View Full Version : Ba Ef Lgw
tilly666
8th Oct 2005, 16:50
Times are changing for us at EF LGW. We have been told that as of Nov, we will be operating our 737 aircraft with 3 cabin crew, down from 4/5 and to expecy a radical change in service in the eurotravller cabin. Club Europe will remain and extra crews will be provided if club pax levels increase. Crew's are speculating that the change in service for ET will be drinks only.
Already as part of cost cutting at LGW (again) WW has said that a low cost product will be offered to lgw pax, but in the general sense like easy, ryan etc
Should we not make the required savings by 2007, then we don't know what will happen. Morale is pretty low at the moment, given the latest rumour that transfers to LHR have been stopped indefinately.
Why doesn't someone realise up at waterworld that LGW is already as low cost as we can go and that the focus should turn on LHR where allowances to CC alone must run into billions. Nothing against my LHR colleagues but it is always SH LGW who get the short straw!!
Quite a few crew are now taking the opportunity to go to pastures new as many feel that the end is in sight for us or indeed ba.com crew in red baseball caps and blue jeans!!!!:sad: :ugh:
Tilly love, that is exactly why I took my transfer to Heathrow Worldwide from Gatwick. Gatwick will, sadly, always be a great "guinnea pig" for trials and tests. The Union isn't particularly strong within EuroGat, I doubt that you would ever see Heathrow crew walk-out in support of our EuroGat colleagues and sadly, EuroGat doesn't have the same sort of Clientelle as Heathrow. Gatwick Eurofleet caters mainly to those passengers doing purely intra-European trips. One sector journeys in each direction. These are the kind of people who would be far more willing to adopt a lowcost approach to flying than those who are using our European services to connect to long-haul flights from Heathrow.
I think Willie Walsh will have some massive plans in store for Gatwick and very few will benefit the crew. Willie is a fantastic business man and while his plans and actions may not be in favour of the crew community, they are of benefit to those who really, really matter. The shareholders.
I digress : if you're at Gatwick Eurofleet and really dislike it, quit. Apply as a new entrant with the company and the likelihood is that you will be based at Heathrow. You might be junior but I believe you'll have more job security, certainly more money and enjoy a variety of routes to keep morale high.
Wishing you the very best whatever happens,
Eddy
flybywire
8th Oct 2005, 21:05
These are the kind of people who would be far more willing to adopt a lowcost approach to flying than those who are using our European services to connect to long-haul flights from Heathrow.
I have to disagree on this.
The reason why BA at LGW is losing money (they say) is because of bad fares. If you read the shares, only a little percentage of eurotraveller is sold at full fare. Most of the fares are discounted and an amazing percentage is non-revenue!!!!!! Next time I have a bit of time I ought to take a copy of the documents that are exposed in the speakers's corner on 3rd floor.
When bmi decided to go "no frills" at LHR, I had club passengers - and traveller pax who enjoy the benefits of flexible economy fares - complain to me about that! It was incredible how many of them said that if BA goes "cheap" (meaning no food/drinks unless paid for onboard) they will go on a strike! => won't fly ba.
If that's really the way forward, we will only attract the share of the customers that already pay very little for our flights.
WW will have to realise that we cannot possibly compete with EZY at Gatwick. We don't have the structures (from management to crew ops etc) and the infrastructures to go low cost all of a sudden. EZY was born low cost and those people have a lot of experience.
Eddy you're right, there's always the option of re-applying to BA as one of my mates has done. He is now at LHR doing short haul and is happier. However this can be the solution for the individual and not not for everybody. Besides,will all this work? I personally don't want to see my airline in trouble, wherever I am based, but I have no faith in their "revolutionary" thoughts!!
Tilly66 you're right, morale is very low, also given to the fact that we've had the hardest summer I can remember (for me it was worse than my charter years) and all worked bloody hard as it was, imagine how it will be with 3 crews. If BA want the same level of customer service as it is now with only 3 fatigued crews looking after 150 passengers AND club (which they are promoting) they can only dream about it. We are only humans.
Ba without excellent customer service simply isn't BA anymore.
I ought, at this point, to point out that Gatwick Eurofleet crew are the absolute MUTTS NUTS!
