Bmed or Ba lgw please help

[superairhostess]

Hi everyone I don't know what to do:ugh:

The pay and my roster is miserable at Ba and Bmed has given me a start date for 27th nov:rolleyes:

I asked bmed if they've got another date but they haven't so I have to decide really quickly!:uhoh:

I'm a bit scared of leaving a big company for a small one but the Bmed money really appeal to me as I'm buying a house next year.
Please help:ouch:

Having last minute thoughts...

[smile high]

thats a difficult one! do you fly longhaul with ba and any chance of promotion etc..think long term!! bmed sounds good though have friends their who really like it and have stayed for some time. just not so sure about the routes though?

[HZ123]

BMED have been operating for 10 or more years I believe and open new routes every year. I thought BA LGW crews were content and anyway whatever you decide you can always get back to BA eventually. BMED is probably more financially secure than BA especially the LGW unit, consider tha BMED destinations, some of them are the back of beyond. If the money is better then that maybe for you at this time is the prime consideration. Good luck.

[flybywire]

HI...that's a tough one.

If money is really what you need at this time and place then maybe BMED will be better for you. However I work with a few ex-BMED crew and they left it for many reasons, one of them being the long trips,most on min rest, which meant they were barely at home. Although those are the trips that pay the most!

However as far as I remember you're fairly new at LGW and rosters will improve, believe me. My first 4 rosters were not good (and we didn't have LH at that time) but then they started getting better.

Plus points for LGW:

- If you're ever going to consider promotion, at LGW it can be fairly quick (I became a purser after only 19 months as I had previous experience).

- There are LOTS of courses that started and will start after yours so your seniority will improve very quickly - which means more bidding satisfaction for both trips and leave.

- Mixture of long and short haul, all the people who I've spoken to who are already doing the mixed flying are happy with it, although 2 different aeroplanes (as opposed to BMED's A320/1) mean a little more studying!

- Really good crew, it's like a big family.

Bad points for LGW:

- Money can make life a bit difficult at the beginning, although I am sure that LH will bring more money to all of us.

- LGW is the invisible sister of LHR....for example whenever you read the cabin crew news they only mention LHR even when issues are common to LGW as well. Might not be a big bad point but it's enough to make me angry!!! ;) Unfortunately Willie does it too and that really annoys me.

As for BMED I do not know the company so I cannot say anything. The only bad points I saw when I thought of applying for them years ago were a)long trips away from home often on min rest between sectors and b) it's a LHR! I could not bear the M25 or indeed to leave this part of england (which incidentally was n.2 in the best places to live last night on tv!). The plus point for me was their middle eastern destinations, funny enough they are a bad point for many other crew!

It's all up to you.....if you feel like going........go, I love BA but I turned it down twice before I actually joined, so it's not the end of the world!!

Good luck :ok:

FBW

[flyer55]

HZ 123 YOU QUOTE " BMED is probably more financially secure than BA especially the LGW Unit " totally disagree . BA at LGW is a mainline operation and is making money where as BMED is a franchise at the moment just like GB Airways . BA wont give up the slots they hold at LGW !

With the New Gatwick fleet (mixed flying for cabin crew) who get the opportunity to bid for what they would like to do and being a mixture of shorthaul and longhaul!

[superairhostess]

Cheers everybody

I really like LGW everybody is really nice and the thought of going to Addis Ababa instead of Antigua doesn't ecxite me that much but nobody can guarantee me how much I'm gonna earn and when and how often I'm gonna do the longhaul trips so it's really a tough decision for me!:ugh:

I'm not that worried with being away as if I wanted to stay home I wouldn't have got in this job also I leave in central London and luckily just 20 min.away from LHR thanks to Heathrow Express.

