Social life at easyJet?

[Dreamer320]

I'm thinking of moving to the UK, to work with easyJet.
I was wondering what the social life is like... :)
For example, is there an EasyJet sports club, football club, social club etc?
Do pilots meet up outside of work, or do they keep themselves to themselves generally?
I'm 24 and single, so wont have family to keep me busy, and I currently work with an airline where employees enjoy meeting up outside of work; pity the pay is rubbish - hence why i'm considering leaving. :confused:

[Pilot Pete]

From what a very good pal of mine (who works for Easy in the UK) tells me, it wouldn't matter what they provide as you get so little time off and are so knackered you wouldn't make us of it!;)

PP

[airbusa330]

It depends firstly on what your cuture/nationality is.If you happen to be outgoing and ''work to live'' than you are in for a shock.My conclusion is that here people ''live to work''.
In the UK there is no such thing as BBQ's or visting dinner parties.Or it might happen rarely.You do not go to people's houses.You will only meet for a few in a pub once in a while and that's it.Unfortunately I have found it impossible to have a social life.Its just the way people are.On my 4 days off I have friends that are non-UK that enjoy life ouside of work instead of DIY(do it yourself, which is what it is even advertised on the radio as and it is called exactly that) weekend idea.Its a fact.I have been in this part of the world for some time and frankly can't wait to get out simply beacuse of that-no life outside of work(the job is great no matter what you read on here).

I disagree with PP on ''it wouldn't matter what they provide as you get so little time off and are so knackered you wouldn't make us of it!''.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Umm, you will work 5 days on the 3 off, 5 days on and 4 off. Fixed. Therefore you know exactly which weekends you will have off. Everyone in your group at work with whom you fly will be off on the same days as you are repeatedly. Therefore there is ample opportunity to meet up with colleagues from work on a regular basis for the pub quiz, round of golf, BBQ or simple pint in the pub. Particulalry so at one of the smaller regional bases in which you will fly more regularly with the same people.

The company has a social fund which is used at base level to fund curry nights or Christmas parties and the like. Bases such as Gatwick have over 700 EZY cabin crew for you to socialize with if you are young and single, there should be one or two there you find agreeable company.

I cannot see why EZY would be any worse than any other airline for social interaction opportunity and there are factors which make it better than some.

Cheers

WWW

[quattro1]

I agree WWW,

There is a committee of flight deck and cabin crew at each ezy base that puts together activities such as horse or dog racing, go-karting, kareokee, balls, parties and the like throughout the year and as crew you don't have to pay for it.

If you have no social life you need to stop being lazy, talk to, interact with and generally make the effort with the people at work.
For me the biggest thing would be if you spend all day moaning about your lot, your crew certainly arn't going to want to see you when they are not being paid for it! Change the record!

Like most I moved to where I'm now based and so knew few people. There are many in the same boat, they are all up for a few jars.

The shift problem is impossible to solve though, but as WWW said the fixed pattern makes it much better than most.

Quattro

[Dreamer320]

I've never really had much of a problem making new friends, but when i was doing my ATPL in the UK, i found that on the wk ends, everyone just disappeared home to their families - which is normal obviously, but from a selfish point of view, wasnt much good for me...

Thanks for answers, WWW and Audiman esp. - keep it coming... :D

[Permafrost_ATPL]

If you join EZY, it'll talke forever to get your security pass and due to the shortage of training captains, your line training will take quite a while too (I have 14 sectors in August :\ ). So initially the potential for social life is great :ok:

How much people socialise seems to vary a lot between bases. From what I've seen the smaller ones seem more fun since just about everyone knows everyone. And if you like partying, I'd request Newcastle! Well, once they get the Bus anyway.

