Tedgrrrr

This blows my mind -and is incredibly sad- I thought they would be making at least $25!!

Key Activities
Identify and review Top Tier/International Business Class reservations in advance of flight departure and/or arrival to ensure that all special service requests have been actioned.
Ensure system wide “personal service” follow-up through communication with the worldwide network of Air Canada Concierges.
Greet and assist all high value/high profile customers.
Offer assistance for any special needs.
Monitor connections and proactively initiate re-bookings as required.
Work closely with Super Elite reservations desk and Customer Relations to facilitate Super Elite customer needs and to resolve service failures.
Maintain and update Concierge library of reference material and daily log.
Develop a network of contacts and resources that can provide assistance in accommodating the diverse requests of our top tier customers.
Hourly rate of $13.49/hr

https://aircanada.taleo.net/careerse....ftl?job=16929

songsc

I found similar numbers here:
https://www.glassdoor.ca/Salary/Air-...ies-E42672.htm

I suggest reading the review section as well if anyone need some popcorn time.

Chowtime

That is crazy! I'm wondering if there's a possibility that there would be a type O. If that's not the case, damn, I need to give them a tip next time I use them.

canadiancow

That would be the starting rate, no? I assume after a few years that number increases.

Jasper2009

IIRC the Cdn concierges earn even less, something like $15CAD/hour (~11.50USD/hour based on current exchange rates).

Afaik $25USD/hour for a customer service job would be on the high end, but I agree $13.50USD/hour is quite low and probably not sufficient to retain the more qualified concierges. Then again, it's almost twice as much as the minimum wage in the US and the job includes a few other perks (incl. travel perks).

Tedgrrrr

Back in 2004 I worked in a call-center for one of Canada's biggest phone companies and made $18//hour - and didn't have to drive to the airport. But at 13.49 an hour, who can even take advantage of free travel - this really made me sad.

Jasper2009

Afaik $18USD/h is very well-paid for a call center job.

While I agree concierges probably deserve to earn more (IMHO), it's still $28,000USD/year. Given that the average entry-level salary for university graduates is in the $35k-$50k USD range for most fields (which usually involves 4+ years of not earning money and accumulating a huge amount of debt), I'm not sure $28k USD per year plus benefits is all that out of the ordinary.

pitz

Non-pilots are paid abysmally at most airlines around the world, and certainly at the Canadian airlines. Non-taxable space available flight benefits are presumed to make up the balance of the compensation package.

Sniff the motivations of many AC staff for working there or sticking around, and there's often a cabin or family on the other end of the country/world. Or some other air-travel intensive reason why they stick it out. And the seniority system gradually reduces the burden of working the bad shifts/short flights to the point that a high seniority FA can work 2 weeks and have the next 6 off.

songsc

I just looked up some LinkedIn profile of AC concierges. The younger ones do have university degrees, which is not surprising, as there is an over supply of university degrees.

For the more senior concierges, I doubt they still get paid at $13 because:
1. That's an unlivable wage in cities like YYZ, YVR, so they can't be doing this job for over 20 years.
2. Union

jaysona

This is nothing new, the concierge salaries were discussed in the AC Concierge thread about a year ago, iirc.

Most AC front line staff aren't paid as well as they should be for the crap they have to deal with, imho. However when a company has thousands of resumes from people wanting to work there, the company knows there's always going to be someone that wants to do the job, no need to pay top dollar for a commodity job. :-/

rehoult

It's a union job; want to find out what they earn after X years? Go find the contract. It's publicly accessible for those who care to look.

Wpgjetse

Yes, that is starting rate, plus benefits. Benefits are most likely $4 to $5 per hours more. Still not great, but better than Westjet. Airline employee wages had been hit hard by deinflation of airline fares.

Wpgjetse

supply and demand theory.

kwflyer

I hear they also pay for your travel costs to get interviewed since that is standard for most jobs in 2017.

kwflyer

foreign minimum wages from developing countries have nothing to do with domestic wages.

Then again, the UK minimum wage is 1,301.31 € EUR per month making it only 19% less than a AC concierge in Cnadaa, and the job includes a few other perks (incl living in a strong, stable, prosperous country).


As others have noted, this is nothing new. I recall a thread where Ben Lipsey blames the perceived low wages on those employees who a) accept them and/or b) unions who bargain on their behalf.