How Much Do Flight Attendants Make in the UK?

Updated June 20, 2023
4 minutes

Flight attendants’ job is to make the time spent on the plane pleasant. They also ensure safety during the flight and keep the aircraft tidy. They must fulfil their obligations before departure. Not only food supplies must be checked, but above all safety equipment must be fully functional. Employees have the opportunity to travel around the world and visit exotic countries. Each airline offers different working conditions, but in this article, we will focus on earnings and answer how much flight attendants make in the UK.

The Average Salary in the UK

The earnings of flight attendants are primarily influenced by the airlines they work for. The most famous and prestigious lines offer attractive payouts and a higher level of service. If you are considering working for such airlines, you need to consider several training courses that need to be completed before taking up the job. They are very important as stewardesses are responsible for passengers’ safety. If you are convinced about this profession and are thinking about your first job as a flight attendant in the UK, what salary can you expect?

We rarely talk about hourly earnings for flight attendants because working hours are particular and depend on the frequency of your flights. According to glassdor.co.uk, the average cabin crew salary is £28,732 per year.

As we mentioned earlier, earnings vary by airline. However, earning more than £15,000 a year at the beginning of your career is rare. Usually, this amount is around £13,000. Such earnings apply to inexperienced employees, but they can expect other benefits besides the salary. All airlines guarantee free accommodation for business trips. Most employees are also entitled to employee discounts on domestic and international flights. In some places, you also get discounts for family members.

Love flying, but flight attendance is not enough? Get to know about the pilot’s earnings!

What About More Experienced Ones?

More attractive earning opportunities await more experienced flight attendants, in the region of £20,000 a year. Most airlines value foreign language skills, and fluency in these languages is a more excellent earner. English is an international language, but not all passengers are fluent. Staff are required to have a good rapport with passengers, so German, Spanish, Italian or other, more exotic languages are appreciated. Some employers offer a specific salary increase for the number of foreign languages you know.

Flight attendants with the most experience earn just under £30,000. These employees have already undergone a wide range of training. Starting with language, to those related to passenger service, to those related to safety. In such competitions, fluency and naturalness in their actions are appreciated, which is noticed by the flight participants.

We have described average earnings here, but if you work for airlines like British Airways, the flight attendant’s salary is an average of £35,000. In such prestigious lines, there is only room for the best in their profession. So if you want to work on your career as a flight attendant, you need to attend as much training as possible. Every experience is valued, so it is worth working on your personal development and looking for exciting offers.

In addition to professional experience and a series of training courses, what counts most in this profession is a positive attitude, openness and a smile on your face. If you are a communicative person who loves contact with people and travelling, you should think about the profession of a flight attendant.

Flight Attendants’ Working Hours

The working hours of flight attendants are very difficult or even impossible to determine. Different airlines handle this matter differently but everywhere working hours depend on the frequency of flights. In most cases, employees on short-haul flights spend the most hours in the air. This is because trips to distant places often involve a return in two or three days. Occasionally a flight is delayed or cancelled, so flight attendants are away from home for more time than planned. Of course, they can then expect financial compensation then.

Schedules are usually planned several weeks in advance, but it happens that an employee receives the information about the departure one week before work.

Not everyone will be happy with such an hourly system and the days you spend away from home and family. Such travelling and an irregular schedule have their advantages and disadvantages. So before you take up a job as a flight attendant, you should consider whether it suits you.

All the information you need about potential employers from the flying industry you can find on Gowork.uk!