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#1 Six years at Ryanair, Bergamo, number one (that is our cabin supervisor grade), and I read a lot of confusion about the Italian bases on here, so let me set it out.
The bases
Ryanair's Italian operation is big: Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino, Bologna, Pisa, Naples, Bari, Catania, Palermo, Cagliari, Treviso, and more depending on the season. Bergamo is one of the largest bases in the whole network. That means a lot of crew, a lot of flying, and a lot of turnover.
The contract question
This is what everyone asks. Historically most new crew in Italy were hired through an agency (Crewlink or Workforce) on a contract that then converts to a direct Ryanair contract after a period, usually a year or so, if the base needs you. Today the mix varies by base and by year. The agency contract has lower basic pay, a training cost element (paid up front or deducted, depending on the agency and the year), and fewer of the direct contract benefits. The direct contract is better on every line. Ask at your assessment which contract the vacancy is for, and ask for the conversion terms in writing. It is a legitimate question and they expect it.
What I earn, roughly, as number one at Bergamo
Basic on the direct contract for my grade around 1,500 euros gross. Sector pay on top, about 6 to 7 euros per sector, and I do 80 to 110 sectors a month in summer. Sales commission on the trolley and the scratch cards, which is significant if you actually sell, I make 200 to 350 a month from it. Number one allowance on top. Net in a good summer month: around 2,400 to 2,600. In January: closer to 1,700. First year junior crew on the agency contract are looking at 1,100 to 1,500 net depending on the month. Those are honest numbers, not the recruitment poster and not the angry ex crew Facebook group.
The flying
Four sectors is the day. Bergamo to somewhere in Europe and back, twice. Turnarounds of 25 minutes. The cabin is full, the passengers are budget and mostly fine, the selling is constant. Sign on at 5:00 for the first wave or 13:00 for the second. Home every night unless you are on a night stop, which at Bergamo is rare.
Why people leave and why people stay
People leave because the first year on the agency contract is tough money for tough work and they expected easier. People stay because after the conversion the money is decent for Italy, the days off are real days off, the base is near home, and honestly the operation runs well. Ryanair is very good at being Ryanair.
Advice
If you get an Italian base offer: ask which contract, ask about the conversion, learn to sell in the first month, and treat the first year as an investment. And pick Bergamo if you can, we have the best crew room coffee.
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#2 Rome based, different airline now but two years at Ryanair Ciampino first. Marco's numbers match what I remember, adjusted for inflation. The conversion to direct contract happened for me at 14 months. The agency year was hard. I do not regret it and I would not do it twice.
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#3 ITA Rome, and I get asked by Italian applicants which to choose. My answer is now: Ryanair to learn fast and earn honestly, ITA if you want the legacy operation and can wait for the hiring. Both are real jobs. Marco's post is the fairest Ryanair description I have read.
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#4 Also Italian, also Ryanair years ago, Pisa base. The sales commission point is underrated. The crew who complained about pay were, almost without exception, the crew who did not sell. It is part of the job. Do it.
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#5 Dublin number one, and I can confirm the direct contract terms are similar across bases with local tax and cost of living differences. The Italian bases have higher sector counts in summer than Dublin. You earn it.
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#7 Porto, and Ryanair Porto is my plan B if TAP does not move. The 'ask which contract and ask for the conversion terms in writing' advice is exactly the kind of thing I did not know I could ask. Thank you.
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#8 In training now in Dublin and the 'learn to sell in the first month' line is going on my mirror. The trainers say the same thing and the ex crew on the internet say the opposite. I will trust the number one with six years.