Still thinking on it though :confused:

[tofster]

Hi Super,
I spent 2 years at Bmed before coming to LGWEF. Best move I ever made. It is true that the money is slightly better at Bmed,BUT I am far far happier coming to work at BA than I was at Bmed. Before anyone jumps on me for bad mouthing Bmed, this was a personal choice. The routes at Bmed drove me crazy, I was not happy flying to Iran, Uzbekistan etc etc. It got to the point where I was almost in tears getting ready for work. The money was ok but at BA I am earning prob a hundred pounds less a month than Bmed. However now that onefleet is kicking into action I think my money will be about the same. The crew at Bmed are great, it was a nice little company to work for, although I do like being a number rather than the whole management knowing who you are, there was a case of too many chiefs at Bmed I thought. They are VERY strict on uniform at Bmed and SEP training is a nightmare. I'm not sure if it is still the case but Bmed had a HUGE turnover of staff leaving to go to BA LHR when I was there. Personally if you are looking for a long term career I would suggest sticking at BA LGW and putting in for a transfer to LHR, have heard rumours that the transfer list may still open this year. Hope this helps a little. Feel free to pvt me if ya want!

T xx

[WeLieInTheShadows]

Lots to consider here I guess.

You live really near to LHR, so a short commute is indeed invaluable! I personnally rate it very highly in my life and wouldn't change it for more cash (I live 10mins away from work).

BMED is indeed a franchise and to be honest have heard mixed reviews. We have people working at LGW who used to work for BMED, so it might be worth searching them out and having a word with them. I thought does occur to me though that why are they at LGW fo BMED was so good?

BMED from what I know is all trips so if guaranteed time away is what you want, then it might be the right option.

At LGW because you are brand new there is no way you can guarentee trips (especially long haul ones), so if a totally trip orientated roster is what your looking for, expect disappointment. I would add to though that many people have been working for EFLGW for years as Main Crew and made a living out of it.

I would also add that you need to decide if flying is going to be career. It if is, then I would say stay at LGW because the career paths are only limited to where you want to go. You can move on to PSR and then to CM if you want to stay flying. If you bide your time you can transfer to LHR. Or you can go into other areas such as a job at Cranebank or Waterside. At BMED the choices are far more limited.

It all depends on what YOU want.

What do you NEED to earn every month? Money is not the be all and end all of everything. Obviously it helps. But a job that you wake up and enjoy coming to every morning is in my opinion far more important. It's a large part of your life, so make sure you like it.

I would urge you to search out more information on BMED before making a decision. Talk to people who work for them and compare what they say to your current working condidtions. Also remember SFLGW is still not fully up and running until Feb, so an accurate picture of how things will be will not able to be formed until March at least.

Be aware that any advice you do get from anyone will not always be impartial depending on where they work ( I have tried to be impartial here, however I am not a BMED expert so can't comment too much on them).

Good luck anyway what ever you decide.

[flybywire]

But a job that you wake up and enjoy coming to every morning is in my opinion far more important. It's a large part of your life, so make sure you like it.

So true. I used to earn at least £400pm more while working for a charter airline (lots of LH there) and I turned BA down twice because I was so unsure aboutbeing able to live on my possible new salary (things have changed at BA since I joined, btw, my basic was £9,000 exactly p.a. and our flying hours were taxed then!).

I was earning more but boy if I was stressed and sad and hated the company with all my heart. I hated the trips, I hated the night flights so much. So when BA offered me the job once more (I was so lucky to get that 3rd call!) it was like the best present I had ever received.

I finally started going to work feeling happy every day, finally enjoying my job again, I loved having a laugh with both flight and cabin crew even at 5am while dealing with dirty ovens, stinky toilets and catering problems, even on "sensitive" routes passengers were MUCH better than on any random charter flight I had ever done with the previous airline. I used to go back home feeling I had some energy left to give my friends.

You never know what a change (or lack of!) might bring you. I am sooooo happy I made mine, as people who know me know that my life has improved so much since then, despite a few pennies less in my bank account!!!

Can't wait for the little screamer to be born and old enough, I am definitely going back, in fact I am a bit envious of you guys talking about flying right now!!!!!;)

sorry for the long post, but WLITS is right, talk it through with ex-BMED crew, Tofster is a really nice guy I am sure he'll answer all the questions you might have, won't you Tofstie?? :E

Good luck!!!

FBW:)

[Danzet]

Hey superairhostess
when have they told you that you were summoned for the course on 27th november? I thought they had cancelled all new courses and delayed the delivery of new aircrafts! I am in probation yet and i was worried because of that but if they are starting a new course on the 27th november that IS good news... can you please tell me WHEN have you been told this information?

