Medicals
 

Hi Guys,

With regards to medicals did they contact you by telephone or e-mail for the medical?

I'm still waiting patiently...

Cheers
SocialFlyer

You will be conatcted via phone for the need to have a medical.

Once results have been sent to VB, the recruitment dept will then contact by phone to advise whether you have been accepted for a position.

If you have already done a medical and are waiting for a reply , as long as the medical is good, I would be confident that you would be contacted for a position.

Just bear in mind that the recruitment dept is super busy at the moment, so it may take a little.

In regards to the urine tests, they are looking obviously for an all clear but... they test urine for 4 types of drugs...

1. Marajuana (this is fat soluble so for those users I suggest that you give up atlest 6-12months ago as it sits in the fat of your body and slowly dilutes; slowly meaning months/years)
2. Amphetamines
3. MDMA
4. Ice

Not sure if the last 3 go under the same heading, but I do know they test it for those sorts of things, and YES they will watch you so boys don't bother using your g/f's because high levels of estrogen will appear.

Joshgem; It is wise to tell them you were on anti depressants, regardless of a urine test, they will still be asking you all about your past medication prescriptions and hospitalisations even your family's history at some airlines. Omitting information can be grounds for a fail if found otherwise.

You can't be discriminated against for being on anti-d's. And the reasons therein are not going to affect your job as a FA. Anyhow, I have heard they give you the opportunity to state why you were on that medication or had that operation etc.

Perhaps someone who has done the VB medical can clarify? :8

A girl I trained with at DJ confided in me that she was on ADs at the time of medical, but didn't want to tell them because she thought that while they technically "wouldn't discriminate", she thought if they wanted to they could blame something else on her "non employment" when really it was the ADs... to cut a long story short, she got through, remained on the ADs and was never questioned otherwise.

Up to you how you want to play it, but I think if you disclose that you run a risk that they have some ammunition to not employ you... but if you don't disclose, you are not being honest.... depends on which way you want to play it!

Good luck

SHFG:p

Salary is a somewhat grey area during training but here is a basic rundown. Your standard fortnightly salary consists of the following:
1. Base pay
2. DTA
3. Misc expense reimbursement allowance
4. Grooming and uniform allowance

The items above taxed. In addition to the above, the following items are added and are also taxed:
5. Overtime penalties
6. Supplementary payment (for missed breaks)
7. Draft pay (flat payment when assigned a duty on a day off)
8. Available pay

Available pay is in addition to your base salary. These are days where no flying duty is assigned but you are on call and if called out, you have to work. The positive side of this is that you get paid approx. 1.3 x base rate per hour worked. This can make a significant difference to your salary. You can denominate these days so that the hours worked count towards your monthly duty hours but you won't get paid the extra money.

9. Overnight allowance. This is the last component of salary and is untaxed. Items 1-8 comprise your gross salary from which tax is deducted and then your overnight allowance is added to this amount to arrive at Nett salary.

Gross earnings per year, including overnight allowance, varies amongst crew members but is typically in the range of $50-60k. Lastly, superannuation is something that is overlooked and is only paid on the base component of salary, which is about $33k.

Hope this clears things up!

Melbourne Cabin Crew Ground Schools
 

Hey Guys,

Have any of the Virgin Crew on this forum heard any news about future ground schools in Melbourne. I am still waiting patiently for contact about my medical, but from what I hear there is a hold up on Ground Schools in Melbourne. Few people who attended the recruitment day on 13 June and late may are at the same stage as me, references checked, but now waiting for medicals. Ohhhh the waiting game.

Any truth in this?

Perhaps as the Embraer's is what we are all waiting for I guess. 18 of them over the next 18 months + another 9 737's on order.
So no I havent heard exactly what is going on but just trying to give some more reasons for you.

Cheers.

Melbourne Ground Schools
 

Thanks for the response WirginBlue

I guess I just have to keep waiting. I heard there is a ground school on the 08 August in Melbourne and they have contacted some people for that last week. Perhaps they are just working through the list.

I'll keep holding on (As Kim Wilde once said, LOL)

Cheers
SocialFlyer

medical
 

well i have just come back from my medical, all went well except my urine test showed negative for opiates:uhoh: the nurse asked me if i had had any codeine, i said i took 2 nurofen plus tablets last night for my headache, so now my urine has to be sent of to the lab for a more in depth test, i can not beleive this, they told me not to worry as it was only over the counter tablets because of the positive it has to be sent off i hope this does not jepordise my employment in any way.

anyone out ther had this happen to them or know of someone that has.

thnks guys .

joshgem

Hiya joshgem

From experiences of friends in the past I decided to abstain from all 'plus' and 'forte' over the counters from when I had my full interview. Poppyseeds were also on my 'avoid' list!

Friend had a false positive come back on their urine - it was sent away for the further testing - came back as 'inconclusive'. Then they had to do a 2nd urine test about a week later! $$$$

You'll be fine - but if you were like me last week any little thing that seemed as tho it could delay your possible starting in any way just became the thing of nightmares.

