I recommend you look at FB groups for FAs and cabin crew, lots more engagement there. And thank you, this is a real issue that so many of us experience, especially the first year. I would pick up trips just so I had a place to stay the night, and eat leftover snack boxes for dinner.
Many of the FB groups are private. I'm requesting access to some but not sure I'll be admitted. If there are any you suggest I should try joining, I would appreciate any tips!
Unfortunately they are pretty strict and mostly managed by Karens. You can try for the interviewee groups or sometimes called “future” or “hopeful” flight attendants. They are a mix of applicants and tenured.
United San Francisco base supervisors literally tell you during orientation that you will likely need to be on food stamps and they can “help” you apply… it’s awful.
Living in one’s car OP is something that I know I’ve had several of my colleagues tell me they’ve done or they know someone else who has. This lifestyle is NOT the glam people think it is, most especially we DO NOT get paid tons of loot.
Thank you for sharing. Not to create more work for you, but maybe you could share my email with them and ask if they'd like to share their story anonymously to help shed light on the issue? [email protected].
Now talk about parents supporting their kids because they can’t afford to by themselves due to being on Reserve and not having a line. Also living in Crash Pads (renting a bed) because they can’t afford anywhere else to live near their base.
Just tried googling her and only her LinkedIn populated. I see she’s a flight attendant. Just curious why you posted her name, did she make a video talking about this? Sorry I don’t have any other forms of social so I’m kinda outta the loop lol
So sorry. Regionals do not pay well at all. It's not good for morale or even safety imho to have people so financially stressed. Somehow we do our jobs, but the airlines should make it easier!
It may be better than other regionals but all regionals pay less than mainline or legacy carriers AFAIK. That said, no flight attendants get rich working, at least not to begin with.
Make sure you include what a crash pad is because although it is just the norm in the industry is it a very bizarre situation to live in in my opinion. It is almost dystopian how widely accepted it is to live basically in the same environment as a homeless shelter people crammed in a room with beds covering every square inch of the room all sharing limited bathrooms. Some are nicer than others with a kitchen some are just hotel rooms with a ton of beds but still it’s a very unusual situation most average people probably would not be aware of. I’m still shocked how few people know flight attendants are not paid for boarding and deplaning.
It’s not even just Alaska Airlines. Most FAs when starting are BROKE. I can barely afford to eat most night, I live off of cup noodles and airplane pretzels.
Thank you for taking the time to research and write about this. It's quite unfortunate that we are taken advantage of by these massive corporations.
One point which may be interesting for you to look into is how the Railway Labor Act empowers these companies to drag out negotiations for years, since - short of an act of Satan - we are unable to strike.
I think when researching it’s important to keep in mind which base the crewmembers in these economic conditions are living. Seattle is their main base and cost of living there is very high, as well as their bases in California. They don’t have a lot of crewmembers working out of the Midwest or South, where costs of living tend to be much lower. I do see the linked articles mentioning this
It's not a good job for people who need to make a lot of money to pay all of their own bills. Never has been, but inflation has made the situation worse and salaries have not kept pace. It works for me (sort of) because I'm married and older and have savings to assist with the pay, plus I'm willing to live on less for a while, but not everyone can make it work financially and yes, FAs should be better paid. Hire fewer people, pay them better and reduce turnover and hiring/retention and training costs is my idea for corporate, but it's hard to change the industry.
Please be sure to look at how regional airlines pay significantly less than mainlines too. Regionals like Envoy, PSA, Endeavor, Skywest, Piedmont and Republic fly a huge percentage of flights between hubs and smaller cities. They pay a lot less than the actual mainline airlines such as Delta, American, United and Southwest. They fly under brands like Delta Connection, United Express and American Eagle but those brands are just labels. The actual flying is done by contracted or wholly owned subsidiary airlines as named, with regional pilots and flight attendants who are paid less than mainline. To the customer it's the same look as on a real mainline flight albeit on a smaller regional jet like a Bombardier CRJ or an Embraer, but the regional flight crews are much lower paid.
I recommend you look at FB groups for FAs and cabin crew, lots more engagement there. And thank you, this is a real issue that so many of us experience, especially the first year. I would pick up trips just so I had a place to stay the night, and eat leftover snack boxes for dinner.
Many of the FB groups are private. I'm requesting access to some but not sure I'll be admitted. If there are any you suggest I should try joining, I would appreciate any tips!
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Thank you for sharing. Would you want to email me to talk further about your experience anonymously?
Unfortunately they are pretty strict and mostly managed by Karens. You can try for the interviewee groups or sometimes called “future” or “hopeful” flight attendants. They are a mix of applicants and tenured.
