NOW start date
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I quite agree FLYMATE.
I had a scan through the forums relating to other startup airlines. E.g. Astraeus, FlyJet, Air Southwest. Jet2, bmibaby etc. There was a marked lack of 'anti' comments. This is a pilots forum and any pilot would be pleased to learn of possible career and employment opportunities.
The difference about NOW is that it is in easyJets back yard. My guess is that all the negative comments and arguments on this thread probabaly come a cabal of easyJet commercial people.
The issue? Loss of pilots to a rival carrier. Well, NOW has a new culture and has hired a first rate rostering officer. They seem to have a handle on some key issues of employee culture which might be lacking elsewhere. I, for one, am impressed and very happy to be joining them.
On the fixed price ticket issue a friend who is a management consultant made an interesting point. Namely that the low cost carrier doesn't make its money from the sale of cheap tickets sold well in advance but from the expensive tickets sold when the flight is approaching full. Therefore, the fixed price ticket with NOW will be very attractive close to departure date. This could dent easyJets revenue stream if and when NOW competes on the same routes.
Its a new business plan and time will tell. In any case, as others have pointed out, NOW can always change its fare structure.
I had a scan through the forums relating to other startup airlines. E.g. Astraeus, FlyJet, Air Southwest. Jet2, bmibaby etc. There was a marked lack of 'anti' comments. This is a pilots forum and any pilot would be pleased to learn of possible career and employment opportunities.
The difference about NOW is that it is in easyJets back yard. My guess is that all the negative comments and arguments on this thread probabaly come a cabal of easyJet commercial people.
The issue? Loss of pilots to a rival carrier. Well, NOW has a new culture and has hired a first rate rostering officer. They seem to have a handle on some key issues of employee culture which might be lacking elsewhere. I, for one, am impressed and very happy to be joining them.
On the fixed price ticket issue a friend who is a management consultant made an interesting point. Namely that the low cost carrier doesn't make its money from the sale of cheap tickets sold well in advance but from the expensive tickets sold when the flight is approaching full. Therefore, the fixed price ticket with NOW will be very attractive close to departure date. This could dent easyJets revenue stream if and when NOW competes on the same routes.
Its a new business plan and time will tell. In any case, as others have pointed out, NOW can always change its fare structure.
Terrier
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ttree ttrimmer
"why give people a start date"? : Well, i call it commitment from an employer.
Flymate
Make no mistake. I did indeed work with jmc man, in jmc. We are NOT the same person!
As regards my motivation, I was aghast to be kept hanging on by NOW. I spoke to them on several occasions and heard the same thing..... contracts to br issued shortly, we have you down for the first training course etc etc.
And then they said, " could you leave within 3 months of your notice period?"
Why ask that? If they wanted me to be on the first course, they should have given me a contract immediately.
I hope it works, because as you all say, the NOW bunch are NICE! However, the whole process left me feeling nervous, so I decided to stay put in my current job!
Hope that answers your questions!
"why give people a start date"? : Well, i call it commitment from an employer.
Flymate
Make no mistake. I did indeed work with jmc man, in jmc. We are NOT the same person!
As regards my motivation, I was aghast to be kept hanging on by NOW. I spoke to them on several occasions and heard the same thing..... contracts to br issued shortly, we have you down for the first training course etc etc.
And then they said, " could you leave within 3 months of your notice period?"
Why ask that? If they wanted me to be on the first course, they should have given me a contract immediately.
I hope it works, because as you all say, the NOW bunch are NICE! However, the whole process left me feeling nervous, so I decided to stay put in my current job!
Hope that answers your questions!
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tailscrape
If you had given your reasons earlier in the thread, then we would have understood your feelings about starting with Now. However as you didn't and tended to be very negative about them, it seemed you had something you weren't telling us all. It would have been helpful just to tell us the reasons for your anger, instead you tended to discourage others in this thread that were enthusiastic about joining a new venture. As a consequence of your negative comments, maybe some good people were scared off and now will not be joining Now. Not all of us have the same personal circumstances, some of us can wait, some want an immediate start date(like you expressed). Now are accommodating everyone at their own pace. Why employ people and then leave them sitting at home doing nothing? Best get the airline up and running, and bring online the people you need as they are required, hence Senior Cabin Crew members starting on the 1st of Nov, No 2's on the 3rd Nov, and Juniors starting Jan 4th...
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Looking at those start dates, it would appear that a commercial start closer to Christmas is on the cards. That would at least give a quick burst of activity leading up to and post Christmas.
February might be a bit grim, unless one of the destinations was within reach of a Ski destination.
w.r.t the Blue Fox operation, fundamentally flawed ( wrong airport, business model that struggled to stand up to scrutiny and ultimately lack of the proper finance). Some big hitters put their name behind it though. Even got some training started......
