Pilots and flighties: Wage breakdown

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There’s been endless discussion recently about pay gaps. Be it gender or simply unfair working conditions, the news has been rife with wage injustice.

So how does travel fare, and are there any wage disparities in the industry?

Well, when it comes to aviation, there’s a whole heap of money being made by some, but not all, as pilots’ and flight attendants’ incomes can often sit at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Though, according to the UK Express, it is actually the trusty Air Traffic Controller who rakes in the biggest amount annually, with an average wage of roughly AUD$155,000.

In terms of cabin crew, pilots top the list for best paid, earning upwards of AUD$134,000 a year.

It is important to note, however, that pilots usually begin at a starting salary of around AUD$41,000 before they start pulling in the big bucks.

Flight attendants, on the other hand, are a little bit worse off.

As per the Express, the average salary of a flightie sits at roughly AUD$42,000 per annum.

Unlike pilots, flight attendants can be faced with pretty shocking salaries when first starting out, some being paid as little as AUD$25,000 as juniors.

It is also worth noting that flight attendants are not being paid until the doors of the plane are closed and the takeoff is about to commence.

It can be a tough slog for flight attendants, so think about this article next time you’re nagging them for your third glass of Chardonnay.

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