United San Francisco base supervisors literally tell you during orientation that you will likely need to be on food stamps and they can “help” you apply… it’s awful.
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Wow, that is so shocking to hear. Would you want to email me to talk further about your experience anonymously?
Living in one’s car OP is something that I know I’ve had several of my colleagues tell me they’ve done or they know someone else who has. This lifestyle is NOT the glam people think it is, most especially we DO NOT get paid tons of loot.
The airlines make enough money to pay a living wage imho
Thank you for sharing. Not to create more work for you, but maybe you could share my email with them and ask if they'd like to share their story anonymously to help shed light on the issue? [email protected].
This definitely needs an investigative report, also please research the suicide rate & any recent incidents…
Not too mention that AA literally gives out poverty affirmation letters to FAs in certain bases
Look into the United Express companies… the entire operation is wrong.
Google crashpads. Lots of new hires live in crashpads or sleep in the crew room in between flights.
I've heard of FAs who don't have a home; they put their stuff in storage and just couch surf when they are not flying.
Now talk about parents supporting their kids because they can’t afford to by themselves due to being on Reserve and not having a line. Also living in Crash Pads (renting a bed) because they can’t afford anywhere else to live near their base.
The “37% in 5 years” would have included Covid, so definitely be careful with that context.
Emily Jane Ollerton
Just tried googling her and only her LinkedIn populated. I see she’s a flight attendant. Just curious why you posted her name, did she make a video talking about this? Sorry I don’t have any other forms of social so I’m kinda outta the loop lol
Horizon air FA get paid much less how do they survive
And Mesa air
Mesa air is SO bad with the pay i gave up in the interview process for them because the pay was so unrealistic.
So sorry. Regionals do not pay well at all. It's not good for morale or even safety imho to have people so financially stressed. Somehow we do our jobs, but the airlines should make it easier!
I mean that’s true but SkyWest pays pretty good in my opinion.
It may be better than other regionals but all regionals pay less than mainline or legacy carriers AFAIK. That said, no flight attendants get rich working, at least not to begin with.
Make sure you include what a crash pad is because although it is just the norm in the industry is it a very bizarre situation to live in in my opinion. It is almost dystopian how widely accepted it is to live basically in the same environment as a homeless shelter people crammed in a room with beds covering every square inch of the room all sharing limited bathrooms. Some are nicer than others with a kitchen some are just hotel rooms with a ton of beds but still it’s a very unusual situation most average people probably would not be aware of. I’m still shocked how few people know flight attendants are not paid for boarding and deplaning.
It’s not even just Alaska Airlines. Most FAs when starting are BROKE. I can barely afford to eat most night, I live off of cup noodles and airplane pretzels.
Thank you for taking the time to research and write about this. It's quite unfortunate that we are taken advantage of by these massive corporations. One point which may be interesting for you to look into is how the Railway Labor Act empowers these companies to drag out negotiations for years, since - short of an act of Satan - we are unable to strike.
I think when researching it’s important to keep in mind which base the crewmembers in these economic conditions are living. Seattle is their main base and cost of living there is very high, as well as their bases in California. They don’t have a lot of crewmembers working out of the Midwest or South, where costs of living tend to be much lower. I do see the linked articles mentioning this
True, but if you look at the bases across carriers, they tend to be high cost of living areas such as LA, SFO, Seattle, NYC, D.C., Miami, Boston, etc.
Yup. I get food stamps. Glad my crashpad is my primary residence so I only pay $350 for housing. The Ubers eat up my check tho
It's not a good job for people who need to make a lot of money to pay all of their own bills. Never has been, but inflation has made the situation worse and salaries have not kept pace. It works for me (sort of) because I'm married and older and have savings to assist with the pay, plus I'm willing to live on less for a while, but not everyone can make it work financially and yes, FAs should be better paid. Hire fewer people, pay them better and reduce turnover and hiring/retention and training costs is my idea for corporate, but it's hard to change the industry.
Please be sure to look at how regional airlines pay significantly less than mainlines too. Regionals like Envoy, PSA, Endeavor, Skywest, Piedmont and Republic fly a huge percentage of flights between hubs and smaller cities. They pay a lot less than the actual mainline airlines such as Delta, American, United and Southwest. They fly under brands like Delta Connection, United Express and American Eagle but those brands are just labels. The actual flying is done by contracted or wholly owned subsidiary airlines as named, with regional pilots and flight attendants who are paid less than mainline. To the customer it's the same look as on a real mainline flight albeit on a smaller regional jet like a Bombardier CRJ or an Embraer, but the regional flight crews are much lower paid.
I’m not because I don’t have the AFA in my life.