How many different fleets are there in BA & what does ´fleet´mean in this context?
Fleets are aircraft fleets, but the term is sometimes used in confusing context by cabin crew management in relation to crewing. Cabin crew are organised into 3 groups: LHR Worldwide, flying long haul on 747/777/767; LHR Eurofleet, flying short haul on A320, B757 and B767; LGW Single fleet, flying form LGW on mixed long and short haul routes on 777, A319 and B737. The company are proposing ot introduce a LGW style group into LHR, named 'newfleet', which will fly a mix of long and short haul flying on different terms to all the other groups.
How many different type of aircraft SEP qualifications are held by an FA?
Maximum 3 per person.
The following answers only apply to LHR....
Does BA cabin crew get a fixed salary at the end of the month, or are you paid per flight/sector/hour?
Both. They get a fixed salary plus: a cash allowance for each meal; overtime payments for long flights (long haul only); short turnaround payments (short haul only); working one crew member down payments (long haul only); diversion payments (uncommon!);extended turnaround payments for flights with shuttles; plus a small incidentals allowance per night for nightstops. As you have probably gathered, its complicated.
Do you get overtime and/or extra pay for working on holidays? (or for any other reasons?)
No. Overtime is triggered for long duty days.
Does it matter for your pay if you report before a certain hour? Or clock off after a certain hour?
Yes. Early reports on long haul have restrictions the prior day, late finishes on short haul have restrictions on the next day. Not sure of the exact details.
How many local nights do you get in places like NRT & LAX, how many days off do these flights generate?
Pass.
Does everybody work full-time, or do you have the option to have a fixed part-time contract so you can combine work & family yet still have pension and health care?
>60% of BA cabin crew are on part time contracts of some sort I read.
How many pax per FA in tourist class, and how many Pursers on how many FAs on the 747? same question for what I believe you call Club (business?) class?
Can't give you the exact breakdown for tourist class but you have one CSD on a 747 (who has no formal service role but often chooses to assist) and 3 Pursers, with 11/12 main crew depending on route. Max passenger load is 337.
Do you get an allowance for down route living expenses, and if so, is this based on the prices at individual slip stations or a blanket sum? Is it paid out separately or included in your wages?
It's based on eating in the hotel at the slip station and is paid with wages one month in arrears. Nobody spends anything like the total meal allowance on eating, as a recent tax audit has revealed.
Can you request specific flights and/or dates off, and how big a chance do you have of actually getting them if you do?
There is a facility to request one trip per year a believe, which seems to be reasonbly successful. Requesting days off is not so easy. Thats on longhaul. Shorthaul have a work bidding system.
Gatwicks system is much simpler, which consists I believe of a basic salary and an hourly rate from check in to check out. I think they also have a bidding system in place for work too.