobby hustling down what is now MSP’s C Concourse. Bobby was dressed in his first officer’s uniform. He flew for Mesaba, which was a Northwest Airlines regional carrier. According to Troy, their conversation went something like this:
Troy: Hey, Bobby! Great to see you finally with the airlines!
Bobby: Yeah, thanks. Long day. Eleven hours. Just got off work.
Troy: Any chance I can buy you dinner or a drink or anything?
Bobby: Sorry, I have to get to work.
Troy: But you just said you got done for the day.\
Bobby: Yeah, with this job.
Troy: Where are you going to work now?
Bobby: (looks around, then whispers) Byerlys.
Troy: Byerlys? The supermarket?
Bobby: Yeah, I have an overnight job bagging groceries and stocking shelves.
Bobby was a pilot — and barely made enough to survive. He needed a second job at a grocery store. Now, imagine what it’s like for flight attendants. That still happens today. In fact:
“…I got a second job at a fast food establishment…”
Ready for the glamor?
“My first year at a base in a city I’ve never even been to prior, I got a second job at a fast food establishment to afford rent and get some free food.” — Airkoryo_
“My first year as an FA I made less than $800 a month. I lost 30lbs because I was surviving on nothing but brown rice and day old jimmy johns bread and maybe Raman sometimes as a treat. I had a ton of people compliment my weight loss which really sucked because I was losing weight cause I couldn’t afford to eat.” — ComeflywithEm
(Response to the above comment) “Saaaaame. Lost so much weight when I started flying as a FA! The ‘can’t afford food’ diet.” — fallingfaster345
“Would nonrev on redeyes knowing I’d get first class roundtrip just to have a place to sleep and a meal to eat.” — gypsyology
“I heard of FA’s who were homeless and would non rev to Paris to eat the food and have a place to sleep” — Asleep_Management900
“I have picked up a trip before just because I knew it would have crew meals with it and I’d have food” — xoxoxoxoxxxoox
“With uber eats and these other food delivery apps (a lot) of times patrons at hotels leave their food in the lobby and never come get it. If i was on the struggle bus, I’ll snatch that stuff up with the quickness.” — BBC214-702
“Non-revved on redeyes rather than get a hot bed, hotel, or Airbnb for the night.” — traysures
“I would go to the airport on off days to collect and return the SmartCart luggage carts for $.25 each. On a “good” day I could get $7 (28 carts).” — B727FA
” … It’s terrible. People have no idea how little we make.” — Asleep_Management900
You can read the rest of the thread here.
Final Approach
Not all flight attendants make “a lot” of money (though I’m sure some people find that term very subjective). I think a smile, quick hello, or even just not giving them any crap would be a welcome part of their day.
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I return carts, too. I can attest that $7 is a good day. $1 is easy but not guaranteed. I once made $10 during a slightly long connection. My lifetime earnings from returning carts is over $100 easily.
My husband changed careers in his early 40s, and after 5 years of school, he started his civil engineering job at $32/hr. That’s how it is when you start a new job. I have a flight attendant friend who has worked for Southwest for a long time, and I was told she makes $100/hr. A new hire at Delta starts at $70K (or did when my friend was hired), and this is directly from the horse’s mouth. I think she started last year or the year before. This is not bad on my book, depending on where you live, of course. Here in Las Vegas, this is a decent salary, or at least it was. Prices have gone up so much in the past 3 years. I personally lost 40% of my revenue. It’s a big cut for a small business owner. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all have a little extra (or a lot extra) at the end of the month. Lol. Cheers!
Every source I’ve read says $33,000-$45,000. I presume the higher end of that is for crazy expensive places. Also, on top of state and federal taxes they’re paying for their uniforms which are pretty pricey.
I never assumed that flight attendants were well paid. There are many professions where they are not paid as well as they should be. Teaching is a primary example. I know some private school teachers that make less than the minimum hourly wage you showed. I hope that the enjoyment of the job and the potential earnings with seniority, as well as the flying perks, make it worthwhile. I just want to make sure that any FA reading this knows how grateful I am to them for the excellent service they provide, and I am sorry that Delta doesn’t give me enough thank you certificates to reward every one of you.
First: Supply and demand. Applicants line up around the block for these jobs, for travel & glamour, so airlines don’t have any incentive to offer high salaries. Second: I thought this is what unions are for? Why would the FA unions sign contracts (over and over, apparently) that don’t afford their members a living wage? (The answer, I suspect, is because the more tenured members of the union negotiate MUCH higher pay and perks for seniority).