Virgin Atlantic/Blue Exchange Programme.
Join Date: May 2004
Location: all over the shop
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Smile - You cheeky sod! 
We do tend to get a few days off, however I have a habit of swapping as much as I can anyway to get the longer trips!
Concorde1 - Having a total laugh here! Really loving it, however there are some aspects of oz that I do miss... I find life in the UK is unnecessarily difficult in some ways (eg banking, insurance, flying ID's, road signs!!
) but there are other things that I have just fallen in love with - eg Leicester Square and the West End; the Underground (surprisingly!); summer nights where its 10pm and still light.....
A few things I forgot to mention in my previous post:
1) Gather together your last 5 years of employers and addresses. You WILL need it for your flying ID application. Contact your last 5 years employers - they will be contacted and asked to provide a reference for you - so give them a heads up, and let them know its coming, and how important it is that you get the form they get sent back off them ASAP!
2) Bank accounts here are difficult to open for non-residents. VA will provide you with a letter of proof of employment, which is a start... here you dont "get" an account, you "apply" for one - and they *can* decline you!
3) You will need a National Insurance number here - like a combined Tax File Number/Medicare number - serves a similar purpose. The moment you arrive here, get on the phone to the national insurance people in your area and organise an interview - it can take up to 6 weeks before your interview is scheduled, and you need your NI number for your flying ID!
4) Look into training accomodation now. Training is 6 weeks, and you dont want to be spending all that time stressing about where your next night will be spent! Particularly around crawley/gatwick/horley/three bridges there are *heaps* of bed & breakfasts, which are all very familiar with cabin crew and their training schedules etc - usually quite helpful and flexible. Check out Find-me-a-b-n-b or other websites previously mentioned...
Good luck all in your applications!
We do tend to get a few days off, however I have a habit of swapping as much as I can anyway to get the longer trips!Concorde1 - Having a total laugh here! Really loving it, however there are some aspects of oz that I do miss... I find life in the UK is unnecessarily difficult in some ways (eg banking, insurance, flying ID's, road signs!!
) but there are other things that I have just fallen in love with - eg Leicester Square and the West End; the Underground (surprisingly!); summer nights where its 10pm and still light.....A few things I forgot to mention in my previous post:
1) Gather together your last 5 years of employers and addresses. You WILL need it for your flying ID application. Contact your last 5 years employers - they will be contacted and asked to provide a reference for you - so give them a heads up, and let them know its coming, and how important it is that you get the form they get sent back off them ASAP!
2) Bank accounts here are difficult to open for non-residents. VA will provide you with a letter of proof of employment, which is a start... here you dont "get" an account, you "apply" for one - and they *can* decline you!
3) You will need a National Insurance number here - like a combined Tax File Number/Medicare number - serves a similar purpose. The moment you arrive here, get on the phone to the national insurance people in your area and organise an interview - it can take up to 6 weeks before your interview is scheduled, and you need your NI number for your flying ID!
4) Look into training accomodation now. Training is 6 weeks, and you dont want to be spending all that time stressing about where your next night will be spent! Particularly around crawley/gatwick/horley/three bridges there are *heaps* of bed & breakfasts, which are all very familiar with cabin crew and their training schedules etc - usually quite helpful and flexible. Check out Find-me-a-b-n-b or other websites previously mentioned...
Good luck all in your applications!
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Australia
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Wow...what a long reply - I am very grateful for the info - thanks Sinala1!
Having lived in the UK for 12 months not so long ago, I am fortunate to have sorted all the c#%p out - yes, I know EXACTLY what you are referring to when you say that alot of the everyday tasks are just that little bit more difficult over there than here in Oz!!
I've had a few email updates from another VB crewmember over there and you all sound like you are having a ball!!
The ALE business visa - does that ONLY allow you to work for VA?? Have any of you guys got a second job for a little extra play money??
Thanks again for all of that great info!
Cheers,
Oz
Smile - Have you transferred to MEL??
Having lived in the UK for 12 months not so long ago, I am fortunate to have sorted all the c#%p out - yes, I know EXACTLY what you are referring to when you say that alot of the everyday tasks are just that little bit more difficult over there than here in Oz!!
I've had a few email updates from another VB crewmember over there and you all sound like you are having a ball!!
The ALE business visa - does that ONLY allow you to work for VA?? Have any of you guys got a second job for a little extra play money??
Thanks again for all of that great info!
Cheers,
Oz
Smile - Have you transferred to MEL??
Join Date: May 2004
Location: all over the shop
Posts: 986
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The ALE business visa - does that ONLY allow you to work for VA?? Have any of you guys got a second job for a little extra play money??
not entirely sure on that one sorry - maybe you can get ask in person if you do decide to go down to the British High Commission in CBR to do the Visa Entry Clearance? Or of course, you could work cash-in-hand, although not that I condone that practice of course, being as innocent and respectful of the Inland Revenue Service as I am...
