Job Satisfaction and Health Problems Among Cabin Crew: The Mediating Role of Burnout

Background/Objectives: The aviation sector is characterized by high-density flight operations and chronic stressors that compromise worker health. This study focuses on burnout syndrome as a multidimensional phenomenon resulting from the interaction between high emotional demands and personal resources. The primary objective was to analyze the relationship between job satisfaction and health problems among cabin crew members, testing a structural model where burnout—specifically its dimensions of enthusiasm toward the job, psychological strain, indolence, and guilt—acts as a mediating factor. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was implemented with a sample of 732 cabin crew members from an international airline. Participants completed the Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI) and the UNIPSICO subscales for job satisfaction and psychosomatic problems. Data was processed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate the hypothesized interdependent relationships and global model fit. Results: The structural model demonstrated an acceptable fit (CFI = 0.890; RMSEA = 0.056), confirming that job satisfaction is positively related to enthusiasm toward the job and inversely associated with psychological strain. All burnout dimensions were significantly linked to health outcomes; notably, guilt was identified as a critical mediator between indolence and psychosomatic problems. Conclusions: The findings underscore burnout as an insidiously progressive process that mediates the deterioration of cabin crew health. The study highlights guilt as a determining factor in the syndrome’s severity. Consequently, preventive organizational strategies must move beyond general fatigue management to include emotional labor training and early diagnosis of psychosocial risks to preserve operational safety and crew well-being.