Bmi

[justtakethecup]

I have a friend who works for one of the low cost carriers and they want to apply to British Midland. Neither of us know anyone who works for them at heathrow which is the base they would be applying to and was just wondering if anyone could give any info on what they are like as a compny to work for and if you would recommend applying to them. My freind is a senior at the airline where they are now so any info at all on BMI and promotion prospects and rosters especially would be great.

Thanks in advance.:ok: :)

[Trolley-Dolly-Babe]

bmi has a nice product, lovely fleet now at LHR (all new airbus fleet).

Downfalls are long days (4 sectors the norm), and high turnover of staff. Therefore, promotion at LHR is usually quite quick.

Pay isn't the best around, but the staff travel concessions are good. Not many exciting night-stops left either now.

Its a nice place to start, and a good brand you can be proud to work for (for a while anyway!).

TDB x

[pollypocket36]

Hey there, for an honest oppinion, mine anyway, I wouldn't bother. At the moment, and it doesn't look as if its going to change, moral is quite low and lots(LOADS) of crew are leaving due to v long days(LHR-PMI-LHR-ABZ-LHR, LHR-LIN-LHR-AZB-LHR, LHR-ALC-LHR-EDI-LHR), no back-up from managers, crewing constantly changing your roster (phoning you on your way to work to tell you that you are not doing 4 sectors, but you are now night stopping) and the general company attitude (if you leave we can always get somebody else in). It appears that the managers don't give a **** either ("its legal". All bmi staff will know this well heard frase). However, the company is having to pay out huge amounts of money to get crew to sell their days off to cover the crew that we don't have. In addition to this our union is backing the company on our dismal payrise. Not to mention they we've not had one for the past 4 years, but hey!!!

If I were your friend I would saty where he is. A friend of mine works for a low cost carrier. The contidions are better, yes, they do long days, but at least they get paid for it. From what she tells me they are backed up by their mamagers and praised for doing things right. This just doesn't happen at bmi. This is quite a negative post but its the truth. I never moan when I'm a work cos it just makes you day longer so I leave it for this site. I'm leaving bmi shortly and I wouldn't recommend anybody to apply. I hope this helps. If you want any further info p message me.

[stanleystan]

Hi!
I've just finished my training with bmi and they have been ok so far. Yeah I have to admit the days can be pretty long, i've got my roster already and it's going to be hard work! I have heard about crewing messing you around a lot and I have found them to be quite ruthless at times. I told them I was going on holiday at the interview and told them the dates and things and got my roster and they've got me working 6.00am the day I get back. I rang up and asked to change, but they wouldn't budge and i've had to arrange to leave my holiday a day early. It doesn't seem a good start, but i'm looking forward to starting soon! Not sure if that has helped!!

[bmifox]

Hi,
I fully agree with pollypocket on this one! Tell your friend to stay put. bmi were a good company to work for a few years ago but now.....forget it! I have just handed in my notice after 8 years at LHR cos i've had it with the rosta changes...Fokkers...4/5 sectors days...5 crew on a full A321....6 useless DM's. The only good thing was the people you worked with day to day but now they have or are buggering off to BA (GOOD FOR THEM).

[stanleystan]

Is it really that bad? I feel like i've made a huge mistake!!

[pollypocket36]

Hey there again, I hope I've not put you off. When you've been with them a few months you may feel different(to my opinion). However, the issue with your leave will be the start of a long list.

Yes it's true that many people have gone to BA, me being one of them and they have never looked back. Bmi have a lot of issues to deal with. When people leave they talk about these issues at an exit interview but again, nothing is being done about them. It really is such a shame as it used to be such a fab company. If it was still like that, they would not have lost half the amount of crew. It's sad to see but it really opens your eyes when I and other crew get treated in such a disrespectful way.

It's now a company to enable new entrants to gain experience and then better their career prospects by moving on. It definitley not one to make a career with. I 'm sure that when you are out on line you'll see what I mean.

Polly

[stanleystan]

hi!
Yeah I can see what you mean. To be honest i'm not sure if I'm planning to make a career out of it. I've only just started and it's my first job so will hopefully see how it goes. They haven't started off good in my eyes though. At our wings ceremony most of my class got give letters saying if they don't get their references sorted in a week, they are off the course. What a nice thing to do before the ceremony! The crew park also really pissed me off. We were pointed it out from a moving taxi. On our airport famil day I left two hours before in order to get there on time. There was a huge jam on the M25 , but still had half an hour to spare. Anyway tyhe crew park was so complicated and it took me twenty minutes to figure i tout. I got there ten minutes late and they were really pissed off with us. (Two other people had the same problem.) We were called into the office and they put late letters on our file. I can understand why, but they way they did it made me really mad and pissed off!