After two years of commuting on LGWEF, I've met some fantastic people, enjoyed some excellent flights and always got home safely, fed, watered and rested. Good job.
flybywire
8th Oct 2005, 21:12
After two years of commuting on LGWEF, I've met some fantastic people, enjoyed some excellent flights and always got home safely, fed, watered and rested. Good job.
That's because we love you, darling.
I am very often on the ABZ route (I love it up there and it's one of my top bids) so I am sure I have had the pleasure to look after you.......I just hope you're not the long haul guy who almost threw up on me a few months ago!!!!! :}
Just wanted to repeat what EDDY said.. LGW cabin crew,ground staff, and the North Terminal is bloody fabulous... I used to work at LGW as crew and am now at LHR Ground. Gatwick never has any of the problems we seem to have every month at LHR (catering,no fuel etc etc!!!).... when will the Waterside junkies realise that there is more to BA than just LHR ???????
Keep it up Gatwick Staff... I think your brilliant, and I look forward to the day I can get back there.
tilly666
9th Oct 2005, 09:15
flybywire I absolutely totally agree that this has been the hardest summer yet, harder than my charter days too!! Far too many late finishes, single days off and constant minimum rest both down route and at base.
you are also very right in saying that if we are expected to feed, water and care for 147 pax with only 3 crew (particularly during the summer) then the customer satisfaction levels from GPMS will be significantly lower and will pax want to pay a club fare to have a half hearted service ue to fatigued crew???!!!
Eddy I am very pleased you think so much of us at eflgw and realise that we do actually work for the same company and do the same job, abeilt on different a/c. We do have some problems with LH commuting crew who treat a small amount of crew with bad attitudes etc, so your comments mean alot to us.
Lets see how and what happens as to wether EF LGW (some of who, I believe are the best in BA) crew will stay!
Off Stand
9th Oct 2005, 14:24
I wanna back up what Eddy said about the crew. I fly between LGW and NCL quite a lot to see my girlf, I've always had a good flight.
I do hear some of my LH work mates winge and moan when they commute, funny thing is those same wingers aren't exactly great at their own job!!!!
Whether you're flying to Brussels or Barbados, the main thing that annoys an LGW crew member is the way we are thought of by a lot of management and crew at LHR. Whenever I'm called out to fly from LHR, as soon as I mention that I'm based at LGW, it's "ahhhhhhh, bless!", how rude!!!!
Anyway, keep it up EFLGW!!!!!!
DarkStar
9th Oct 2005, 14:26
Tilly666 - There are also strong rumours that BA CC will also be required to clean the A/c whilst on turnround. Also, looks like many more outstation staff will be outsourced. More early starts and even later finishes planned for LGW routes.
Happy days :(
flyer83
9th Oct 2005, 15:57
I'm also LGW EF crew and i've not been around a great deal of time, however i'm already getting to the point where i've had enough. I work with great people and have a lot of fun however i'm so tired all the time i wonder if its worth it, i'm currently in two minds as to wether i should stick it out to see if midfleet eventually happens or just go on my way to somewhere I actually am able to enjoy my time off.
flybywire
9th Oct 2005, 19:31
I'm also LGW EF crew and i've not been around a great deal of time, however i'm already getting to the point where i've had enough. I work with great people and have a lot of fun however i'm so tired all the time i wonder if its worth it, i'm currently in two minds as to wether i should stick it out to see if midfleet eventually happens or just go on my way to somewhere I actually am able to enjoy my time off.
Flyer83 I know where you're coming from. The money isn't good either if you have a bad month (bad roster) and sometimes it's cheaper just to stay at home!! All these things are really painful for any EF LGW crew, especially new entrants.
Like many of you have said ppl here are GREAT (including some of the managers....well, mine is the best I could dream of, and I mean it). Unfortunately though I can see many of these "great people" transforming into little devils if some "rumours" become true.
Cleaning the aircraft? we'll see...there's nothing in our contracts that says we have to do it. On the contrary it says that if for some unforseen circumstances (eg. cleaners on strike) we have to do it, we can claim a payment for that.
I know many people here at EF LGW who come to work because they enjoy the environment and the job itself and could do without the money easily. I can foresee a major walk-out if things get really bad. If BA becomes "lower-cost" (we are already low cost crews at EF LGW) there's no point in working as hard as with a charter company and earn half as much. All major UK airlines are recruiting and BA on your CV is a key that can open many, many doors.......
