Thoughts about ASTRAEUS??

[nanna]

What do our colleagues think about the company then?

[starbag]

I'm enjoying it. Varied work, plenty of night stops, great people, receptive management. Bit disorganised (but company is only a few months old). I know some people have found it hard work, and there have been a few people rubbed up the wrong way, but overall, it's a pretty good place to be right now. Lots of plans afoot for the Summer and a very busy winter is planned. Promotion prospects are good, but strictly on merit. Nice bunch of people, with flight crew a pretty civilised bunch

[Cayman]

Do you think it is worth apply for a Cabin Crew position then ?

Are pasengers allowed to smoke onboard the airline, someone recently mentioned ashtrays ?

[sweety]

I think you'll have to look elsewhere for those ashtrays, mate! :rolleyes:

Smoking is strictly prohibited in Astraeus!:p

[Psr777]

Ay up nanna, how's your hip?

Haven't they got the 2nd aircraft coming soon??:eek: :eek: :eek:

[starbag]

Two aircraft already flying (both 737-300s ex Brit World). Two 737-700s coming soon (think one is due tomorrow).

[nanna]

starbag who are you? blonde with glasses per chance?

[nanna]

Starbag you say people have been rubbed up the wrong way? whats that all about then?

[Safety's No Accident]

Well I hear that Astraeus have been setting a very high-bar on professional and personal standards and that some folks have left other airlines (e.g. some from mine) to join them only to find that, for various reasons, they haven't passed the course.

All airlines have the occasional bad apple in the barrel and it might seem the case that, in moving from one barrel to another, certain failings have come to light - and so they might well indeed feel that they have been 'rubbed up the wrong way' - but that's not the fault of the barrel !

Good luck Astraeus, it's nice to see high standards being applied.

Ps. Got any a jobs ?!

[flymeboy]

Helo! Just thougt I would put my 2 pence in!

I am presently working for Astraeus and I think its great! All the crew online are fun to work with and the management are really easy to get along with!

Its good that Astraeus are setting very high standards from the begining, I hope that this continues! As for the "leavers" some have left to join different airlines and some left as they didnt like or get to grips with the course!

Long Live Astraeus! :D

[starbag]

nanna - think you might be right, and might you be looking suave and sophisticated in your cardi and glasses chain??!!

I'm glad I'm finally working for a company that does set the standards high and pulling those people up who don't strive to achieve them. Long may it continue!!. Hopefully those who have left us have settled into their new companies and are happy.

I can only speak from personal experience, but can't fault the company. From a standing start to four planes in 5 months is pretty incredible by anyone's standards. Looking forward to being a "star" for many years to come!!

[nanna]

Well said Starbag i think it will be a very good company....
:D

[starbag]

Taffie - not even going there with regards to the people you're talking about. Everyone, including those you're alluding to, have been working flat out getting things up and running. We've all been doing jobs that we haven't necessarily done before in order to get things running. (And I'd like to thank those people who've sat through one of my interviews for their patience!!).
The training met all JAR Ops requirement (we wouldn't have got out AOC otherwise), and was certainly far more comprehensive than some previous training I've had. Bear in mind that it was geared to crew who have already flown before.
I've heard the mercury spillage rumours too. The aircraft have all been through numerous maintenance checks before we accepted them and are flying quite happily. The only dangerous chemical I've come across is the easyJet tea when positioning!!!!
You're right, it certainly isn't BA. But that's what has attracted a lot of us to it. Who know what your standy by will bring!!
There's no need to park at the building or on the street. We have a nice secure car park a few hundred yards away and a minibus to take us to the crew room. Certainly a lot better than battling with the crew shuttle from X or Z car parks!!
Regards the long haul 737-300s (!!) Just check the website, shortly a nice shiny (ver nearly new) pair of 737-700s from Midway will soon be joining us. New York is one of those lovely rumours that float around but I'll only believe it when I'm flying past lady liberty herself.
There's always too much "my friend says.... about .... airline" in this business. We're the new guys on the block. We're trying to be a little bit different, and do things a little bit better. We've only been going a few months, a remarkable achievement by all involved. Of course things like rosters change at short notice, work comes and goes in the blink of an eye.
If you haven't got anything positive or constructive (first hand opinions only) then please don't post. My last airline disappeared off the radar screen helped by a lot of rumour and supposition. It's not a nice place to be

[sweety]

Well,taffieboy , I can sense some bitterness here! Were you rejected or kicked out or maybe didn't apply cause you didn't think you were good enough?;)

I'm sure Astraeus benefits from you not being there!?