February might be a bit grim, unless one of the destinations was within reach of a Ski destination.
w.r.t the Blue Fox operation, fundamentally flawed ( wrong airport, business model that struggled to stand up to scrutiny and ultimately lack of the proper finance). Some big hitters put their name behind it though. Even got some training started......
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So it is a goer then - but will it succeed?
So maybe they will fly some aeroplanes after all, better late than never, but will the venture succeed?
Quite a risk to predict success here, specially as it is starting from easyJets home base and targetting easyJets pax.
Will the boys in orange boiler suits take it lying down. I dont think so. Somebody mentioned their (easys) commercial department in one of the posts above and if my information is correct they are likely to go for the throat on this one. Their is little doubt that the Now pricing structure is flawed and will have to change very quickly to fill the seats once they are underway.
So jmc-man can get his champers out and we will all have a nice little drinkey to celebrate the start of a new venture. Actually jmc-man, if you save a few bottles from the case we can have those at the winding up party, should be around June nexct year!
Cheers! Hic
Quite a risk to predict success here, specially as it is starting from easyJets home base and targetting easyJets pax.
Will the boys in orange boiler suits take it lying down. I dont think so. Somebody mentioned their (easys) commercial department in one of the posts above and if my information is correct they are likely to go for the throat on this one. Their is little doubt that the Now pricing structure is flawed and will have to change very quickly to fill the seats once they are underway.
So jmc-man can get his champers out and we will all have a nice little drinkey to celebrate the start of a new venture. Actually jmc-man, if you save a few bottles from the case we can have those at the winding up party, should be around June nexct year!
Cheers! Hic
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Me again. Sqdn Ldr Weather . I just saw another post from you elsewhere trying to justify something desperatejet at Luton are doing with you talking about easyjet in the first perosn, yet here whilst pouring scorn on a new competitor you talk as if you are not with easyjet yourself.
One must wonder whether your post is your view, some orange propaganda you've swallowed or are you related to Mad McMax
If you orange guys are good, why are you so afraid?
One must wonder whether your post is your view, some orange propaganda you've swallowed or are you related to Mad McMax
If you orange guys are good, why are you so afraid?
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Sqn Ldr Weather
With what vitriol you post the comment of looking forward to the demise of NOW. You certainly must be a vicious man. To rejoice at the unemployment of 300 people says much about your character. Rather than encourage success you wish to celebrate with champagne the failure of NOW. How absolutely dispicable. Tuns me orange with disgust, there again Sqn Ldr Weather probably is already wearing orange. How comical he must look.
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>>Rather than encourage success you wish to celebrate with champagne the failure of NOW. <<
The issue is that easyJet are worried about losing pilots to NOW for a nicer culture and a decent rostering officer.
easyJet need to get more pilots to cash in on the burgeoning low fares market. NOW need the same pilots to get their share of the market.
There is enough ripe fruit for the picking IF you can get the pilots . . .
The more I see people knocking NOW the more I take heart that the oppostion is really worried.
The issue is that easyJet are worried about losing pilots to NOW for a nicer culture and a decent rostering officer.
easyJet need to get more pilots to cash in on the burgeoning low fares market. NOW need the same pilots to get their share of the market.
There is enough ripe fruit for the picking IF you can get the pilots . . .
The more I see people knocking NOW the more I take heart that the oppostion is really worried.
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Yarpy,
I know this is a predominately pilot-orientated website, but please grab a dose of reality.
Pilots are not the issue here...its PASSENGERS. You need passengers FIRST, to pay for the pilots, aircraft and everything else.
NOW have done nothing to get passengers. Their website hasn't been updated since July, and the fact that they feel it more important to spend money on pilot training when they can't even get the website up to date, does not augur well for a team with focus on what it will take to make it successful.
I am delighted to see pilots get work, I am delighted with anything that improves the lot of the aviation community. But I also despair of organisations that talk big and deliver short. All those people who are now under training with NOW could have a very short lived career unless someone gets the lead out and starts to find passengers who will book seats and pay the bills.
As I've said above, I've seen all this before, hence my scepticism.
And they better be prepared for the agressive response from Sleezy to anyone on their patch.
I know this is a predominately pilot-orientated website, but please grab a dose of reality.
Pilots are not the issue here...its PASSENGERS. You need passengers FIRST, to pay for the pilots, aircraft and everything else.
NOW have done nothing to get passengers. Their website hasn't been updated since July, and the fact that they feel it more important to spend money on pilot training when they can't even get the website up to date, does not augur well for a team with focus on what it will take to make it successful.
