many things
posted by a customer
``Much of my experience of BA crew (not all) is get thru the cabin as quickly as physically possible (smoke coming off the trolley wheels), go to galley, pull curtain across (as tight as possible), get out Daily Mail/Heat, crew or pax food and bitch about the company/talk about shopping, A&F, cosmetic surgery, how overworked you are, the horses etc etc (all for us pax to hear btw). If rudely disturbed by a paying "customer" scoul, tell them you are trying to have a break (all at the same time), sigh and tell them you will get back to them. if you remember (or serve them there and then reluctantly) !! If on LH grab handbag and head to bunk......charter have to make do with sitting on a catering box in the galley on a flight to MLE !!
Like I said, not all crew, but in my 20+ flights or so a year, the usual with BA......this from personal experience I am really not exagerrating......attitude/can do approach is much more appreciated/noticed``
Too true sir/madam !!
As former recent crew I can say that maybe 30% of crew I worked with were worthy of the title and postion ......a sad decline from the 80`s/90`s. Too much self importance these days and at LHR WW too much emphasis on breaks, particularly for the commuters. Going to the bunks on a 5 hour Cairo or Lagos day flight for example IMHO ridiculous in terms of customer inter reaction/service and crew expectations these days.
With regard to days off over b/days weekends etc., there is a robust UK day request system which works to 90% satisfaction most months and prudent use of leave ususally achieves a result. Of course not everyone can have the same leave. The airline industry works 365 days a year and sometimes you know you may have to go where you don`t want to go when you don`t to go and not get the allowances you want to get ..... a point that many of my colleaugues simply fail to realise. As far as Xmas is concerned every year we have the same bun fight and arguments, It`s very nuch a crew thing and blown out of proportion to peoples` expectations to hysterical levels when there should be reality.
As for the strike vote I think some are missing the point here, If you vote NO you either go with the democratic process and accept it or break the strike!! Possible/probable outcome of this is ALL crew will have to re-aplly for jobs on the new contracts, though some concession will have to be made for those who work. There will be a drop in the standard of hotel for cabin crew as soon as negotiated and current hotel contracts expire. There will be no recogniton of previous agreements that cabin crew worked to both long haul and shorthaul. The whole way cabin crew operate and their agreements will be torn up and new one implemented, I guess that the new agreement has already been written in secret.
Of course BASSA will cease to exist as representatives as there will be no-one left to represent.
Ref LALA lady I wonder how many timkes she has been accomodated in more comfort as she was entitled to on her commutes? Upgrading I believe is a demotable offence and should this story escalate as it may well do then a la Qantas there will be no upgrades to cabins not entitled for anyone! Why there should be an expectation for upgrades amongst staff and `` clingons`` I`ve never quite understood. Paying customers in premium cabins are very aware that BA is STAFF airline run by it`s staff for the benefit of the staff and not the customer and has been for years. This has to change!!!!!!!
As regards pay . BA cabin crew are all aware of the level of their basic pay. The problem comes with the variable elements which fluctuate wildly. Having said that it is endemic amongst crew to try and live to the highest level of earnings with regards to house,car and lifestyle.
Hence the panic that BASSA can generate when there is a probability of a slight drop in earnings.
Ref agreements let me give you an example
LHR-TLV-LHR Monarch Airlines done in one duty with hourly flying pay for the duty
LHR-TLV-LHR British Airways Day 1 =OFF because next days report is before 8am Day 2 LHR-TLV get off and have 24 hour rest in 5 star hotel with 140 pounds allowances DAY 3 in the afternoon TLV-LHR
Day 4 off Day 5 off Day 6 extra day off to protect forward roster in case TLV=LHR delayed after 9pm
Monarch = 2 crew man days max
British airways 6 crew man days minmum
Anyone see a need for change here