Anyone on the board starting on the 13August? I found out yesterday :)

Thanks dj candidate, im sure i'll be fine, but im going through hell now thinking the worst.
congats on making it.

Joshgem did you end up telling them about the AD's? I hope everything works out for you. :)

no i didnt tell them about the ads the question was not asked, still am stressing about taking the nurofen plus though.

You should have been given a form to fill in prior to the drug screen - where you would have indicated ANY MEDICATIONS that you had taken in the period leading up to the testing. If you advised at this time that you had taken the Nurofen etc - no problem.

Its when you wait until the test is negative to say, "ohh yeah - I took a ?????" that you have a problem.

If you have done in it the right way - there shouldnt be a problem.

:)

joshgem

You will be fine. They only test for certain types of drugs in urine tests. I know someone who was in your predicament. They had been taking AD's til 2 days b4 the medical, tested (false) positive for benzodiazepines (like sleeping tabs), had their urine sent to lab and came back negative. AD's usually only stay in your system for a week, as was told to my friend by their doc after they freaked out for the exact same reason you are.

Stay calm, and ring the medical centre every couple of days til you get the result. You are entitled to find out the results, I presume you paid for the medical. Stay on them til you get an answer. :)

Melbourne Ground Schools
 

Hey Guys,

FYI... There is a Cabin Crew ground school starting in Melbourne on the 6th August and people have already been contacted for that. In addition I think there is one also planned for the last week of August or 1st week of September which people will be contacted for in the next couple of weeks.

There's my latest gossip for the day...... Good luck to everyone

thanks everyonr for all your positve feedback, im sure everything will work out, the hardest part is waiting hopefully i will know by tomorrow, i called them this morning the results wont be back till tomorrow morning so i guess i will have wait till then.


thanks
joshgem

Virgin Blue Pay
 

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if some Virgin Cabin Crew can answer some of these questions for me:

1. With the pay per fortnight is the base pay per fortnight paid seperately to allowances? ie.. you get the base, and then allowances in arrears?

2. Apart from the base pay and overnight allowance of $91.26 is there any additional allowances paid, and if so are they paid per fortnight or monthly?

3. Could someone please provide me with the exact base salary for a 1st year Cabin Crew? The information given at the interview states that during the training period pay is $572.88 gross per week, and then $652.74 gross per week when online. Does anyone have the annual figure?

I'm just trying to work out how much pay is on average for a first year cabin crew.

Thanks

Virgin Cabin Crew Waitlist
 

Hey guys,

Well I got an email from Virgin stating that I had progressed through the Cabin Crew recruitment process, and based on current demand I have been placed on a 'wait list' for up to 6 months for a position to come up in Melbourne. The e-mail states that once a position comes up in a ground school I will be contacted for a medical. From what I am told, Virgin don't keep you on the wait list for too long, so hopefully thats the case this time.

So I guess now it's a true waiting game for a Melbourne ground school to come up. I know there is one on 06 August, but further to that nothing scheduled. Fingers and toes crossed something comes up for September or October.

Anyone else from Melbourne get the same e-mail. I know 2 people who made it through with me on the day that received the same advice.

Cheers
SocialFlyer

Hey SocialFlyer that's great news! :}

I went to a VRD on the 17th of this month and got through the whole day! They said they were hiring for a wait list as they hadn't arranged any ground schools yet. So that rumour is true.

I received an e-mail today stating that my "application has been progressed past the recruitment day" and that they would provide fortnightly updates on the status of my application. It makes me a little nervous because they state it is still not a "successful or unsuccessful" but that it is "still being progressed". That makes me wonder. I really hope they contact my references. That would be awesome!

DJ
 

Awww wow congrats guys thats great! :) :D
I have noticed that a few people said they were getting the "you have been progressed past the recruitment day" email. Has anyone who has gotten this failed and not actually gotten the job? It used to be pretty certain that if Virgin called referees/asked for medical that the job was pretty much yours providing your references and medical were ok. (With some exceptions of course). However I assume that has changed now with so many people getting the progression letter... Or perhaps it is just that so many new recruits are needed! Would be interesting to know!

I sure hope not. Would be very interesting to know! :confused:

Not Progressed
 

Hey Guys,
I spoke to 2 people at my recruitment day who made it through till the end and then got the unsuccessful e-mail. After the recruitment day you can expect your references to be called within 2 weeks, and then you will get another e-mail if successful at that stage advising that you have been progressed and awaiting positions to arise. These days Virgin will only send you for a medical when they have a confirmed ground school start date for you.
Hang in there, they need quite a few people on the wait list to cope for the upcoming new aircraft and also to fill the gaps for crew which may transfer to the Long Haul operation. In addition, they may be updating their training program to include the Embraer aircraft as part of training for new crew, that would make sense to include it in the training. Who knows, we can guess all day....

Another hint, go have a look at your application online and you will notice that the status of your application will change as you are going through the recruitment process. I noticed mine has changed three times, and recently it states something about "upcoming cabin crew training schools". Let me know if your is the same.

