Hello Best on Board,
Great your out of retirement and back on board! Like the colour of your text - really!
The first half of your post explains the terms & conditions of Silverjet which is all correct - the only point I would add is nothing there is over and above other airlines, and some benefits provided by other airlines, as you have quite rightly pointed out, are not there. Nothing sets it out from the rest!
"Contrary to what may have been previously posted, I am not one to either put up or shut up (my mouth can be my own worst enemy at times...) Fingers crossed I am still progressing well."
No one has suggested that you personally put-up and shut up, rather that when talking to Silverjet management that's the response you will receive, unless of course you have a different channel to them?
"I too have experienced high pressure working conditions, minimum rest, back to back trips (I am in between one now)... Personally having some of the highest flying hours for a crew member over the past year, I am still keen and enthusiastic."
Anyone working in the cabin crew world will know that the job is hard work, but in Silverjet it is the combined maximum legal rostering with poor management that sets it apart. I am pleased you are still keen and enthusiastic - it is obvious that your operation to be assimilated into the Silverjet Borg was a success, and mine was not!
"Personally having some of the highest flying hours for a crew member over the past year"
How do you know this? Do you have special access to all our records or are you just making assumptions that you fly more than myself and others?
"Not everything can be standardised, and perception and individuality are key factors in how you deal with your day to day life. What one person may thrive on, another may be in dismay at."
Absolutely right - however after a year now you would start to think that the company would be putting things right wouldn't you?
"There are times you have to take a step back, and think outside of the 'tube'
We have moved on from thinking outside the box now, tube today, what next the Borg mothership?
and contemplate... I can fully empathise for those who do not see things the same way I do. Their perception of Silverjet is their own. No one can take that away from them, for that is their right."
Blimey - you have changed your tune from previous posts!
"On a final note, for those of us who aren't as happy as they would like to be, and who a trying to leave us, I wish you every success in your future career, wherever it may take you. I would like to thank you on behalf of myself and the rest of the team for your hard work up to this point. However, I cannot speak for everybody, and some may have a different viewpoint to me..."
Are you sure your still Best on Board?
"My esteemed coleague"
Are you feeling alright? - you'll be sending me a Christmas card next!
"The rate of approximately 5.5 trips a month is an average quote (taking into account the 900 hours rule, you are allocated approximately one calendar months annual leave... 900 hours divided by 11 months, does work out at an average of 5.5 trips per month, working from our typical duty time)"
Now we are talking numbers - and this is where the problem lies.
Because of insufficent numbers we are being worked to the limits at the moment of 7 trips a month. Sure in the long term the averages have to be addressed and we have some crew members doing less than this to address their high hours. But with continued expansion, and high levels of people leaving, and high levels of sickness, I do not see an end to it.
"7 Flights ... 21 days duty
6 Days off (According to JAL-stacey)
By my calculations that is 27 days??? So that would mean 4 days of either standby or contactable. Plenty is a subjective term. A lot to one individual, may be nothing to another."
Six days a month I have experienced. And remember whenever you have leave the rostering department count those days towards your legal minimum. The legal amount I am told is an average of 8 days off, so some months expect less and some more, and you leave to count towards the minimum!
"Staff travel concessions include nominating family/partners and friends as travel companions, and alongside receiving free flights, you nominated travel companions can fly all business class to any of our destinations, as often as they like, for an extremely discounted fare..."
So what's new. Most airlines offer this?
The main point is Silverjet work you to the legal limits, with Back to Back flights in their plenty which are very fatiguing and combined with poor management does not make it compare very favourably with other airlines.
V2BA
"I am really disappointed not to be able to join the company but simply cannot afford to at present. Having worked for an airline before I understand that you accept a lifestyle that requires you to be flexible, however, I also understand that MBTR, days off etc are vital to maintain a healthy work/life balance which is in the interests of both employer and employee."
The last line of your paragraph says it all, and if our company could only realise this then perhaps it would start to morph into a company that would lead the industry.
Sure we have to be competitive, but not at the expense of people's health and well-being.
DrPat,
Thanks for the post and you are most welcome.
"Sorry to butt-in but the 900 hours a year rule only applies to flight deck, not cabin crew 
Also, I don't believe 6 days off a month is legal - think the minimum is 7 with an average over 3 months of 8 days off per month (ie - must have 24 days off in 3 months) 
"
AFAIK the rules apply to cabin crew in the same way as flight crew, albeit in a more diluted form, after asking one of our pilots, i.e. we can work slightly harder. As for days off, leave counts towards days off, so if you have a month with leave in it you can count on a very hard month to follow.
JAL-Stacey,
Good to hear from you.
"Because if that was the case, They conned me BIG TIME."
The con continues - believe me!!!
Hi Flygirl28,
"would love to see the roster where you are only getting 6 days off.....i doubt very much that that is the case."
Believe me it happens, as said earlier, it cannot continue long term (I hope), but I have had such a roster!
Befree,
Thanks for the post, i think
"In May 2006 they raised £25.3 million by an IPO at 112p/share
In April 2007 they raised £26million by issueing new shares at 180p/share.
At the end of september they had only £14million left and the accounts were quailfied with a comment from the accountants about them not being a going concern unless the raised more cash.
Yesterday the reported they were to raise £22 million by issueing new shares at 60p/share and a loan convertable to shares at the same 60p/share.
The planes are sold off to a leasing firm. Most of the cash has been burned running the airline at a massive loss. The future will only be bright if the crude oil price drops back a lot."
I saw this post in New York and started asking questions, unfortunately I think what you are saying is correct.
I have been told the following:
The company is losing £250,000 a week!
That some accountants have said that the company is not a going concern!
That we need to carry 80+ passengers on each flight to survive.
That the latest action to raise further money is a last ditch attempt.
I am not a financial whiz, however I can tell you that I am not seeing 80+ passengers on all my flights.
Befree, where did you find this information, and where can we find out more?
Brilliant, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, now the company I work for is broke.
Better check the payslip this month, that's if I have the energy to do so!!
Time to put the CV into overdrive I think!!......
Happy flying, job hunting e.t.c.
Silver Boy. x
Silverjet - The Unsivilised Place to Work (going bust?)