Like Welshman said, no reason to think that EZY would be any worse than any other airline. In fact, from what I've seen, the atmosphere seems to be friendlier than the likes of BA.

airbusa330 is too negative about it, but do keep in mind that socialising in the UK is quite different than most of mainland europe. It's mostly pubs/curry or pubs/clubs, not so much of 5 hour long dinners at home or in a restaurant. Which is funny since I've never seen so many cooking programs on TV anywhere else in the world :-)

Oh, and if you stay at the IBIS at Luton during training, my young single friends say "find out when cabin crew graduation day is" :E

P

[unablereqnavperf]

Having been at easy for 6 years I can honestly say there is not much social life for pilots. It is impossible to get a short notice change that is outside your roster group so if you want to meet up with someone outside your group you have to take a sick day! I have been involved with the social fund mentioned by previous posters and it does exist. Around £14/head per year. bigger bases tend to put on bigger events as they have more money. Some evets are popular others get cnxd due to lack of interest. This year it has been more difficult to get people out as most are to tired to be bothered.

In the London base's most people live to far appart to arrange get togethers however there are a few people that live near by and do meet up for a drink or two now and again!

Witht the launch of the 5354 roster in the winter things may improve and there does appear to be a new more people friendly management team in place now so again there may be an improvement.

The one thing you will find though is a lot of good folk to work with and very few stuck up types so days at work are quite fun.

However be warned that working for easyjet can very quickly become all consuming and you could find youself dragged in!

I'm just about to leave and do so with very mixed emotions, its hard to leave but i'm looking forward to doing something differant.

If working for a loco airline is your bag then easyjet is the best you'll get! I should know i've been there a long time!

[Pilot Pete]

If working for a loco airline is your bag then easyjet is the best you'll get! I should know i've been there a long time! I don't doubt your statement, but just wondered which other locos you had worked for so as to make a valid comparison? Don't get me wrong, just playing Devil's Advocate.:ok:

PP

[Mr Angry from Purley]

PP

Dont tell me that TFLY is deemed a loco airline, not on your wages! :\

[Dreamer320]

Any EasyJet pilots based in London got anything to say about this?
(I imagine i would be based in London if it's the busiest...)

[Pilot Pete]

PP
Dont tell me that TFLY is deemed a loco airline, not on your wages! :\

No apparently our managers call our scheduled operations 'low fares'.:\ :ok:

Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing easyJet here, far from it. I just think that anyone who claims their's to be the best who has (potentially) never experienced anywhere else is not all that authoritative....

Strangely enough, a recent wage survey found that Tfly pay is not as high as many would think. Since the halcyon days of old our pay has slipped from 'upper quartile' to well down the list. Our F/Os (i.e. ATPL issued, plus 500 jet) start on £40,100. How does that compare with easy?;)

PP

[149pax]

Any EasyJet pilots based in London got anything to say about this?
(I imagine i would be based in London if it's the busiest...)

No, they're probably all out flying :\

I requested Luton, but ended up in Newcastle! I'm really glad, I'm very happy here. Pilots and cabin crew are very friendly and up for a drink, round of golf or a night out. :ok: But you do have to put in an effort yourself to get to know them. British style is strange, I agree :hmm:

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Well if people find the British attitude to work socialization odd then EZY is one of the few airlines that can base you in France, Germany, Italy or (probably soon) Spain if you think those national cultures will suit you better.

Without having worked for a lot of airlines at a lot of bases for a lot of years its very difficult to compare social scenes. As I said, I see no reason why EZY should be worse than anywhere else and there are theories as to why it might be better than some.

I think social life is about two things, time off and forward visibility. With 5 on 4 off, 5 on 3 off you will get 7 days off every 17 days plus you will be free on 12 of those 17 evenings (take a nap in the afternoon). Its just about possible to sustain a regular weekly evening activity like membership of a 5 a side team or an evening class or similar.

Its not ideal but then show me the airline that has perfect rostering and I'll join the queue with you.

There are several airline that you might join in the UK where rosters are produced with maybe 2 weeks notice, with no rostering agreement in place, that have you living in a taxi and out of a suitcase all week. You might not have to fly 880 hrs as you do in EZY but your social/home life will suffer more.

