Economy class
The largest and cheapest cabin on the aircraft, worked at the highest passengers-per-crew ratio and the fastest service pace.
Definition
Economy class is the standard cabin: the densest seating, the simplest service and the majority of the seats on almost every aircraft. On a wide-body it can be several hundred seats behind a single curtain; on a narrow-body it is often the whole aeroplane. Regulators set the minimum number of cabin crew by seats installed rather than by class, so economy is where the ratio is thinnest.
What it means for you
Almost every career starts here, and at many airlines the first year or two is spent entirely in economy. It is where you learn the physical craft — the trolley run, the service timing, the cabin check that never ends — and where promotion panels later look for evidence that you can hold a smile at hour eleven. Low-cost carriers add a sales layer, with commission on onboard purchases forming part of your pay.
In practice
On a Ryanair or Wizz Air day of four sectors the whole aircraft is economy, and the same handful of crew board, sell, secure and clear it four times before sign-off.
Related terms
4 terms- Cabin classAircraft & cabinThe service tiers a cabin is split into — economy, premium economy, business, first — each with its own seat, service and crew ratio.
- TrolleyAircraft & cabinThe wheeled galley cart crew push through the aisle for meals, bar and duty-free — heavy, braked and the source of most crew back injuries.
- Sector payPay & benefitsPay earned per flight flown rather than per hour — the model most European low-cost carriers use on top of a small basic.
- Junior cabin crewRoles & ranksEntry-grade crew in their first one to three years, on the lowest pay band and, at seniority airlines, on reserve.