...
FBW
PS: Tilly66 I am wondering if I've ever flown with you.....if not, I hope I will :)
I just hope you're not the long haul guy who almost threw up on me a few months ago!!!!!
That would insinuate that I might have been awake on a flight?!?! That hardly ever happens - atleast not on the way home.
After the safety demo, a bit of breakfast and hopefully a quick chat with the crew, it's lights-out time for me.
I know that some Longhaul crew have bad attitudes towards you guys on Eurofleet. This is unacceptable. It's not right when a commercial passenger treats you like crap so it's certainly not right for a staff passenger on a cheap-as-chips ticket to do so.
If anyone really irks you, just quietly, subtly and politely remind them that all you would really have to do it send a report to the office about their behaviour and suddenly, their commute would become far more difficult - certainly much more expensive (bye bye Staff Travel).
tofster
10th Oct 2005, 17:44
Hey FBW!!
Not seen you for ages honey, hope you are keeping well! Well I have to say that after only being with BA EF at LGW for 6 months I feel absolutely burnt out, as said before this is harder than my charter days. Am very tempted to quit and reapply for EF LHR, is that possible FBW?
Really hope that things aren't going to change too much, I've already had soo many complaints about the Euro Traveller product from some passengers. I was so proud when I got this job but now I am looking at other airlines, never thought that would be the case, but sadly it is.
T x
worldwidelad
11th Oct 2005, 12:19
In fairness there is bad attitude from minorities in short haul and long haul. I have had short haul LGW crew say there were no breakfasts left for us, when quite clearly there were. Also I recieved bad attitude comments regarding me having no wings and gone straight to long haul. Thankfully this is in the minority though and the majority of crew are lovely.
I know that EF LGW have been shafted and feel bad that they get kicked in the face with LGW being blamed for loss making, and transfers stopping etc, but try and keep positive guys.
x
Schnarf????????????????? LOL
flybywire
12th Oct 2005, 00:38
Schnarf????????????????? LOL
UH??? (maybe I shouldn't ask...) ;)
Eddy so you're a sleeper then!! I know how bad it is to commute immediately before or after a LH trip, having flown LH for 3 years myself before joining BA-though I used to commute by train!!! That's why I try to make it as easy as possible for the commuting crew.
However what I don't really like is when some of our colleagues (SH and LH) who use our flights to commute have no respect for the lack of space on board. I have seen many open the wardrobe and shove their (BIG) bag in there without asking the purser's permission and without even trying to use the available space in the lockers first!
This kind of attitude shows no understanding and respect for our daily struggle with pax bags on board (especially on the -300s), isn't particularly appreciated by most of our colleagues and creates a chain reaction (you don't respect me so why should I make an effort). Totally wrong, I know, but it happens.
Anyway I am glad you're not the poor guy who was sick all over the place a few weeks ago, he wasn't well at all and was so embarassed poor thing!!!
worldwidelad I am sorry you encountered such rude cabin crew, I can assure you it's a minority. However when you fly on SBY sometimes we really do not have a meal on board (especially since we started being return-catered). Also our crew breakfasts sometimes are the same as pax's. On some occasions I've given mine away just to make things easier, but we're not obliged to do so!!
To go back to the initial discussion.....Tofster I know how you feel. I have my OOF day in november and cannot wait to get some answers. I know they will try to avoid answering most of my questions, but they won't be able to ignore everything as I will provide tangible proof for my arguments. Example: I've been taking pictures of the interiors of the cabin of numerous aircraft.
The general state of our fleet is disastrous. Before tempting ppl to upgrade to Club they should sort out the tech problems. Nobody wants to pay an extra £100 to have a broken seat, cold tea and maybe a queue of traveller pax waiting to use the only loo available. Also The next time the frame of a pax window falls off I will take it off the plane and leave it on SS's desk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheer up babe.... If you have a look at Carmen you'll see that Winter trips are much nicer. Have you found a way to bid efficiently? If not, I can give you a hand. Maybe we'll get one trip together next month and we'll have a proper good time. And, if you really want to leave, I have an idea..... xxxx
FBW