Monarch on TV

[Manflex55]

Not to B missed @ 20:30 on ITV / Yorkshire. Cameras go behind the scenes with one of UK's busiest charter airlines, Monarch.

The summer season gets off to an explosive start - holidaymakers in Ibiza refuse to leave their hotels, while ground crew in Manchester refuse to let one angry passenger onto his flight. And a check-in supervisor has to cope with a distraught traveller who becomes increasingly hysterical.

MF

[ 26 August 2001: Message edited by: Manflex55 ]

[gyrohead]

Sounds like fun to me, I'll get my beer and crisps ready for watching!!

[aidybennett]

Yet more instant 'stars' created!
Hope it does good job for Monarch, though. The 'Airline' series on Easyjet may have been occasionally anoying, but most of the time, the complainers came accross as being idiots and the airline as trying to do its best. One or two of the service staff could have done with some customer skills, though.
Still, this one looks interesting-I'll be watching it! :)

[Max Sectors]

Get a life guys. Don't u see enough of this rubbish every day at work?

I'd only watch it if I knew someone on the show. (or I was paid...)

[160to4DME]

Watch out for Jonathon on the ticket desk @ MAN. An ex BOAC/BA cabin crew member, he's apparently quite a hoot in the series...but doesn't appear until episode 3.

[ 24 August 2001: Message edited by: 160to4DME ]

[Unwell_Raptor]

Just watched it.

The drunken arrogant prat who was refused a flight confirmed all of my worst prejudices about prison officers (yes, he is one) and charter passengers (yes he was one of them too).

The coach drivers' strike produced some pretty ugly responses too. Who really believes that yelling at the rep will get the a/c there a bit quicker? Then I saw the tattoos on the most gobby of the appalling women, and I remembered why I have never taken a charter holiday, and I never will. If I can't afford sched, I'm staying home.

Where's the gin?

[Captain Chaos 747]

WOW! another passanger forgets their passport brilliant entertainment. ZZZZZZZzzzzzz im so sleepy :o

[ 25 August 2001: Message edited by: PPRuNe Towers ]

[A7E Driver]

Wasn't overly impressed with the cabin crew selection process. Didn't choose the girl --- who seemed pretty good to me --- just because she tried to get cute on her application and sent in a photo of herself having a good time -- rather than the traditional mug shot. She had the desire --- was attractive --- articulate --- and really cared about the job. Just a little young --- but we weren't asking her to be Captain. Would have selected her.

[Manflex55]

SD,

I totally agree with U. I was part of a french airline's hiring board some years ago & I would definitely have had a good impression on this girl & her commitment. The trouble is, whatever the country, the cabin crew recruitment is most of the time carried out by those ugly old cows who either have never actually flown or not for a very very long time, & think they know more about make-up & customer service than anybody else. Didn't see any pilot available to give their view on candidates, too bad.

As for the rest of it, I must say so far it wasn't as good as the EZ series. However it seems we'll get more about the actual operations next time. Hopefully.

MF

[TicketyBoo]

Why were all the passengers the same shape as the characters in the excellent BBC2 Daytime documentary "The Tellytubbies"? Have ITV stolen this idea?

TicketyBoo

[Whiskey Zulu]

Manflex & SD....

Do either of you seriously believe that the girl was turned down based on her application photo?? It's called selective editing..... excluding any comments on how she ACTUALLY performed during the interview. She may have interacted poorly with the rest of the group. She may have performed abysmally in the tests? She may have told the interviewers to feckoff for all you know. Manflex, I presume your own bovine features were appreciated accordingly when you worked in C/C recruitment. :rolleyes:

[Manflex55]

WZ,
:D ... very likely ! But @ least I was 26 years old & flying 3 days a week @ the time, which is probably not what the above mentionned persons do ! As for this girl's performance during the process, I was just saying I had a good 1st impression, & I thought the reference to her pictures was totally inappropriate. However, having the chance to actually hear the comments they made on her, she won't make the same "mistake" again... & she might even increase her chances next time through this program. I wish her well.

