BA and Project Columbus II
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Those of you who I’ve met over the last few weeks have said that you recognise the need for change but ask that I do all I can to minimise any personal impact to you financially. To achieve this I believe we need to focus on contracts for future crew whilst looking at how our existing people can be as productive as possible.
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So what does that mean for those of us who have just finished our temporary contracts and are now back sitting in the holding pool, and those new recruits who have just been interviewed for the hold pool and are awaiting a job?
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Temps are not a concern -
Sorry, temps are not a real concern at present, You contract is over, and if you want to come back - and they want you to come back, then you'll sign a new contact.. Or not as the case may be..just hang fire.. Got to sort out the full time lot first. And my god that's going to take some sorting ! ..
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Mr Francis, head of IfCE, has stated that there will be no big announcement. That is not to say that there will not be changes.
The letter was sent this morning and is detailed above, interesting BASSA response
BASSA has the best and most experienced negotiating team within the entire Trade Union movement, you can be confident they will do their job
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Bassa were available for talks prior to this time. It was the company which was unwilling.
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RE: Temps are not a concern...
I agree that Temps are certainly of no concern to Bassa, but they are to the British Airways. Why are they placing us back into the Hold Pool then, the same hold pool that they are currently actively recruiting for? The announcement, or non-announcement, or whatever it may be, clearly has been thought through by BA and I would imagine that the people in this 'hold pool' are quite an important element of their plan.
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Da Dog.
From the horses mouth.11th Feb 2009, 1411hrs.
Any expectation of a big bang announcement is unlikely to happen. I plan to write to everyone in IFCE after that date.......thanks Bill
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Bill Francis
Head of InFlight Customer Experience (IFCE)
From the horses mouth.11th Feb 2009, 1411hrs.
Any expectation of a big bang announcement is unlikely to happen. I plan to write to everyone in IFCE after that date.......thanks Bill
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Bill Francis
Head of InFlight Customer Experience (IFCE)
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SFBDolly, i am chilled! Sort of... I'm slowly trying to get something sorted for when my contract ends and am almost there!
I'm sure you will agree that it is frustrating for everybody not knowing whats really going on, but i'm just happy now that talks are finally happening and that the wheels are in motion! I just hope that things get sorted as quickly as possible, i don't want BASSA to rush anything through... but i also hope they don't play around with BA and take months and months to sort out the current issues. There are a lot of people waiting on the results of these talks as to there future, temps, permanent crew etc.
I'm sure you will agree that it is frustrating for everybody not knowing whats really going on, but i'm just happy now that talks are finally happening and that the wheels are in motion! I just hope that things get sorted as quickly as possible, i don't want BASSA to rush anything through... but i also hope they don't play around with BA and take months and months to sort out the current issues. There are a lot of people waiting on the results of these talks as to there future, temps, permanent crew etc.
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I am a member of Flight Crew and believe that flight crew and cabin crew need to have a union to protect them.
During the snow disruption a few weeks ago many crew had difficulty getting to the airport. A BA Toronto flight dispatched from Heathrow with the First Class section closed down due to a shortage of cabin crew. This happens sometimes, particularly if there are no First Class passengers booked.
On the return flight, ex Toronto, First Class was fully booked with full fare passengers, as was Club. But there was a problem with how to operate the service with the shortage of cabin crew. Then a passenger who was a BA cabin crew member offered to operate. This opportunity was jumped at by the YYZ ground staff as a way to operate with a First Class section. Phone calls were made but BASSA was adamant that because the flight had operated ex LHR with a closed First Class section it would have to operate back to LHR with a closed First Class section regardless of how many cabin crew were on board.
Consequently all First Class Passengers were put in Club, some Club passengers were downgraded. The loss of revenue to BA was estimated at £40-60,000. On top of this there would have been considerable admin involved in refunds and letters at a time when there was already major disruption.
To any fair minded person this utter inflexibility of BASSA is akin to industrial sabotage. BASSA deprived BA of significant premium revenue and alienated passengers. There was no gain to anybody. This is not what people join a union for. In times of extremes, whether it be disruption, 911, or weather, companies need some flexibility. Yet BA have their hands tied by BASSA making it very difficult to compete profitably with other airlines. It is time BASSA changed.
