British Airways (BA), the flag carrier of the United Kingdom (UK), will turn 50 years old at the beginning of 2024. The International Airlines Group owns the airline, which services over 200 locations worldwide with a fleet of over 200 planes based at London’s Heathrow, Gatwick, and City airports.
The Oneworld alliance founder is one of two full-service airlines in the United Kingdom, along with Virgin Atlantic. BA serves all six inhabited continents and employs around 15,000 cabin crew members. Here is a look at how much their cabin crew is paid and the other benefits they are entitled to.
British Airways Cabin Crew Salary
British Airways cabin crew receive a relatively low income in relation to the industry in Europe and around the world. Flight attendants have recently expressed their dissatisfaction with the carrier’s salary, despite the fact that hundreds continue to work for the company and are passionate about their professions.
At the moment, British Airways’ entry-level salary is £16,800 ($20,400) per year, which often rises to £28,000 per year depending on allowances and flying hours.
The most experienced cabin staff (referred to as in-flight managers by BA) who work regularly on the airline’s longer and flagship flights, such as New York and Sydney (via Singapore), may expect to earn up to £50,000.
BA’s entry-level cabin attendant basic salary is admittedly relatively modest, at just over £8 per hour, assuming 40 hours per week for 52 weeks in a year.
Meanwhile, the maximum level is somewhat more than £4,000 per month before tax, which is what most experts in traditional fields make with 3 to 5 years of experience.
Benefits Enjoyed by BA Cabin Crew
British Airways cabin crew are not the best paid in monetary terms, but they are eligible to numerous wonderful benefits, including those listed below:
- TECH SCHEME – British Airways has a partnership with electronics shop Curry’s. All cabin crew workers receive an optional £1,500 tech allowance, which is withdrawn in equal installments from their pay over a 12-month period.
- CONCESSIONAL TRAVEL – British Airways has a partnership with electronics shop Curry’s. All cabin crew workers receive an optional £1,500 tech allowance, which is withdrawn in equal installments from their pay over a 12-month period.
- PENSION SCHEME – British Airways provides a pension program to its cabin crew, with an employee contribution of 2% that can be increased to 7% by mutual consent. This promotes savings habits among all employees.
- FLEXIBILITY – Before a roster is issued for a given period, cabin crew members can request specific days off, swap shifts with their colleagues, and request to be scheduled on destinations they want to fly to.
- TRANSPORTATION – British Airways covers the transportation costs of its cabin crew when they travel, and parking is free at all three of the airline’s London hubs. The Heathrow Express train tickets are also available at a 75% discount.
- TRAVEL DISCOUNTS – BA provides travel discounts to its cabin crew at partner hotels and airlines. There are also partnerships with food chains and retail businesses in the UK and overseas, which their employees can take advantage of by receiving throwaway pricing.
- LIFE INSURANCE – British Airways does not provide medical insurance for its cabin crew, although it does offer life insurance. This assures that their nominated staff receive fair pay in the event of the BA employee’s death or injury, resulting in inability to work.
British Airways Cabin Crew Hiring Process
British Airways requires cabin crew to fulfill the following criteria to qualify for their roles.
- To be aged 18 or older at the time of application.
- Fluent in both verbal and written English.
- Twelve months of customer service experience.
- Maintain a valid passport (with a minimum of 12 months before its expiry date) with
- the unfettered freedom to live and work in the UK, allowing unrestricted global mobility.
- You will need to be able to obtain a US visa.
- To undergo a criminal record check for all countries of residency for six months or more in the past five years, and to offer appropriate references for the last five years.
- Ability to obtain and maintain an airside pass.
- Be willing and able to perform shifts covering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year during your whole career.
- Be willing and able to spend time away from home and perform stand-by tasks in the vicinity of your airport base.
- To wear the British Airways uniform as necessary, with no visible tattoos or body piercings. Tattoos or body piercings shall never be visible on the body or through uniform clothing, and they must be coverable. Only tattoos that may be reasonably covered up are allowed. Plasters and bandages should not be utilized.
- To pursue and successfully complete initial training to get a UK CAA (UK Civil Aviation Authority) Cabin Crew Attestation (CCA) (which will be issued to you upon successful completion of your course).
- Yellow fever vaccination certification, or eligibility for exemption.
British Airways performs the following steps as part of its hiring process.
- APPLICATION – The British Airways cabin crew candidate’s application includes a CV, a cover letter, and any additional supporting papers such as passport and visa copies.
- ASSESSMENT DAY – If an individual’s application is accepted, they will undergo an assessment day that includes role-playing, group assessments, physical and tattoo tests, and attestation of visas and passports for living and working in the UK and global travel.
- INTERVIEW –The penultimate step of the hiring process is a 30- to 40-minute interview during which the candidate is asked more in-depth questions about the role while also being tested on their expertise of customer service and hospitality.
- OFFER – If the interview is successful, British Airways will extend a conditional offer. This offer is contingent upon the airline conducting a complete background check.
The British Airways background check comprises the following:
- Full information of your five-year background history, including employment (directly or through an agency), educational periods, and any pauses in between.
- We will contact your referees as soon as you submit your employment and reference information.
- Closer to your start date, you’ll need to apply for a Criminal Records Check (CRC), also known as a Disclosure Barring Service certificate (DBS), and, if applicable, an overseas CRC if you’ve lived abroad for 6 months or more in the previous five years.
- You will be invited to schedule a Joint Appointment at our Waterside location, which will include your uniform fitting, security interview, and psychoactive substance test.
FAQs on BA Cabin Crew
British Airways pays its cabin crew a base salary of £16,800 per year, which can rise to £50,000 depending on seniority, routes, and allowances.
British Airways cabin staff fly on the Boeing 777 or 787, the Airbus A350 or A380 for long-haul flights, and the Airbus A320 family for short-haul flights.
British Airways’ cabin crew is situated in London. Depending on rostering and operational requirements, they can be dispatched from any of the airline’s three bases in the city.
No, British Airways currently only hires cabin crew who can work and live in the United Kingdom. At the moment, the airline has no vacancies.
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