Thank you and if you join BMED... se you on line!

[HZ123]

No new aircraft for at least 2 years and then most likely to be hand me downs from LHR. Flyer 55 take your point but WW is a loose cannon and might do anything to improve earnings. While at Varna in the summer several of the watersiders came out to look at a location futher up the coast, they stated that 2 years before replacement a/c decision and if LGW profits not good enough most of shorthaul would fold. I do not think they are bothered about the slots. Let us hope I and they are totally wrong.

[flybywire]

if LGW profits not good enough most of shorthaul would fold. I do not think they are bothered about the slots.

Sorry but LGW short haul alone has done very well, profits were in fact on target in the first quarter.

As for slots, they are extremely important, WW will NEVER leave LGW to become all orange, the guy has no pity I agree but knows exactly what he's doing. I might not agree from a human point of view at times but he has no heart, and you do not need a heart when you deal with such a huge business, you need brains, strategy and something else which I am not allowed to mention on a public forum!

[Dash-7 lover]

BMED is cheap - BA LGW isn't so I think BMED has more of a longterm future. LGW is classed as an outstation along with MAN and anywhere else. LGW shorthaul may have done well and on target but is that off the back of BMED??? Personally I'd go for BMED. Sounds like more fun.

[tofster]

Dash, with respect do you know what you are talking about? I have worked for both Bmed and BA LGW. BA LGW is not an outstation. We operate both long and short haul flying out of LGW. We are employed by British Airways. As for long term prospects, Bmed recently had a REALLY tough time of it as it's main jewel in it's crown is the LHR-Beirut leg. Bmed was operating flights for BALGW if there were any a/c going tech at BA. So who would you say was living off who's back?

[HZ123]

Tofster;I cannot entirely agree with you. Surely a large portion of the slots are held by GB and there is nothing to stop the pattern of handing more routes to GB and thus retein a presence. I have been around long enough to see Portugal and Spain switched to GB. What else is waiting in the wings.

[tofster]

You think GB can take over the BA LGW programme? Even if BA did pull out of Gatwick they have to find us alternative employment within BA. This no doubt would be as crew at LHR. So don't see how we can loose really?
Don't see what GB has to do with this thread though? BA is doing well at LGW and there is NO sign of BA pulling out of BA. As I said I flew for Bmed and now fly for BA at LGW. I do not regret leaving for one minute. I believe I have better prospects at BA than I ever did at Bmed. But most importantly I am far far happier at BA. I love my job and the lifestyle that I am able to have with preference bidding. Money is one thing but being happy in your job is in another leaugue:ok:

[Dash-7 lover]

Tofster.... yes ok? major error. got my 'BMED's and 'GB's arse about face.....BMED have their own niche out of LHR and seem to be doing ok and I'm sure there are equal benefits. Off the original thread, GB seem to be keeping LGW alive. I work for a ''wholly owned'' subsidiary and also have a BA staff number, use BA systems, promote the BA brand but that doesn't hold water. If I want to apply for a job with ''mainline'' I'm classed as an external candidate. I can see some kind of vague logic because of different contracts and history but don't hold your breath with the section of the redundancy policy that states finding suitable alternative employment in the BA Group if the worst should happen. You'll be BA when it suits and and franchise/subsidiary/outstation when it doesn't.

[SuperBoy]

BMED have their own niche out of LHR and seem to be doing ok and I'm sure there are equal benefits.

Yes they used to because there were no competition on the routes they did, now it is a completely different story. BEY the original money maker barely features anymore. Numerous reasons:
-BMED charges quite a bit.
-BMED HAD a monopoly on the route but now KLM fly there with a 747. LH also now fly there, they use a larger a/c(sorry can't be more specific on LH a/c)
-They have just cancelled 1 of there routes and they also cancelled/delayed the delivery of there next 2 a/c. Doesn't seem like there business plan is going quite the way its supposed to.

GB seem to be keeping LGW alive.