Good luck,

WWW

[Permafrost_ATPL]

I imagine i would be based in London if it's the busiest

Well you might initially be elsewhere but a transfer to London base won't take too much time. You might want to do some research into rents and house prices... Most people don't quite fathom how expensive it is, including outside the M25 (Gatwick, etc.). That said you could probably find a cheap place in Luton, but it's a bit scary :-)

You'll have a lot more money left in the bank up North.

P

[Doug the Head]

Social life at EZY : nonexistent!

People just work too darn hard on a continuous basis! :\

[Bad Robot]

WWW, you mention a Spanish base. Any idea as to when & where?
Will it be a Bus or a Boeing Base?

BR

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

No idea, pure speculation, it would near certainly be a Bus base though. Hot rumour says Madrid but despite being supposedly announced next week there is still no sign.

Berlin, Dortmund, Milan and Paris won't remain the only options for long though. 120 319's ordered, 120 further options, 31 NGs for many years yet all equates to a lot more bases sausage side.

Cheers

WWW

[Bad Robot]

I see from your web site that BFS, LPL, LTN and NCL are all Boeing bases.
Will they change over to the Bus or will they remain Boeing Bases?

BR.

[cartmanfly]

LPL is now a bus base. The LTN, NCL and LTN are Boeing an will remain so for a long time. 2011 was mentioned by the man with the breakdown van. They are trying to get rid of 5 NG's that have a release clause which may perhaps see the liberation of NCL into the 21st century. That leaves about 40 buses for current base expansion or new bases over the next few years. I wouldn't think any more than 10 will stay in the UK so the future is Mainland Europe methinks.

[BitMoreRightRudder]

Liverpool is trying its best to be a bus base, but you Stansted/Gatwick lot keep nicking our buses! Second one arrives today in fact.

[Bad Robot]

So BFS will go Bus as well then?

BR.

[Dreamer320]

So financially and socially, it seems worth trying to avoid a London base...? :hmm:

[cartmanfly]

No BR, BFS will NOT go bus :ugh: There seems no logic as to where they get put eg GLA/EDI but there are no buses in the plan for BFS according to them that should know :*

[Le sok]

It is very interesting to read about the different EZY bases.
I have to choose a 737 base next week.
Can anyone give me a good suggestion?
I am moving from main land Europe, with the whole family.:confused:

Thanks

Le sok

[Eau de Boeing]

Le Sok

It depends on what you are looking for. The only full Boeing bases now are LTN, BFS and NCL. I can only speak for LTN

Luton has the most number of routes, most 737 crew and as an airport is not as busy as STN or LGW.

However you are close to head office and many people choose to live quite a way from the airport.

If you are planning on visiting family on a regular basis in Europe it is probably the easiest and most convenient for getting home.

Any more questions PM me

[loc22550]

I got fed up of long haul flight, so planning to apply to easy jet (used to fly 320 and 330).
BUT I have been told that EASY is Not good for a long term career..:confused:? Personnaly i enjoy short haul better than long haul..
Are they working now on 5354?
Cheers.

[The Flying Cokeman]

loc22550,

5-3, 5-4 should be on the line by 1st of November.

TFCM

[Max Autobrake]

... with further improvements (5/4/5/4 maybe) by the middle of next year.

Finally the bright future is orange :ok:

[orangetree]

there is nothing bright about 5 early starts :\

[Scottie]

BFS, LTN and NCL will go Airbus when the Boeing 737-700 leases run out or they can sell them on. Another 2-3 years I would expect.

As for social life at easyjet - life is what you make it. If nothing is happening at your base organise something. Whether it's a curry night, pub night or whatever.

At my old small base we might only get 6 people turning up for a curry but better than nothing.....

[cartmanfly]

the last NG lease expires in 2012. Only about 5 of the NG's have lease release clauses. That makes your 2-3 yrs more like 5-6 years. Unless of course the Company did something 'ground breaking' and dared to open a new European base with NG's or operate mixed fleet bases. Bring it on...please :ok:

[Scottie]

I stand corrected, I was under the impression they were on 5 year leases and the first were due to be handed back shortly.

The Airbus is tops :D