Earlier this year, British Airways hammered out an agreement with cabin crew for a new pay deal that both sides were finally happy with. So how much should those already working under the airline’s ‘Mixed Fleet’ contract and new joiners expect to earn? We have a full explainer and all the latest details…
Before 2010, British Airways used to have two main categories of Cabin Crew. The first were referred to as ‘Worldwide Crew’ and only worked on long-haul flights from London Heathrow. The second category were ‘Eurofleet’ crew and as the name suggests, these cabin crew only worked on short-haul flights to European destinations.
Cabin crew who worked from London Gatwick and London City airport’s had slightly different contracts but the pay and conditions were broadly similar.
But since 2010, all new British Airways cabin crew joining the airline have a dramatically different contract and are referred to as ‘Mixed Fleet’ Cabin Crew. The Mixed Fleet crew work on both long-haul and short-haul flights and their pay and conditions are very different – as a result, they never work alongside ‘Worldwide’ or ‘Eurofleet’ crew.
British Airways claim that Mixed Fleet Cabin Crew earn “more than £21,000 based on pay, allowances, incentive and bonus” in their first year of flying. The airline also says that an independent audit of its pay shows that Mixed Fleet crew earned between £21,151.35 and £27,356.30 in the last 12-months.
However, the Unite union, which represents Mixed Fleet cabin crew claimed the average take-home pay for its members was just £16,000 per year. They called the conditions “poverty pay” and led cabin crew out on a series of strike actions. After months of negotiations, a deal was finally struck – here’s what cabin crew can now expect to earn…
What is the British Airways Cabin Crew Salary in 2018?
British Airways Mixed Fleet Cabin Crew receive the following pay and benefits:
- Basic Pay: £13,079 per year for new joiners
- Trip Allowance: £3.14 per hour – an elapsed hourly rate that starts from the moment you check-in to the time you get back to your home airport
- Daily Overseas Allowance: £10 (when away from the UK)
- Nightly Incidental Allowance: £5 (when away from base but still in the UK)
- Commission: 20% on all Duty-Free and Buy Onboard sales
- Quarterly Bonus: Approximately £350 – £450
- Annual Bonus: Approximately £400 – £450 (based on fleet-wide performance)
During the initial Cabin Crew training course, you will only receive basic pay.
- After a new cabin crew member’s probationary period (approximately 6 months), basic pay rises to around £14,000
- Onboard supervisors can earn approximately £17,000 in basic pay.
Mixed Fleet Cabin Crew Benefits:
- Annual leave starting at 30 days per year and rising to 34 days.
- Request roster preferences for destinations you really want to fly to.
- Concessionary staff travel after six months of service.
- Opportunities for progression after 12-18 months service.
Why Does the Pay Not Match Expectations?
Based on a sample roster, British Airways estimates that new Cabin Crew should earn over £21,000 per year. However, critics point out that many crew members end up working rosters that don’t allow them to earn anything near what British Airways promises.
It’s also worth noting that you shouldn’t rely on bonus payments as part of your wage. The bonus is based on performance across the whole Mixed Fleet crew. Anything that affects the performance, whether avoidable or not, will impact on the bonus payment you receive.