I am delighted to see pilots get work, I am delighted with anything that improves the lot of the aviation community. But I also despair of organisations that talk big and deliver short. All those people who are now under training with NOW could have a very short lived career unless someone gets the lead out and starts to find passengers who will book seats and pay the bills.
As I've said above, I've seen all this before, hence my scepticism.
And they better be prepared for the agressive response from Sleezy to anyone on their patch.
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Flymate
You seem be to a little at odds with yourself.
Here is an excerpt from your post on 1 Sep:
and yet by 6th Sept, a post by Sqdn Ldr Weather manages to elicit this response from you:
A little inconsistent wouldn't you say? However, very amusing for the rest of us.
Also amusing is the fact that a contributor to this thread (the tooth fairy code of honour prevents me from naming him) who has had strong connections with Now for the last three months, the connection about to become even stronger, has not felt able to bring himself to provide any useful information at all about the start date. I'm sure there's a very good reason for this but I can't think of it at the moment. Ideas anyone?
Priscilla Moonbeam
Acting Chief Tooth Fairy
You seem be to a little at odds with yourself.
Here is an excerpt from your post on 1 Sep:
I am all for opinions. When an opinion is shared, please at least listen and if you don't agree with it, at least don't go about trying to assassinate their character.
With what vitriol you post the comment of looking forward to the demise of NOW. You certainly must be a vicious man. To rejoice at the unemployment of 300 people says much about your character. Rather than encourage success you wish to celebrate with champagne the failure of NOW. How absolutely dispicable. Tuns me orange with disgust, there again Sqn Ldr Weather probably is already wearing orange. How comical he must look.
Also amusing is the fact that a contributor to this thread (the tooth fairy code of honour prevents me from naming him) who has had strong connections with Now for the last three months, the connection about to become even stronger, has not felt able to bring himself to provide any useful information at all about the start date. I'm sure there's a very good reason for this but I can't think of it at the moment. Ideas anyone?
Priscilla Moonbeam
Acting Chief Tooth Fairy
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Priscilla Moonbeam
The posts you mention were posted after many requests to those in question to be a little more "open minded". Since they continued to post vitrionic posts it was through pure "anger" at these posts I said such things. Seems no one wants to be constructive on the thread. I will from now on just view and examine what people say. If however a personal attack on myself or NOW takes place, I will contribute a post accordingly.
Cynics take note: Offers of employment went out in August, uniform forms were despatched shortly before that, so we could submit our measurements to them in time to start, a get together attended by about 75 people took place In August, our references and criminal record forms were requested back in July, Chief pilots and Cabin Services managers and all the main players such as rosterers are in place: An indication that NOW are very much up and running.
Cynics take note: Offers of employment went out in August, uniform forms were despatched shortly before that, so we could submit our measurements to them in time to start, a get together attended by about 75 people took place In August, our references and criminal record forms were requested back in July, Chief pilots and Cabin Services managers and all the main players such as rosterers are in place: An indication that NOW are very much up and running.
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FLYMATE
What constitutes a "personal attack on NOW"?
Ok, I'm a cynic...and I take note of your list of things that have happened to date, but that doesn't mean NOW is up and running, anything but.
NOW will be deemed (in industry terms) to be up and running when the first passenger books, the first aircraft is seen in NOW colours, the schedule is announced, the Operating Licence and AOC are issued, and finally the first flight carrying fare paying passengers departs.
Until then it is nothing more than a plan....and an optimistic one at that.
Out pf curiosity, I wonder exactly what the Rosterers are actually rostering, if the schedule isn't firmed up yet, and a start date not agreed.
What constitutes a "personal attack on NOW"?
Ok, I'm a cynic...and I take note of your list of things that have happened to date, but that doesn't mean NOW is up and running, anything but.
NOW will be deemed (in industry terms) to be up and running when the first passenger books, the first aircraft is seen in NOW colours, the schedule is announced, the Operating Licence and AOC are issued, and finally the first flight carrying fare paying passengers departs.
Until then it is nothing more than a plan....and an optimistic one at that.
Out pf curiosity, I wonder exactly what the Rosterers are actually rostering, if the schedule isn't firmed up yet, and a start date not agreed.
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Oh Gawd!
It seems absolutely obvious that jmc-man is anti as a result of something that happened between him and someone involved with NOW somewhere in his past. It is also obvious that Priscilla, Mad Max and S/L Weather are all easyjet spin merchants, and one can only wonder why they find it necessary to attack a start up competitor in this way.
One of the keys to success for easy and NOW will be getting (and keeping) enough pilots, so perhaps that gives you an insight as to the hive of incognito orange activity on this thread. In the cricumstances is anyone surprised that NOW are playing their cards close to their chest?
