There are a whole bunch of beliefs and myths around the navigating staff in planes. Free tickets, dream stops, naughty meetings with passengers … and what about the stewards’ salary? This professional answers us.
Steward Mathieu Allouche, alias @mathieu_le_steward on Instagram, where it has nearly 120,000 subscribers, made us take behind the scenes of its fascinating universe. With his bright smile and contagious energy, he shared anecdotes and secrets of his profession. But what we really expected was that he finally lifts the veil on a question that intrigues everyone: what is the real salary of a steward? Forget the misconceptions, he told us everything about the income of these people who travel the heavens …
Before talking about figures, it is essential to understand what the steward profession really involves. Unlike the glamorous image we could have, a steward is not just for distributing drinks and meals. Its role goes far beyond the comfort of passengers. As a member of the Commercial Navigant Staff (PNC), he is responsible for safety on board, the management of emergency situations, the smooth running of the flight, and of course to ensure that each passenger spends a pleasant and peaceful flight.
It is a demanding profession, but whose remuneration remains complex to identify. Mathieu Allouche first clarified that the air stewards and hostesses are not paid until “The plane begins to go back“. In other words, the whole preparation phase before the flight – such as the crew debriefing on commercial and safety instructions – is not part of the paid time.
In addition to that, contracts vary from one navigating staff to another: some perform more flight hours than others. On average, a steward flies between 60 and 80 hours a month, a figure that can highly evolve depending on the periods and assignments. Compensation can also depend on destinations, the company but also on the seniority of the steward in the company. “”If you are 10 years old, 15 years old, 20 years of experience in your box, you will be more at 3000, 3500. Sometimes even you can go up to 4000 euros. If you are a cabin chief, you can touch a little more too“He explained. A comfortable salary, but which does not seem to take into account all the sacrifices of the profession …
The reality of a steward is also offset schedules, intense weeks of work and a permanent jet lag. Without forgetting the social life that can be turned upside down, because a steward must often give up important moments, such as Christmas or birthdays. However, Mathieu Allouche defends his profession with fervor, emphasizing the richness of experiences offered to him. “”Be in Paris, the next day go eat a hot dog in New York and the week after chicken and rice in Brazil“, As he tells it. It’s a job”magic“, According to him, the sparkling eyes of passion. A very special daily life, of course, but also a unique chance to discover the world from a different angle.
