bankrupt?
 

ok im now having second thoughts to my accetance to vb..i was told today by someone at work that the company is going bankrupt not sure when but that they will fold over soon..could be a few months? mite not? does anyone know of any info on this pls? cause if so then id rather not change jobs...

Xcite

I'd say that probably is not the case...

see article:

e-Travel Blackboard: Analysts tell DJ to raise fares or go bankrupt; DJ calls analysts "moronic"=

perhaps this is where the info is coming from and it has gone a little haywire along the grapevine...

Why wld they be spending $$ opening new bases, training new staff etc if they are filing for bankruptcy. :confused:

Just another totally alarmist report that has been circulating since fuel prices rose a few months ago. The important point to remember is that fuel prices hit ALL airlines. Analysts just love making alarmist statements because it gets attention. :}

Personally I prefer not to listen to news. I'll worry about that kind of thing when and IF it affects me. :rolleyes: In the meantime I'll get on with life which is what we should all be doing...

I got the job!!
 

I got "the" call this morning!!
After my VRD on April 10th I was pretty much giving up on hope but things picked up very quickly for me from last week. I got invited to take the medicals, which I did yesterday, and today I got the job offer!!
To those of you attending ground school on Sept 8th, I'll be seeing you there!!
All I can say is, even if you haven't heard from them in what feels like AGES, don't give up!

yay congrats flier!!!!! :ok:

hey everyone!
I am part of the group of VB's Newest cabin crew both in sydney and in the network, group117.

I have been flying now for a couple of days and just wanted to say it is absolutely everything I thought it would be and more.

For those of you going through Ground School - ooooh boy what an emotional rollercoaster ride of a psychological experiment/big brother house you are about to embark upon! You will love it I guarantee you and you'll get so close to both your instructors and your fellow trainees. Just keep on top of the workload and read, read, read your manuals and all should be sweet!
Remember though, at anytime through the training you could be 'asked to leave' so take it as another, lengthy, recruitment process -dont drop your game ever!!!

For those that havent gotten through yet - I really hope you do. If you dont get through, dont take it personally at all - you maybe just werent right for them at this particular moment in time.
Try other airlines, build up experience in something else that could pertain to this role and then try again. Just let fate take its course - I preoccupied myself with other thoughts and activities during the painful wait and it really helped and made getting the job that much sweeter!

Anyone wanting any info, advice or tips please dont hesitate to pm me.

Take care guys and truly - all the best - you have no idea what you're getting yourself into if you do get in! wow....

Looks like a long wait ahead
 

Hi All,

Wow what a great source of info this forum is! I am a Flight attendant in waiting at the moment and it looks like it could be a long wait.
I have applied with Virgin Blue online today and can't wait to get to a VRD! On the site it says 'expression of interest' does anyone know what this means? Do I get invited to the VRD from this? I didn't have to fill in much info!?

OMG Xsite, I can't believe you are having 2nd thoughts!! After all the effort it looks like you have been through. I guess there are heaps of people on the waitinglist that would be glad to have your place!! Hey, wanna swap??? :} Gosh I wish I was just on the waitinglist!! I can't imagine that they would be going ahead with ground schools if they were bankrupt......would they? Good Luck with your decision.

Look forward to getting to know some of you better

Cheers

Xsite,

DJ have over $700m in the bank for a rainy day, plus the share price has been going up over the last 4weeks and yesterday was trading at $1.00, up from it's low of 47c 4 weeks ago.

To be honest, don't worry yourself about the companies financial position - they're doing just fine. With the package of $50million of cost cutting savings together will lots of other strategies that are being put in place, such as baggage charges etc, they're doing all the right things to ensure the survival of the airline. They aren't about to just let it go bankrupt. The airline is still expected to make a profit this financial year - so it's making money, not loosing it!

hey xsite,

well, depending on how you bid for the month, the hours actually arent too bad.

I don't have a sign on later than 4pm and if im not overnighting im back in sydney at least before 10. I have a couple of sign ons in sydney at 0530 and 0600, etc. but im back early afternoon so I still have a whole day ahead of me.

Im really happy with roster but im also happy of working for an airline like Virgin Blue - it's a heaviyl relied upon domestic carrier and it has to operate at all sorts of hours, as opposed to REX. So, If the hours were something that would really bug you than don't changeover to airlines like VB and Qantas, etc. cos you cant get your way all the time, even by bidding for your ideal roster.

Otherwise, you are so damn lucky to be able to get a job with Virgin Blue, it really is a wonderful company to work for.

Let me know how you go...

"asked to leave"
 

Hey Libra!
Congrats on the job and im excited to hear your loving it so much.
Im about to start GS in Melb in about 4 weeks, Sept 15th.

Can you tell me more about the comment you made about "asked to leave" at anytime? Does thi mean you can still not have a job?

