latest QF Changes

[jakejet]

I Just received this email,some of it very disturbing.

A secret meeting was held in Sydney last week to discuss the future new roles of Onboard Management. My spies tell me the term "Spill & Fill" was used frequently at the meeting.
CSSs to go off Airbus and 767s.
It is proposed for two CSMs to operate the A380s - one to oversee F/C & J/C and the other to look after Y/C. The most senior on the day will determine where they wish to work (similar to the Senior Stewards back in the 80's). There will be no supervisor. This role will go to most senior FA on the day (similar to regional/short haul). It is rumoured that this system may be implemented sooner on the 747-400s.
My spies in Engineering tell me that all 767s will be newly configured for domestic flying and will in turn be replaced by the 787s when in service in 2008/9. Internationally the 767s will be replaced by 777s.
Boeing's 777LR will be able to fly non-stop from London to Melbourne or Sydney in about 19 hours, cutting two hours off the current trip time via Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong. In the other direction, against prevailing westerly headwinds, it would need to stop somewhere for fuel; it is speculated that if these ultra-long-haul services get off the ground, Perth may take over from Singapore or the other stops in Asia as the first stopover from the Australian east coast to Europe. (FACT)
No further orders will be actioned for the A330s because the company now consider this aircraft 'dead'.
Geoff Dixon has just signed new deal for purchase of 35 777s and also 787s (quantity unknown) which, as mentioned above, will replace the 767s domestically.
Qantas is going to get rid of all 747-400's except for 10. These jumbos will be replaced by 777s and A380s.
On sick leave at the moment is OJR. This is the second time this 767 has been stranded in Narita in 6 months.
The first of three trials to observe the effectiveness of the 16th crew member commence this Wednesday (4th May). This crew member will replace the CSM doing the bar service on the main deck and in doing so will help free up the CSM. The 16th crew member plus L4A will work Y/C after the main meal delivery. This will eliminate the need for a horseshoe and hopefully increase customer satisfaction in Y/C which in recent times, according to surveys, has 'gone down the gurglar'. (FACT)
Company now doing 'burns' on B-First. Last week B-First were for the first time hit and asked to start burning some of their accrued LSL.
Perth will now be left with no Base Manager. This is unlikely to occur in Melbourne as we are the second largest base.
The Qantas staff child care centre in Sydney has proven so successful that five more are planned to start up. However to avoid FBT the centres must be built on site. The current centre in Sydney has 45 places or childspots and is used primarily by ground staff. Benefits to the company? They encourage a return to the workforce following mat leave.
United FAs are about to shut down their airline if the company proceeds with its plan to terminate traditional employee pensions. United says it will save $645 million per year by dumping the four employee groups' plans in what would be the largest pension default in U.S. history. (FACT)
Hong Kong Airport has been voted the world's best airport for the fifth year running by Skytrax an airline and aviation research organisation. According to Skytrax, more than 5.5 million people from more than 90 countries responded to a passenger satisfaction survey between June 2004 and March 2005, with Asia-Pacific gateways dominating the top ten. Hong Kong was followed by Singapore Changi and Seoul Incheon. Sydney ranked tenth overall. For Australasia, Sydney ranked first followed by Brisbane and Auckland. (FACT)

[jettlager]

Jakejet,

interesting times ahead no doubt.
IMO if the company remove the CSS on the 747 it will be the biggest mistake yet made by qfmis-management.
It's a dogsbody position and the hardest role on board.
I dread the thought that it will end up going to the most junior FA on the day.

My [very good] sources indicate that a "fill and spill'' won't occur with CSMs...................so who knows ?