Who are your very good friends there then? Why the h**l are they staying if they don't like it? Hmmm...:confused:

[Safety's No Accident]

Likewise sweety…………

Taffie - uhm, were you recently one of the potential Astraeus cabincrew to which they gave the boot - when it transpired, from the compulsory medical they make you attend, that traces of what are euphemistically known as 'recreational drugs' had been recently imbibed ?!

As such it might account as to why you're laying so much obvious vitriol in their direction - and the timing sounds about right too.
E.g. You posted this on 21st May 2002 14:12 - See: Transjet Crew C'mon Spill The Beans! (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51991&perpage=15&pagenumber=2)

Hi well I joined TJ 3 weeks ago along with 17 other crew from EAL dual rated on 747 and md 83
Trips are v good indeed and money also I have received my wages and pay so god knows where BD assumes that one from !!!
I assume he was not given a job with TJ but then the crew are v friendly etc so thats why he would not get in I am sure.
I have been away a lot with them and the hotels etc we stay in are always 5 *
The management are v v v good indeed let me tell you, you can call them with anything you need to and no probs there.
As for 2 day conv course yes it is legal as they only take exp crew that are still in check so maybe BD should get to grips with CAA laws etc before spouting LUV !!!!
They will go far I think and have lots planned for both summer and winter.
As for Cruella I know her v well and feel she should not be ripped apart like that but this is the UK and freedom of speech is allowed.
Any queries mail me.

Ultimately drugs and flying do not mix, and well done to Astraeus for booting the perpetrators off their course when this was discovered - that said, I believe that some of these people have since joined other airlines :eek: - I just hope it's not mine, and I only wish that my lot would introduce similar testing !

[Puritan]

This from the Boeing (http://www.boeing.com/commercial/737family/index.html) web site -

B737-300

Engines 22,000lb thrust
Maximum fuel 20,105 Ltr
Maximum t/o weight 62.8 Tonnes
Typical cruise at 35,000' is 430 Kt / M.745
Maximum range 2256Nm

B737-700

Engines thrust 24,200 lb
Maximum fuel 26,035 Ltr
Maximum t/o weight 70.1 Tonnes
Typical cruise at 35,000' is 461Kt / M.785
Maximum range 3263Nm

So, when compared to a -300, a -700

Has 10% more thrust
Carries 30% more fuel
Can takeoff weighing 12% more
Cruises 7% faster
And, overall can fly 45% further courtesy of the highly efficient newer engines and a newly designed wing !

So yes, if needs be a B737-700 could indeed do a LGW / EWR or JFK (roughly a great circle distance of 3020 Nm) - albeit that this is not actually the proposed routing (but it makes a good rumour) and also, as it is not yet ETOPS approved, any such flight aboard a -700 would have to obey the 60' rule - but it's certainly possible.

Now as far as our LGW crew are concerned, the new secure car park facility is just down the road, and you're bussed from it to HQ to sign-in.
From there you are also bussed direct to the aircraft, albeit that outbound you have to briefly jump off to clear security at Atlantic House.
On the return you are picked up from the aircraft and delivered to HQ, and thence the car parking facility.
I for one can vouch that it definitely beats operating out of LGW's X car park and Concorde House !

W.r.t. mutterings of Mercury problems, I recall where that comes from - and accordingly it might pay to get your facts straight, prior to putting finger to keyboard, i.e. the problem / contamination you refer did indeed occur, and was during a period when a certain aircraft was being operated by Garuda Indonesia.

That aircraft was subsequently used by BWA and was registered as G-OBWZ.

I'm sure that you will be pleased to hear that the -300's which Astraeus are operating are the ex-BWA G-OBWX & G-OBWY - and both are in fine form - as indeed are our -700's (which being nearly brand new they should be)

Incidentally, G-OBWZ is now being operated by GoFly - aka EasyJet ;)

Whilst I'm at it, and for the record, all of our aircraft have either been or are going through 'C' Checks - with any eye to total fleet reliability very much in mind, i.e. the last thing we need when starting our new venture would be a fleet reliability problem.
As such the 'C' checks have been rigorous, indeed to the point that we have delayed accepting the aircraft from the hangar (when we could have done) in favour of having it just right !

And finally, thank god Astraeus is not BA because they (BA) just lost £200m !

