The housing and transportation allowances are all part of the package, but are broken out separately, along with basic salary. So, you have a basic salary, flight pay, transportation allowance, and housing allowance which make up your monthly paycheck. You then have your education allowance which as stated above is applied for independently.
If you have a couple of those Russian or long flights a month instead of a single Doha, Bahrain or Kuwait, it helps you get a lot closer to the 80 hours.
I think most have been nearer to the 80 hours lately with or without the low vis qualification. I have 82 hours this month plus my LPC (which is two sim sessions) so I will have a really good pay month. As I said though, you are not guaranteed anything for the month, so it can change (and has).
Randy