Do Flight Attendents Get Paid Well?

How much do Flight attendants get paid and how does it work? And how much do they work?

• i am interested in being a flight attendant but i want to know more about it. I heard something like they work a 3 days a week usually in a row, but how long? when do they get to go ...show more

• Answer:

  I'm a flight attendant for a major carrier. I've been flying for 8 years. I'll be honest with you. The pay sucks in the beginnig, but gets better after a few years. My first few years I lived with three other FA's in a one-bedroom apartment. But since we were all FA's, we were never all there at the same time. I was only twenty years old when I started and it was actually alot of fun. Since I'm older now I wouldn't want that kind of living situation, but it worked at the time. I make $36 per hour, but I only fly 90-100 hours per month. I also a get per diem or "meal money" for every trip. This adds up to an extra $300-$500 per month. Starting pay is about $20,000 per year. I've heard that it is higher at Southwest. When you start you will be on reserve or on call. You will be available to work 4-6 days in a row and then have 3-6 days off. You know wich days you work and wich you don't. Once you have some seniority, you will have a set schedule. My trips are usually 2-6 days long and then I have about the same amount of time off. On a layover, your hotel room and transportation to and from the hotel are pre-arranged and payed for. Layovers range from 12 hours to 36 hours domestically and 24- 78 hours internationally. We stay at really nice hotels (Hiltons, Sheratons, Marriots etc) but I work for a big airline and I've heard that FA's at discount carriers stay at crappy hotels. You will be based out of one airport that is one of your airlines hubs and all of your trips will begin and end at that one airport. So when you are deciding wich airline you want to work at, make sure that they have a hub in a city that you want to live in. When I was trying to get hired, I bought this book. It tells you everything you need to know about being a flight attendant and aceing the interview. Do exactly what she says in the book and you'll get hired. Good luck! Email me if you have any other questions. http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Secrets-Becoming-Flight-Attendant/dp/0965643840/ref=sr_1_28/103-6539906-5860660?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177443518&sr=8-28