Astraeus

[lissy]

I have an interview with Astraeus coming up. Does anyone know what their typical take home pay is for Pursers?

For that matter, does anyone know how many senior crew they are looking for?

Thanks ever so...

Lissy

[Hostessmostess]

First of all, search for astraeus under the search function!

Also, PM me or the many other victims before you accept the contract.

And also, Puritan (who is someone big in AEU) will no doubt either post on this or delete this thread, so get in there quick!

[malachy8985]

Stay away. Better airlines out there. Trust me. Stay away, or you will be forever scarred from this airline.

Cabin crew take home pay £crap
Senior £just as crap.

Good points. I can't think of any, will come back to you on this one.

[Jalite]

No such thing as a typical take home pay for SCCM's I'm afraid. Depends on how busy you are, if you are on routes with a good commission (Taba) or night stopping.
Main crew tend to put in more hours than us, although we are running around like headless chickens in the summer, especially when minimum crew on the 737.
I enjoy it. Crews are generally great. I have done shorthaul, longhaul, scheduled & charter, and Astraeus is a joyful bunch of everything with a few surprises for good measure. Admitedly I am at LGW, I don't know where you would be looking to being based.
The grass is always greener on the otherside!:)

[TightSlot]

malachy8985 - well thought out post, thanks - concise, informative, detailed and relevant.

[vaboy]

lissy, hi i just wanted to say, stay away from astraeus, much better airlines out there, Hostessmostess and the rest of the guys know what i mean!!

[Puritan]

Hostessmostess - bravo for your lucid and erudite response.

And w.r.t. 'Puritan who is someone big in AEU'..... err, are you being size'ist and thereby having a jab at us chaps of larger stature ?.... ‘coz failing that I’m just a humble line pilot, so I don’t get what you mean and / or understand why your post should be deleted - or are you just bitter and twisted about some'at ?

[Hostessmostess]

Puritan,

I purely mean every time someone actually speaks the truth about Astraeus, you delete the thread or try to turn it around! It has happened many times...

Great to see that so many people are actually being honest and open about AEU!

Oh yes and I agree with you Jalite that the phrase "the grass is usually greener" is normally true, but it honestly was a LOT greener when i got out!

Oh Got out believe me! waited until it was safe then ran for the hills! They never sack anybody anyway, they cant afford to.
Instead they make people leave so they can get the £600 out of them!

[SPFlyer]

Hostessmostess; 'got out' or pushed?? Guess thats another debate...

I worked on the ground for AEU, left last April to work overseas. My mrs was a CA for them though, and she had a great time.

We are working in sunnier climes, but i know she still misses the actual flying with the AEU crew. Having worked with them closely for nearly 18 months i can assure you they are a good bunch. ( Give or take a few exceptions!! Every airline has em....!! )

Im sure there are worse flying experinces to be had out there! Give em a break, you will have a good laugh.

I guess the folks ate AEU are tired ( and prob bored ) of these tiresome threads?

Regards to all in Faraday Road....And you Alberville!!

[lissy]

Thanks everyone for your replies. A mixed bag of responses really. This bonding business sounds very dodgy to me.

[jcx]

Hey there Lissy, I have been at Astraeus for just over a year now, started in Feb 03 and have to say that its GREAT, i know people post comments about how bad it is etc, but bottom line is... its an airline, the pay is good obviously better in the summer than the winter, we are starting to expand and at the LGW base the trips are becoming a little more frequent, yeah there is a bond with Astraeus, and they wont rip you off, its there to cover there backs if u decide to walk off before 6 months, the crew are sooo friendly and easy going, and after a month or so online, u will know most the crew, so that makes it a happier place to work, Go to the interview, the recruiters are really nice, and am sure you will be fine, If you have ANY question at all, please PM me or post on the forum, and will answer the best i can, Hopefuly fly with you soon

Jc

[UFGBOY]

Friend of mine has interview in Leeds on Wednesday - they opening a base there ?

Thanks

[Hostessmostess]

Yeah, there leasing a ****ty really old A319 from Lotus air to be based there, to cover the routes MYT lost. The rosters will be dead I would think.. All SBYS..

[Flightrider]

Not quite sure how you would define a 1996-build former Swissair A319 as either "****ty" or "really old", particularly given that I doubt very much that you've seen the aircraft.

And with a flying programme of at least two flights every day, why on earth would the programme be mostly standbys?

It really doesn't do a lot for the credibility of your other posts or the accuracy (or lack) thereof, but I don't suppose that you care. How many flights did you actually do there anyway when you bothered to turn up for work?

