A Jetstar fight attendant who works 12 hour shifts has revealed the surprisingly low amount they receive as a starting wage.
The New Zealand woman was recently interviewed on the streets of Brisbane, where she revealed that flight attendants in her home country earn $40,000 to $80,000 annually.
The Jetstar worker said that Australian employees were offered ‘pretty good pay’, but those across the ditch earn a ‘pretty average’ salary.
While she spoke highly of her job and that she’d ‘100 per cent’ recommend working as a flight attendant with Jetstar, she admitted there are pitfalls.
‘We don’t just fly one way and have a luxury life,’ she told job search app GetAhead.
‘Our main job is safety and we’re working 12-hour plus days.’
She revealed that Jetstar crew work five to six days on, with one to two days off.
Viewers were stunned at how low the starting salary is, considering the intensive training flight attendants go through and the stresses involved in the job.
A Jetstar flight attendant from New Zealand revealed that salaries start from $40,000
‘Start around $40k,000? Crazyyyy! Your life is literally on the line,’ one viewer wrote.
Another added: ’40k is double Centrelink- not nearly enough.’
A third commented: ‘What these people do to learn how to look after passengers in so many types of emergencies, it so much more extreme than most people think.;
The flight attendant claimed she’d experienced ‘everything under the planet’ that could go wrong on flights.
‘I’ve had deaths on board, I’ve had oven fires. You name it, I’ve had it,’ she said.
However, the job has left her with a newfound confidence in her ability to handle ‘pretty much’ any situation.
Overall, the woman was happy with her job and recommended it to young jobseekers.
‘When you’re young, if you want to go see things and want a cheap way to travel,’ the flight attendant said.
The worker claimed she works up to six days a week and shifts over 12 hours long but earns less than her Australia co-workers
‘Didn’t lose my job in lockdown, wasn’t even close to it.’
Data from SEEK showed the average annual salary for cabin crew ranged from $60,000 to $65,000.
Jetstar cabin crew in Australia are employed either by the airline directly or as labour-hire under Team Jetstar and Altara.
Transport Workers Union reached a ‘Same Job Same Pay’ in principle agreement with the airline in December.
Under the new conditions, 1,500 Jetstar labour hire crew are set to earn higher wages in line with those directly hired by the airline – who earn $62,039 a year.
Prior to the agreement, crew working under Team Jetstar earned a base annual pay of $53,801 while Altara workers earned $52,776.
Altara workers will also be paid for training and have opportunities for direct employment at Jetstar under the revised contracts.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jetstar for further comment.