MF

[A7E Driver]

I stand by my comment. Based on what I saw and heard --- I'd hire her tomorrow.

[northern boy]

More "look at me I'm going to be famous/on big brother/in Hello" etc etc.No doubt the Sun will run an expose on one of them soon and they can retire a millionaire or have a public breakdown like Bubble the chimp.

Usual horrible bunch of loud,unpleasant brain dead punters. Wouldnt you at least check you had your passport if you knew you were setting off abroad?.

This format is getting a little tired now. It was funny the first time, a bit tedious as airline entered its umpteenth series and thouroghly irritating as Jeremy Spake started to appear in everything from quiz shows to laxative adverts.

I can get my fill of it every time I go to work so from now on I'm going to watch the teletubbies instead. :p

[Wicked Witch]

Hi All!

The tacky ads for the Monarch "Holiday Airline" made me think I really must watch to see just how bad it was. My worst suspicions were realised!

I was absolutely appalled by the attitude of the Monarch recruiters. I’m sure this girl would have a case under equal opportunities. Monarch should remember that they should treat applicants as individuals and judge them on their skills & behaviour rather than how they looked on a recent holiday to Ibiza! Unbelievable!

WW (GIMY :))

[Island Air]

Very good point Manflex, you obviously worked (still do?) for an intuitive employer. I do believe Captains should be on the interview board and have the last word on who gets a job offer, these trumpted up old bats do not even seem to realise that CC are on board for safety, so determination to be CC such as this young filly demonstrated surely must mean something?

Anyone know if the pretty girl got a job with a decent outfit?

[basil fawlty]

I agree that there should be some pilot input to the cabin crew recruitment process. I also agree that we did not get all the facts with ref to the "pretty girl" that failed the selection process. In my experience first impressions actually count for very little, she may have been as thick as s**t, not a good mixer socially etc. etc. we just do not know. Okay, we all know that some complete duffers get through selection from time to time, and some who would no doubt be excellent at the job are passed over, but thats life, and as we all know life sucks!!!

[G-BPEC]

I enjoyed the programme, I thought it was entertaining enough, even if we didn't see a lot of the operational aspects of the airline which is what I personally am more interested in. Ibiza airport looked like a living hell with hoards of people sat by the road, It was understandable the punters complaining, even if it wasn't Cosmos/Monarch's fault. A good programme, still not as good as Airport though.

G-BPEC

[Katy]

Static Discharge,

Never mind what you heard, my partner say he would have hired her on looks alone.

... yawns and says I've heard it all before!

[FL390]

Well, the content was pretty predictable, but I thought the intro was apalling. It looked really tacky.

I wonder how that girl will feel when she saw it on TV... :confused:

[Trout99uk]

I`m sure that old bat at the interveiw said that the young lady (leeann) i think her name was, had all the qualifications but the photos showing her having a good time had let her down. Does this mean if she had been a misrable cow she would have got the job. What a sad world we live in. I wish her luck and hope that a airline has spotted her and gives her a chance.

[Mowgli]

Unwell Raptor

It is worth remembering that the punters you describe with prejudice in your post are the source of income for many of us and they are not all bad. Many are honest, hardworking people and families who want a value for money holiday and are very pleasant. Often when air rage incidents have occurred, other passengers have stepped in to help.

Overall, the louts and troublemakers are in the minority. My relatives and friends travel charter and one has just phoned me having read this post. Her impression of pilots is now that we are a bunch of arrogant snobs. She has recently travelled charter and is the daughter of a Spanish Countess (not that she advertises the fact, it's not her style).

It's also worth bearing in mind that our potential customers have access to this forum, and I hope that after reading your post they read this one so they are not left with the inpression that when they fly with us (assuming they haven't now been put off) we are thinking they are inferior beings who belong in the cargo bay. Some are, I know, but TV companies tend not to show footage of nice, normal folk who just want to have a break from their work.

