And the 'Discussions' start again...
Having not posted on any Silverjet thread for some time... I think anybody who is bringing up debates that are now approximately 11 months old should use the 'search' function, and look at the ground that has been covered before...
Unions... I am sure we are all aware the effect they can have on an airline... and the first response that a certain airline has whenever things don't go their way... "I am going to the union about this!!!" Animosity and contempt get bred very easily.... It does take a strong individual to set up a union, and indeed a while back a certain strong individual tried... They did not receive a forthcoming response from the crew they approached.
VS- I completely understand your point regarding Safety and crew food... An effective Service Coordinator will NOT give crew left over food. The allocation for crew meals is kept completely seperate and only cooked fresh when the crew are ready to eat. With the selections of cheese, dessert, fresh bread, and second service supplies, there is a variety for crew to eat... If you are not happy, then bring your own! I know a great number of crew that do... Silverjet are providing crew with a 5 course meal if they wish... it's up to them if they choose it or not.
Salary, Flight pay, work... these are made blatantly clear to you when you are offered a position... As is the requirement of standby duties and location to the airport for them... Read the not so small print before you sign! Even operating 5 flights a month... 10 sectors.... 10 days work at a 10 hour duty overall... In a previous life I used to work 70 hour weeks, and got paid a lot less than I do now... The grass is not always greener!!
More than minimum rest is provided between back to backs, Silverjet do have arrangements with some hotels to offer a discounted rate for an overnight stop. If you enquire you will find out!
In regards to crew rest... Our night flights are tiring. We offer a 'sleeper' service, so we only offer ad hoc service throughout the night as to maximise the sleep time for our customers on board on our flat beds... Yes they are FLAT!!! they are inclined at an angle of 8 degrees, a 6'3" pitch with 8 actuators to mold to the comfort of the person lying on them with a built in seat back massager... Sorry to quote facts, although they are at a slight angle there are no lumps or bumps, or any disjointedness... they are a Flat Bed. Crew rest is not a legal requirement when your sector is on average 6 and half hours! I have done 2 sector days with a charter airline that were 6 and a half hours long, with an hour and a half report before, an hour turnaround and 30 minutes after chocks on for a debrief... It is the responsibility of each individual crew member to ensure they are rested before they fly, and our management teams on board will do everything they can to ensure crew are alert for the critical stages of flight...
As for the Gestapo patrols... We do not have call bells in our cabin, only in the toilets. A constant crew presence is required... For the safety of both themselves and our customers... And I would prefer to keep myself busy during the night sector than sat on my @$$ in the galley picking my nose!
As for our customer profile... If you remember your training you will remember the prospective customers we are aimed at. Considering we now have a number of corporate clients that were customers of the major established carriers... and are not anymore! I think wanabees is a little innacurate. Each person is an individual, and to generalise about anybody that gets on board... well is down right ignorant and a little egotistical... don't you think? The one thing that attracted me to becoming crew in the first place was to meet different people... I can safely say I do!
In regards to the other issues of training, recruitment, adverts etc... Well, As every post has stated we are a new operation. The first crews will have been with the company for a year as of November, I was one of them and I have seen drastic improvements in that time. Aircraft number 3 comes into service within the next week or 2... Off to promote at the DBX air show before launching the Inaugral flight on the 18th November...
If you are having such issues why are you not speaking to management? Even the onboard management team? Any senior worth their salt should be reporting your concerns... I know I do!!!
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and larger airlines have had all these problems in the past. Mr Bransons first route was the same as ours and he had one aircraft for how long??? We are expanding at a phenomenal rate... Flexibility/Adaptability and commitment... I thought these standards were required for crew in most if not all airlines! If you think you have it 'bad' here... take a moment to read some of the other threads within the cabin crew vein... I am sure you will see many a similar discussion taking place!
My only recommendation to anyone who is inquisitive about flying with us... apply, come for the assessment centres, and make your own decision... Hearsay and Galley FM are defamatory and uninspiring at the best of time... unless it's finding out who's doing what and with who...
If you want to be treated like an adult, act like one... Use your voice and speak up. Spreading malicious content on a public forum hiding behind a username will not get the answers or results you want.
Last edited by BestonBoard; 28th Oct 2007 at 20:44.