[malachy8985]

I agree with hostessmostess.

It's not a very good airline to work for, with so much better out there.

I would say apply to every other before astraeus, even ryanair are better!!:p

[jcx]

is that where u went malachy8985

even ryanair are better

[UFGBOY]

Interesting... so Egyptian S E P then?

:cool:

[Flightrider]

As it is to be based in the UK and operating under a waiver of permission, the airline leasing in the aircraft has to ensure "equivalent safety". This means operating to JAR-Ops compliant SOP/SEP and also to UK flight time limitations - much as per the First Choice/Air 2000 operation at Cardiff in 2000 where a Lotus A320 did their flying for the full season.

And from reading posts on another BB about this, someone from First Choice reckons they did a very good job too.

[malachy8985]

No, I didn't end with ryanair, but at least they pay you for the hard work. I'm with BA Eurofleet, LGW. :p :p ,

Got it in the end my friend. you stay at AEU, I will go up in the world. ;)

[Alberville]

A great team at Astraeus. Looking forward to an exciting summer programme.

SPflyer - How's Ya! Sorry I missed your last visit. I was in the cold north.


A.

[flyhalf]

malachy, all the best at BA Gatwick. I know a lot of people there and I know I'm a lot happier at Astraeus than they are at BA LGW.

All this goes to show is that everyone has an airline that is "right" for you. Many people enjoy Astraeus. Some people do not. Many people probably enjoy BA. Some people do not. It's a question of what provides the right balance of roster, pay, fun, recognition by your managers for what you do and variety to suit the life that you want to live. Everyone will have their own view of the "right" balance and if Astraeus wasn't for you, so be it. Draw a line under the experience and move on. I know I did when I left BA, but I'm fortunate to still have a lot of good friends from the time I spent there and I don't feel the need to keep talking about something in the past.

[Hostessmostess]

Im sure everyone agrees that not every airline is for everybody, but the general feelings regarding AEU are generally not good!

Im sure it has no doubt improved since my season a few years ago, but from friends who have gone there just to fly for the winter season after charter, they have been anything but happy and are struggling to carry on till April, when their bond expires.

They will always have a busy programme, because they do all the routes which no one else will do, which is fair play because its certainly a niche market!

Flyjet used to be run on a similar line, but has improved no end and the Astraeus hierarchy that used to run strong there has diminshed, and overall I hear is a lot better deal than Astraeus.
So perhaps you should try FJE? Yes there a/c go tech etc etc but they seem a lot happier.

[jetstream7]

Hostessmostess

Wrong.

You said "but the general feelings regarding AEU are generally not good!

So far in this thread we've had you, Malachy8985 and vaboy criticise AEU and Jalite, SPFlyer, jcx, Alberville and Flyhalf support the airline.

So... with 3 negative posters and 5 positive posters, the general feelings regarding AEU are generally good.
:D

[Hostessmostess]

LOL!

I mean amongst the airline fraternity the feeings are generally not good. You should plant a recorder in the life in Concorde House if you want to hear them!

[Gareth Blackstock]

I Joined AEU last year and I think it is a good little airline, I have worked for others before but each airline I have worked for have their good and bad points, no airline is perfect and Astraeus is far from being perfect. Not saying that in a bad way in the slightest - we all need something to moan about in our jobs don't we!!!!

Astraeus is a good airline and if anyone was thinking of applying then go for it. The crew are great, the trainers are good fun, and the cabin crew manager is a good laugh as well. who cares about a bond, six months flys by in no time anyway and if you leave before you six months is up then AEU probably don't want people like you anyway.

Granted the money could be better but as someone said before "moneys isn't everything" it is enough to get by, but what airline will make a flight attendant rich these days????

Gaz

[AIRWAY]

Hi,

Like it has been said before, surely no airline is "perfect", someone is bound to have a different opinion it's the only way to have a balanced view, but please let's be rational when we expose our views even though this is an anonymous forum.

I don't work for Astraeus but I had the pleasure of meeting some members for the said airline, the general feeling I get from them is that they are enjoying the flying they do work hard, but like one of them said it is enjoyable and the money is reasonable, if you are climbing the ladder Astraeus is worth a go.

Regards,
Airway

:8

[lissy]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I think the truth seems to be that cabin crew are underpaid everywhere. (Even Richard Branson only gets rich because he pays his staff badly). Astraeus perhaps aren't the only guilty ones?

[SPFlyer]

Vaboy,

I see you are soon to start a job with Virgin.

