there are another 20 lined up around the world ready to come to Dubai.
I've now heard from several crew that the latest two intakes of CC are all third world - ie no usual mix of westerners - so that the entire crew can be put on a new contract with - you guessed it - a lower salary.
"You want to be a glamourous EK CC? Here's the new pay deal. Take it or leave it." So they take it because it's better than whatever they had back in India or Philipines wherever.
According to this
rumour, the CC now have a 'B' scale. Other intakes will move back forth between the usual demographic mix/old contracts and this new arrangement.
So discriminatory, it's hard to believe - or is it???
As THEIR boss, I feel it is my responsibility to support them and that is part of my pre-departure brief. Then again, I also make it clear when someone behaves poorly, they ultimately have to answer to me.... and not just the Purser.
I believe it is in OUR best interests to support our cabin crew because utimately it helps flight safety.
I hear you friend, HOWEVER..... all that talk just goes in one of their ears and out the other. You can be as warm & fuzzy and "I'm supportive" and Capt Wonderful as you like to them and it will still be the purser who determines how good a time everyone's going to have or whether they will bond.
They don't see you as the boss. Some of them don't even think the FO can fly! Take a look around in the hotel lobby next time you're at work. When someone tells everyone to get on the bus, who do they listen to, you or the purser?
Man, they don't even know what you're talking about when you mention behaviour because it's never THEM who behave badly!
Just enjoy yourself and leave them to it; you can still have a glass of chardonnay with the broader-minded amongst them. And if someone you're not likely to ever see again misbehaves, why do you care to get involved? Let the purser deal with it and have a half-hour de-brief while you're in the Audi reading last week's 7Days on the way back to your bed in DSO.
Just give them the flight time and head to our salubrious Captains' Lounge for a relaxing, pre-flight back-rub and a complimentary cappucino and everyone's happy.
But with those pursers who roll their eyes when you walk in, just stand there and keep on talking and talking and talking....
At the end of the day, whether they're safe or not will come from inside them. Do they have the brainpower to understand the situation and follow their training or not is not decided by anything said to them by you or the purser.
If you want cabin service, hire malleable, subservient third world females.
If you want cabin safety, hire some HAGGARD, OLD, WESTERN BOILERS and POOFTERS.