[justtakethecup]

Thanks so much for all your replys. It seems that BMI have the same sort of days that my friend has now and the only reason they were thinking of going there was to get a change of scenery and possibly better conditions. It doesn't look like that they would be much better , if any , from what you are saying. What is the roster pattern like ? Is it 6 on 3 off? I know every company has its' issues so hopefully these problems at BMI will be worked on and resolved.

[Tiger]

I worked for bmi for 11 years some 6 years ago...[WOW! That long ago] and see it aint changed. There is no give and take with that company, and to get a late letter on your first day when your trying to find your way around is a bit c**p! No doubt some manager is patting themselves on the back and saying how bad the new recruits are.
I have posted on bmi previously, and why oh why aren`t I believed...till its too late!

Have a little look around for other airlines..BA is recruiting

[stanleystan]

Hi!
I don't rmember reading anything posted about bmi, but to be honest I know deep down that a lot of arilines have their bad point's and it's better to know what i'm in for before hand so it's not such a shock! Yeah i'm sure the managers are loving it too!
Justtakethecup - yeah at the moment it's 6 on 3 off, but I bet that it doesn't really work out like that! I'm sure i'll be called in on my days off, but you get paid £70 so it's not all that bad!

[pollypocket36]

Hey again, with regards to the day off payment. Don't let them tell you what they want cos its noramlly a long day. You tell them!! bmi are the ones that are desperate, not you. It's your chance to play the cards. For example they called me the other week to sell a day off. They offered me LHR-PMI-LHR-ABZ-LHR. Obviously Ive better things to do on my day off than a 13 hour day, so I declined. However, I bargained with them and told them I'd do either the Palma OR the Aberdeen. They refused and said its either the whole lot or nothing at all. Later that evening while I was out, they called me again to ask me if I'd do the Palma OR Aberdeen. By that time I'd made plans so had to decline again. They only shoot themsevles in the foot by playing hard to get. So don't forget, you tell them what you want!!!!

With regards to the late letter, don't worry too much about it. They are too desperate for crew to get rid of anybody. Honestly, its nothing to worry about. If your're late due to traffic, what can you do? It will be mentioned at you 3 month apprasial (if you're luck enough to get one) and then AGAIN at your 6 month apprasial. However, don't let it bother you too much as it won't make the slight bit of difference.

[stanleystan]

Hi!
Oh don't worry after working for Tesco for nearly two years I'm used to getting what I want as they were always short staffed aswell!! I have no problem selling some days off though, as i'd rather be out then sitting at home on my own!! Sad I know!!!
I'm not really worrying about the late letter, it was just the way they did it. I mean they took us into the office like we had done something really bad and just spoke to us like we were nothing.

[Tiger]

Welcome to the world of bmi! ;)

see your PM`s

[stanleystan]

he he he! Welcome indeed :bored:
Thanks for the pm i've replied!!

[jayo2002]

Hey guys....

Ok, I was offered a place on the training course in August, so i've handed in my notice in my current airline, cos the pay and working conditions there are terrible... but i just wanted to say thanks to all, you've shone some light on the compnay, as i have friends that worked there b4 in the DUB base, but apparantley that was a cliquey base, so i didnt think much of the LHR base. but, as mentioned, every company has thier bad points, hey, i used to work for Ryanair before!

Oh, and a quick question... my training starts on a friday, does that mean i'm in over the weekend???:ugh:

[stanleystan]

lol! Yeah i'm affraid you'll be in over the weekend, but it'll go really quickly so you'll be fine!!
Oh handy hint though, try and get all of your references sorted really early. I got my wings on the 11th June and I only got my id on wednesday as my references took ages! There's only so much sitting at home you can take before it get's boring! Anyway good luck with the course, you'll enjoy it I did! Pm me If you want to know certain details and that!
Stanleystan

[pacific.heights]

I agree with what has been said about BMI.
They get worse every month. Last year was still bearable, there was some DUB and LIN night stops to look forward to.

But now that s crazy, we get many Abeerdeen night stops, but we get 5 sectors. This month i operate 5 sectors a day at least once a week.

We are not supposed to do more than 2 long day a week but when i called crewing to say i already did 2 long days this week and therefore i couldn t do the long day i was supposed to, they said that because one of the long day was due to delays, it didnt really counted as a long day!!! SObasically i did 3 long days and the rest of the week were just 30 minutes short of being long days.

I really loved my job with BMI until february when things got worse. Now i am seriously thinkig about moving on but i am optimistic so i still give them until Xmas to see if things will improve but i doubt about it-

[karnak]

try working for baby almost every day is a LONG DAY!!!!!!!!