Thanks so much
Leigh

Asked to leave?
 

Well done Libra, congrats, interesting comment you made in your previous post, that one can be asked to leave at any stage, Can you give us some more info on this please?

What is the fail rate like?1 person per class, or higher/lower?

To all of those people who are about to start training, hold off the panic button!

I cannot speak for the way Virgin Blue's training school works (hopefully i will be able to soon), but think about it logically.

The job isn't yours until you have passed the training program? That's true. But, that makes total sense. If you don't demonstrate that you know what you need to know, why would they pass you? Would you want to be working with a colleague who you didn't have faith in? If something happens, you want to be sure that the people that you work with know what to do. That's entirely fair enough.

Also, if you walk into training with a bad attitude, and are actively 'breaking the rules', then again, isn't it fair enough that they let you go? Again, would you want to work with someone who doesn't want to be there and/or is constantly doing 'their own' thing? And, on top of all that, i doubt you'll be asked to do anything in training (like grooming standards, behaviour, etc) that doesn't apply to operating crew.

Training may be hard, draining, exhausting. But, i have never encountered a trainer who has tried to make it more difficult than it needs to be. It is a lot of information to retain, but it isn't impossible. They don't want you to fail and they aren't looking for excuses to kick you out.

Just keep the motivation and enthusiasm up and i'm sure you'll be fine. You've got this far, so you are obviously what they want.

Anyway, enough of all this doom and gloom. Training can actually be a lot of fun. I'm great friends with several people in my training class and i can still remember being in fits of laughter for probably 70% of my initial training!

Hi all.

Been reading the posts for a while now (Well ever since my VRD) and just thought I would say thanks for all the great advice and comments.

I got offered a place in the Melbourne Ground school starting on the 15th of September. Anyone else in that school, I'll see you there.

Cant wait!!!

On The Waitlist...
 

Hey Everyone,

For those of you following my posts, I've been put on the 'waitlist' with VB Sydney... So only time will tell.

I'm not annoyed about this, I'm seeing it as a positive thing so yay! :ok:

Just thought I'd let you all know!

Breeza.

Melbourne GS 15th Sept
 

Hey Tazzydevil

I'll be at thet ground school. Shoot me an email or add me on msn [email protected] or drop me a text 0430137567. Looking forward to getting to know as many as I can before GS. Will be heaps of fun. You had ur uniform fitting? Mine was today. Looked so awesome Cant wait.

Cheers
Leigh:ok:

The pass mark required as set down by CASA is 80%. However, if you are constantly achieving 80%, the trainers will be worried about you as there is still 20% of information that you are still not understanding in each topic, and this could be a cause of concern for them as to how you may cope out online. Also, passing the tests also aren't a guarantee that you will pass training. You also need to consistently display the behavioural competencies required of you for the job. For 5 weeks you have no life and your life just revolves around 2 thick manuals, but trust me, all the study and that is def worth it when you get out online.

we have a buddy trainer on the flights for the 1st 2 weeks (approx, just under in some cases). And your start date on the flights depends on availability of Buddy Trainers. usually you have a couple of days off after wings night before you have ur first flight.

at my VRD for Sydney crew they said to be expecting about 3 or 4 overnights a month...

What is the 'wings night'?

When SYD base opened, they weren't actually getting any overnights. THey are starting to get some, but as to the average I am not really sure. I am BNE based and on average I get 8-10 a month, but who knows how long that will last. I am thinking that it will take some time before they drop dramatically and they will never drop to none all together as we will never have a base in every port we fly too.

But as far as I know, SYD do get less overnights than the BNE or MEL port at the moment because they SYD base has far less crew at the moment.

As for getting OOL and BNE, I think they get some but not many from what I know.

Wings Night is where you are formally presented with your wings. Its a night for the crew to let their hair down after training, invite their friends and family along to see them graduate from training. The group also do a small group performance and it is a real fun night. It is definitely the highlight of finishing training.

Are there any of you left at Rex now Xsite? Since so many rex crew have come through training recently.

rex
 

airvborne yeah there is heaps left at rex...not all have left....they always recruit too there is a ground school every month....so for someone to get there foot in the door and cant get into the big ones just yet rex is a great place to start.....its great experience and being ur own manager is so much fun....u actually get to interact with ur passengers on a one on one basis....and meet famous ppl too....i muist say frankie j holden is the nicest person ull ever meet...but yeh there is heaps left at rex...wen vb started in sydney there was a bunch who left but since then (back in april/may) ive been the only one to leave rex to vb others have gone to qf and doing other things in life.....but i must say there piltos dissappear heapos qiock because the money for them at vb is far greater then at rex...so for me it will be like flying at rex cause i know a few pilots who are at vb and some that are going....

yay I am sooo happy!!
 

