A flight attendant has revealed that cabin crew are not even paid for the “most emotionally draining” part of a flight.
Justine, an Alaska Airlines stewardess, revealed that the “most frustrating” part of any flight is before the plane even takes off.
This came after it was revealed that some flight attendants are not paid by the hour but only during their flight, meaning they are rarely paid for the work they do outside of flight time.
Boarding is a crucial part of any flight and cabin crew bear an enormous responsibility for ensuring that everyone feels safe, has the right luggage on board and is sitting in the right seats – and yet they don’t earn a cent for this time.
Speaking to Thrillist, she said: “The most frustrating part of it is that I’m there, representing the airline. I’m wearing my uniform, I’m doing my job. I could do something wrong and get penalized for it, but I’m not getting paid.”
She also described the experience as “emotionally exhausting” as a large part of her role involves comforting particularly anxious passengers.
Flight attendants are not paid by the hour. (Getty Stock Images)
She continued: “It’s the most chaotic and difficult time of our day. We have to decide whether we need to check luggage, whether we need to consolidate people, whether we need to look out for people with multiple pieces of luggage.”
“We are not allowed to lift bags because if I injure myself while getting on the bus, I am not covered. But sometimes people need help.”
And if something goes wrong with a passenger while boarding, such as a medical emergency, the staff are responsible for solving the problem without pay.
This occurs when an airline pays its staff according to the TFP (Trip For Pay) system instead of hourly rates.
This means that during a one-hour flight, cabin crew are only paid for the time between the closing of the aircraft doors and up to 15 minutes after the doors open at departure.
One cabin crew member described the boarding process as the “most frustrating” moment. (Getty Stock Images)
But Justine told us a few things we as passengers can do to make the process a little smoother.
And a big part of it is planning.
A helpful tip is to be mindful of everyone else’s luggage and place yours in a sensible place in the overhead bins. This way, the cabin crew won’t have to mess around with other people’s things.
Another option is not to put smaller items or jackets in the lockers, as the staff will simply take them out.
It can also be helpful to find your assigned seat and stay there.
