Working at Ryanair and easyJet, speaks flight attendant: "From salary to benefits, there are quite a few differences"
Gianluca Colombo, 21, originally from Tradate, a town of 20,000 inhabitants in the province of Varese, is a flight attendant in [...]
Ryanair
easyJet
Gianluca Colombo, 21, originally from Tradate, a town of 20 thousand inhabitants in the province of Varese, is flight attendant in easyJet and before that in Ryanair. He went to hotel school and his dream was to become a bartender on cruise ships. Then he turned his plans upside down. Today he does a job that fulfills him and has clear goals for the future. His motto? "Live and let live."
In this article:
From bartender to flight attendant, how has your path changed?
Everything changed during Covid. I attended the last years of school, the most important ones from a practical point of view, almost all from home, between lockdown and remote lessons. The teaching of cocktail making so it was all theoretical. This bored me a lot and I gradually began to look around. On social media I was following a flight attendant who was posting travel content and so I became more and more interested. From there I found out that my English teacher in school had also been a flight attendant in the past. So I asked for lots of guidance and advice. She had worked in Air France, British Airways, Neos.
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What was your first experience as a flight attendant?
Ryanair. And to think that it is a company I never imagined I would work in. I had never even chosen it as a passenger. But when I started looking for work the only one that was hiring or at least one of the few that was hiring was Ryanair. Once I started I got very comfortable and stayed there for a good two years. I was never treated as just a number, but there was always a human relationship between colleagues and superiors.
After Ryanair?
After Ryanair I switched to easyJet. I had heard about the latter as the dream company in Italy. I needed a change of environment and new stimulation, so I applied.
Differences between Ryanair and easyJet?
The first difference is the length of the preparation course. Ryanair's lasts six weeks: five of theory and one of practice. While easyJet's is three and a half weeks, and is much less scholastic, and more interactive and hands-on.
At the contractual level in Ryanair I had a permanent right away, whereas in easyJet I currently have an eight-month contract. But in terms of salary you earn much better in easyJet: at least 600 euros more. Also, Ryanair pays in flight hours, while easyJet pays directly based on the flight, regardless of duration.
Corporate benefits in easyJet?
Free parking at the airport, free meal on board and staff travel. Tickets are discounted to 15 euros for me and 20 other people, regardless of friends or family. Every year the company provides a voucher tied to their program easyJet Holiday, to spend on flights and hotels in the company's destinations. All this in Ryanair was not there.
What are the company's policies on the use of the uniform on social media?
In easyJet we are incentivized to create content where we show our work, always in a very professional context, the uniform has to be perfect and also the care of our person. We have to be impeccable. We are in general very free to publish videos. Mainly I tell how it works to become a flight attendant, what is our typical day, how many foreign languages you need to know. All questions about how to get in.
Favorite airport?
Malpensa, because of an emotional connection. And then Faro airport in Portugal because there is a breathtaking view of the sea from there.
Favorite route?
Those to the Canary Islands or to Iceland, where you can watch the Northern Lights from the airplane window.
Favorite aircraft?
I have worked on both Boeing and Airbus. But my favorite is the Airbus A320. I also really like Neos' Boeing 787, but I have only experienced it as a traveler, for a vacation trip, never for work.
Favorite phrase?
Live and let live. It is more important to focus on your own life and goals than on the lives of others. Never criticize others.
What is your goal?
I would like to become an instructor for flight attendants.