You are kidding right? I'm sorry but have you any Idea about what is happening at BA? You do realise that GB is a franchise? Yes, GB is doing great but EF LGW has made a profit SF is saving the company almost 14 million and Mainline LGW is going from strength to strength.

I work for a ''wholly owned'' subsidiary and also have a BA staff number, use BA systems, promote the BA brand but that doesn't hold water. If I want to apply for a job with ''mainline'' I'm classed as an external candidate.

Yes you fall under the BA umbrella, yes BA owns BAcon until recently Ba owned the London Eye but none of them were offered jobs at BA mainline. You did however apply for a job at citiflyer or bacon(depending on how long you've been there) you did not apply to BA mainline. You are however correct in stating that if you were to lose your job due to redundancy because of that clause you MIGHT be offered a job with mainline. (As per SOU closing down and now alot of the crew are on abinitio training courses beginning of nov for SF)

Also as a franchise BMED and GB are complete separate companies to BA and if they crash you will not be offered a position with BA.

Back to the original thread.

SuperAirHostess: I could tell you all the horror stories about BMED and I could tell you all the nice ones but at the end of the day you have to decide whether you are happy at BA. At the moment you are trying to make a choice between BA and Bmed but I think you should first decide whether BA is right for you. As you are aware there are alot of things changing at BA and come Feb when it all kicks in, in my personal opinion you will LOVE it.

I can only speak of my personal experience at BMED and I hated it(I'm not trying to offend anyone) There are too many points to bring up and I know you know how I feel about BMED, on the flip side there are people at BMED who have been there for years and they LOVE it. What they love about the company is a mystery to me but hey it takes all kinds.

I met a few FANTASTIC people there that I still keep in touch with.

I hope you make the decision that is right for you however I'm sure you will. :ok::ok::ok:

[tofster]

Dash our new MOA which came into effect on the 1st of October clearly states that we are now in the redeployment section should LGW close. This was one of the agreements the unions fought for with the singlefleet contract. I am not going to get into an arguement as to whether you agree that I work for BA or not. I have a BA PLC contract. Not a franchise or a subsidiary contract. Its true that LGW was once so, BUT not for years now.

Can we get back to the topic now?

[Dash-7 lover]

Superboy - after 17 years, yes I'm fully aware of whats happening at BA and fully aware that GB is a franchise (cheap!). I wish superairhostess all the best with whatever path is taken. No doubt this thread clarified things.

[flyer55]

Everyone lets get a few things clear : BA Gatwick Fleet is not a franchise or subsidiary its Mainline and part of ACC NSP that was a condition in the new fleet setup !

Franchises are GB, BMED , Comair & Sunair

Subsidiary - BACONNECT

The only way a franchise will become a subsidiary is that BA buy them for example : Cityflyer was bought for £ 70 million by ba which became a subsidiary and then they merged with EOG (European Operations @ Gatwick ) another subsidiary to form Eurofleet LGW (mainline operation) and now the Gatwick Fleet - Mainline.

Re Slots at LGW BA Mainline hold more that GB which I believe are not doing well , but are making extra money as BA Connect !

Remember all European flights into both LGW & LHR still offer Club Europe / Euro traveller.

[HZ123]

This does not however prevent BA from setting up BALGW Ltd at some point in the future, irrespective of your NSP status. Let us hope that this course is most unlikely and LGW continues profitably. It is most likely that the ramp/ check-in would be outsourced or switched to a limited company, in the future.

[WeLieInTheShadows]

BA COULD do what it wants to ANY area of it's business.

I've heard lots of rumours in the this business since I've been in it HZ123, as I'm sure you have.

Most of them as proved to be as true as "Elivs is alive and living on the moon!"

If you think that what you say is likely to be true, why not email Drew Crawley and ask him.

In the mean time I'll stick to "I'll believe it when I see it in writing".

[yellowdog]

Guys,

Can we not go back to the thread?

All this has been answered and debated numerous times before.

The lady asked a simple question and we all start arguing again about the future of LGW, NSP, LHR, slots etc. Why not just direct the lady to the other threads already running on BMED and EFLGW, unless like WLITS, superboy and FBW, you have something to contribute to the thread.:ugh: :ugh:

YD

[yellowdog]

Superairhostess,

To add my 2cents worth. I'm with FBW and WLITS.

