anyone remember the British Airways / JMC-AML Contract?

[MR WIBBLE]

Hello Boys and Girls and fellow citizens of Wibble,

I have heard a rumour, and I guess it is just a rumour but I thought I'd see if anyone else had heard it aswell. the rumour goes along the lines of BA wanting to start the contract up again, or doing something similar and are wanting to re-recruit most or some of the AML crew.

Has anyone heard the same story/rumour? is there any truth in it?

I don't belive it myself but thought that I'd post it anyway in the hope that some of the BA 777 pilots may know something.

[Carnage Matey!]

Good rumour, but as they've only just terminated the AML contract and there are now loads of spare BA cabin crew twiddling their thumbs at LGW I can't see it happening. Besides which they've just axed the Cancun and Havana routes which were two the AML routes I believe.

[J-Class]

A passenger question -

Are the ghastly AML definitely out, then?

I have to decide - sharpish - whether to take a BA flight to Antigua in the next few days. Last time (Xmas) I took this it was pretty crappy - dirty plane and sulky cabin crew - and I was in Club! I assume this was AML's fault?

I'm don't mind the old Club World seats on these routes instead of the new coffins - at 6'3" myself a 6' coffin doesn't do much for me - but if I'm going to get charter service then there are other airlines which fly to the Rib!

Anyone care to comment?

[Baggy]

Carnage,

How are there loads of spare BA Cabin crew ? Those on the AML contract are now elsewhere, or back with jmc..... spare a/c and flight crew maybe.

[Psr777]

J-Class : I take exception to your remark about "ghastly AML" .

It doesn't matter who you fly with there is always some crew who dont deliver what they are supposed to, which is disappointing for the passenger I know.

The "dirty plane" you mention ( I take it you mean inside ), was not down to AML but to the cleaning company, sourced by AML and provided by BA.

The service provided was specified by British Airways and the crew were trained to such.

The only thing about the company that was in the least "charter" was the configuration, about which we complained bitterly to no avail. British Airways decided that they could get away with 28J/355Y and make money, and that is exactly what they did.

The majority of cabin crew worked very hard to deliver the BA standard to which we were trained, unfortunately that is very difficult when presented with an obviously different airplane configuration and service flows.

That said, I apologies for the "sulky cabin crew", because that was not what AML was about. In many areas of our GPM's (Global Performance Monitors - Questionnaires) we matched and quite often beat mainline scores, which compared our routes (a high density 777) to MCO on a 747.

I for one do not believe that Rod Eddington would sanction a move to dilute the brand again. It makes no commercial sense to restart the AML operation and the majority of cabin crew are now doing better and brighter things anyway.

It was a great opportunity to deliver a great product to customers on a great aircfraft, to great destinations, I can't see it happening ever again. So rest assured J-Class, when you board a BA aircraft in future, you will receive the best BA has to offer !!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[DCDriver]

ah yessss, so what was the difference between a BA hostie and a rottweiler again ??

[RODDERS]

Make up?

[Carnage Matey!]

Baggy - Some of the AML routes have been axed and the AML crew have gone elsewhere. The remainder are now crewed by BA LGW crew. BUT, several of the BA LGW routes have transferred to LHR, which means a surplus of over 500 LGW cabin crew. The aircraft (777s) and flight crew have always been dual based at LHR and LGW. We still have the same number of airframes, they're just deployed elsewhere, which means we need roughly the same number of flight crew.

[Gaza]

I suppose the good news from an SLF point of view is the Y section of the ex-AML fleet has beeen reconfiged to standard 777 layout.

[ETOPS]

Gaza

Er - no they havn't...........

The plan is to reduce from 10 abreast (yes really) to "only" 9 abreast but the last one I flew was still in the old config.

As mentioned on another thread we may see some 3 class machines reconfigured to "AML" style 2 class with the removal of First on selected routes.

Hope they don't do that.

[newswatcher]

Hi Etops,

I seem to remember a number of "deadlines" posted in aviation news sources about this change in config. Last Autumn BA said that there would be no 3-4-3 aircraft after Feb 2002, then in April they said they would have converted by the Summer. If I had booked on the basis of this, I think I would be a little p****d off to find the "old" config still in place.

Anyone know why there has been a delay?

[Human Factor]

The last 777 in the old 3-4-3 config (G-VIIO) went away a month or so ago to be converted to nine abreast.

[Gaza]

ETOP's....I think you may be wrong!;)

G-VIIO 'Chelsea Rose', final service in AML config (383 seats) was BA2158/20May ANU-LGW.
Ferried to CWL as BA9153P/21May for config change (to 337 seats).
Positioned back to LGW as BA9173P/07Jun. Returned to service as BA2167 08Jun LGW-TPA.

G-VIIP final service in AML config (383 seats) was BA2158/06May ANU-LGW.
Ferried to CWL as BA9150P same day for config change (to 337 seats).
Positioned back to LGW as BA9152P/21May and back in service as BA2263/22May LGW-KIN.

G-VIIR final service in AML config (383 seats) was BA2262/19Apr KIN-LGW.
Ferried to CWL as BA9178P/21Apr for config change (to 337 seats).
Positioned back to LGW as BA9151P/06May and back in service as BA2157/08May LGW-ANU-UVF.

[ETOPS]

Gaza

What I said was "the last one I flew was in the old config"

From my log book:-

25/2/02 LGW - ANU 'IIR
27/2/02 ANU - LGW 'IIP
3/5/02 KIN - LGW 'IIO

All were in the 3-4-3 seat config then..........

[Psr777]

They must be a nice aircraft to work on with the new config., and much better for customers.

What is the new config.? J/Y?

Are there any plans to install the flat beds on these aircraft?

I thought that all the 777's at LGW were going to be converted into 2 class aircraft, is this still the case?

Thanks:p :p

[Human Factor]

Psr777,

So far, the J/Y class aircraft are nine abreast standard Traveller in the back and the J class cots (old club, not the beds) in the front. All the better to do ATH day trips with then! :(

[J-Class]

More pax posting, for what it's worth. Since my last post I've been to and from Antigua with BA, in both cases operated as a mainline service.

On the way out the aircraft was a 2-class 777; on the way back the flight had come from Grenada and was a 3-class 777, which rather surprised me. An unexpected aircraft change, presumably? It looked to me as if a lucky few club pax out of Grenada had bagged themselves a seat upgrade to First.

In both cases it was the old cradle seats in club, with (I think) 49 club seats versus the 28 in the AML config. I couldn't be sure but I thought it was 10 abreast behind me in econ on the way out.

Was it better than AML? Undoubtedly. Clean planes on both occasions, professional, courteous cabin crew.

My main complaint, which is one which seems to effect many BA destinations, is that the food is about 10 times better on the outward leg than on the return. I reckon BA catering ex London can be pretty good these days - but inbound from the Caribbean we got: a 'roasted tomato' salad which featured tomatoes which had never been anywhere near an oven; crapola spongiform bread; yellow margerine spread instead of butter; a fairly dodgy prawn curry and a decidely soggy banoffee tart.

On which note, you may now flame away and banish me to the SLF forum!