An Australian flight attendant has announced her very generous Emirates compensation package, which includes a tax-free salary and free accommodation.
While Alexandra Cosoff only earns A$5,000 a month on paper, her salary is completely tax-free.
She also has comprehensive health and dental insurance, as well as perks like transportation and laundry provided by the company, which means her entire salary is spent on fun things like “world travel.”
The 33-year-old from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast lives in Dubai, where workers pay no income tax.
Her basic monthly salary is 430 Emirati Dirham (AED) – around 1800 AED – but she is paid an additional 63.75 AED (26 AED) for each hour of flight.
On average, she flies 80 to 100 hours a month, plus a meal allowance for overnight stops.
Alexandra Cosoff, 33, from Queensland, works as a cabin steward for Emirates and lives in Dubai
That means she makes an average of around A$5,000 a month when flying Economy Class and even more when working First Class and Business Class.
As such, she takes home at least around 60,000 Australian dollars a year, about the same amount as a worker in Australia who pays 78,000 dollars in income tax.
But she pays nothing for living expenses.
“We’re being looked after very well,” said Alexandra news.com.au.
She explained that she spends most of her money on fun things like travel as she doesn’t face the hefty tax, rent and utility bills that she does in Australia.
“I live in my own apartment. They can either use company-provided accommodation or opt for a flat-rate housing allowance.”
Workers in Dubai pay no income tax, while Alexandra also has full medical and dental insurance, as well as perks like transportation and laundry provided by the company
“I was so lucky. “I had the most amazing time,” she added.
Alexandra started in Economy Class where she worked for a year and a half before being promoted to Business Class and finally to the Business Promotions team.
What are the requirements to become an Emirates flight attendant?
At least 21 years old Arm reach of 212 cm when standing on tiptoe Minimum height 160 cm High School Graduate (Grade 12) Fluent English skills (written and spoken) No visible tattoos when wearing Emirates flight attendant uniform Able to adapt to new people, new places and new situations Physically fit for this demanding role with a healthy body mass index (BMI) Manage a fairly demanding work schedule They are culturally aware and reflect who we are – professional, sensitive, progressive, visionary and open-minded
The former makeup artist added that she’s now living her “dream life” and has fantastic opportunities, including attending The Ellen Show, giving awards to tennis players and working in onboard lounges.
“I’ve learned so much about the world, other cultures and also about myself – and the best part is that you make great friends along the way,” she said.
Alexandra previously told FEMAIL that she knew “all the details” about the passengers before traveling.
Alexandra said that in first class, cabin crew members are expected to take the time to get to know each individual passenger before boarding.
“We take great pride in providing a personal touch to customers boarding First Class flights, from greeting them by name upon boarding to knowing all the details that will make their journey with us a memorable one.” This could include a preferred drink order or favorite magazines,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
“We all have a duty to understand the personal preferences, itineraries and dietary requirements of our first class passengers.” Before our flight, we conduct a team meeting to ensure we are all informed of VIPs flying with us. In addition, we have tablets on board to always have information at hand. We make sure these stay up to date throughout our journey.’
With such an extensive selection of expensive wines and spirits, first class flight attendants need to be intimately familiar with every drink they pour their passengers.
“We serve wines from all over the world, for example wines from the French region of Bordeaux and the legendary Australian wine Penfolds,” she said.
“Because we have such a diverse range, it is important that we know the details of the product range that is offered to our customers in all cabins.” In the first lesson, product knowledge is important.
Alexandra started in Economy Class where she worked for a year and a half before being promoted to Business Class and finally to the Business Promotions team
“We need to be able to provide a meaningful response to any customer service query that we come across. “We have access to training courses to strengthen our knowledge of the product offering on board.”
What type of ‘training’ do Emirates flight attendants undergo?
Alexandra told Daily Mail Australia that they all start our careers in economy class.
“Based on our performance, we are then selected over a period of several years to move to business and first class. The transition takes place after further training to complement our skills. “This includes 25 hours of prep work, such as reading modules, watching training videos that emphasize premium customer service, and doing homework,” she said.
“We then need to do specific hospitality training to be prepared for our business and our world-class service.” That includes attention to detail in the preparation of the meals and pairing Emirates’ world-class wine selection with our food to bring our customers together to offer first class service.
“In the first class, we learn to anticipate people’s needs so we can create a truly personal and unique experience for each customer.”
Flight attendants – both women and men – are required to attend a beauty school to learn about the airline’s makeup and hair policies.
“The ‘look’ is an integral part of Emirates’ brand image. That’s why we have a special image and uniform team that makes sure that the hair and make-up standards are respected by the cabin crew,” said Alexandra.
“When it comes to makeup standards for female cabin crew, we’re not told which brands to buy as that’s a personal preference.” However, we are informed of what clothing items we are required to wear.
“We’re often asked if there’s a specific shade we need to use as a crew, but it’s not specified. We need to know that the color has to match the red of the uniform and not be shiny.”
According to hair standards, flight attendants must ensure their hair is clean and tidy at all times.
“All loose strands on the face and cleavage must be pinned up and the hairstyle we choose must not interfere with the correct positioning of our hat,” she said.
“Various styles such as French roll, up roll or the classic bun are allowed.”
Male flight attendants are also expected to comply with hair standards.
“Her hair must be neat, conservative, and styled away from the face.” “Her hair must not be overloaded with gel or wax and must always be trimmed clean and not touching the collar of her shirt,” Alexandra said.