[ms singyou]

Well, where do i start.
I want to defend bmi and welcome some of you to reality especially 'pollypocket' - but please dont take offence.

4 sectors days are quite normal in domestic airline operations.
some people who have come to bmi and its their first cabin crew job dont realise this.

the attitude of pollypocket is quite sad and i think youve done the right thing leaving though i wonder what attitude your taking accross to BA and what corporate culture there is there - too many crew there who want easy days, more money? yeah - ever flown BA? you might get the occasional crew member who really shines in their service delivery, but on the whole, its a 'whats in it for me culture'. i dont think i would expect anything else from pollypocket.

ok, im not going to pick on polly pocket but would like to remind some of you that the best assest at bmi is its people.
we do fly 4 leg days and this is quite normal. when the weather is bad, like the storms we've had the past week, yes, there were massive delays and roster disruptions, yes, true, when you are short staffed and the **** hits the fan, expect hiccups...but all this -
IS VERY NORMAL AND ALL AIRLINES ARE THE SAME.

ps....bmi hand all paperwork re the IDs to the ID centre and it is them, not bmi, who can take up to 5 weeks or more to process applications and then call crew in for their appointments.

[Tiger]

ms singyou.

Oh please! :p your posting has me laughing my tits off. What c**p you spin!

Polypocket has expressed their opinion, as have others on pprune. True crews have their first experienced of the job at bmi, who then move fairly quickly on to other airlines.

You seem to want to slag BA down for poor service or something like that. At the end of the day crew want a decent salary and terms and conditions of work. bmi offer neither compared to BA, and do you really think that BA offers that poorer service? If it was that bad BA would have no paxs, flights would be empty! Well, something must be right coz most of the flights are full!

Of course people want better...and even if bmi do offer better service unfortuately whatever attitude you seem to have of the crews at BA, I`m sure I`d win any bet given a chance that 80% or more of LHR crew would rather be else where.

[121]

Well really ms singyou,I've heard it all now.I'll have you know I've worked for B.A for 20 years and have always done my job to the best of my ability, as do, I might add,the vast majority of the people I work with.Maybe you have had some kind of ''bad experience'' with B.A but please don't tar all British Airways cabin crews with the same brush.

[ms singyou]

mmm, please accept my applogies.
maybe i should clarify.
of late, i have met so many people who want to slag down bmi for the same reason as polly pocket and it makes me wonder what it would be like to work with that sort of mentality at other airline in particular, BA.
i have worked for a few airlines in my time and yes of course, its very unfair of me to say or imply that everyone is the same.
for that it was not my intention and im sorry.
i do stick with my post and repeat that bmi is a great airline and if you speak to some of the more senior crew at BA they will tell you that slowly slowly BA is going down the same path as bmi and other airlines re pay and 4 sector days.
isnt it always a case of wanting to be somewhere else?
whats the old saying, ' the grass is greener'???

[stanleystan]

ps....bmi hand all paperwork re the IDs to the ID centre and it is them, not bmi, who can take up to 5 weeks or more to process applications and then call crew in for their appointments.


Yeah but they take weeks to organise the paperwork to send it off. A girl on my course got called in a week after training to take her passport in so they could take a photocopy. She was there for four weeks with her passport, why couldn't they do it then? I was always being called back to sign things that I had already signed, which wasted so much time. After all that most crew get a temporary pass anyway!
I do agree with you with the four sector days though. I find them tiring, but not too bad. When you do four Glasgow's for example you have a long day, but it's only about 6 hours of flying really. I personally have no problem with doing four sector days, but maybe it's because it's what i'm used to.
What does get on my tit's is the "Earlys". You Normally start at about 6am and finish at 4pm and by the time you've got home and had dinner you're back in bed for the next "early" the next day. It really does catch up with you. I was on my fourth early day today and it got so much I thought I was going to fall asleep at the wheel driving into work. I actually nodded off in my jumpseat for a few seconds today, which can't be good. HOw can I be able to cope with an emergency when i'm that tired? It's not the fact that i'm not going to bed, because i'm always sleeping, but the long days do really get to you.
Hopefully things will be getting better, I can only hope that day comes soon!!!!!!

[Tiger]

...mmm ms singyou. Please you`re jokes get better!

Whilst I may get 4 sector days and some times longer than bmi`s working days I get paid 3-4 times the amount that bmi pay.

And very few crew have any "attitude" at all. In fact in my 11 years at bmi I found crew there worse at certain bases.

Pleased you find bmi a great airline...will that be till they dump on you? Or have you just got Promotion? Or have you just started there?

