Ummm... yes I do? Most of us on this board receive mileage redeemable for free travel when our employer buys our plane tickets, no? Pretty much the same idea.

Overall I agree the points made: This is an overpaid profession relative to the skills required. This appears to be due to union leverage, and federal regulation.

I believe in the open labor market, the airlines would not have trouble recruiting FAs at $20 - $30K per year plus the travel benefit. The travel benefit, and the nature of crew scheduling, would continue to be attractive to a portion of the population (maybe not the portion currently working the position now). Similar to the job of ski lift operator... you aren't doing the job because you love loading people onto a lift, or because it will make for a fat 401K.