Slidebustle
I have a great respect for our CC, whether they are legacy crew or LGW or MF, they are all my colleagues and it is usually a joy to work with them. However, if you take the time to read the passenger forums one thing that has been a repeated moan has been the variability of the service given. As MF has only just started, it is essentially legacy crew that have provided this variable service. So what are they moaning about? Sullen crew, crew that seem to find serving passengers a pain or they rush the service and then become invisible - either rushing to the bunks or hiding in the galleys. That said they also laud the excellent service they get, they praise the crew where they have gone above and beyond.
The point is that while many crew are excellent and work very hard and are a shining example of the best of BA. Sadly many are the opposite and this ranges from main crew all the way up to CSDs. Interestingly I suspect that those who post on here and other none union forums are in the engaged, exemplary group purely on the basis that they care enough to defend BA and their "weaker" colleagues. Stating that "Yes, we have SOME crew who look scruffy, yes we have some crew who are complacent, and don't care but you will always get that!!! ALL airlines have that problem!" is simply an admission of defeat.
Having worked in 3 other airlines before BA I can also tell you that not ALL airlines have the same problems that BA do. The reason is quite simple; BA have for years created an environment where crew come to BA and settle for life - once in the salary and T&Cs soon prevent people from going anywhere else. I flew with a girl that had trained as a teacher, less than 18 months out of college she was earning more as EF maincrew that her friends that had gone on to teach. She was, incidently, excellent. However, those that for any reason become disaffected cannot leave because they have neither the skills nor the gumption to get another job where they can earn as much and have such an easy life.
The problem that BA has faced for years is this variability of service and unless the crew themselves deal with this issue then it will not ever be dealt with. It is heartening to see CSDs stating that they have had enough and were getting tough on yellow pens, uniform standards etc but will these same CSDs still allow (insist) bunk rest on a daylight JFK? or will they insist that the crew have their legal break and then are back on duty, visible in the cabin, perhaps doing a juice and water round? Will their IFAs genuinely reflect that someone was lazy and sullen and risk potential dislike or will they gloss over the issues for the sake of CRM in its most hideously distorted image?
As I said at the start, most of the crew are good, but there is a significant number of crew that are lazy, sullen and view passengers as a damn nuisance. The entitled attitude of "I don't work down the back," has to stop, just because seniority allows you to always work in F does not mean you are better than the public that can only afford Traveller seats. Those are that attitudes that need stamping out.
At the moment MF is bringing different attitudes and work ethics to our customers, uncorrupted by the sullen and workshy. That is why some pilots look forward to working with them - that and novelty. Novelty will wear off but if the same attitude still prevails in a year, then it will be legacy crew that have failed to "up their game", the ball is in your court.
For those crew at LGW, I apologise if this is LHR centric, I seldom fly from LGW and not since the introduction of SFLGW. I cannot comment either way about the service and attitudes there, except that I hear good things about LGW from my friends flying on business.