If you want to be away all the time and earn a bit more money then go to Bmed.

If you want to have a more varied career within an airline then stay where you are.

I was at a smaller BA franchise and was lucky enough to progress to SEP trainer, Line trainer and Purser very quickly. However that was it, I could go no further. I was happy doing those things and the same routes day in day out.

Then we merged and I was just a Purser at EUFLGW. But I was seeing much more of Europe, we had better conditions(mostly) and I could see a real career progression.

I know where I am happier even if I didn't realise it at the time.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do. You've only got one life and no decision you ever make is wrong.

YD

[superairhostess]

Thank you Everybody

Very interesting to read all your different opinions.

Spent the last two days on the phone talking to every single person I know!

As Superboy said I'm the one who has to decide at the end of the day.Think I'm gonna call back Bmed to make sure I'm still on the waiting list for the next training course.By doing so I'll have time both to give a chance to BA and to attend the JAL interview on wednesday.I'll also get to see how Bmed financial situation is evolving as they're gonna make an announcement in December I've heard.

Believe it or not I'm been chasing Bmed for years( being rejected quite few times)but now that I'm with BA I can see the advantages of working for a big company.I'm now 24 years old and wether I'll have a family or not I know I don't want fly forever and I've got the desire of improving myself and doing different things in life.(Being Gemini I also like variety!)

Down the other side though nobody at BA can guarantee me anything regarding the pay and the roster getting better.When I attended the interview I went for a full time job with a full time pay and had been told I would have started doing longhaul straight from October.Well now I've been told by everybody that I have to wait til Feb.or March which either of them aren't exactly around the corner.

So...Hopefully if I get Jal I'll get ,LHR,longhaul and a decent salary straight away together with the advantages of a big company.If I don't at least I'll have some breathing space to think weather or not I want still being with BA.

Let me know what you think and thanks again for your cooperation.:ok:

[flybywire]

This does not however prevent BA from setting up BALGW Ltd at some point in the future, irrespective of your NSP status. Let us hope that this course is most unlikely and LGW continues profitably. It is most likely that the ramp/ check-in would be outsourced or switched to a limited company, in the future.

It is more likely for Bush to bomb the whole Middle East and Iran than for that to happen.

With the political situation nowadays, the routes operated by Bmed are at a serious risk, and with them the airline.

You are forgetting one important part of LGW, which is our pilot force. 737 pilots are Gatwick based, while 777 pilots are London based. I do not know what would happen with them then if what you suggested became true....plus all this training for SF is costing the company money, and remember BA hasn't ever done anything just for the glory (well apart from flying the concorde maybe). LH operations out of LGW have got no revenue problems and SH was profitable and on target this year......WW might be a sadist for some but SURELY he's not a masochist....

As for GB airways, rumours in the many BA offices are that BA will terminate its franchise agreement with GB (and by the way, this could happen at any time in the future with Bmed too, because even if they wear the same uniform and offer a similar product they are not BA, sad but true) and SFLGW would start to compete directly with GB on the Spanish and other routes. Whether this is true or not we'll find out in the next year or two maybe, however it's food for thought.

FBW

[flybywire]

When I attended the interview I went for a full time job with a full time pay and had been told I would have started doing longhaul straight from October.Well now I've been told by everybody that I have to wait til Feb.or March which either of them aren't exactly around the corner.

Lucky you!! I am so envious you feel this way! I will have to give birth in March and it already feels so close I am shivering at the thought!!!:uhoh:

Good luck with your JAL interview, it might be that THAT is the right onw for you. I am sure that if you succeed you'll have amazing memories to tell, even if you don't want to fly forever!!! I wish we flew to Japan from LGW as Japan is a truly magnificent country with an amazing culture. And Good luck with learning Japanese!!!! :ok: :ok: :ok:

[superairhostess]

Congratulations FBW!

Let us know if it's a boy or a girl!:p

[flybywire]

Congratulations FBW!

Let us know if it's a boy or a girl!:p

Thank you superairhostess! Mr FBW and I do not want to know yet so we'll have to wait till March to find out!! :)