Working as cabin crew for Air France (AF) has this slightly romantic feeling around it, almost like the airline still carries a bit of that classic European charm that people often associate with Paris itself. And honestly, the job does reflect that blend of tradition and modern service standards.
The airline has been around for decades, and its cabin crew are known for being well-trained, polished and naturally warm in the way they speak to passengers. Due to this, a lot of applicants from France and around the world keep a close eye on Air France recruitment, always curious about the work-life balance, pay structure, and whether the lifestyle is actually manageable once you’re in the job.
In 2025, Air France has kept its salary scale fairly stable, but there have been a few adjustments here and there to keep up with rising costs, union agreements, and increased operations across long-haul routes.
The airline tends to blend fixed pay with structured allowances, which is common across European carriers, though Air France does offer a few benefits that feel a bit more generous, especially when you factor in its global airline partnerships.
Salaries also vary quite a bit depending on whether you’re flying short-haul across Europe with Air France Hop or long-haul on the mainline network. Crew operating the long routes to Asia or the Americas tend to earn a noticeably higher total each month simply because layover allowances and flight hours add up quickly.
Air France Cabin Crew Salary in 2025
Air France salaries usually start out somewhat modest when you first join, but they climb in a steady and predictable way as you complete more flying hours and move through the internal seniority ladder. New recruits typically begin around €1,500 to €1,700 per month as a basic salary, which isn’t extraordinary, but the real boost comes from sector pay, long-haul allowances, night-stop payments and bonuses. With all those, a new starter often ends up taking home around €2,100 to €2,400 per month, depending on their roster and flight mix.
Once you hit the two-to-three-year mark, your earnings become a bit more consistent, as seniority gives you better schedules, more long-haul flights and improved allowances. Mid-level crew usually earn €2,600 to €3,000 per month, with some months running higher when there are heavy long-haul rotations. Senior crew, especially those operating premium cabins on long international routes, can reach €3,200 to €3,800 per month, and occasionally a bit more during peak seasons or months with extra flying.
Overall, Air France sits comfortably within the Western European salary range. It doesn’t pay as high as Middle Eastern carriers, but the strong union presence, stable roster patterns, and lifestyle balance make it an attractive option for many European applicants.
Air France Senior Cabin Crew Salary
The move from regular crew to senior cabin crew usually happens after several years of service and successful performance reviews. Seniors earn a noticeably higher base salary because they take on leadership responsibilities on board. In 2025, a senior cabin crew member earns a base of roughly €1,900 to €2,200 per month, which may look like a small jump at first, but the allowance structure multiplies quickly.
With long-haul trips, meal allowances, night-stop payments and the additional responsibility supplement, most senior crew comfortably earn between €3,800 and €4,500 per month, depending on the network they operate. Seniors handling premium cabins often receive extra increments for working in Business or La Premiere, which can add a meaningful push to their monthly total.
Benefits of Working as Air France Cabin Crew
1. Travel Privileges
- Crew enjoy discounted and standby travel across Air France, KLM and SkyTeam partner airlines for both themselves and eligible family members.
2. Medical and Insurance Protection
- Employees receive strong medical coverage, including dental and emergency protection, keeping crew well-supported during active service.
3. Retirement and Financial Security
- Pension contributions, performance bonuses and annual increments help crew build steady long-term financial stability.
4. Lifestyle, Roster and Wellbeing Perks
- Crew benefit from quality layover hotels, uniform allowances, duty-free discounts and continuous training opportunities throughout their career.
Air France Cabin Crew Requirements
Air France has quite a precise set of requirements, mainly because they value safety, language ability, and a very polished customer service style. The basic list is still easy enough to follow:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
- A high school diploma or equivalent qualification is necessary.
- Fluency in French and English is mandatory, and additional languages, especially Spanish, Italian, German or Mandarin are a strong advantage.
- A good level of physical fitness and the ability to pass a full medical assessment are required.
- Height must allow for safe reach of onboard equipment (usually around 158 cm minimum).
- Applicants must have a valid passport with the ability to travel freely.
- Tattoos and piercings must remain discreet or fully covered while in uniform.
- Strong communication and customer service skills are expected.
- A clean criminal background check is also mandatory.
Air France Cabin Crew Hiring Process
The hiring process at Air France has stayed fairly consistent over the years, though the airline has modernised the online sections. Everything begins with the digital application, where candidates submit their CV, language certificates and basic personal information. The recruitment team tends to shortlist those with strong language abilities and some customer-facing experience, though aviation experience is never a requirement. Once your application is selected, you’re invited to an online assessment that checks your personality traits, reaction timing and general situational judgement.
If you pass that stage, you move on to one of Air France’s well-known assessment days. These are usually held in Paris, and they combine group activities, teamwork evaluations and fairly standard customer-service roleplays. One thing candidates often notice is that recruiters pay close attention to how naturally polite and calm you are. Air France has a specific brand style elegant but not distant so they look for people who can balance warmth with confidence.
After the group exercises, shortlisted candidates face a one-to-one interview. This usually involves a mix of behavioural questions, simple scenario tests, and sometimes a quick language evaluation to confirm your fluency. If you make it through that, the final steps are the background check and the medical examination, which includes hearing, eyesight, mobility and general fitness.
The training programme lasts several weeks and can feel quite intense at times, as it covers safety procedures, emergency response, customer service, first aid and aircraft-specific operations. The practical sessions are detailed and strict, especially the safety components. Once training is completed and you pass the exams, you’re officially assigned to flights and begin your probationary period, where supervisors monitor your progress during the first few months. After that, you settle into a regular roster and start collecting the hours you need to grow in seniority.
FAQs
A new cabin crew member normally earns between €2,100 and €2,400 per month once allowances and flight hours are added to the basic salary.
No, the airline accepts first-time applicants as long as they meet the language, fitness and customer service requirements.
Crew don’t fly entirely free, but they receive heavily reduced standby fares and good discounts across the SkyTeam network.
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