Would they have employed you if you had not previous flying experience with AEU. Maybe, maybe not.

But the fact you have experience definately counts for something.

Maybe you shouldn't call them such a sh1t airline after all eh??

How-about a thank you and move quietly on your way....??:)

[Flightrider]

vaboy, best of luck. I don't quite follow your comments back to Gareth Blackstock though, who was simply stating his own opinion and I really can't see why you have jumped down his throat for doing so.

Hostessmostess, I see you haven't chosen to justify your comments about the Lotus A319. Care to do so, or are you happy for a mildly slanderous comment like that to sit there with your name against it whilst you find other reasons for mud-slinging?

[aeulad]

Yes, I would agree with the negative posters on here.

We work awfully long hours
We work our butts off in the summer
We fly to some of the most mosquito infested places in the world
We operate mainly niche-market flights
We are bonded initially
We all have our bad days

but I would'nt change a single thing!!!:p

The people make Astraeus, and the flying is 'different'. Who wants to go to the same old bucket and spade places all year round anyway, not I!

Regards

Mike

[jcx]

Im in agreement with Mike, i wouldnt change a single thing!!!

Good luck on the HME tomorrow mike!

Jc

[aeulad]

hehe!

Thanks!!

Managed to get my 75 check flight in before my leave, so will take tommorrow as an opportunity to have a second go, as you know, you gotta be on the ball for an HME!:uhoh:

Regards

Mike

[titmitch]

Lissy - The pay review for this year is starting very soon, so in agreement to some the others the pay at the moment is not great but will be changing. The summer is looking like another busy one down in LGW.
To those of you who have negative things to say about the airline, it didn't really answer Lissy's question, I'm sure if Lissy gets a job with the airline will beable to make up he/shes own mind.
HostessMostess - Heard you were only with the airline 4 months from when it first started and then went AWOL. Was you expecting it all to be sweetness and roses and not have teething problems because you must have been living in a dream world!
Vaboy - I know you didn't enjoy your time here and i hope that your new airline lives up to your expectations.;)

[Hostessmostess]

Titmitch,

I wasnt there at the start, it was 2003! Great facts. I also did a season....that was enough!

Hey I went to pastures new, and found out that it was actually a great career when you are with actually with a proper airline.

[Puritan]

Hostessmostess - if you are who I / we suspect you are (SS?) you did indeed work for four months with Astraeus; but during which you also went AWOL for up to a week at a time - something which resulted in a member of cabin crew management personally going around to your house to check that you hadn’t been bumped off (as no-one could contact you); and you didn’t bother turning up to collect your ID card; and left the company without providing or working a notice period. Isn't that right ? ( assuming it's you, eh, SS? )

[malachy8985]

Astraeus threads are always interesting. :E

[flyblue]

Just a clarification:
you delete the thread
This is not possible. Only the originator of a thread or a Moderator can do it. Nor he can dictate if a thread must be deleted because he doesn't like it. If in the past a thread or a post has been removed (which I don't remember but I can find out) it was because it made allegations that could be qualified as libel, or because it was negative without being factual. Let me explain. You are entitled to your opinion, but you can't say "airline XYZ are bad". You must specify something like "XYZ's crewing office is bad, they keep calling you on days off", etc. In any case it must be facts upon which people can form their own idea. Also, if nobody knows what you are talking about, nobody can give an explanation about why they happen or if they are still happening since you witnessed them, and it's very unfair towards the person or entity that cannot defend itself.
Also, being negative without facts does not give a good impression of the reason you could (maybe rightly) have...

[cabincrew47]

I notice lissy is asking about senior cabin crew. More seniors???

[shmuch]

Why does Astraeus get so badly battered by everyone on this site?? :confused: :confused:

[barry lloyd]

May I, as someone who travelled with Astraeus last year on a charter flight to Ukraine, express an opinion?
The cabin crew on the outbound flight were less than interested in the passengers, because, by their own admission, they had been'out' the night before, and were feeling hung over.
The return flight was delayed because the ground staff at Simferopol had neither the equipment nor the experience to deal with the aircraft. At no time before or during the return flight of four and a half hours did the captain bother to communicate with the passengers.
I did send an e-mail to Astraeus, and was promised the matter would be looked into, but never heard any more.
On arrival at Gatwick, the baggage took one and a half hours to arrive 'because the ramp staff were busy'. Not directly Astraeus' fault, but then they choose the handling agent, not the other way round. As a result of this, I lost the last flight to Manchester, and had to pay for an overnight @ LGW, and extra to BA for the flight the next day. And, no the insurance wouldn't pay up.
My complaint to Aviance resulted in an offer to visit their lounge next time I'm in LGW. Frankly, if that's any time within the next five years, it'll be too soon. And I certainly wouldn't fly with Astraeus again.

[Rooster_mk1]

shmuch,

In an attempt to answer your question Why does Astraeus get so badly battered by everyone on this site??
I personally think that they are an easy target on this site. It is a well known fact that this site is moderated by members of the Astraeus payroll (possibly run but i am not 100% on that, so don't shoot me) so people take pot shots on here attempting to stir things up and air their grievances as they know that someone from Astraeus will see it.

That's my theory anyway.

I have absolutely nothing to do with the Astraeus but do find some of the bashing a little childish at times. The Astraues Yellow Fever thread is still an all time favourite of mine on this site althought the circumstances behind it aren't particularly nice. (I would link it but i will get timed out by my server while looking for it.)

Edit: Apologies it was Lassa Fever not Yellow Fever.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=144084&highlight=Astraeus

Cheers
Rooster:ok:

[malachy8985]

you have no idea how horrible they are to work for, do you?

The people (cabin crew), are so unprofessional :ooh: , I did have the occassional nice senior, I would love to mention their names, one used to work for BA, older guy, a couple of others who I know for sure wanted to leave, absolutely great people. Fantasi

[flyhalf]

Malachy, I'm sorry - this is not a one-way bashing exercise. If you are who I think you are, then I would be happy to hit back with a few home truths about your approach to hard work. It is not appropriate to do that in public but I do think it is appropriate that anyone reading this understands that. Although you may consider life working for Astraeus was not good, I do think that you were very much the cause of your own problems. Enough said. If you want to discuss this further then please PM me.

[wheelbarrow]

Well Malachi"£$%. Ha Ha Ha..........as u were sacked coz u were sooooooooooo lazy Im not surprized u are trying to hit back but if i were you id put more effort into sorting out ure own issues first. The seniors ive worked with are highly professional and totally commited to wot they get paid for. First Class.

Just a pity more females didnt get promoted on the last round he he. ........More appealing 2 me.

ciao itagianni!

[malachy8985]

Why dont' you try counting the numbers that left astraeus in the last 3 years? So many guys, so many.

Also, I wasn't sacked, I worked my time there, I worked hard, so you don't know who I am.

I am flying with the world's best airline now though.

BRITISH AIRWAYS ALL THE WAY :ok:

[flyhalf]

Malachy, I'm sure I do know who you are and I didn't say anything about you being sacked. However yet again your unwillingness to consider that there may have been anything wrong with your approach to work is typical of your approach to life. I stand by what I say. Maybe if you stopped for long enough to think about how others see you rather than spending so much of your time thinking about yourself, life may treat you rather better.

[malachy8985]

Wheelbarrow,

May I suggest you get yourself educated, possibly in English grammar and spelling?

I'm sure you did go to school, but it just doesn't show much. :)

[Puritan]

malachy8985 - you wrote "Wheelbarrow, May I suggest you get yourself educated, possibly in English grammar and spelling? I'm sure you did go to school, but it just doesn't show much.".

Uhm, have you considered that Wheelbarrow's first language might not be not English ?! ( i.e. have a careful look at how that contribution is closed ;) ) and / or in just what additional languages are you fluent (to the extent that you could go on an International bulletin board and add your two'penneth) ?

I rather suspect that somewhere there's a village that's missing you.

[malachy8985]

Puritan,

Stop being so pedantic. :ooh: .

[Fly_JEMS]

Astraeus is coming up for there 3rd Birthday now and are going from strength to strength. The people that work at AEU House
are all great people the directors and management team are all very approachable.

This season will see lots of new routes for AEU another 757 arriving and a base at LBA, so there will be lots of good things to look forward to and hopefully promotions for CC to get SFA

All I can say is the company is better off with people like hostessmostess and malachy8985 out of it. I am sure the grass is greener at BA shame you wont get chance of Purser for along long time, and once the close Euro Gatwick you enjoy that M25 :ok:

[London Jets]

Well I have just about read enough of this, I think there are some very bitter people out there who, for whatever reason are intent on laying into Astraeus. Now Every airline has good points and bad points, every airline has crew that people like flying with and crew people don't like flying with. Now why have some of you decided to make this a personal slanging match rather than expressing an opinion? Do you not think that a little unfair?