I am off the waitlist and have passed my reference check..... & going for my medical nxt week!!!
I was Brisbane based but my recruiter told me that Ill be waiting for a position at BNE till July 2009

So I decided to put my hand up for SYD based and YAY.. Best move I have ever done!!!!!

So I start ground school in OCT....So Happy
(I was also told that being sydney based we will not do as much overnighters compared to BNE & MELB) Oh Well!!! Thats life... And things will always change... :)

Well done Melody. I start soon in Melbourne and cant wait as well. Hope your training goes well and maybe we will catch up in the skies.

Cheers

:)
 

Thanks Tazzy
MELB!!! Thats fantastic Id loved to move to MELB and be based there but my recruiter would not let me she said its to far... haha

Have fun in your training

I really do hope we meet I bet we will :)

Gs!
 

hey alllll, FINALLY i am in and start ground school at the end of sep, syd base!! Is anyone else in that school!! :):):):):):):)

well we had our uniform fittings yesterday...how exciting it feels so nice n soft..heaps better then where i work now!! not long to go now!!!! 4 sleeps to go...!!! is anyone else looking forward to monday...whoeva is training with me?

Good luck!
 

Good luck to everyone who is starting training in the next few weeks. Very excited for you! Let all of us who are waiting know how you get on!

vb medical
 

Yallo!!

I went for my medical...And I could not stop laughing hehe!!
Also my doc told me I passed :):):):):):):):):) I'm So Happy!!

I am just waiting to hear from my recruiter now... They love to keep you waiting don't they..hehe..

:ok:

Anyone put their hand up for interest in the PER base transfer? Just wondering how many PER overnights I might be getting if no-one is interested.

its official :)
 

Morning :)

It is official I am VB Cabin Crew now... I start training on the 13th of October!! I am SO HAPPY.....

:O

Congrats Melody!! That's awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

breeza
 

Thanks Babe!!! Gosh it has been a long time waiting
So worth it..

:):):):):):):)

Just curious wirgin, has Perth been announced or are they still in infant stages? the talk is that ADL & OOL are going to happen as well. Any one care to comment. Won't that slash overnights especially for Melbourne crew?

Gloria
 

I talked with my recruiter which takes care of Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane...
And she said to me that Brisbane and Melbourne will be have atleast 5+ overnights a months.. Compared to Sydney which will have 3 at the most each month?!!!
But things will always change.... Overnights will come and go (hehe)

Expressions of interest out for PER. Preferably trained on EJet and 737. They are after FC to transfer also so I'm guessing if they get the numbers the base will happen as it would be a pita to be operating two types of aircraft on the other side of the country from your main crew bases. There will probably still be plenty of overnights in PER its just they cant afford to cancel flights if someone goes mid-duty.
OOL has been looked at in the past due to crew living on coast and nothing has happened so not sure about that.
ADL keeps being mentioned but I don't see the point, not many crew overnight there so the savings wouldn't probably be worth it.

Virgin Blue's financial position appears to be a bit brighter,this from.
Virgin Blue expands reach to PNG | The Australian

VIRGIN Blue intends to take on Air Niugini as it expands its reach to Papua New Guinea.
The airline has applied to the International Air Services Commission for 900 seats each way, each week between Brisbane and Port Moresby, using Boeing 737-800s operated by Pacific Blue. It told the commission it wanted to start four services a week from November 1 and a fifth within a year. The new Pacific Blue service comes as the airline is expanding into Western Australia to take advantage of the resources boom.
It will also establish a jet crew base in Sydney, eventually basing about a third of its fleet there and creating up to 1000 jobs.
After a bleak period in which its share price fell from $1.16 to under 50c, the future may be looking brighter for Virgin.
Chief executive Brett Godfrey believes a share overhang from a distribution to Toll Holdings shareholders has cleared and oil prices appear to heading down, even if jet fuel prices appear reluctant to follow suit.
Airline stocks generally have been buoyed by the lowest crude oil prices in almost five months.
Virgin shares rose 4.5c to close at 55.5c yesterday while Qantas shares closed up 11c at $3.64.
UBS Investment Research, which rates Virgin as a buy with an 80c price target, said current fuel and currency spot scenarios would see Virgin's earnings move from a break-even position to a $38 million net profit.

melbourne recruitment
 

Hi everyone,
havnt been following this forum too much lately, but i am able to reapply in a few weeks and was wondering if anyone knew whether virgin blue was recruiting for melb base any time soon? any VRD's coming up?

any info would be great
Thanks:)

Hey everyone!
Congats on your offers! Ive been syd crew now for a few months and it's awesome:) This month we have no overnights for most of us here in sydney but as they say it changes all the time but don't count on overnights! So plan your budget with out overnights and you won't be dissapointed. :)