Minimum wage: Transavia employed apprentices as flight attendants – for a small salary

In the Netherlands, the statutory minimum wage is complicated. On the other hand, it is not an hourly wage, but a monthly wage. This applies to full-time employees with a regular work week of 36 or 40 hours. On the other hand, the amount depends on the age of the employees.

The formula is very simple: the younger the employee, the lower the minimum wage. The full amount of 1,995 euros can be accessed from the age of 21. The whole thing has historical roots that can no longer be objectively justified today. However, the rule still applies. And now the airline Transavia has violated the law on minimum wages and minimum vacation pay.

Interns in the cabin

Air France-KLM’s low-cost subsidiary has employed the trainees as full-time employees, but without paying them adequate wages. Only those affected received a training allowance. This is the conclusion reached by an investigation by the Dutch Labor Inspectorate, according to reports Business Insider Netherlands.

Between February and June last year, the airline deployed around 60 aviation apprentices as part of their training as a full cabin crew. Junior employees are said to have the same duties, responsibilities, and work schedules as permanent employees.

Deferred payments and fine

“During the period of apprentice training, the focus should be on training, but the training was mainly focused on work and not on learning,” says the Labor Inspectorate. Transavaie has obligated to pay the affected employees the lost salaries within the next four weeks.

In addition, the airline will be fined, the amount of which is not yet known. The airline said in a press release that Transavia confirms the incidents and deeply regrets them. The airline also stated that they would make the extra payment. AirFrance-KLM subsidiary AirFrance-KLM does not want to say anything about the amount of additional payments. The airline wants to set up future courses differently.