Charter to Sched, Sched to Charter

[Balboy]

I would like to pick your brains..

I have an interview next week for BA Eurofleet, which I would like to work for.

I currently work for a major charter airline(5 years), and although it has its downsides, I love the company I work for.

If I get the job, do I stay or go?.. My present company is due to go through major changes(secret at the moment from its employees)whick could be great or bad, but on the other hand,BA is BA.

I need feedback...Have you left your beloved airline for another. Have you regretted it or not.

Please consider this.. this is not a charter vs Sched topic , they all have their good and bad points..

Thanks.

[Xenia]

I'd like to pick your brain 2 ... ;)
Just a quick question before I can answer your question.... :) :)
If you LOVE your company, why have you applied to BA? http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif

------------------
*************************Happy Landings! :)
*************************


[This message has been edited by Xenia (edited 15 May 2001).]

[euroboy]

Hi Balboy

Let see if I can help here. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif

I flew for BM for 10 years, then left to go to Debonair. I was with Debonair a whole 16 month before they went bust, but in that 16 months I learn more about the airline business and myself, ie what I was capable of than I had in the last 5 years with BM.
I became an SEP and Security Trainer with Debonair, helping to write training manuals, put forward ideas and I put together the 737 trainers manual, I helped with recruitment. It was a lot of hard work but enjoyable and I m proud of my achievements. After Debonair went bust I decided that at the "old" age of 34 I would give up the fly lark. It took a few months of travel agency work to realise that I missed the flying so I began to apply to the airlines. I began to hate the office type work and 1 Thursday on the off chance I look in the Mail and there in front of me is an ad for BA temp cabin crew. I apply and here I am on eurofleet. I was made permanant after 6 months and Ive been there for just over a year (by 1 day!)

I enjoy what I do. I have no regrettes leaving BM as I got to do thing which were not available to me there, nor would I be in BA now. I have satisfied myself that I can train, recruit, write manuals etc...
No regrettes at all.
I did charter work with BM with the Air 2000 contract. I would say charter is harder work but you get duty/tax free commission.
Its difficult as I dont know which airline you are with now.

The main thing is at the BA interview they will catch on to your feelings. Dont come to BA coz its just BA. I had a lot of fun with the other airlines. The other point, please dont take it the wrong way, but because you are cabin crew at the moment does not make it easier for you to work for BA. It not the automatic pass in. This was my second attempt, and you could have blown me over when I got it. :)

Its only you that can make the decision and after the interview you will have a better idea/picture of what you want. :)

Good Luck with the interview.

[This message has been edited by euroboy (edited 16 May 2001).]

[This message has been edited by euroboy (edited 16 May 2001).]

[flyblue]

Balboy

I have resigned from my previous (mostly) charter airline to join AF. I was N1 on long and short haul before and have also worked on CC Support.

Just like euroboy I had the opportunity of learning lots of things there.

But it comes the time (after 30 I think) when you have to look for more than a charter airline can give.
The main thing I was concerned about was the
workload. You can bear it at 20 but it becomes harder and harder after 30. Short rest periods and just a few days off a month; 1 long LH sector followed by a short sector on the same day, maybe minimum rest on the IB. My physiotherapist scratched his head on seeing me.
Another concern I have had for the 11 years of my previous airline career was if the company was going to stand or go broke. In charter you are on top one day and broke the following (happened to the second airline I worked for). And still, after 30 it is not that easy to find a CA job when you need it, maybe with a family etc.

AF has given me stability, plus I feel very respected so I am doing my best to deserve that respect. Proper crew meals, proper rest (more days off, more vacations), organization, nice hotels...
Well, life has sure become easier for me, and I pay AF back with an enthousiastic work. No one can understand better than me after 11 years of "galère" the luck I had getting into such a company.
Never I regret my choice and every day I pinch my arm because I can't still believe it's true.

That is what I would (and have already! He is joining AF too!) suggest to my best friend (apart of Xenia that is more like a sister ;) ): go to BA if you can.

[This message has been edited by flyblue (edited 16 May 2001).]

