Curious as to how would one get a job working at the airport doing some outside stuff such as pushing back planes, being a marshaller, luggage, refueling, etc? How much is the pay? This is something I always wondered and considered doing since I love planes so much. And do you need any special degree of any sort to get a job like this at the airport.

From what I remember when I checked out such jobs (yeah, I had the exact same thought as you), it pays minimum wage or slightly above. A High School education required and you must be able to lift 50 to 70 pounds depending on the job listing..

Minimum wage? Really? Would be interesting to see how it is for a day or so.

In the US, the fashion now is to hire contract workers for minimum wage and no benefits. It used to be a good career but they're not interested in career employees anymore. Stay in school. Learn a skill. It pays better and your back won't hurt as much. This is coming from a 34 year airline employee.

Minimum wage? Really? Would be interesting to see how it is for a day or so.

 

You will require training, so the idea that you will "try it out for a day or two"  will not be a very attractive thought to the airport.

 

You do not indicate what SIZE of airport you are looking to work at.

 

If you are looking for casual, part time, during School Holidays  or at weekends type  position  (earn a few dollars  while getting into aviation),  you might do far better at a small airport.  If you impress the Airport Manager / Flight School Manager,  (s)he might find you a position, you can grow in, without all the Hassle associated with being "employed" by a large airport.

Doing it for a day doesn't really give you a feel. Better if you do it for about a month. Today in Dallas, we have a forecast high of 100 F. The ramp temp will be about 135 F. Add another 5 to 10 degrees inside the cargo bin. Unload 3000 lbs of luggage, maybe 2000 lbs of mail and freight. Then you get to load it up again, and do that 5 or 6 times in an eight hour shift. I'm not trying to discourage you, just explaining that it's not quite as glamorous as it might appear.

Minimum wage or close to it, you'll need to apply to a handling company like Menzies, Swissport or Serviceair, or sometimes to airlines themselves who do handling in house. Usually they'll take on students over the busy summer period, so it's a nice job to get while in school or college.

 

You'll require a couple days training, and need to pass a background check, but it's not a specialist position.

 

Regards,

Ró.

When I was on the ramp at EWR (years ago) it was more than minimum wage.

 

Ok so back then the airline I worked for advertised in the paper. You called them up. Scheduled an interview. They need to know what you have been doing fort the past 5 years (I think it may be 10 years now) for security clearance. You also need to have a valid drivers license.

 

With the airlines and contractors I worked with, the drivers license , some video and some hands on training were all that were required before you could start pushing back planes. Only one airline I knew of would not allow ramp people to push back planes. Every other piece of equipment you see the ramp people do (again with the exception of the lav trucks and possibly pushbacks) you'd be eventually expected to do.

 

You do not need a degree, but as with any job the more aptitude you have at the job (and the ability to let people know you have the aptitude) the more doors your create for yourself. They may not be super jobs but for example I was able to get an international position that had awesome hours and a ac mx liaison which had awesome hours and the mx crew showed me a lot of stuff in various cockpits.

 

One thing that really improved was my card playing skills...

 

I'm speaking from a major airline perspective at one of their largest hubs. I can't speak for non hub ops or from an FBO perspective. I do know, as mentioned above, things have changed.

Back in the 80s it used to be a 10.00/hr job with United Express and FULL benefits.  By full benefits, I mean your spouse could even get a second opinion on your medical and you could have 2 family members + a friend on your non rev.  Not sure what the majors paid.

 

Now I think the pay is less...lol.  Not to start a political war, but it gives you an idea of where we've come since then.

When I worked for American Eagle last year we had 1 month of training which consisted of 1 week's worth of computer based training and the rest was OJT doing various positions that the ramp has to offer. Starting pay was $9.47 an hour with annual raises along with full health, dental, 401k, flight benefits on American Airlines and Eagle (based on first come first serve, not seniority) among other things. They usually liked to hire current airport employees since the back round checks needed for an airport ID badge didn't take as long as they would for those who are coming off the street. Also union membership is required but tread lightly during your first six months as they can do very little to save you while on probation.