Jarkko Hänninen’s work as a cabin crew member at Finnair is very varied in terms of working hours. He meets new colleagues on every shift. He talks about his everyday work – and how he earns money at work.

Sometimes Jarkko Hänninen’s workday starts on a freezing day in Vantaa and ends the next morning in the tropical heat of Bangkok. Other days he might fly to Stockholm and back and stop in Oulu for a change.

Hänninen, 29, works for Finnair as a cabin crew member, formerly known as a steward. On social media, he more casually calls himself a flight attendant.

He tells how varied everyday work is and how he earns money at work.

Planes are in the air every day and every moment of the year.

– There are early mornings, late evenings and night work. Sometimes we are on call at home, sometimes in the field and sometimes we have to leave suddenly. There is no Monday to Friday schedule in our work. On the other hand, it brings a kind of freedom, Hänninen says.

Hänninen applied to become a member of Finnair’s cabin crew twice before being rejected on the third application in 2019.

When the coronavirus pandemic paralyzed air traffic, Hänninen was also laid off after only a few months of work. Now he has been flying for several years.

Not just remote destinations

Although air travel has become commonplace, flying and the work of cabin crew raise questions and interest.

Hänninen talks about his work on social media. He has noticed that some people think that cabin crew constantly fly to far-flung destinations and spend time in big cities and paradise beaches.

– People might think, wow, that’s how it gets there. That’s part of the job, but we still have a return flight and we have to remember the importance of rest at the destination, Hänninen says.

According to Hänninen, a significantly larger portion of the monthly shifts are filled by European and domestic flights.

If there is time at the destination, Hänninen is happy to explore locations. However, the layover, or time at the destination, may be short, only about 24 hours. In this case, the employees may not have time to do anything other than eat, rest, and prepare for the return flight.

Some may also think that cabin crew mainly serve refreshments. This may seem like the job to passengers, but the invisible side of the job is constant observation and preparation for possible exceptional situations.

The most important part of the job is ensuring a smooth and safe travel experience for customers.

What is the salary like?

Hänninen’s basic salary is approximately 1,800 euros per month. In 2024, he earned a total of 34,900 euros gross. Monthly income varied between 2,000 and slightly over 3,000 euros.

“The monthly salary can vary a lot. Our salary is greatly affected by the type of shifts, whether there are long flights and a lot of night work,” Hänninen summarizes.

The salary of cabin crew consists of a basic salary and various bonuses. The basic salary increases with years of service.

Increases can be 30–40 percent of the basic salary. Saturday and Sunday work and inconvenience allowances, such as night work, increase the salary.

In addition to their salary, cabin crew are also paid daily allowances. These are intended to cover expenses at the destination.

Finnair’s various collective bargaining negotiations have been in the news throughout the spring. Cabin crew received their collective bargaining agreement in May. AKT, representing cabin crew, and Palta, representing the employer, negotiated the agreement for almost six months, Iltalehti reported.

In the three-year agreement, salaries will increase by a total of 7.8 percent.

Variable working hours

The number of days worked during the week depends a lot on the monthly schedule. Hänninen says he typically flies four to five days a week. Long flights and late shifts are followed by longer days off.

Hänninen thinks the announcement of the month’s roster, or work schedule, is always exciting. You can make your wishes about the next month’s flight destinations and availability, but the working hours and destinations will only be known before the end of the month.

Full-time employees at Finnair work approximately 110 hours per month. Working hours vary from month to month.

The aviation industry is accustomed to changes. That is why staff are also needed on duty.

– There is home duty and field duty. That way you are ready to go if you are called. Field duty takes place in the field area. If there is a more urgent departure, we can quickly get someone to fill in, Hänninen explains.

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Jarkko’s example week

Helsinki–Naples–Helsinki

Helsinki–London–Helsinki

Morning duty, starting in half an hour with departure to Vilnius

Helsinki–Rome–Helsinki

3 days off

Helsinki–Los Angeles

Always new coworkers

Variable shifts are a major stress factor at work for some. Hänninen says that his good sleep habits have not been a problem at work.

– My biggest tip for everyone is to sleep when you need to sleep, even if it’s at a really weird time of day. Of course, regular healthy lifestyle habits also help, such as plenty of hydration, good food, and exercise.

Finnair has approximately 1,800 cabin crew members. This means that there are new colleagues to meet on every shift.

“For me, the best part of the job is that you get to meet new people all the time. It’s also fun to see how similar people are. Some of us have just started and some of us have had long careers, but somehow we always click on the fly and we get along well,” says Hänninen.

Article corrected on 27.6.2025 at 9.42: Corrected the spelling of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

Article corrected on 27.6.2025 at 9.42: Corrected the spelling of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.