re age of cabin crew - i was 54 when i joined Mixed Fleet, at BA, so age is definitely not an issue. However, remuneration might be, as it is well below the national average for any industry, so first you may like to ensure you can afford to live on the pay. it's not a barrier for all, but i have seen many crew join and then moan or leave because of the pay, although to be fair to BA, the pay is exactly what was/is advertised, so no sympathy really. Fail to plan, plan to fail. Of course, i wish the pay was more, (who wouldn't) and it is better now than it was when MF started in 2010, but no one forced me apply.
re 'customer is king' - i witnessed a customer on the early LHR-MAN go apoplectic because he was not offered a full hot breakfast. Was he right? I have commuted weekly from Cornwall to LHR via National Express for many years. The journey take about seven hours during which i don't find it necessary to eat, drink or use the lavatory and guess what? Ive always arrived fit, healthy and in a good state of mind. Some pax can't seem to go from LHR to HAM with complaining about a lack of food or drink or suddenly decide they absolutely have to use the toilet just as the cabin is being secured for landing.
re the original theme - i am quite old and despair with the choice of words some younger crew use both with each other and pax. Is it really acceptable to describe a meal choice as 'lush', a pax as 'mate' or use the word 'like' liberally in every conversation? Regional accents are of course most welcome, whether Scottish or Essex, but is that an excuse? I live in beautiful Cornwall, so would it be acceptable for me to refer to a pax as 'my 'ansom'?
it may well be and i may be a dinosaur living in a digital world.
re describing regular coke as 'full fat'- it may be relevant to be bear in mind that many of our customers have no or little knowledge of the english language. The word 'Coke' is a global brand and almost universally understood. Tagging on the word 'fat' is both incorrect and misleading, and may cause confusion when serving a non english speaking pax. it is not 'full fat' so why describe it as such.
On a lighter note, i was wincing but had to laugh when the young lady in the BBC programme was trying to speak French in the role play exercise. It reminded me of that policeman in "Allo, 'Allo" comedy on TV "I was p*ssing by", and Peter Sellers Inspector Clouseau "are you trying to make a minky out of me"? Priceless, although quite insulting if you are French, I would imagine.
These are of course only my personal views and i apologise if they do not concur with those of others.
Safe Flying.
Last edited by golden_oldie_surfer; 5th Jul 2014 at 13:16.
Reason: additional comments and typos