During the snow disruption a few weeks ago many crew had difficulty getting to the airport. A BA Toronto flight dispatched from Heathrow with the First Class section closed down due to a shortage of cabin crew. This happens sometimes, particularly if there are no First Class passengers booked.
On the return flight, ex Toronto, First Class was fully booked with full fare passengers, as was Club. But there was a problem with how to operate the service with the shortage of cabin crew. Then a passenger who was a BA cabin crew member offered to operate. This opportunity was jumped at by the YYZ ground staff as a way to operate with a First Class section. Phone calls were made but BASSA was adamant that because the flight had operated ex LHR with a closed First Class section it would have to operate back to LHR with a closed First Class section regardless of how many cabin crew were on board.
Consequently all First Class Passengers were put in Club, some Club passengers were downgraded. The loss of revenue to BA was estimated at £40-60,000. On top of this there would have been considerable admin involved in refunds and letters at a time when there was already major disruption.
To any fair minded person this utter inflexibility of BASSA is akin to industrial sabotage. BASSA deprived BA of significant premium revenue and alienated passengers. There was no gain to anybody. This is not what people join a union for. In times of extremes, whether it be disruption, 911, or weather, companies need some flexibility. Yet BA have their hands tied by BASSA making it very difficult to compete profitably with other airlines. It is time BASSA changed.
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Come on draglift, an agreement is an agreement
This made me laugh the other day en route. It came to Cabin Crew break time, the CSD came up with "a problem" apparently the crew had to have 3 hours horizontal rest each, but with our ETA they were only going to get 2hrs 50, so could we slow down?
Well the math was done and we worked out we could gain 15 minuets (and burn a considerable amount of extra fuel) that still was not good enough, so in order to get 3 horizontal the breakfast service wasn't done.
You could not make it up
This made me laugh the other day en route. It came to Cabin Crew break time, the CSD came up with "a problem" apparently the crew had to have 3 hours horizontal rest each, but with our ETA they were only going to get 2hrs 50, so could we slow down?
Well the math was done and we worked out we could gain 15 minuets (and burn a considerable amount of extra fuel) that still was not good enough, so in order to get 3 horizontal the breakfast service wasn't done.
You could not make it up
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Perhaps you could, perhaps the CAA could. You give no details of the flight but certain long range flights require certain rest periods for both pilots and cabin crew. Not a BA rule, not a BASSA rule, CAA rule.
I have no details of route, aircraft, passenger loads or remaining flight time after mandatory rest. It could have been possible to complete the service, clear in and prepare the cabin for landing, or it could not, I wasn't there. Point is 3hrs rest period is a legal requirement on some long range.
I have no details of route, aircraft, passenger loads or remaining flight time after mandatory rest. It could have been possible to complete the service, clear in and prepare the cabin for landing, or it could not, I wasn't there. Point is 3hrs rest period is a legal requirement on some long range.
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I can assure you in the circumstances 3 hours horizontal rest was not required by the CAA, as they say in America "go figure"
Now back to your scheme v industrial
I will refrain from giving exact details, least the BASSA rebels amongst us "name and shame"
Now back to your scheme v industrial
I will refrain from giving exact details, least the BASSA rebels amongst us "name and shame"
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In which case it was neither a scheme nor industrial issue so you can stop banging your head against bricks. (Not a very becoming attitude for a cool in control pilot.)
The CSD was wrong. I trust you reported the issue so the CSD can recieve the appropriate feedback.
The CSD was wrong. I trust you reported the issue so the CSD can recieve the appropriate feedback.
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Thank you PC767, I actually enjoy banging my head against a brick wall
It was not the CSD who had the problem, lets just say one of the pursers on the flight had stirred up enough of the crew to mount a mutiny, to be more specific might lead you to an obvious conclusion.
Actually, PC767 despite what you may think of Pilots, most of them will not go running to the management in an attempt to drop their work colleagues "in it"
The CSD did what they thought "right" in the circumstances.
This just further highlights yet another issue of who actually thinks they run BA
It was not the CSD who had the problem, lets just say one of the pursers on the flight had stirred up enough of the crew to mount a mutiny, to be more specific might lead you to an obvious conclusion.
I trust you reported the issue so the CSD can recieve the appropriate feedback.
Today 19:58
Today 19:58
The CSD did what they thought "right" in the circumstances.
This just further highlights yet another issue of who actually thinks they run BA