They earn the flexibility to alternate between routes, layover lengths or destinations. They can choose a home base airport: Some senior attendants may prefer particular routes and choose to commute by flying to their home base airport, though others may choose an airport close to home to reduce commuting time.
Flight attendants can typically choose the home base airport they report to, so you might consider researching which cities offer the highest flight attendant salaries on average. Be aware that each airline handles this process differently, and some airports might be more competitive than others.
Bases are the airport and city a flight attendant calls home — all their trips start and end at the base. By the end of the first week, the future flight attendants learn what city they'll call home in a splashy ceremony. They might, for example, receive a boarding pass that tells them their base.
Crew Base means the location designated by a certificate holder where a Flight Attendant normally begins and ends her/his duty periods, also known as the Flight Attendant's Home Base.
Each airline has different locations, or domiciles, across the country where pilots are based, called crew bases. Each pilot bids for the location they would like to be based, which is then awarded by seniority. The most desirable bases go to the most senior pilots, and the least desirable go to the most junior pilots.
The life of a pilot is unpredictable, which can make it difficult to plan dates. Pilots often have very irregular schedules, so it's important to be flexible. They always seem like they are coming and going, so it will be important for you to try and schedule dates that work with their availability as much as possible.
Do pilots go home every night? Flight instructors and pilots who fly short-haul domestic flights are able to be home every night more or less; however, airline pilots who fly longer routes are unable to go home every night and can be away from home for up to two weeks at a time.
Flight attendants may be away from home for several days in a row including weekends and holidays and therefore must be flexible. The maximum number of flying hours per day is set by union agreement, and on-duty time is usually limited to 12 hours per day, with a daily maximum of 14 hours.
When they reach their destination, flight attendants are often provided with a hotel stay during layovers. The airline will choose a hotel for the cabin crew and cover the cost of the hotel for their stay; that includes transportation to and from the hotel and food eaten while in the hotel.
The national average annual wage of a flight attendant is $56,630, according to the BLS, slightly more than the average annual salary for all occupations, $51,960. The average flight attendant salary can vary substantially from state to state.
How long is a typical flight attendant layover? A typical flight attendant layover is 24 hours. This allows the cabin crew ample time to rest and explore the destination before their next flight. However, please be advised that there are some cases wherein layovers are less than 24 hours.
As with pilots, a flight attendant's work schedule is determined by seniority. Newer flight attendants have to fly reserve, rarely knowing where they will be headed the next day. They are at the mercy of the crew-schedulers -- the airline employees who figure out who needs to be where on a day-to-day basis.
Crew members are required to have a 10-hour rest period within each 24-hour cycle. The maximum duty day is 14 hours and must be followed by a 10-hour rest period at their hotel. When scheduling a flight, operators usually account for 12 hours of rest instead of 10.
There are pretty much three options when choosing the best home base for you. Option 1: Choose an airline that has a hub in the city you currently live. Option 2: Be willing to relocate to any city that has an opening. Option 3: Commute.
Unlike most traditional jobs, flight attendant positions do not necessarily require you to relocate. Many senior flight attendants live where they want and commute by air to and from each trip freely.
Career advancement is based on seniority. On international flights, senior attendants frequently oversee the work of other attendants. Senior attendants may be promoted to management positions in which they are responsible for recruiting, instructing, and scheduling.
Cabin crew tend to live close to their base, but it's not the only option. Many airlines say that crew must live within 45 minutes to 90 minutes traveling time of their base. This is due to 'standby' duties, where cabin crew are called out last minute to operate a flight where someone has gone sick or is late for duty.
After Take Off
First, they must check that all overhead compartments are securely closed and that seat belts remained fastened if the seat belt sign is still switched on. They also need to make sure that everyone is having an overall relaxing flight.
The majority of the time, though, many flight attendants aren't going to wake you up if you're napping during the flight. In that case, you can ask to be woken up for the meal.
Cabin crew rules
Cabin crew have to have a minimum of 7 days off per month. They can work up to 60 duty hours in 7 days, 110 hours in 14 days, and 190 hours in 28 days.
How many flights can I expect to fly on a typical day? The number of flights will vary based on the trip assigned. However, as an Endeavor flight attendant, you can expect to fly from one to six flights in a day.
Meaning a pilot is only paid while their airplane is running. A pilot's salary is calculated by multiplying the number of flight hours by their hourly rate. For example, the year 1 pay rate for an Envoy first officer is $90 per hour. If the pilot flies 84 hours that month they'll receive $7,560.
They're not glamorous, but they're very comfortable, with padded bunks and sometimes even in-flight entertainment! With 14- to 18-hour flights no longer unusual, pilots and cabin crew have legally mandated rest times —and airlines also realise that a rested, refreshed crew member is a happy crew member.
The pilot can sleep for no more than 40 minutes, and must wake up at least half an hour before the descent for landing. They get the first 15 minutes after the nap to fully awaken, during which they can't resume actually flying the plane, unless they need to help deal with an emergency.