Cheers Jettlager

[jakejet]

I agree Jett,
The CSS position really worries me as if it goes it wil be bedlam down the back, it is without doubt the harderst position down the back or anywhere on the aircraft.
I simply dont understand why they woudl want to change such a good working formula or CSM/CSS, they always work well together and IT will be QF's biggest mistake, but not only that, the bidding for flight attendants will slip further as 370 CSS will be spilled into the flight attendant category, bidding will be worse than ever,
what is it with Kylie and the minions, I though the days of GB and LS and SN were bad, they are angels compared to the new regime

[Captain.Q]

The fill and spill of the CSM and CSS position has been doing the rounds for awhile and of late has gathered momentum.The recent "fireside chats" have been used to identify those individuals who are considered to have the "right attitude" to continue to be onboard managers.By combining the onboard managers positions the company will achieve greater resource flexibility for rostering and reserve lines.My sources(7th floor QCA) indicate that the CSM position is not immune from fill and spill as many are considered unacceptable for the job.Likewise many of the CSS.Many junior enthusiastic FAs have already benn earmarked for the positions.This will be the last straw for many senior people and will initiate a "forced attrition".
Like the LHR base chaos will reign supreme for several years as these new promotions obtain experience.Experience on many aircraft under this scenario will be non existant.(for an extended period of time)The pax again will be the guinea pigs.Management find the short term pain long term gain acceptable.
We will become just another bus service(if we haven't already)
With Howard about to gain control of both houses Dixon and his cronies will run riot.

[peanut pusher]

Please explain spill and fill in the context of the meeting for current crew. I tell people loose a few from the top and gain some cheaper ones from the bottom at a cheaper rate.
Funny thing happened today, I caught the train home from LHR and was seated with a United & Cathey crew members in the front of the train. Guess what same s_it differant airlines, same cuts and crew concerns re wages etc.
Seems Dicko has a few mates in other airlines doing the same. The industry is going to never be the same again, enjoy it now as the gig is almost over.

[qfcsm]

Basically "spill and fill" means making a change to the current role that is significant enough to warrant asking for new applications for those positions (fill).

The current role is then made redundant and all positions are dumped (spill).

It's a corporate way of getting rid of the stale supervisors and recruiting fresh candidates.

[DEFCON4]

Once Son of Dick gets what he wants a couple of QF subsidiaries may well be folded into mainline QF and renamed with a much lower cost base....meaning lower wages and conditions.With the way things are the mainline business may implode before then.

[Pro Golfer 69]

Does anyone know what is the likely hood of us receiving another A/C in the economy cabin? If it does happen how many additional crew would be required across the board?
It would seem an amazing about face by the company considering what it would cost.

[jettlager]

Rumour has it that the "trial" is being conducted now on selected sectors.

Given the pay cut that hundreds if not thousands of us are facing I'm sure the accountants that run QF can afford it.

Jettlager

[GalleyHag]

The cost of an additional crew member could be off-set by the scrapping of the CSS category. I was surprised when I read that QF were considering the additional crew member but its always at a cost to crew.

[jakejet]

the cost of the CSS would not offset the cost a replacement, at the moment QF have got a OBM that does the work of a F/A plus all the work of the OBM, it 2 for the price of one, thats whyu it seems so dumb to replace them.
I have been on trips where a F/A has been called out to operate as a CSS and it has been mayhem, no one respects their authority and they take no responsibility.It real hard work for the CSM as they have to be down the back and also up the front. GAlley HAG by the looks of your posts you must be short haul and therfore have no understanding of the Long Haul process.

[GalleyHag]

I agree with you Jakejet I was just pointing out how the cost of the additional crew member could be off-set somewhat with the proposed reduction of the CSS role.

Yes I am short haul, however I thought my future was in long haul thus my interest in that division. True I may not have an understanding of the long haul process, point taken.

[jakejet]

galley hag I have PM you.

[Machinegun Fellatio]

A new service is being trialled called "Grazing"or continual service in Y/C...hence the introduction of an extra crew member.You will be infront of pax continually for the lenght of the sector.It will work wonderfully on night sectors where the lights will be on continuously while we continually ask pax if they would like anything...great for watching a movie when you are being asked questions all the time.
These people are geniuses at getting it totally WRONG!!!but consistently at least.