Northwest Airlines Salaries, Bonuses and Benefits.

What are the average starting salaries, bonuses, benefits and travel requirements like at Northwest Airlines?

What do you like best about working at Northwest Airlines? Are there any great perks or special treats for employees?

the job description says they start at $8.58!
that is truly entry level, I thought union jobs were supposed to be so great!
You can make more than that at McDonalds.

That isn't true. Don't beleive that FA at least start at about 18 plus pier diem!

Host said: What are the average starting salaries, bonuses, benefits and travel requirements like at Northwest Airlines?

What do you like best about working at Northwest Airlines? Are there any great perks or special treats for employees?

ok....here is the deal. (I have my contract in front of me) Starting pay for 2007 is $17.46 per FLIGHT hour (a 12 hour day, you can expect to get paid for about 6 hours) New hire FAs can expect to be on reserve for a while (I am 10 years and still on reserve).

Reserves get paid for 80 hours per month, if they fly under the 80 hour mark. I have been only getting in about 60 hours - 70 hours a month...for a really really long time. So basically your going to get paid a minimum amount plus per diem.

Per diem rates are 1.65 per hour - 1.85 (international). As a reserve getting in around 70 hours per month...you will get about 180-200 hours of per diem @ 1.65 per hour.

and if your around for 15 years...you will top out at $39.37 per flight hour...with the same per diem.

Remember reserves turn in their lives to the company....24/7. you get days off but they are always SOFT! You could be coming in from a 5 day trip on your final flight, right before your days off and you get a phone call from the pilots saying "you have been rescheduled". That means you just got flown totally over your days off...
and if your going to use the "I don't have day care" card, like a friend of mine...you can expect a similar response he did "so, what do you want us to do about it, you have one hour before your next flight leaves."

Just being realistic....we lose a huge number of new hires within the first 6 months. I dont want you to go through 6 weeks of UNPAID training for nothing.

Yes, I do love my job. Every job has their quirks.

Ciao all, Good luck.

Host said: What are the average starting salaries, bonuses, benefits and travel requirements like at Northwest Airlines?

What do you like best about working at Northwest Airlines? Are there any great perks or special treats for employees?

Oh and since I just got in from Tokyo and then slept all day...I am wide awake tonight and a little bored. Here are some POST TAXES monthly pay rates, including per diem, assuming you do not have anymore income than being a flight attendant. These are what my calculator came up with, they will be very different if you fly less or more than I have been.

Year one: 1397 per month
Year two: 1490 per month
Year three: 1581 per month
Year four: 1718 per month
Year Five: 1810 per month

If my numbers are right, these rates are post tax including per diem.

At 10 years, I get 2 checks a month. Check 1 is about 1200 and check 2 is about 950, with only taxes taken out.

Vacation now is terrible. I went from 3 weeks vacation to 11 day after the bankruptcy contract got voted in (NOT BY ME!). Basically you can expect working a year and getting about 7 days vacation for a while.

Flight benies are ok...if you have the time to go anywhere. You might want to read the previous entry about reserve scheduling.

Hope this helps!

Nick in Excelsior, Minnesota said: Oh and since I just got in from Tokyo and then slept all day...I am wide awake tonight and a little bored. Here are some POST TAXES monthly pay rates, including per diem, assuming you do not have anymore income than being a flight attendant. These are what my calculator came up with, they will be very different if you fly less or more than I have been.

Year one: 1397 per month
Year two: 1490 per month
Year three: 1581 per month
Year four: 1718 per month
Year Five: 1810 per month

If my numbers are right, these rates are post tax including per diem.

At 10 years, I get 2 checks a month. Check 1 is about 1200 and check 2 is about 950, with only taxes taken out.

Vacation now is terrible. I went from 3 weeks vacation to 11 day after the bankruptcy contract got voted in (NOT BY ME!). Basically you can expect working a year and getting about 7 days vacation for a while.

Flight benies are ok...if you have the time to go anywhere. You might want to read the previous entry about reserve scheduling.

Hope this helps!

Thank you Nick. I have an interview on the 18th of this month. I'm beginning to wonder about the pros and cons of this job. I really want to travel and thought this would be the perfect way. Not so sure now. Thanks for all your help

I have gotten an email for an interview with Northwest and would like some advice whether to pursue or go for the other major airline that has already offered me training. I do like the idea they have a base close to me.