Yes the grass is greener elsewhere!

[ms singyou]

hahahahhaah, i like your style tiger.
if you were getting paid 3 to 4 times more than me
youd be taking home between 3,000 to 4,000 pounds per month, si?

im not having a go at BA crew at all - just those who want to carry on a bit, mouth off - its selfish too, considering there are still crew employed at bmi.

and when people carry on, they tend to influence the younger more newer crew out there. not a good look.

[Tiger]

Tiger is talking about the allowances on a 4 sector day ms singyou! :rolleyes: [Sorry it was a little late]


bmi = £1 something an hour. It was £1.07 when I left.

BA = meal allowance(s), [short turn round pay-maybe paid], long day payment.

So are you saying its wrong that crew find out there is something better?

Your views are interesting. So in the world of ms singyou crews should blinkered and kept in the dark and fed s**t...mmm like mushrooms.

There is nothing selfish been said here, it is fact. Liked or not.

Oh yes. The postion I held at BM, if I had been at BA then I would have been earning figures you put forward.

[ms singyou]

tiger, tiger, tiger, mister.
'you got little ding a ling'.
'i dont like you'.

[green-eyedbabe]

you have serious issues. Is that why you are with BMI?

[sammyhostie3]

Sounds like it Green eye!

What is up with that Ms sing you?! She has problems..

[Tiger]

ms singyou so you now go down the insulting route, you know nothing of my genitals. And you know nothing of me! Hard to pass any comment whether you like me or not- yet do I care? Nope! You have just shown true colours here, green being one of them.

If you honestly believe that crew members would continue to put up with roster instablity, low ish pay, management who believe in beating rather than rewarding, bullying, promotion of crew who have no idea-hey but the face fits so promote them. My old boss join BM as a manager-she left after a year, couldn`t believe it. People cannot believe I did 11 years at BM. Nightstopping with BA the hotels are in the city rather than the airport.

I`ll leave you with this thought.

I`m working 2 doubles August:

LHR-CGN-LHR/ LHR-BRU-LHR =£96.13

LHR-BRU-LHR/ LHR-MAN-LHR =£56.49

Money isn`t everything, however it helps a hell of a lot with day to day living! I also have time to eat, sit down and relax. Those 11 hour days with bmi earning mmm £11.77 in old allowances, so I`ll up it to £1.45 (being kind??) £15.95. Now do you see why they leave?

I`ll leave this on a positive note; staff concessions are better at bmi erm. Anyone else add anything?

edited to bring in allowance figures

[sammyhostie3]

Ummm......

You get a nice hat?!

[BELL2004]

Hi, just got a few questions about the current BMI cabin crew contract..... how much notice do u have to give to be able to leave and do you get paid whilst training ?

Thanks

[stanleystan]

Hi!
Yeah you do get paid while training, but it's not that much!!!
In response to the post about the crews, I just want to say that all the crew I work with are fantastic. The days are very lojng and the money not too great, BUT the crew do make it much more enjoyable.
I have never worked for another airline, but surely every airline has it's ups and downs. BMI are going through a very bad patch at the moment, but things can only get better! Money isn't evrything at the end of the day! I love my job at bmi and wouldn't change it for anything!

[Katie]

hmmm...well I do want to cabin crew and I'm 18 and bmi have lowered their age limit so I might as well apply and see what happens!

[sammyhostie3]

Katie,

Try for a different company for your first airline, then you will have a positive attitiude from the start.

Perhaps even wait until October when the charters start recruiting again.

[Airbusbellboy]

Mssing is that meant to be short for "messing" as in messing you around as in the way bmi mess their crew around? Are you sure that you are not bmi management because I reckon that from the tone of your messages you might be!

Must be a little desperate to hang on to crew if you are coming on here trying to do your thing and spin. Reminds me of that little maneouuvre where Quantas were contacted begging them not to poach bmi staff for their London base in the same manner as Air New Zealand!

So ms sing why don't you leave your patronising for the crew room and leave us alone here at the sanctuary that used to be pprune.

Best Wishes

Airbusbellboy

[pollypocket36]

MS SINGYOU- I respect your view but I am always professional and happy at work. You have no right to judge me as you don't even know who I am. I don't moan and do just get on with it. I take out my frustration on this site, exactly what it's here for!!! I have not taken any attitute over to BA only the one I had at bmi- positive and professional. In addition, I also agree that airlines have difficult days with regards to weather, but its they way we are treated during this "occasion" which appears to happen every day. Why do you thing a huge amount of people have gone to BA? Because they like the uniform? I don't think so. Perhaps if you opened your eyes and saw what is going on around you, you'd feel the same as 95% of the current employees.