Cabin crew staff levels
 

A recent flight got me wondering about cabin crew staffing levels. There were 6 cabin crew on a pretty full A321 (2.5 hr flight)

By comparison, on a Low Cost A319, there will typically be 3 for a similar sector.

I know the A321 is bigger (30%?), but this doesn't explain the levels. Surely the level of cabin crew is set by the CAA.

I wouldn't imagine the extra sales of coffee and scratch cards could cover the extra staff costs.

I fly on the A319 and we have 4 cc on board.

In Australia, CASA says we are to have a minimum of 4 crew on a B737/A320. Jetstar and Virgin Blue went from having 5 on their aircraft down to 4 when CASA granted the reduction some time last year (I think).

However, at Jetstar we've recently gone back to 5 crew as standard ops on the A320, I think due to the lack of crew rest breaks being achieved with reduced crew (4).

The A321 which has just entered service with JQ will be crewed by 6. We have one crew member at each of the full-size exits L1, R1, L4 and R4, and then we have one stationed at Doors 2 who will command the ABPs at L2/R2 to either open or block the exit, and another crew member at Doors 3 who will instruct ABPs at L3/R3.

Minimum cabin crew set by the UK CAA is 1 cabin crew member per 50 seats installed on a narrow body and one per exit on a wide body but still complying with 1 per 50 seats seats, which ever is greater.

In the US, the FAA minimum crew guidelines state 1 flight attendant per 50 passenger seats. Different airlines have different "service guidelines", which perhaps call for a greater number of cabin crew per passenger ratio (my former employer used to state 1FA per 35 or 33 pax, something like that), but definitely minimum staffing for US airlines is 1FA per 50 pax.

My airline:-
737-300 4CC(141pax) low cost route 3CC
737-800 5CC(189pax) low cost route 4CC
757-200 6CC(235pax)
767-200 7CC(238-290pax)
767-300 9CC(279-328pax)

Each countries Civil Aviation Authority has rules covering basic/minimum crew levels that differ slightly. The airline must adhere or risk losing their Air Operator Certificate. The rules will usually cover the crew to passenger ratio most commonly 1:50 passenger seats (not passengers), one per occupied compartment, sufficient FAs to carry out emergency procedures for that aircraft type, and as specified by the certified design criteria of that aircraft.


Bear in mind you may have been on a flight where cabin crew were doing a famil or coaching flight. And as you mentioned, some carriers will stick to the basic where others require additional crew for service offerings crew rest, contractual obligations... :)

My airline

B737-800 157pax (Config 32/125) 4 crew (2/2)
A319-100 120pax (Config 25/95) 4 crew (2/2)
A340-200 250pax (Config 24/226) 9 crew (3/9)
A340-300 253pax (config 38/215) 10Crew(5/5)
A340-600 317pax (config 42/275) 11crew(5/7)

Our CAA also applies 1-50 rule.

My airline:

737-700 144pax 4 crew
737-800 180pax 4 crew
E70 78pax 3 crew
E90 104pax 3 crew

BA @ LHR

A319 - 4-6 CC (max 132 pax)
A320 - 4-6 CC (max 156 pax)
A321 - 5-7 CC (max 188 pax)

B757 - 5-7 CC (max 186 pax)
B767 - 8-10 CC (max 247 pax)

Crewing levels vary due to sector length, overall loads & business/economy class split.

EG A MAN-LHR with a full load will generate 6 crew in the cabin on a 319/320, wheras a LHR - LCA with a handful of business will only get 8 crew on a 767.

Our 737-700 have 3
Our 757-200 have 5

NZ Longhaul

763: (24J 206Y) 8 crew
772: (26J 18Y+ 269Y) 10 crew
744: (46J 39Y+ 294Y) 13/14 crew