PAL flight attendants well paid, get the best benefits

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Airlines (PAL) revealed yesterday that its flight attendants are well paid and receive some of the best benefits that are the envy of other Filipino workers, contrary to claims being made by the company union.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said officers of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) have not been forthright in informing the public of the real salaries and benefits that the PAL cabin crew receives.

“FASAP claims their basic pay is below the government set minimum wage, but this is just a portion of their salary. The truth is they receive much, much more,” she said.

The actual gross monthly pay of a PAL cabin crew, Villaluna said, ranges from P33,000 to P75,000, inclusive of productivity pay and other allowances.

“A domestic crew earns between P34,619 to P37,619 per month, including productivity pay, transportation allowance and rice allocation. An international cabin attendant receives P50,741 to P60,136, while a flight purser gets P67,880 to P73,570,” Villaluna said.

She stressed that while this salary range may be modest compared to the payscale of giant carriers abroad, this is no small amount by Philippine standards. Hence, claims that PAL cabin crew are overworked and underpaid are not true, she added.

Villaluna said their total pay is composed of the basic salary plus the following: per diem ($45-$70 when staying overnight at an international destination, $100 when on a technical stop, $20 for every regional turnaround flight, P185 for every domestic flight); $50 +$20 for international flights and P1,250 per hour for domestic as additional pay for every hour in excess of their tour of duty; first-class hotel accommodation at domestic and international stations; transportation allowance or free pick-up from/to residence; free meals in flight and on ground; crew shuttle to/from airport; twice a year thermal clothing allowance; twice a year shoe allowance of P1,200 for male and P800 for female; uniform allowance every 18 months of from P11,022 to P16,376; and suitcase cost from P1,563 to P3,647 which are replaced every two years.

Other benefits include complete medical and dental coverage for cabin crew and their qualified dependents; 13th and 14th month pay; unused days off converted to cash; unused sick leave converted to cash; perfect attendance award equivalent to one month pay plus per diem; and retirement benefits of 1.5 month for every year of service

“All this time FASAP has been presenting to the public and the government a picture that is totally opposite reality. FASAP is free to show proof if the wages and benefits we have just revealed are not true,” she said.