
Alaska Gives Employees Record Bonuses
Alaska Airlines will pay out $327 million in annual bonuses to its 23,000 employees. The record-setting bonus equates to about…
How to get your foot in the door early.
An American Airlines 787-8 prepares to load cargo in Chicago (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ian McMurtry)
Working for an airline is a dream for many around the world. Different people have various hopes, but many desire to work as cabin crew, getting paid to travel around the world. Others work as dispatchers, crew schedulers, recruiters, and management to keep an airline running smoothly and safely day-to-day.
However, getting hired in many of these roles requires time and dedication. Becoming a pilot, flight attendant, or dispatcher takes training that may or may not be provided by the airline. Many seek entry-level airline positions as a way to put themselves through training while still having the perks and excitement of working for an airline. Though not the flashiest of jobs, entry-level positions are still critical roles that are essential to the efficient operation of aircraft.
Many begin their aviation careers as customer service agents for airlines. These employees book and check-in passengers, process bags, and monitor the boarding process to ensure passenger safety. Agents also assist lost passengers and rebook travelers when a flight is delayed, cancelled, or missed.
Customer service work is a great way to get to know airline procedures and policies, especially relating to the booking process and ground security. It also helps employees learn many of the regulations regarding passenger rights and airline liability in a variety of irregular operations such as poor weather, maintenance issues, and crew scheduling.
Some customer service agents, instead of working at the airport, work in call centers to remotely help customers that call in before even making it to the airport. These calls may cover anything from making a booking to rescheduling a flight and even looking for lost baggage.
Phone agents work with station employees across the region or the country to coordinate a variety of tasks, and they work with the booking department to confirm reservations and make changes. This offers the skill to be focused and flexible with a variety of people to ensure the best outcome for a customer.
Most customer service agents are paid starting salaries between $15 and $18 per hour, though some can make $20 or more depending on location and employer. Raises usually come with seniority, and many airlines even offer health insurance and retirement benefits after working for the company for a certain amount of time.
Alaska and Hawaiian check-in counters in San Francisco (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)
In addition to customer service agents, airlines also hire ramp agents. These employees load and unload bags; marshall, push back, and tow airplanes; and maintain safe, clean, and secure parking ramps to ensure aircraft safety. Keeping a constant pace and a vigilant watch is essential to continuing aircraft operations.
Ramp agents do difficult work and are expected to lift up to 50 pounds at any given time while handling bags. Still, their work is important and requires attention, as it is important to ensure bags are safe and undamaged during handling.
Equally, ramp agents play a particularly important role in aviation safety, as they must closely monitor the environment around them for unauthorized persons and suspicious activity. This may be one of the last lines of defense against aircraft damage from a variety of people, from passengers who snuck onto the ramp to catch a flight to security breaches.
Maintaining cleanliness is also an important role, as debris on the ramp, taxiways, and runways can damage aircraft if ingested into tires or engines. Ramp agents must be vigilant of their surroundings in order to protect airlines’ most valuable physical assets.
Many people choose to become ramp agents because they want to work hands-on with aircraft and speak directly with pilots and flight attendants during preflight checks, inspections, and walkarounds. Ramp agents even get first-hand interactions with mechanics doing changes out in the field. Making these connections can be critical for those pursuing careers in aviation and looking for experienced mentors and their guidance and advice.
Ramp agents usually make slightly more money because of the added physical demands of their jobs. Still, base salaries usually start just above $15 per hour and rise with seniority. As with customer service agents, benefits such as insurance and travel perks will be granted the longer a ramp agent works for the company.
Some airlines combine the roles of customer service and ramp agents at certain airports, especially those with less service where it does not make sense to hire, train, and pay multiple employees. Rather, one group of agents will check in passengers and send bags to screening before heading to the ramp to welcome and park the aircraft. Afterward, they return to the terminal to help with boarding and finally push back the airplane for its onward journey.
Employees that double dip like this tend to make more money thanks to their increased responsibility. Working multiple roles allows an employee to maximize what they know and learn about a wider range of steps in an airline’s operation.
While many people go to school to become aviation mechanics, some instead work as an apprentice under mechanics to build experience instead. Airlines often hire these apprentices to work underneath more senior technicians to learn and aid with tasks en route to full licensure. People interested in working as a mechanic can pursue such a role, often found at larger hubs where more mechanics tend to be needed.
Southwest aircraft at the airline’s Houston Hobby hangar (Photo: Southwest Airlines)
Different airlines handle apprentices differently, though it is possible to work on the line fixing aircraft in active service or spend time in a workshop performing heavy maintenance, overhauls, and completing bigger tasks. Some apprentices even get to help with contract maintenance that their airline does on behalf of other airlines and companies flying through the airport without their own maintenance presence.
Airlines post listings for entry-level positions on job boards such as Indeed and Glassdoor. You can also search on airlines’ websites to apply with them directly. In addition to looking at major airlines such as American, Delta, and United, look as well for regional subsidiaries such as Envoy Air, Republic Airways, and Skywest Airlines.
Most jobs have basic requirements, such as a minimum age of 18 years and a high school diploma or GED. Airlines often look for employees within commutable distance from the appropriate airport or base, though some customer service jobs – such as agents who answer phones and texts from customers – are offered as remote positions.
Entry-level jobs can be rewarding for new aviators looking to launch their career in flight. These jobs provide real-world hands-on experience in the airline world and can give valuable insights into life as a professional crewmember. This is a great way to get started and find your way in aviation.
John McDermott is a student at Northwestern University. He is also a student pilot with hopes of flying for the airlines. A self-proclaimed "avgeek," John will rave about aviation at length to whoever will listen, and he is keen to call out any airplane he sees, whether or not anyone around him cares about flying at all. John previously worked as a Journalist and Editor-In-Chief at Aeronautics Online Aviation News and Media. In his spare time, John enjoys running, photography, and watching planes approach Chicago O'Hare from over Lake Michigan.
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