Originally Posted by
alfaaloop
You’ve hit the nail on the head there. My aviation career began over 30 years ago, starting on the ramp, working alongside guys with 20 years service! It was a well paid job but companies come and go, always with lower Ts and Cs than the previous until we get where we are now. Even the love of aviation doesn’t cut it when you can’t pay the bills( or keep your eyes open after the 6th 3AM start in a row). Options outside aviation are plentiful with better lifestyle and reward than is currently offered unfortunately.
Exactly this, my friend was cabin crew as covid hit and was made redundant. So he had to retrain as something else. He chose to train as a HGV Class 1 driver and now says he would never go back. He was earning 25k per year as cabin crew, required to work weekends, bank holidays, early mornings and late at night, long delays, rude pax etc. Now he works Mon - Fri, starts at 7am scheduled to finish at 5pm sometimes goes onto 6pm but is paid overtime rate if he does. Always off Saturday and Sunday and all Bank Holidays. I realise not all HGV jobs are like that and he is lucky to pick up one with that schedule but also he is now on 35k a year 10k more than previously, with evenings and weekend's with his wife/children and loves it, the best thing he said aswell is job stability he doesn't have to worry the same as he did before. So I think my point is listening to his experience, you can imagine a lot of people have found the grass is greener outside aviation and this is a problem now facing the sector not just TUI but all airlines unfortunately.