[SussexPSR]

Hi there! Never worked for a charter airline, but did work for JY when they first got jets...great fun, great experience - they took me on as a #1 with 5 years exp & got base supervisor after 2 months, then 18 months later they closed the LGW base....the job satisfaction was unequalled but had nil stability....I checked in at 0800 to operate a LGW-CMF-BHX-CMF-LGW 4 sector ski charter from hell to return to LGW to find a letter making me redundant from 0900 the next morning!! So if you want fun stick with where you are, but if you want an easy life go to BA....I love it...life may not be as much of a challenge here and you may just be a number, but the conditions have to be the best in the UK & unless you screw up big time it is a job for life....well until 55 anyway.

Flyblue...
How long have you been with AF?? How's life over there these days?? I was with Air Inter until Mar93, so would have ended up there had I not decided to move back to the UK. I still have a couple of friends I keep in touch with who are on "Amerique", but have lost touch with so many over the years including the 5 other "anglophones" who were with IT at the time.......happy flying all!

[flyblue]

SussexPSR
I joined just months ago, but I am really happy I did. The atmosphere and the teamwork on board are great, there is a high degree of professionalism, and the company (helped by the unions ;) ) does its best to keep us stress-free. Someone grumbles because of the B scale, but someone who has seen worse like me doesn't really get too fussy about it.
I maybe earn less but my life standard has improved.
I'll be glad to put in your ex collegues Amerique's pigeonhole a message if you like. It is not my sector but it is only a couple of floors down mine. Email me at pprune email.
I met already lots of ex Air Inter CA, some of my instructors included.
Happy flying to you!

[AMEX]

Balboy

I can't really pretend to be an extremely experienced CC but I certainly did get the chance to work for BA on E/F.
Prior to that I worked for BM on the ground> Both experiences turned out to be good (great for the BA one)but from day one when you join BA, you can tell there is a major difference between the two airlines. As a BA employee, stability and life style where light years ahead of BM. When comparing working patterns with the many crew who joined from other carriers, the job was more a doddle.
The stability and flexibility (by airline standards) offered as well was for most if not all a great improvement.
Once you have joined BA, there is nowhere else to go as you will feel your future is secured. If you get fed up with the flying then the company and its 50 000 plus employees (might be reducing so correct me if I am wrong), there are plenty of jobs you can have access to, without mentioning all the secondments available.
Moneywise (important when you leave an airline after 5 years), as an entrant under the new http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/frown.gif agreement, I was clearing on average between 1200 and 1500 ( ;) so much for an average value). Many crew were not clearing that much in their previous company, despite having more responsabilities.
Needless to mention the various fleet and bases available to you, when vacancies exist.
If Flyblue allows me, I would emphasise as well on the life style offered by such companies. Difficult to put a price tag on that.
Go for the interview, wait for the outcome (positive I hope) and only then, make a decision. In my mind BA is the best one you can make but we all have different expectations which is why choice is yours...

Happy night stops !!!

------------------
If you can't save the engine...save the airframe :D

[Balboy]

WoW..Thank you all very much for taking the time to reply to me..much appreciated.

[The Guvnor]

Balboy - what are you really looking for ... new challenges; more responsibility; a more settled lifestyle or just civilised pax?

If you're not looking for a more settled lifestyle, perhaps I might suggest that you look at one of the ACMI lessors (eg Air Atlanta) as you'd (almost certainly) go in as a senior and with their differing contracts, you could be based in the Middle East today; Latin America next month and the Far East the month after that! :) :)

(Okay, it isn't that bad - expect at least six month tours).

Worth a thought, anyway. Who wants to be just a number with Big Airways?

[flyblue]

:) :) :) MEEEE!!!! :) :) :)

[Balboy]

Just like to say that I went to the interview yesterday and the way I was treated was fantastic!!!

Even if I'm not succesful, I will remember that day as a great experience.

If anybody out there is still unsure wether to apply or not...GO, you will love it.

[flyblue]

This is a good new Balboy!
Please let us know how it works out!
Best of luck!
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[euroboy]

Glad you enjoyed the interview and yes I would agree BA treat us OK-better than some carriers.

Good Luck Let us know how you got on either way.

http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif