On the subject of job searching, many employment seekers aren’t solely wage — they’re in search of advantages, too. For most individuals, meaning issues like medical health insurance, PTO, and retirement funds. However for those who work for an airline, it additionally means journey perks. So, for those who’ve ever puzzled whether or not or not flight attendants get free flights, the reply is sure — principally — with some caveats.

“At a given airline, all staff obtain kind of the identical flight advantages,” says airline pilot Patrick Smith of AskThePilot.com. “Usually, an worker and his or her fast relations, companions, and/or a chosen companion are entitled to complimentary space-available journey.” Retired airline staff may additionally be eligible for such advantages, relying on how lengthy they labored for the corporate.

Right here’s how flight attendants and pilots get free flights 

Such staff (or retirees) who fly on their advantages are often called non-revs. “Non-rev is shoptalk shorthand for non-revenue, because the airline makes little or no revenue out of your patronage,” Smith explains.

Relying on the airline, nevertheless, non-revs might must pay sure charges as a way to fly for “free,” whether or not that’s a per-segment cost or an annual price. Generally, upgrading to first or enterprise class may incur extra costs, too, however the specifics are totally different for each airline. And airline staff are nonetheless accountable for paying the taxes on every flight.

However there’s a catch to non-revving, and all of it revolves round that “space-available” descriptor. Airline staff solely fly totally free (or near free) on standby, which implies they’ll solely fill seats which are empty.

“If there are three empty seats and 20 standby staff, 17 will get bumped, and they’ll all search for one other flight, any flight, with empty seats,” says Sue Fogwell, a retired United flight attendant. “Generally, staff must be inventive in attending to the place they wish to go. We’re all used to getting bumped from flights and getting caught — generally for days — at a vacation spot.”

As for the order wherein non-revs find yourself on the standby listing, it’s the identical scenario as passengers on complimentary improve lists: There’s a hierarchy. “Every lively and retired worker has a boarding standing code, and boarding relies on seniority,” says Fogwell. “Energetic staff have a greater boarding precedence than a retired worker. For instance, a retired pilot with 30 years of service will board after a brand new lively worker with six months of service who works in a ramp or an workplace.”

Pilots and flight attendants, nevertheless, do have a little bit of an edge over different airline staff when flying standby — they’ll fly in soar seats. “Pilots might journey in one of many auxiliary cockpit seats, whereas flight attendants can journey in one of many unused fold-down cabin seats,” says Smith. “Neither is snug, nevertheless it’s a helpful profit for those who’re in a pinch.”

Finally, flying non-rev is a tense recreation that’s half technique (i.e. searching for flights that aren’t totally booked) and half probability, requiring cautious planning, a wholesome diploma of flexibility, and loads of endurance. “Strive to not be jealous. None of that is as fabulous because it sounds,” says Smith. “Non-revs are sometimes conspicuous on the boarding gate — they’re those sweating, trying nervous, and sometimes weeping.”

If an airline worker doesn’t wish to play the standby recreation, although, many airways do supply reductions on airfare. “We will get discounted tickets on French Bee flights and on airways, French Bee has workers journey partnerships with,” shares French Bee flight attendant Matt Seynave. And that’s nonetheless a very good perk in itself.

Plus, for those who’re buddies with an airline worker, you might be able to profit from journey perks, too. “Most airways additionally grant a restricted variety of reduced-rate tickets every year, generally referred to as ‘buddy passes,’ that may be given out to buddies or prolonged household,” says Smith. “These are usually significantly dearer than the passes utilized by staff themselves, and are topic to quite a few restrictions.”

However hey, a reduction is a reduction.

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This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com

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