Foreign Flight Attendant Pay in US Airports
Oct 10, 2023, 9:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 71
Foreign Flight Attendant Pay in US Airports
Do foreign flight attendants get paid by US minimum wage for when they have to work the counter in a US airport?
I ask because Viva Aerobus is a mexican airline, but their flight attendants literally work at the check in counter at US airports, close the check in counter like 45 min before takoff, then go back to the gate to do the boarding before working on the plane.
How does their pay work?
I ask because Viva Aerobus is a mexican airline, but their flight attendants literally work at the check in counter at US airports, close the check in counter like 45 min before takoff, then go back to the gate to do the boarding before working on the plane.
How does their pay work?
Oct 11, 2023, 9:06 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: TOL
Posts: 749
Do foreign flight attendants get paid by US minimum wage for when they have to work the counter in a US airport?
I ask because Viva Aerobus is a mexican airline, but their flight attendants literally work at the check in counter at US airports, close the check in counter like 45 min before takoff, then go back to the gate to do the boarding before working on the plane.
How does their pay work?
I ask because Viva Aerobus is a mexican airline, but their flight attendants literally work at the check in counter at US airports, close the check in counter like 45 min before takoff, then go back to the gate to do the boarding before working on the plane.
How does their pay work?
I don't see how this would possibly work with scheduled flights in the US. I have flown Viva Aerobus and the ground staff has been local employees each time. In the US, they are employed by a contracted ground handler. In Mexico, I believe they are direct employees of Viva. The only arrangement similar to this which I can imagine would be when they run charter flights to an airport they don't usually serve in the US. They may bring a tech rep or mechanic to supervise the handling of their aircraft but this person is working in an oversight capacity and wouldn't do double duty as a flight attendant.
Flight attendants are employed locally in Mexico, paid a pittance by US standards (although being an FA is still respected in Mexico) and enter the US as crew, and are not authorized to work in a different capacity during their stay. The FAs would also need local SIDA badges at each airport for this scheme to work. No way I can see it working out. It's cheaper to just hire a local ground handler even though the US wage for a ground handler is likely higher than the Mexican wage for an FA.
Oct 12, 2023, 7:51 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 71
Im not talking about ground handlers. I am talking about the flight attendants that work the front check in desk at the airport, then go back to work the gate, before working on the plane. Viva uses the flight attendants to work the desks.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
Oct 13, 2023, 1:14 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 388
Im not talking about ground handlers. I am talking about the flight attendants that work the front check in desk at the airport, then go back to work the gate, before working on the plane. Viva uses the flight attendants to work the desks.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
Oct 13, 2023, 9:26 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: TOL
Posts: 749
Im not talking about ground handlers. I am talking about the flight attendants that work the front check in desk at the airport, then go back to work the gate, before working on the plane. Viva uses the flight attendants to work the desks.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
Oct 17, 2023, 6:23 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ANC
Programs: Alaska 100k
Posts: 1,012
Legally, a full crew of flight attendants must be on board for passenger boarding. They cannot step off the plane to be a gate agent at the same time.
So, no, flight attendants are not gate agents any any US airport.
So, no, flight attendants are not gate agents any any US airport.
Oct 22, 2023, 9:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: KUSA
Programs: Whatever AMEX Plat comes with... I buy on price.. Spirit Big Front Seat, want First/buy First
Posts: 1,489
Im not talking about ground handlers. I am talking about the flight attendants that work the front check in desk at the airport, then go back to work the gate, before working on the plane. Viva uses the flight attendants to work the desks.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
On VIVA they fly into the US in the morning. Are there all day, then fly back to mexico later in the day but they are the same people that work the check in and gate desk.
I am wondering how they are paid when they do the work in the US airport.
Logistically I'm not sure how that would even work if check-in opens 3 hours before the first departure, plus there are duties the agents perform after the departure (such as being required to remain in customs as long as a customer may be in secondary).