Perhaps easy guys could show the way and announce the new routes that they will be launching from Luton (assuming that easy can find enough pilots to fly them)! From reading the above, Max and Priscilla all seem to think that airlines should make such announcements early, so come on lets hear it! I presume jmc-man would support such a call.
As I asked before, if easy is so good, why are you guys in such a flap about this?
This thread is beginning to give a better insight to the workings of easyjet than anything to do with NOW
PS: I know people with start dates so what you're really upset about Max is that NOW haven't shared that information with you
It seems absolutely obvious that jmc-man is anti as a result of something that happened between him and someone involved with NOW somewhere in his past. It is also obvious that Priscilla, Mad Max and S/L Weather are all easyjet spin merchants, and one can only wonder why they find it necessary to attack a start up competitor in this way.
One of the keys to success for easy and NOW will be getting (and keeping) enough pilots, so perhaps that gives you an insight as to the hive of incognito orange activity on this thread. In the cricumstances is anyone surprised that NOW are playing their cards close to their chest?
Perhaps easy guys could show the way and announce the new routes that they will be launching from Luton (assuming that easy can find enough pilots to fly them)! From reading the above, Max and Priscilla all seem to think that airlines should make such announcements early, so come on lets hear it! I presume jmc-man would support such a call.
As I asked before, if easy is so good, why are you guys in such a flap about this?
This thread is beginning to give a better insight to the workings of easyjet than anything to do with NOW
PS: I know people with start dates so what you're really upset about Max is that NOW haven't shared that information with you
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Now Maintenance???
Surely Tony Camacho will have some contacts with Ryanair at Prestwick for Maintenance with the whole Buzz/Ryanair thing,Also the Prestwick Branch specialises in 737-200,300 and 800,which would suit NOW fine if they could work out a good contract with Ryaniar.
At least something could work out for NOW if they ever get off the ground.
Kpik
At least something could work out for NOW if they ever get off the ground.
Kpik
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There are certain stances you would not expect a professional airline pilot to take. One of these is wishing that a rival airline fails. Some pilots, mostly those with good seniority in long established carriers, are in secure positions. Most others can expect to work for several airlines during their careers. I have never, ever, heard a fellow airline pilot hope for another airline to fail. Most of us are aware of the problems individuals and their families suffer through unemployment and have a healthy respect for the situation. And, dare I say it, you become more aware of your own vulnerability with increasing maturity.
I doubt if jmc-man, LTNman, Sqdn Ldr Weather & Priscilla Moonbeam etc. are anything more than a little cabal of easyJet commercial managers running a feeble smear campaign. They certainly do not think like any airline pilots I have ever known.
The issue that NOW has created for easyJet is pilot retention. It is very difficult for an established organisation to change its culture even if it desperately needs to. For those who don't like the easyJet management team or rostering practices there is now an alternative on the doorstep. The NOW culture will be more aligned to the GO culture.
Bear in mind that easyJet is seeking to expand. There is plenty of business out there for NOW to succeed without going near easyJets patch. Equally, there are plenty of first rate easyJet pilots who would prefer a more comfortable home . . .
I doubt if jmc-man, LTNman, Sqdn Ldr Weather & Priscilla Moonbeam etc. are anything more than a little cabal of easyJet commercial managers running a feeble smear campaign. They certainly do not think like any airline pilots I have ever known.
The issue that NOW has created for easyJet is pilot retention. It is very difficult for an established organisation to change its culture even if it desperately needs to. For those who don't like the easyJet management team or rostering practices there is now an alternative on the doorstep. The NOW culture will be more aligned to the GO culture.
Bear in mind that easyJet is seeking to expand. There is plenty of business out there for NOW to succeed without going near easyJets patch. Equally, there are plenty of first rate easyJet pilots who would prefer a more comfortable home . . .
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Routes
The now website staits the following,
Ibiza,Rome,Valencia 55 gbp
Manchester 35 gbp
Jersey 40 gbp
Hamburg,Dusseldorf 45 gbp
Lisbon 65 gbp
Tenerife 75 gbp
All direct from London Luton,Now also states that they intend to start in October.
kpiko
Ibiza,Rome,Valencia 55 gbp
Manchester 35 gbp
Jersey 40 gbp
Hamburg,Dusseldorf 45 gbp
Lisbon 65 gbp
Tenerife 75 gbp
All direct from London Luton,Now also states that they intend to start in October.
kpiko
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SaltrockSurfer, yarpy
Your comments are very encouraging, and I am afraid I cannot be bothered anymore in combat with jmc-man, priscilla and the like. I like reading the comments and have myself fallen into the trap of lashing out. I've decided not to bother replying to the "orange" snipes. Once we are settled in the NOW culture, I will certainly look out for the "orange" knocking at the purple and green doors of NOW for a job...