Netflix offers up to NZ$600,000 for flight attendant on its private jet

Job listing comes despite the streamer battling a slowdown. Photo / 123rf

Times are tough at Netflix, with the streaming service battling a slowdown and cutting jobs – not so tough, however, that management needs to axe the private jet.

Netflix is hiring a flight attendant to look after senior management on one of its corporate planes, barely a year after axing hundreds of staff.

The Californian tech company has offered to pay a salary of up to $385,000 (NZ$598,000) to the successful applicant. A Netflix flight attendant is expected to embrace the streaming service’s culture of “freedom and responsibility” while also providing “exceptional, safe, confidential air transportation”.

Candidates must be able to “operate with little direction and a lot of self-motivation”, and “demonstrate the independent judgment, discretion and outstanding customer service skills necessary to provide a seamless experience for our passengers”, according to a job posting on the company’s website.

The role sits within Netflix’s aviation department, which “helps Netflix reach the world more efficiently and effectively so the company can continue to create joy around the world”.

Netflix’s flight attendant will work on its Super Midsize Jet, which is registered in San Jose, California. Super Midsize Jets can hold up to nine passengers and fly for up to six hours.

Netflix launched a cheaper version of its video streaming service that will include ads for the first time. Photo / AP

Netflix relies on “market indicators to determine compensation”, according to the listing, adding: “The overall market range for this role is typically $60,000-$385,000.” (NZ$93,000-NZ$598,000).

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for flight attendants in the US is just over $62,000 (NZ$96,000) a year.

Netflix did not respond to requests for comment, but told the BBC in a statement that it would not provide the details of how it calculates the salary of its flight attendants.

The job listing comes as Netflix battles a slowdown in the streaming market.

Last year, Netflix was forced to cut more than 450 jobs after reporting its first ever fall in subscriber numbers in April. The company lost 200,000 paying customers and a further million in July as consumers tightened their belts.

The slump prompted Netflix to crack down on password sharing between households and launch a cheaper tier of membership that features adverts.

The company also increased the cost of its standard subscriptions in the UK from £9.99 to £10.99 (NZ$15.52 to NZ$17,08).

Netflix returned to customer growth at the end of last year, claiming the worst was behind it. It is scheduled to announce its results for the final three months of 2022 on Thursday, with analysts expecting it to report its weakest sales growth in two decades.