Fingers crossed guys, keep us posted, ill do the same.
Cheers
SocialFlyer

You'll be sweet
 

I work for VB as Ground Crew... and speaking with other CC members they are slamming through groups at the moment. So hopefully you won't have to wait for too long!!

Rumour-Virgin Blue to Introduce Second Class
 

Hi all,

Currently work for VB and have heard from a few people, one in senior management and two from other areas, that there is rumour Virgin Blue will be introducing a new travel class, becoming a two class airline, on its domestic network. This is also rumoured to have been told to one of the new training groups by Dave Rundall.

Has anyone else heard this floating around the network at all?

The rumour of a "business" class has been around for some time, potentially using quick change seats a'la Ansett (ie 3 seats become 2, with a big armrest in the middle). I will, however, believe it when I see it :8

Virgin
 

Hi there,
thanks for ur response....yeah im with u, believe it when i see it lol. Thanks for your info tho, have a great day :D

At the moment Virgin Blue cant use the name outside Australia due to a SQ agreement with VS hence the use of Pacific Blue when it was launched.
The idea of using V Australia is apparently so if at some stage in the future DJ can use the Virgin name over the Pacific it will be easy to change to Virgin Australia. Also the livery is very similar to the VS one so that will be easy to change also.
So give it a couple of years, SQ sell there stake in VS. Branson gives Godfrey the nod and all of a sudden you will have Virgin Australia.
Cant wait for the 777's to start.
:D:D:D:D:D

Virgin Medicals
 

Hey Guys,

Anyone from Melbourne get the call for a medical? I got this week to attend a medical for Cabin Crew. Was told I have to have it done ASAP. I think there is a ground school in Melbourne set for September. Looks like things are on the move again.

YAY!!!!

Well Guys,

ITS OFFICIAL!!!!!!!! I GOT THE JOB as Cabin Crew in Melbourne........ Start 1st of September.... YAY!!!

I'm stoked.....

Thats AWESOME Social Flyer, congratulations... I have been quietly watching your progression, I am glad to hear you finally got what you want... welcome aboard mate! :ok:

Hi Goshgem,

I recently had my guest services recruitment day and made it through the whole day. now i am waiting nervously for a email or a phone call. can you please let me know how you were contacted and how long you waited. Also were your references checked before you were contacted?

Also was anyone on this forum at the guest service day on 1st August? if so i would love to hear your progress.

Thanks

Did they say whether or not there will be a second interview? Know in the aviation industry I can guess they will contact you by email (if there is a 2nd interview) or by mail. Expect a bit of a wait of 1-2 weeks. Best of luck mate!!!!:ok: Let us know how you go!!!!!!!!!!!!!:O

Medical and Final interview
 

Ok, So far so good. I got a call today asking me to come in for a second interview at the airport. Im ver excited now!! My problem is though that I am leaving for Thailand in 1.5 weeks, and i want to have my medical before i leave. Does anyone know where the medical is at for VB guest services? I am thinking i will book it in now for after my interview.

Hello

Does anyone know the rule surrounding reassignables?

If I call sick for 2 day trip starting on, say, Monday, but then on Monday afternoon I feel better and contact crewing to put me on reassignable for the Tuesday, how much notice do they have to give me?

Example, If I call at 6pm on Monday for work on Tuesday, can they put me on reassignable as early as 3am?

Hope someone knows the answer!

Thanks

Hey SocialFlyer, remember me?

Congratulations my friend, it's fantastic news and well deserved after all your hard work and determination.

I'm really pleased for you and hope it's everything you wish it to be.

Safe flying my friend. It's about bloody time!

Reassignable
 

Crewbus, as per the EBA, if your reassignable was day1 of a trip then it can only be up to 2 hours prior to original sign on time. If last day of trip then duty can only extend 2 hours past original sign off time.
However, intermediate days, such as your day 2 then it states, as required.
It does however stipulate that it must comply with rest period and duty hour limitations.

Did you work on the Sunday? if so then minimum break buffer either side of single day off is 15 hours etc... if you signed off at 1500 on Sun then reassignable on the Tue can not start until 0600 on the Tue.

But alas your reassignable being day 2 of trip if you did not work Sun then it is feasible for them to put you on reassignable from 0400. That is the earliest duty start time. However this means that you then have 120min to sign on, just as for available...
Hope this helps.
Cheers.

Thank You
 

IguanaHead,

How can i ever forget you. Yes after all this time finally i'm with Virgin. I took a break for a while from trying but then could not resist and had to have 1 last attempt. Had my uniform fitted, and now can't wait to start flying. Must catch up for a coffee in Sydney. Hope all is going well with Jetstar.

Cheers

SocialFlyer

On the last day of a MULTI day trip (2,3,4 days) - the earliest your reassignable can start is 6am (you dont have to answer your phone beofre that) and you have to sign off no later than 2 hour after your original sign off.

Earlier reassignable spans would only apply to intermediate days (ie days 2,3 of a 4 day trip).

more often they will give you an airport when you call to clear yourself - that we they've got you at the airport at 6.