Monarch or First Choice

[ATIS]

Got a friend whose been offered a position with First Choice and Monarch.

This would be her first job as cabin crew, so she doesn't know too much about these airlines.

Could you guys describe what its like at these airlines. How hard will she be working, how friendly are the crew and anything else that you can mention will be great.

Thanks

[BYMONEK]

Urm.......Monarch or First Choice.......er.........NEITHER ! Unless you're just out of school so don't mind being treated like a child and enjoy going to work almost every weekend and spend most of the flying in the middle of the night or up at 3 in the morning. You get last choice of crew food,that's if you have time to eat it,( it's crap anyway) and you will be treated worse than a dog by some very rude and rough passengers. Oh....and they might not ask you back at the end of your summer contract if you've dared to go sick for a day!
GOOD LUCK :ok:

[WindSheer]

BYMONEK has obviously been layed off in the past! ! !

Dont know much about Monarch, but as mentioned above charter work is unsocial hours - but what cabin crew jobs aren't.

First Chioce look after you, especially if you make it through your first season.
Going on share prices and company prospects I would certainly go for FCA.

:ok:

[beamer]

FCA also returning to Long Haul in a big way over the next few years.

However, FCA do run a VERY tight financial ship (probably the reason they have survived) and some of their staff would argue that they are not as well treated as they might be. It is b****dy hard work compared to scheduled operators and yes there is far too much time spent night flying - you pays your money and takes your choice..........................

[hapzim]

Monarch are financially secure with a good mix of scheduled and charter (inc long haul). She will be expected to work hard know her drills etc and get to work with a good bunch of people. Same goes for First Choice you get out what you put in. :D

[BYMONEK]

Windsheer

Never make assumptions that people havn't got the job or have been laid off just because they write something negative about a Company.I am 39yrs old,have been flying since 1986 and have spent the last 14years actually flying the thing! Please don't take this as a personal attack on you as it's not meant to be,neither is it to deviate from the thread.I feel qualified to answer the Question simply because I worked for one of the above mentioned Airlines and I saw how the Cabin Crew were treated,particularly the ones on temporary contracts.Even some of the permanent Crew speak to the temps in an appalling way. It is literally like being in school again.


Whichever one she chooses they will be similar. Monarch would appear to offer the best combination of long haul/scheduled/charter but my advice would be to take the one that gives her the basing that she wants and whichever one she felt most comfortable with after her interview.
It can be a lot of fun and it will most certainly be a lot of work and it ain't the glamour job it's sometimes perceived as.
But as long as she's young and keeps poping the prozac and red bull for those long night flights she'll be fine........she might even enjoy it! ;)

[WindSheer]

BYMONEK, apologies didn't mean to be arsy just a bit of a stupid joke ;)


I would agree, take the one with the base that suits. It means everything if you are not entirely happy but working closer to home. You could end up unhappy AND miles from home.:{


:ok:

[DELTABOY]

Quite agree with Bymonek's very accurate reply to this thread.
Monarch, First Choice, Excel, My Travel, Britannia its ALL the same wherever she ends up & B***DY hard work.
Try to imagine if you will the 'Trisha Show' mixed into 'Bar Med' on a rowdy Sat night....then put wings on it & NO means of escape!!
It quite literally just boils down to a different uniform or set of inflight safety & cabin service procedures. Ideally if she has had any experiences of flying as a passenger with either MON or FCA this could perhaps sway her final decision, or even which uniform she prefers!
I would say that Monarch has always been generally regarded within the industry as having a rather strict & regimented culture with many Temp junior horror stories to back it up.
First Choice however used to be similar in the old Air 2000 days with Glenda Lemont at the helm, but since all the funky & somewhat garish corporate identity changes, their's seems a much brighter (PINK!), fun & casual culture. I would say if she would like long haul then FCA has a great long haul product coming shortly with some nice routes.
Sounds like she has alot to offer by getting into two large reputable companies at the same time. Makes me think why not BA or Virgin?....much more civilised!
I wish her well.


:ok:

[topdog1]

If you decide to go with Monarch, don't come to LTN as there is absolutely no longhaul, no fun, not a happy base at present.
LGW or MAN the better base to get longhaul.

[ATIS]

Thanks guys.
The verdict, she has chosen First Choice as its got an earlier start date.

FCA increase in long haul market was also a factor

[c.r.m what is it]

Hi

Can i ask when she got her start date? I have been waiting for ages, and still have nothing!!