GB Airways interview

[Floaty]

Hello fellow Ppruners!

I have been offered an interview with GB Airways early January 2003 and would like to find out more about them. I already had a look at their website but of course news from the inside are always of greater help! :D Could anyone help me out with these questions?

1) several airlines are running selections in the UK at the moment, for both charter and schedule operation. Unfortunately, some of them are playing around with candidates, sending congratulation letters but no contract, no starting date... nothing other than a number in a waiting list... :(
How does it work with GB Airways? I read on the website that the fleet is expanding... Considering H.R. are running 4 recruitment days, how many people are they realistically looking for? When would the starting date be? I know, if I don't go I wont know... but I live overseas and I am slowly getting tired of spending money to fly back and forth and end up in waiting lists!!

2) I understand GB Airways are a franchise company of BA. GB staff wear BA uniforms, fly A-320's and B-737 painted with BA colors, ticketing is made by BA, but management and contracts are separate from BA. How do the cabin crew feel about that? Is it like being part of BA after all or do the staff still feel they are part of a little group where pretty much everyone knows each other?

3) Looking at the future, is a transition to BA possible down the track, without having to resign from GB?

4) Is GB a great company to work for? Do you have many night-stops?

Thanks in advance to anyone happy to spend 5 minutes for me!!

Mrs. FloatJockey

[aviatorgirl72]

A friend of mine briefly worked for them, and she found that they were a very professional and friendly company.

Wages were okay and there were the occasional night stops, casablanca I think! But operating out of LHR.

Apparently the crew are all very friendly and promotion looks quite fast, as they are rapidly expanding.

It might be that in the future they buy a lot of BA's short-haul routes, as the company at the moment is making huge losses (BA that is). So just might be the company to go and work for.

I hope this is of some help.

She said the interview was quite tough.

[BA Boi]

Hi Floaty,

In response to your question of being able to transfer to BA Mainline somewhere down the line is:

Forget it.

At the moment crew from wholly-owned subsiduaries of BA (such as the company I work for - BA CitiExpress) cannot transfer to BA Mainline, let alone people from franchise airlines.
So, the only way you could apply to get into Mainline is to send off for an application form as you would do for any other airline.

And in response to the first person who answered your question:

1) All GB Airways' routes are their own and always have been - no buying or selling of routes has gone on, or does go on.

2) BA is actually making HUGE improvements financially:

Last year we made a full-year pre-tax loss of £200,000,000.

For the LAST 3 MONTHS just gone we have made somewhere in the region of a £300,000,000 pre-tax PROFIT.

[london-flyer]

My partner has worked for GB for over 2 years now, and really enjoys the airline, they do work hard, with a lot of long days, andup to 6 on. The fleet of aircraft is very modern, A320 A321, with a couple of B737a/c left, that will not be around for long. They are about to open a LHR base, where the crew can request to have LHR as their report base, but they will remain LGW based, and are not reciving the London Weight etc.

The airline has full BA concessions, which go on length of service rather than who you work for as such, and also has a good leave, and days off bidding system, everyone is very friendly, and they have a well respected management team in place, it is not worth going to them hoping you will get into mainline.

Things are changing at the moment, over the last year they have lost a lot of night stops, due to an increase in service to a lot of destinations, and the airline is launching new routes nearly every couple of months, they will be getting night stops back soon however. There has been a little moaning regarding the recent LHR base, crew getting promotion because they want to go to LHR, but not getting it a month before at LGW, and people being promoted very quickly to be LHR based, I think some of the LGW crew feel a little pushed out, however most feel that those willing to move, or fly from LHR are welcome to the jobs.

Pay is o.k, my partner used to clear £ 1100.00 a month as main crew, maybe a little more with nightstops, and promotion is quick, however things could all change if LHR was not a sucess ( which I am sure it will be) A nice airline, offering a good service, with nice people, but itis short haul, and if thats what you are looking for then I think they are great.

Good luck at the interview, all of the team are very friendly, I will try and get some tips for you and send you a private message
;)

[Floaty]

Thanks to everyone for your precious help!

I am booked for an interview on January 4th. The lady from GB Airways came back to me saying training courses should take place during February and March, therefore I expect there will be no waiting list this time!

London-flyer, thanks for all those details. I am not looking at GB Airways as a quick and easy way to join BA, however I have seen that with Qantas for example, people often have a better chance to join the long-haul fleet by resigning from subsidiaries rather than waiting and waitng for years (which is very unfair but a reality...). Of course night-stops and long-haul would be a great experience, but all I am looking for right now is a SOLID company to work for, make experience and enjoy the job. I have been applying for a cabin crew position around the world for the last 13 months and I'm tired of interviews... I just want a starting date... no matter what I fly... even a broom... :D

Cheers!

Mrs. FloatJockey

[thomas_ba]

Hi!

I went to a GB intervw one month ago and didn't make it to the second round. There were 14 of us there. 13 of us were ex/current Cabin Crew. You had to introduse the person nxt to you etc... a few group scenarios and then after 4 hours they read out 6 names who had got through. They seemed a good company to work for but not many night stops we were told. Maybe 1 or 2 per month.

I've since been offered a permenant contract with another airline :)

Best Of luck at the Beehive!!

Thomas :)