bmibaby Customer Services Assistant.

[markku]

Hello all!
I've been invited to a 'Recruitment Event' for bmibaby at EMA after replying to an advertisement for CSA's. I'm just wondering if anyone has been to the recruitment event before? I was told there would be tests. Could someone enlighten me as to what they're like?

I was hoping that the job would be permanent but then I noticed the dreaded words 'Temporary Contract' when I got the confirmation e-mail this morning. Is this a normal procedure? I currently have a permanent job outside of the airline industry, but now i'm thinking twice. But working within the airline industry is really tempting me.

But yes, any advice would be most grateful!

.mark

[WishesToFly]

Hi, if the tests are reletive to the job description such as the 'customer service agent' im 95% certain it will be on basics such as:

Geography, Airport Codes, Global Indicators, Regulatory Authorities, Types of Airlines, Terminology, Security,Ticket Types, Ticket Reading, Customer Service, Passports & Visa's etc etc,

Make sure you atleast know the above and learn it well, and you shall pass!

Just be prepared!

[NutLoose]

markku

Word from the wise, if your job is secure, then stick with it and do not go to BMI, I realise that being in the Industry is a nice idea, but in the economical climate we have today if you have a secure JOB stay put......

British Midlands are in the process of being taken over by Lufthansa and various parts of the said company may get farmed off or closed down, so wait until the dust has settled and you can see what is what, by all means go along and see if you will fit in, but do not leap until you are pushed in my honest opinion, you are young and there is plenty of time in the future to come across to the darkside :)

When the recession has past then by all means look again at it :)

Just my honest opinion, but to have asked on here you to must have doubts.... I hope I just clarified them a bit, temporary staffing tend to cover the busy summer month periods if I am not much mistaken.

[finding_nema]

Hi mark,

I worked for bmibaby in 2007 as a CSA at EMA, and unless the interview format has changed, you're sent off to a room to do some basic geography, maths and bmibaby information tests, and then after they're marked, you go for a 2-on-1 interview with some of the ground services team. I found out within about 2 weeks whether I had the job.

Moneywise they're probably better than most handling agents, as the job does offer lots of overtime and you're paid commission on various targets such as excess baggage and sales. All contracts were subject to a probationary period, probably now they've rephrased this to temporary contract, and within six months 8 of the 11 people on my course had left. Staff travel after six months on bmi services (no Star Alliance) and a number of incentives to work to.

The base has some fantastic staff, many I've stayed in touch with after leaving. The duty managers do a great job of keeping the staff smiling under very difficult conditions (clapped out aircraft, constant delays, fed up customers) and as a team, at least when I was there, everyone more or less got on very well. Sadly, my enthusiasm doesn't stretch much beyond that, and the job was thankless, upper managers were difficult, unhelpful and unapproachable and all of us who've left and are still in touch seem to share the idea that it was good money, a good team, but just appaling organisation and not the nicest of corporate cultures, though from what I've learnt about mainline, this seems to be a bmi thing in general. bmi must however look good on your CV, and is a great taste of the airline industry, because I quickly moved to another (charter) airline as crew, and am absolutely loving it; good money, nice crew and decent management thrown in.

bmibaby as a company is facing a change of ownership, and lots of competition from larger and better-managed low-cost airlines. Nobody yet knows how the airline is going to be carved up. You have to decide for yourself, I guess, but at the moment if you have a stable permanent job, it might be an idea to stick to it.