British Airways WW - LGW

[twisted-diamonddolly]

Hi Guys,

I've read all the posts on BA here but there isn't much info on LGW - WW?

just wondered if anybody could give any info on trip patterns , days off , crew morale etc... Ive been flying 14years shorthaul so am totally over the moon to get LGW WW ( esp after applying for LHR EF!) but all my firends I've asked at BA are LHR based and really don't seem to know much about LGW??? ( except to say I should wait for LHR)

I've read all the post on here from LGW EF crews how would love to fly WW and so am very conscious of how lucky I am and certainly don't want to rub salt into the wounds...

I've looked at the routes and it looks like you spend alot of time in Antigua with shuttles to various islands. How long is the longest trip? and are you still trained on 747's or is it 777 only?

Much appreciate any info

[apaddyinuk]

Hello Twisted,
Well after almost two years based at WW LGW tomorrow is my first trip at WW LHR!!!
All I can say is that I already miss it. It is perhaps the best kept secret in BA in my opinion anyways. We only have 9 routes... ATL, MCO, TPA, IAH, DFW, BDA, BGI, KIN and ANU. The vast majority of the trips are only 3days (EG, Nightstop) but there are a few long trips there such as the occasional two night IAH (YOU WILL GET USED TO LIVING IN IAH), two night BGI, up to 8 days in ANU, 5 day KIN, 4 day BDA and of course your back to backs which range from 6 days to 8 days!
You will be trained on both the 777 and 747 however you will never see the 747. You will be sent for a familiarisation out of LHR for the 747 which is usually CAI, LOS or DXB and if you see it again then that is because you have been lucky to be called for a 747 off standby! LGW crew have also recently been operating DXB's out of LHR.
Gatwick is very much an intermediate base where lots of new flyers are put. The age scale is quite young compared to the rest of BA but it is a LOT of fun! You also get to know people and within 6 months dont be surprised if you know half the faces in a briefing room when reporting for work.
I cant say enough good things about LGW, it was a great place for me to start and I will always miss it. People will complain that its strict but to be honest, because most of the crew are relatively new to flying, they do need to drum in the standards as it is sort of a training base!
You will love it, just make the most of your time there!

[worldwidelad]

hello twisted!

Congrats on getting ww lgw.

you will have a lot of fun! Not much to add to what paddy has to say.
however there are a few longer trips for the winter schedule. 5 day IAH and a lovely back to back ( 4day BDA 4 day BGI)

in the summer its mainly nightstops.

you always land in the morning and get 3 days off after every trip so if you live local you can be home and in bed by about 10am!

lovely crew at LGW. will also miss it

take care and happy flying.

[Off Stand]

I'm main crew at LGW on WW. I thoroughly enjoy it. Yes the trips and money is better at LHR, but as already mentioned, we ALWAYS have 3 days off, lots of sunshine destinations.

99% of the crew are great fun and we are well known in the company for having a drink or two down route.

When do you come on line? Feel free to PM me on here if you have any questions, see you are 39,000ft!!!

[charliecc]

Sounds like good fun - I start my training for LGW WW on 17th Oct. I can't wait!

When you say you always have 3 days off after a trip, do you mean you have the rest of the day that you arrive back plus 2 days? Or the rest of the day you arrive back plus 3 days?

Thanks, and see you soon!

[spoilers yellow]

After any stateside trip you are entitled to 3 MBT ( minimum base turnaround) days, so you get whats left of the day you get home, but be prepared to feel a bit jaded from being up all night, then a further 3 days off.

With the likes of the Dubai trips and any shorter Africa stuff eg. Lagos you will only be given 2 days off.

From my perspective (flight crew) The LGW WW crews are a fantastic bunch, and theres lots of new faces there at the moment so i'm sure you wont be feeling like the new kid on the block, which I've seen more than once at LHR.
Enjoy.:ok:

[charliecc]

Thanks! Sounds like a good deal to me!

[twisted-diamonddolly]

Thanks for all the info everyone! Just got back from a " challenge anneka " round Europe 3 day trip with 12 hour days and 10 hour min rest in a different hotel everynight so can't tell you how good it was to read these posts!!!

I'm so excited to be joining WW at LGW!!!

Can't wait!!!!

On a practical note the am I right in thinking that coming from the M4 around M25 then the M23 junction is a complete nightmare at most times of the day ?? or are there just peaks that are really bad??

[charliecc]

I don't know about the M23 junction, but from the M4 down to the M3 is much better now that they've finished widening it. It can still be very slow during rush hour, but not complete gridlock like it used to be! I'm hoping that the LGW course starts and finishes early to avoid both rush hours!

[flyer55]

Enjoy WW LGW im sure you will on your secondment from EF LHR. Alot of lovely crew at LGW and new faces especially on EF LGW prior to the Singlefleet plans. Good trips and thats from seeing the rosters over the last few months. Have fun !!

[737ng]

Hi,
I'm also joining LGW WW the 17th of OCT.
I'm from Italy. Guess that most of the crew will be English.

charliecc, Where are you from ? Are you going to relocate close to LGW when you start working ?

See you all next week.

[worldwidelad]

I doubt it will be a secondment. Just like last time and the time before that they call it a secondment but the crew just get absorbed into the system and don't have to go "back to shorthaul" unless they want to. So if you are wanting to stay at longhaul I shouldn't worry too much. :O

There are crew from all over the place, lots of Italians, French and Spanish at BA. So don\'t think you\'ll be the only non British!

[flyer55]

Just been to a forum the other day it will be a secondment and they will be sent back to ef lhr as they will not look for places for them on ww lhr. Your contract also states that in the first 2 years BA can place you anywhere they like.

[flybywire]

I'm hoping that the LGW course starts and finishes early to avoid both rush hours!

Bad luck.....course hours are 09:00-17:30. Some courses agree to start at 08:00 but the things to cover are so many that you end up staying till 17:30 anyway, if not longer.
I don't remember a single night I got in before 7-7.30pm and I live round the corner. But, in this way, I didn't need to open a book at home for the whole course and passed with flying colours.
Lots of fun, though......beautiful memories, so many that I look forward to my recurrent training every year (sad woman!) :oh:

FBW:)

[charliecc]

Hi 737ng,

I live in Slough. I'm not relocating to Gatwick - I'll commute. Think I can handle it for just 5 weeks!

Have they told you where you're meant to be and when?

[flyguy532]

hi guys

just wonderin whats the average take home for ww at lgw and what do u have to work to ge that amount

[sevenforeseven]

Flyguy532,

No doubt above industry average for less than industry average workload. Watch yourself Willy is watching you.