After writing a big long reply, PPrune booted me and I lost the entire message, so here goes writing it all again!
So, I flew for Bmi and also worked for a while on developing the longhaul service, so although I haven't been there for a few years, hopefully this info will help some of you and answer some of the questions earlier in this thread.
Longhaul bmi at MAN is a very different beast from S/Haul LHR. The crew enjoy better pay, better terms and conditions, and all in all they work less, get more time off, have an easier schedule and get paid more even though the cost of living in the NW is far lower than London. Some would argue that CC89 did a great job of getting better T&C for L/Haul but have left LHR and S/Haul in the dust. Certainly that might explain the constant staff shortages at LHR for bmi, and the mass exodus of the best crew everytime BA, NZ etc etc hires. But we digress!
While in theory the company can get L/haul crew to do s/haul flying if operational requirements change, in practice they only do L/haul, working about 4 trips a month, with occasional standbys and some back to backs where you get 24 hours in MAN in a hotel between trips.
In so far as the Chef, the Chef is a normal member of the Cabin Crew, is fully qualified and does all normal initial and recurrent training. They wear the normal C/C uniform, but inflight don 'Chef Garments'. They work The Business galley, and occasionally do some aisle for dessert service etc but that's about it. (at least that was how the service was designed, in practice it may be slightly different). Chef's get a higher payscale than other main crew.
In addition to the Chef there are Flight Supervisors and a Cabin Service Manager on each flight.
The only negative things are that you always stay in the same 2 (now 3 with YYZ) places, and hotels have often been out in the sticks and not downtown which is not conducive to a great layover life. Also, (this may have changed) but bmi doesn't seem to follow any other airline in how positions on aircraft are assigned. The CSM will allocate people, whereas I believe at BA you can pick and choose the door, and therefore cabin and service area in which you work based on seniority. This may or may not be important to you, but worth mentioning.
The plus of bmi, especially at MAN where the pay is pretty good, is that the staff travel is v good. You can have a nominated friend, AND your parents, AND 2 siblings! Also, after certain length of service qualifications you get totally free tickets for all your travel eligibles and even confirmed tix after I think 5 years. Interlines are better than most as bmi has good ZED agreements, so you can fly to N AMerica with AC for about 30 pound each way, and Thailand was about 35/40 pound each way with TG/LH etc.
Things do change, but certainly when I was there, L/Haul crew were enjoying a good lifestyle, and good money, with a decent amount of time off. I enjoyed working for BMI, but being based in LHR, the shorthaul T&C and $$ sucked compared to BA for instance. But if you are happy to move up NW, then I would say go for it. Yes there are some very 'finnicky' CSM's. Some of the dictatorial leadership styles exhibited by some are just not appropriate, and if a CSD or Purser tried that crap at BA or UA for instance, the crew just wouldn't stand for it. But to be fair, most of the crew and Flight Supervisors and CSM's are great, and bmi management is trying hard to get away from 'dictatorial' leadership and promote more team work and a supportive culture.
Good luck with your application and interviews!
