HI COLDPLAY,
I WORKED AS CABIN CREW FOR 17 YEARS WITH VARIOUS AIRLINES. I WOULD SAY IT HAS BECOME MUCH EASIER TO GET INTO THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT THAN THE DAYS WHEN I WAS DESPERATE TO FLY.
THERE IS MUCH MORE OF A CHOICE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR BASES IN THE LONDON AREA.
MONEY WISE, IT HAS PRETTY MUCH REMAINED THE SAME IN COMPARRISON TO OTHER JOBS. I GUESS IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMMOUNT OF TIME CREW GET OFF DUTY, ESPECIALLY CHARTER CREWS DURING THE QUIET WINTER PERIODS, ITS NOT THAT BADLY PAID. HAVING SAID THAT IF YOU CHOOSE A SHORT HAUL SCHEDULED AIRLINE, ITS PRETTY HARD GOING & RELENTLESS ALL YEAR ROUND, MY ADVISE WOULD BE TO GO PART TIME IF IT WAS AVAILABLE & BALANCE FLYING WITH ANOTHER JOB TO TRY & KEEP YOU SANE.
ANOTHER AREA THAT HAS INEVITABLY CHANGED, DUE TO AVIATION BEING EASILY AFFORDABLE TO THE MASSES,IS THE DECLINE IN THE CALIBRE OF CUSTOMERS THAT TRAVEL. IE: IF YOU WERE TO WORK FOR A CHARTER OPERATING A NIGHT RHODES OR IBIZA, YOU MIGHT FEEL YOU HAVE BEEN CATAPULTED INTO THE AIR, ENTOMBED FOR 12/13 HOURS IN A ROUGH PUB, WITH NO ESCAPE OR SECURITY STAFF TO SORT OUT FIGHTS ETC OR, IF YOU WERE TO OPERATE A TENERIFE, LANZAROTE FLIGHT, IMAGES OF THE TRISHA SHOW AT 35,000FT SPRING INTO ONES MIND. I DON'T WISH TO SOUND BITTER, BUT ITS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED, & VERBAL & PHYSICAL ABUSE TOWARS CABIN CREW IS GETTING TO UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS.
ON THE POSITIVE SIDE. ITS A FUN JOB & YOU DO MEET SOME GREAT PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY. NIGHT STOPS HAVE REDUCED, ESPECIALLY WITH IN SCHEDULED AIRLINES DUE TO INCREASES IN FREQUENCIES IE: BA CREWS YEARS AGO OPERATED A 4 WEEK AUSIE TRIP, THESE DAYS ITS MUCH SHORTER. THE BEST AIRLINES TO WORK FOR IN THE UK WHICH WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD BALANCE OF BOTH LONG & SHORT HAUL ARE THE CHARTERS. AIRLINES LIKE MONARCH & MY TRAVEL AIRWAYS HAVE SOME SUPER TRIPS.
I HOPE THIS IS OF SOME HELP TO YOU & I WISH YOU LUCK IN YOUR SEARCH.
FORGOT TO MENTION ABOUT PAY STRUCTURE.
AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, AIRLINES USUALLY PAY THEIR CREWS A BASIC WAGE + FLIGHT PAY & OR OVERSEAS ALLOWANCES + BAR COMMISSION, WHICH ON SOME ROUTES CAN BE VERY LUCRATIVE. WHEN I WORKED FOR EMIRATES BACK IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, WE USED TO TAKE HOME £850 PER MONTH. I BELIEVE THAT ITS PROBABLY AROUND £1000 OR MORE THESE DAYS, BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ALL YOUR LIVING COSTS & TRANSPORTATION TO & FROM THE AIRPORT IS FULLY PAID FOR + ITS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG!
YOU MENTION THAT SALARIES MAY GO EVEN LOWER, I WOULD SAY IF ANYTHING THEY WILL HAVE TO IMPROVE, ESPECIALLY THE CHARTERS, SO AS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO APPLY. AT MY LAST COMPANY, WHICH WAS A RAPIDLY EXPANDING CHARTER, THEY REALLY STRUGGLED TO GET GOOD CALIBRE PROSPECTIVE CABIN CREW EACH YEAR, PARTICULARLY AT LONDON. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW THE ROLE OF CABIN CREW IS MORE PERCIEVED THESE DAYS AS NOTHING MORE THAN A SKY SKIVVY, OR AS ONE WOMAN SAID TO HER HUSBAND WHEN I WAS SERVING THEM \' HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN\'T DO VERY WELL AT SCHOOL\'
GOOD LUCK!
