Westjet Ramp Agent Wages

Tincat · Post by **Tincat** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 3:32 pm

Does anyone know what ramp agents make at WestJet?

Tincat

Trickkles · Post by **Trickkles** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:18 pm

Between $7-$10 depending on whether ramp lead and length of time of employment

ahramin · Post by **ahramin** » Fri Apr 09, 2004 6:19 pm

Nov 2003:

YYC rampies start at $10.45 / hour plus benefits. Training is 3 weeks and pays $8 an hour. Officially you will not get full time until your probation period is up, but there are extra shifts to pick up here and there.

Blastor · Post by **Blastor** » Sat Apr 10, 2004 4:53 pm

Sounds like WJ underpaid their employees (as usual) to give them benefit once they " pass " the probation period..

MurtsAir · Post by **MurtsAir** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 1:19 pm

Last I checked WJ used contract Ramp agents like Globe Ground or World Wide wich pay absolutly nothing. I use to work for Hudson General wich became Globe Ground an i think the starting wage about 4 years ago was around 8 bucks an hour in YVR. And trust me most of these workers that were there are absolute tools, Hell I was pushing and towing MD-11 and 767 and I had only been there a month. Some of the people had been there like 2 years or more and they wouldnt let them push or tow. But the wanabee pilots that were there stuck togather and all soon relized that this wasnt helping there career and went to places that may hire off the Ramp.

cyyz · Post by **cyyz** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 1:26 pm

You're better off as an FA or CSR at WestJet or Air Canada if you're planning on working the "ramp" to get a job at an airline..

Either way you won't get the job, but atleast you'll be indoors and warm.

ahramin · Post by **ahramin** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 1:27 pm

Westjet did contract out its ground crew work. Then they started hiring their own ground crews in Calgary to see how it would go. If it went well then they were going to do the same at the rest of their bases. Current as of Nov 2003.

What this means is that the senior guys in Calgary will have the option to move to other bases and run the show there. Which leaves lots of room for advancement in Calgary. So if you get in early enough in Calgary it could be a good way to spend a couple years while you do your training.

Blastor · Post by **Blastor** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:50 pm

.......for little wages!

WJGirl · Post by **WJGirl** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:43 pm

It's still a great company to work for with kick ass benefits

just another pilot · Post by **just another pilot** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 2:04 pm

You get kicked in the ass?

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 2:24 pm

10.45/hr is a little wage for tossing bags??? Any more than that then people will want to start making a career out of it.

Blastor · Post by **Blastor** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 8:52 am

*Profit sharing 1% of your yearly (net) earning. For a ramp-rat that must be precious little!

*Company Share Program. Take your hard earn money and give it back to the company. Hopefully you won't go "broke" in the meantime. Hope that in 1 year you'll be able to "touch" it without loosing any.

*Medical? Dental? Uniform? Vacation?

*Standby flight? Exactly that. Maybe you will, maybe you won't! Don't forget all those taxes.. Or you may want to buy your ticket.

*Lets no forget the "probation" period when you're not entitled to anything. Is it 3 or 6 months?

Westjet is a young enthusiastic airlines, but don't go nuts with "benefits". There's a down side to everything and WJ is not immune to that.

Go Guns · Post by **Go Guns** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 10:31 am

$10.45 to toss bags is a pretty decent start wage. It's also pretty close to the CSA start wage.

1% of net earnings? Where did you get that figure?

The ESP plan is great. When I worked casual for WJA for 3 months I managed to gather what is now worth around $1000 in shares which is my money, If I wanted to sell it this instant I could have the cash in hand. As I was a casual employee I didn't get any medical/dental benefits, however as long as you're part-time or better you are entitled to such benefits.

As for standy-by travel, you're right, it is exactly that. However, I've been doing the standby thing on many different airlines for almost 5 years now. So long as you know when to travel you'll almost never have a problem. Westjet also has a great priority system for standby travel which is less likely to leave you stranded somewhere.

I tossed bags for four years for a contract company without any benefits. Still it was an enjoyable job and if I had to go back and do it again I would jump @ what Westjet is offering.

bandaid · Post by **bandaid** » Tue Apr 13, 2004 10:47 am

I wondered when you would jump into the fraccus. Cleaned up your triplication.

WJGirl · Post by **WJGirl** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 2:48 pm

First of all it's 20% of the profit given out for profit sharing. WestJet matches you dollar for dollar with the ESP program. Uniforms are fully paid for by the company. It is standby travel and it is super cheap and you get flight benefits the day you start, not 3-6 months later. So I don't know where you get your info from, but I bet this sounds better?