Ps. You might have misheard when your friends apparently said it was LAX, what they meant was RELAXED - but always professional. :D

[poppie29]

Hi guys at AEU,
Well I have a few friends that work there and they seem to be v happy with it so good to them.
I also think its great how you guys got it off the ground to in such a short space so good on you.
As for rummours all airlines have got them and not you can do about them really, but one thing I will say you guys fighting over them on here makes it worse as they just go off and tell even more people outside the airline that you dont see and cant reply to.
As for the one about the rummours making it go bust, I dont think you need to worry there love and sure you will be just fine.

All of what I have said is v positive to AEU, but I have also read the negative comments some people have put in to, and the only one I must say that I have heard and been conf by people I know in the company is that the training is a little hit and miss, but hey isnt every airline we know like that these days !!

Anyway good luck to you all and stop fighting guys.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Puritan]

Actually taffieboy, some have left because they didn't or wouldn't fit in.

Some were asked to leave because they failed to pass our 'drug-free' policy.

Some left because in the interim training period they were offered various other flying opportunities which better suited their lifestyle needs.

And some have left, but have since asked to come back !

W.r.t. 'what kind of people you had taken on' and to spell it out very clearly - all the folks that you're alluding too are no longer with us, and I similarly trust that you can say the same about your present companies standards in this respect ?!

Oh err ( and hence the edit ) it would seem that 'taffieboy' has gone all limp wristed on us and decided to delete ALL the postings he's made thus far within this thread - I wonder why ?!

[poppie29]

Thanks that all I wondered about, well good luck to you guys there hope it all works out well guys.

[sweety]

Well, I guess I better delete a few of my posts then since our Taffieboy (Taffie???:confused: ) has deleted her/his posts. How brave of you, Taffie!!;)

[wlonjay]

Hi guys just wanna say i have worked for 5 airlines now and finally got to BA which is were i wanted to be!

But can i say that the fact that Astraeus has got high standards on the course is great to hear, I did the British World course and that was bloody tough i dont know if some of the drills ect have been used?

I know some of the ex brit world and go team are involved in Astraeus and am glad to hear that they are taking pride in the people they select!

Only you guys can make it work so be vigilant and dont let those slackers that spoil it for the rest of us get away with it they know who they r!

Goooood luck guys!!!!

p.s say hi to John mahon and Dave jackson!

[Thunderbird One]

What was taffiboy going on about anyway? Please, someone who
knows what he was talking about shed some light................:confused:

[sweety]

Well, - that was a year ago! Has anything changed? Is everyone just as happy as they used to be? Is it getting stronger?

:cool:

[Exxon-Valdez]

So is this the ex-AML Thread then?

I bet that Astraeus don't go to HAV,GND or UVF or are ever likely too!

[Flystar101]

Hi guys........ Just stumbled accross this on and off discussion and thought that I should add something to update the record.
I have the privellage (i think that's how you spell it) of being part of Astraeus a year down the line. Would like to tell you all what a great little airline it is to work for and how much I enjoy my job. Although we are still small, we are still growing and more and more new routes are arriving in our rostas each month. Yes, It's hard work and long hours, but it's an airline, not a holiday company for its employees! The crew and flight deck are all lovely, as are the management and office staff. Our fleet is getting bigger also. On the whole a great airline to work for and a great employer......... Long Live Astraeus!!!!:D

[younglad20]

Well i flew for AEU on a temp contract from day 1 and helped to set the operation up, as in shifting furniture and canibalising the old cityflier building on the opposite side of the A23, which was interesting! Out of the airlines, id say AEU was interesting to say the least and flying for them was just as much an adventure.
I just got fed up with spending all the flights apologising for the state of the cabin,lack of IFE, catering and lap trays that had no clips(i recall us keeping them up with infant seatbelats on some occassions).Not to mention people's hand luggage being covered in toliet waste on the last row as the loos leaked and went everywhere.It wasnt unusual to do a murcia-man with 1 loo operational and a full load,nice!You cant apologise and keep up the company image when you agree whole-heartedly with the pax complaints!Now i know teething problems happen but 6 months down the line,things had not improved much and it got beyond a joke.Crew morale at MAN got to a major low point and many left for pastures new.Me included.The management team had an open door policy for the 1st few months then that door gradually closed and bolted, which was more or less the icing on the cake.you cant work for an airline you do not believe in.I hope things have gotten better for you guys, and did they ever make a standard interior product?Pax got a bit confused by grey seats on one plane and blue mottled on another,and did those paper headrest covers survive?