It's all a question of a balanced view IMHO and your post needed a reply from someone with less pre-conceived opinions.

[Whiskey Zulu]

Well said Mowgli. :)

[dada]

what annoyed me most YEH, was that little annoying rep YEH, one of those people who keeps saying YEH after every other statement, YEH.

[Wet Power]

Having flown scheduled and charter over the past few years I can assure you that there were far more problems with pax on the scheduled side than I have ever seen on the charter side.

Bit of a misconception this about scheduled v. charter.

Totally agree with Mowgli.

[mainfrog2]

I think cabin crew should sit in on pilot recruitment. :)

[PsychoDad]

Well, my balanced view on pax is that wheras charter pax are often confused and stressed that is mainly because they only take that one flight a year. Still, the vast majority are sweet and most often comply with the instructions given to them by CC. Not quite so for the seasoned business traveller who, it seems to me, likes nothing better than pointing his (nearly always a he) finger at something totally stupid "I want to sit in seat 1A, I always sit there" or "I only drink Chardonnay cooled to 14.7 deg C". They always have a tendency to show up late since "they won't offload me I've checked in a bag" and on and on.

Went on charter week before last to CHQ and yes, the cattle transporter was full of nice, happy folks eager for a holiday in the sun. No sour faces here, and no one making a fuss at all.

And finally to whoem ever said that we as pilots should have a presence when hiring CC "because they are there for safety reasons". Yes they are, but luckily modern air travel rarely calls for their safety training. On the other hand, on each and every flight they are the frontline staff, and it is their performance that decides to large extent whether passengers will enjoy the flight or not. No, pilots should not participate in this or most other managerial tasks. We are hired to drive the aircraft safely from A to B and that's it. Leave Human Resources to the experts and likewise with management, sales, IT and what have you. I for one would not like to have a HR presence in the cockpit, and surely HR wouldn't want a pilot to hire CC.

[Augustus Finknottle]

Charter airlines and "Low Cost" airlines fly scum to the sun. The fact that these people cause chaos is no surprise. It should therefore be no surprise that the latest generation of "entertainment" TV producers have chosen to exploit this. Unfortunately the scum have more of a voice than the entire aviation industry that gets them there and back safely.

Unfortunately, the world is now run by the scum………… ask any Casualty Doctor in East London or Fireman in Bradford. The answer they would give is – “we can’t touch them or we’ll be in court”. The same applies to aviation – but the problem is aggravated a 100 fold in the confines of an aircraft.

There is however one “professional” that benefits from this new world order – the lawyer.

Thank God for 1st Class.
:cool:

[ 26 August 2001: Message edited by: Augustus Finknottle ]

[Island Air]

Psycho, how can you use the words 'Human Resources' and 'experts' in the same sentence? :eek:

Joking aside, I have found HR types, to a man (or woman god forbid), utterly useless and inept at anything other than spouting their own existance.

[brockenspectre]

I think the issue is about expectation... the vast majority of the Brit travelling public, who use charter because the prices are most affordable, just want a time abroad in the sunshine, away from work and stresses of life BUT actually getting to the airport, affording the holiday and flying itself cause stresses. The majority do not fly everyday, every month..for many the first flight EVER is their vacation flight. Delays cause stress to everyone, explanation as to why things are happening lessens that stress. On the show if ONCE the Cosmos reps had said to pax, there are no coaches because of strike action, we need to get you to the airport and the only way is by taxi and because there are so many of you we have to start now then I doubt there would have been a problem. At no time in the show was an explanation given - and yes, words of one syllable are needed in such a circumstance!! for anyone!!

I still believe the British travelling public for the most part is decent and not wishing to cause disruption. Sure you will find a%*holes in business travel (just ask, next time, how many servants the complaining biz passenger has at home!!) and the occasional disruptive in vacation travel but I really do believe that most people just want things to work, to be on time and to have explanation if things are not working to plan ...am I wrong?

