BMI Cabin Crew

[richxby]

Hiya, just wondered if anyone flies/has flown as crew with BMI.

Seen their ads for cabin crew and also flight supervisors @ LHR and was thinking of applying.

Would be grateful in anyone could just give me a bit of info about conditions there, flying, pay, what to expect, anything really! Also whether it would be worth going for the supervisor vacancies as I have 12+ months flying experience.

Fly low cost at the moment so realise the flying would be a bit different, but just looking for a change.

Thanks!

[karnak]

go for it I work within the 'group'. Like most airlines it's hard work these days but if you have the experience an opportunity you should go for good luck!

[pacific.heights]

Morale is low. People are leaving all the time. The sad thing is that very good people leave why would they stay in a company that doesnt value their good work.

The more you are loyal to the company, the less well you seem treated.

Roster disruption is bad as ever. Things were supposed to be sorted thanl to the "roster quality group". In fact, nothing has really changed.

BMI is great as a first job but if you are already working for an airline, i would suggest that you look somewhere else.

Besides, BMI is becoming even more "low cost, no frill" at it plans to charge for drinks/food in ECONOMY

[twisted-diamonddolly]

Pacific heights

I have to disagree with you since the roster quality recommendations have been introduced the amount of changes to rosters has been drastically reduced.

Mid back up is a great success, crews are actually being stood down not kept "just in case..."

p2 booking means you always get on your paxing flt now.

You get a payment now if you work a crew member down.

If you work a third long duty day you get it paid all at the overtime rate meaning £120 in allowances for the day...

The right crew are being used for the right duties, the good guys are nolonger getting shafted...

all in all i think its been a great success and yes moral is low people are leaving but the company is really making an effort.

9 longhaul routes promised in 2 years ex LHR means that bmi will become a much more attractive airline.... and i will remind you longhaul allowances are better than virgin and pretty close to BA's.

yes things have been very bad but they are changing...embrace it and stop whinging.

end of lecture....

[pacific.heights]

Thanks twisted for your reply.

It s true about the third lond day being paid etc etc, but is it automatic or do you have to call crewing to claim it as so far i havent seen any money for my third long day.

I dont know about you, and i dont know either if you are LHR based or not, but i am still being changed a lot.

Regardind the longhaul thing , yep, i know more routes are supposed to come within 2 years. But i am not kidding myself, unless it becomes a mixed fleet, that will not leave many people doing long haul, hence an increase in bitterness in the crew room as it is now being the case ( T1 having long haul etc etc etc).

It would also makes sense to give long haul to people according to seniority not about a stupid test and interview about the long haul service as you are supposed to learn that during the training anyway. What would make sense though, would be to ask more questions about the culture of the countries we are flying to. Like what do you know about India, Saudi Arabia etc etc..

I know some people who got long and who are already moaning about the Indian people. I think it s a bad start.

Having said that, i do keep a positive attitude when i fly as i dont want to ruin anyones day but deep down i feel unhappy and let down.

Which is why i am now applying to other airlines. Shame because i think BMI has the potential to be a great company.

[monkeyhead]

I remember being told 5 years ago when I joined bmi that within 2 years we would be flying long haul out of LHR....and 5 years later.....

twisted I can just imagine the fantastic places our 'twelve new routes' will take us. I mean we already have Mumbai and Saudi as our first two, maybe we will also pick up a few other shabby routes that BA or VS decides to bin.

As for the allowences being 'close to BA' you have got to be joking!! You are talking about two quid something an hour plus a twenty quid 'longhaul trip premium'. Compare that to the dosh (£700+) a BA dolly gets for a NRT or HKG or similar.

You are right, the rosters have stabilised a bit. But it seems they have managed this by rostering the same amount of flying as a year ago but with 20% less crew! The amount of hours we work a week are a joke.

On top of that, what annoys me most about bmi is not the money, not the disruption, not the long days....it is how you are made to FEEL by the management. They are so unprofessional. Go and see them with a problem and they don't give a damn. They still have that air of 'if you don't like it there are plenty of checkout chicks at tesco that are happy to do it'.

I don't need loads of money or a BA-style 3 day, 4 sector short-haul trip (I kid you not!). All I want is to feel a bit appreciated and respected by my employer. It's not much to ask and if I had it I would give a hell of a lot back to the company. Maybe when the bmi management realise this, it will be too late.

[jettesen]

Well guys, if you really want your airline to survive, they may well have to charge for drinks / food in economy to do so. Honestly, would it really be that bad??? Remember the only airlines who never seem to have a problem with finance are the low cost ones.............................why is that I wonder?

[pacific.heights]

No, jettessen, i dont mind so much about charging for drinks.


If you mean the other replies to my post, you wil see that other problem occur at BMI.

[twisted-diamonddolly]

Pacific-heights

Yup I agree with you about the longhaul recruitment, seniority should be rewarded and yes I agree some of our managers treat you like your aged 5 and lost...

My point was that disruption has dramatically decreased and that atleast we have got some new payments that recognise the hell we have been going through...these payments would have been laughed at as pie in the sky just a year ago...

the union are asking for sector pay and/or overtime paid daily not on monthly totals... if this is accepted and i'm pretty sure they will then you will see a big jump in allowances.

yeah its not perfect but its going in the right direction and ONCE i've left the crew room i have a really good laugh onboard which cannot always be said of other airlines i've worked for...atleast at bmi you know people and there is a real sence of community and i like that.