Ok so some airlines have been around a lot longer than Astraeus and yes AEU is just about to celebrate its 3rd Birthday but every airline had to start somewhere. Whether it is from the ashes of another airline, merging and rebranding two airlines or from scratch. Now as AEU started as a brand new airline you have to give everyone credit for getting them to the established and successful charter airline that they are now.

I work for Astraeus, infact I joined last year as a direct entry SCCM in May and what I am reading here on this thread is totally pathetic. If someone wants a career flying surely we should be encouraging them? Yes give them advice and share you experiences but why make it a personal slanging match? Every Astraeus thread seems to give the same sort of response as this one and the only people who slag it off are the same on every thread. If you don't have anything constructive to say, don't say anything.

Yes it is widely known that pprune have some of their moderators who are Astraeus employees, who honestly cares who they work for? They are doing a job in their own time and not getting paid to do it. Yes Danny Fyne (who set up pprune) worked for Astraeus but he left a couple of months ago to work for Virgin I think it is. There are a lot of Mods here who don't work for AEU as well so don't forget that either but does it really matter who they are and who they work for?

As for Astraeus as a company to work for, well that is up to the individual who works at Astraeus. If someone has not had a good time working for Astraeus then fair enough, knock it on the head and put it down to experience. No employer can keep 100 percent of its staff happy all the time and I quite accept that some of you may have had some bad experiences in previous or current airlines, whether it be at BA, Astraeus, Virgin, First Choice or anyone else. What you have to understand is the majority of people who work at AEU enjoy it and if they don’t they it is their decision to stay or go, if that individual stays then they have to deal with their problems, if they go then best of luck to them. What right do they have to make a personal attack on individuals or the company? If they want to share their experience and story then so be it. Advice is fine attacks are not.

Now I appreciate, and I’m sure a lot of other people will agree that Astraeus has a high turnover of staff, Ok well so does Easyjet, Ryanair, First Choice, My Travel and a few other companies, even Tesco, McDonalds, Woolworths and other companies have high turnovers of staff. What I am saying is that people join a company and when another opportunity comes along that will further their career then it is up to them to seize the moment. What is wrong with that? Ninety-nine percent of us have ambitions and goals and it is up to us to achieve those targets we set ourselves. For those of us who have chosen to stay at Astraeus it is our decision and I for one am happy at Astraeus. Yes I have goals and ambitions but I like the company I work for and I can achieve a lot at Astraeus, there are the same opportunities available to each and every one of us who works for Astraeus. It does not matter how long you have flown for, if you are up to the standard required of a SCCM, Standards Coordinator, Trainer or whatever other position you want to apply for then the chances are you will be successful. I have not met anyone who does not deserve to be in the position they are in at Astraeus.

I am not saying Astraeus hasn’t got its faults because there is no airline that is perfect. However in the three years that AEU has been operating surely they deserve a lot more credit than some of you are giving them, let us look at what happened thee and a half years ago and look at how the industry was then, most people would have thought anyone who wanted to start an airline that soon after 9/11 must be mad, but the dedication of the staff have made that possible and successful. Astraeus is growing and expanding and with more routes and bases coming along it certainly is an airline worth working for.

Why do you always hear of bad news on the TV? Because that is what people want to hear? Why do you not hear about the good news that happens in the world? Because if you heard about the good things there would be nothing else on TV. It is the same here, everyone wants to slate Astraeus but if all the people who work for and enjoy it at Astraeus post on here then I’m sure the doubters would be outnumbered 20 to 1.


L J

[Rooster_mk1]

London Jets,

Superb post:ok: :ok: :ok:

Rooster.

[Homer Jay 148]

I worked at Astraeus house until late last year, ended up having to leave due to re-locating to Oxford , the crew were mainly a great bunch but did have a few losers, which luckily never had their contracts extended after one season, that would be for many reasons;

Been Pissed for report,
Calling in sick on weekends when they were seen on the shant the night before,
Been generally crap,
Thinking the company revoled around them!

And once this deadwood had moved on, the Company has grown and grown, people who have left and just want to slag them off would no doubt fall in to one of the above catagories, Please find something better to do with your time

Alberville and SPFlyer, God bless crew!!!! without them we would have no stories!!!

[TightSlot]

Going to close this thread now as there seems little scope for development beyond more pointless Astraeus bashing - besides which London Jets seems to have covered the subject eloquently and comprehensively.

malachy8985 I'm sure that all of us lesser mortals, in lesser airlines, who dont enjoy your good fortune in working for such an esteemed employer wish you well for the future with BA: Our loss can only be their gain.

And for the record, before the inevitable comments. No, I don't work for Astraeus, and never have, nor do I personally know anyone who does.