:confused:

[Manflex55]

Psycho,

Cabin crew : "Cpt, I have a problem, this PAX keeps swearing & calling us silly cows"
Cpt : "Sorry, can't help U : pilots are hired to drive the a/c safely from A to B & that's it"

Ops Director : "Cpt, as a pilot, what suggestions would U make to reduce costs ?"
Cpt : "Sorry, can't help U : pilots are hired to drive the a/c safely from A to B & that's it".

How can U possibly make a statement like that ? Whether they like it or not, pilots are involved in a number of things besides the flying itself. & that's precisely why I like the idea of a pilot being involved in the CC recruitment process, as well as a CC being part of the pilots interview board. Having worked as both a CC & a pilot, & having hired CCs as I stated above, I found this method was by far the best, if U want a fair estimate of a candidate's potential.

Aviation is all about customer service, & that's one thing that most HR people (& apparently some pilots) know nothing about.

MF

[ 26 August 2001: Message edited by: Manflex55 ]

[EGGW]

Those of you who have described the "Old Recruiting bat" know nothing of the high quality of Lads and Lasses that get selected by the Spotty M. I have flown with said bat many times, and find it offensive that anyone here has chosen such a term. She is a highly Professional person who i like working with.
Someone said first impressions aren't important, what complete rubbish, they set up a days work,or when you meet a person for the first time, first impressions count..
She may have been a totty, the lass who didn't get in, but one wonders why many other airlines had rejected her as well...

I'm looking forward to seeing my Fleet manager swearing on live TV etc, etc.. top hard working bloke BTW..

[Chimbu chuckles]

I agree, pilots should pick the trolley dollies :D .
Back in about 1988 while based in Lae with Talair(PNG) we were allowed to recruit the girlies(Lord knows why??? :eek: ) for the Twin Otters and Bandits......found some REALLY cute girls too.
Some years later, while Captaining a Bandit from Rabaul to Buka, I spied one of our young blokes in an Islander ahead on climb out. Well I went past him several wingspans to one side and 4/10s of a second later Glenda, one of the chosen in Lae, arrived in my cockpit with an astonished look on her face.

"Captain Chuck how did he do that!!!?"
"How did he do what Glenda?"
"How did he make the Islander fly backwards?"

Not sure how she would have gone in an emergency evac but she was always fun to fly with :D :D.

Chuck. ;)

[NAV GREEN]

Augustus F, harsh words, "charter & low cost airlines fly scum to the sun" "Thank god for first class"!. 98% of the average public some scum bags majority not use charter flights to go on holiday. Obviously you don;t I wonder if you pay to go first class, or the airline you fly for provides you with freebie seats, we all know the answer.
Try living in the real world nobody likes a snob.

[PsychoDad]

Manflex,

The two examples you give are both situations that in my opinion falls under the term "flying the aircraft" or more precisely "managing a flight".

I think you misunderstood me, so allow me to clarify. Airlines should in my humble opinion not be run by pilots or any other group of employees except for the ones that are selling and developing the product. Part of selling the product involves operating well maintained machines which departs and arrives on time. Numeorous groups involved here, far too many to list. Should pilots have a say when the airline is hiring a mechanic, a loader or an IT specialist ? Another, and perhaps the most important, aspect is the onboard service. Please let me know how the training we recive as pilots qualifies us to evaluate the abilities of cabin staff to make our passengers feel good and want to come back. Never been part of my syllabus but then again I don't fly the heavy iron. Part of a heavy jet conversion course maybe ? I think not.

However, it is obvious that the captain has a say on all matters pertaining to his specific flight. Be it unruly pax or performance enhancing techniques. But we should not participate in hiring cabin staff or engineers because of that.

Island Air,

Well to some it is know as Human Remains :) but out in the real world someone did manage to hire both you and me, so they can't be that bad right ?