How do airlines choose your base?

Where you live or commute to as a pilot is determined by your seniority. Each airline has different locations, or domiciles, across the country where pilots are based, called crew bases. Each pilot bids for the location they would like to be based, which is then awarded by seniority.



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Preferences are determined by seniority within the training class, which is assigned by a randomly generated employment number. Base selection is done during the first week so these flight attendants in training can have as much time as possible to figure out where they are going to live and make arrangements.

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Airplane pilots have a great deal of autonomy when it comes to choosing their destination. While they may be assigned certain routes or flights, the pilot ultimately has the final say in where they fly. Pilots can also choose to take on additional flights that are not part of their regular schedule if they wish.

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For aspiring flight attendants, Delta Air Lines, ranked by its employees as one of the best places to work, is also one of the most difficult places to get a job. It's harder to get invited to Delta flight attendant training than it is to get into Harvard University.

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It's difficult and can take a long time. Airlines can take 3-6 months to get through the hiring process, that's if your resume makes it through the first cut. Intense Competition. We estimate there are 1 – 1.5 million flight attendant applications for 5,000 – 10,000 jobs.

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It's difficult and can take a long time. Airlines can take 3-6 months to get through the hiring process, that's if your resume makes it through the first cut. Intense Competition. We estimate there are 1 – 1.5 million flight attendant applications for 5,000 – 10,000 jobs.

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Cabin crew tend to live close to their base, but it's not the only option. Many airlines say that crew must live within 45 minutes to 90 minutes traveling time of their base. This is due to 'standby' duties, where cabin crew are called out last minute to operate a flight where someone has gone sick or is late for duty.

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The training process for flight attendants can be quite rigorous and time-intensive. New hires typically need to complete somewhere between three to six weeks of initial training, where they learn on-the-job skills such as safety procedures and emergency drills.

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Typically pilots do not change bases, unless they are constantly chasing an aircraft type or seeking a slightly better schedule. Those who live in base generally stay in that base and bases do not open and close terribly often, but it does happen.

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$28,500 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $46,500 is the 75th percentile.

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Top companies for Flight Attendants in United States
  • Delta Air Lines. 4.2 $35.32per hour. 4,761 reviews167 salaries reported.
  • United Airlines. 3.9 $34.03per hour. ...
  • American Airlines. 3.9 $33.88per hour. ...
  • Alaska Airlines. 3.8 $31.38per hour. ...
  • Southwest Airlines. 4.2 $29.64per hour. ...
  • Show more companies.


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ARLINGTON, Va., Oct 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday finalized new rules requiring airline flight attendants receive at least 10 hours of rest time between shifts, an action that Congress directed in 2018. The FAA first proposed the rule in October 2021.

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COZY UP TO YOUR FLIGHT ATTENDANT But alert them of your situation anyway. “If you're transferring to another airline, the flight attendants may not know it,” she says. A flight attendant who's aware of your scenario may let you deplane first, which can prove crucial if you're stuck at the back of the plane.

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World's best airports to land in according to pilots: The 15 airports that all pilots love flying to
  • New York, USA. ...
  • Hamilton Island, Whitsundays, Australia. ...
  • Stavanger, Norway. ...
  • Gibraltar. ...
  • Beijing, China. ...
  • Kittilä, Finland. ...
  • Ilulissat, Greenland. ...
  • San Francisco, USA.


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