CCBoy,

If you log into your candidate page on the britishairwaysjobs.com site, then click on the interview time, it will take you to a page that gives you directions to Cranebank and The Rivers. If you're getting the bus to LHR, then you can get on one of the FREE buses to Hatton Cross, 285, 555, 556 and 557. (These buses run within the Heathrow Airport Free Flow Fare Zone). Once at Hatton Cross, it's just a case of getting on the BA4 Staff Shuttle bus that runs about every 10 minutes. Hope his helps.

Interviews
 

hi everybody,


I have an interview at LHR on monday 3rd sept for premanent LGW cabin crew and was wondering if any existing cc member could give me a heads up on what to expect in the interview?

I'm soooooo excited and REALLY want the job as it's my dream...it'd b great if anyone could help me be more prepared and have the answers to everything!!!:ok:


Hope to hear from you helpful peeps soon! thanks :D

AJ

BA Hold Pool Eurofleet (LHR)
 

Hello all,

Passed my interview back in May and still in the hold pool. Does anybody know what the actual situation is? BA has offered to put me in hold pool for mixed fleet out of LGW!! Not exactly helpful since i live next to heathrow and might not get that job either!!

I used to work at BA a few years ago and my partner still does. Through various channels i.ve been told so far that probably nothing will happen this finacial year, in which case my interview pass will become invalid. Why on earth did BA bother wasting money interviewing me then accepting me?!

Also does anyboby know if there is a possibility of going longhaul (LHR) instead or is there an internal holdpool as well? ( i know this to be the case for new pursers on eurofleet which has peed off a lot of people!)

Any info would be much appreciated.

Many thanks, Philip

Dont worry
 

Hi Phillip,
As you know already, our offer is valid for one year that is up to May 2008. Although it has been said that no course until the end of the financial year, that will be March 2008 I think. Rest assured, I have heard that there will be LHR courses by the end of this year or at the beginning of the New Year. I know its frustrating and there are a lot like you and me in the same situation. BA wont let us go wasted.

still worried
 

just had a chat with a BA cabin crew manager, sadly had nothing good to say.

Basically BA's business plan has apparently changed since our interview, heathrow is now no longer needed, there is however a large shortfall out of LGW. Also said that it was very possible that pass date would expire. This is from a friend so he was certainly not glossing over the truth!

I just think that BA's whole recruitment process needs looking at, they go on and on about their Business plan, cost saving, Ready for T5 etc... yet they could surely save money by recruiting more efficiently.

Hi Philip and Londonphilou
 

Hang in there and stay positive I have a feeling that the New Year will bring us all good news. I am also still waiting for LHR EF course.

DAWN :)

hi dawn,

I would like to be positive too, believe me. My biggest regret is leaving BA 7 years ago and now going through all this!

Though what are you basing the good news in the new year on??

New Year
 

I think if they wont need any more staff at Heathrow they have a duty to tell us now or some time soon. The worst could happen is we all will have to go to LGW. Its a bit premature to think about that, yet realisticly speaking our turn should come after the LGW and WW(Temp) courses have been done which will be in Nov and Dec. So ours could be in Dec or early next year.

I agree, the only reason i know anything at all is because i know people at BA, sending an e-mail saying you are in a holding pool and then nothing else (ie updates etc...) is bad on their part.

Sadly LGW is not really a consideration for me, firstly they operate mixed fleet (long and short haul), secondly the commute would be awful for early starts or late finish. Due to young family and living near heathrow this really would not suit me. At a push i would go longhaul heathrow but only if the possibility arose to go eurofleet afterwards.

I really hope it all sorts itself out. who knows we might end up training together!! :)

Hi everybody...still swimming..

I don't think BA really care about "the duty of informing us on what they recruitment/course dates, plans will be".
Probably they don't fully know themseves anyway.
The end of financial year is end of march 2008 by which time they will have to make they mind up pretty quickly in order to offer us dates before we ...pass the sell by date....if what said it's not true and they will need people before the end of financ. year, it might be possible they will offer us courses at the begining of next year...The mutter is that at the moment there is really nothing which indicates that this is the case....:( so we can just hope things turn the right way.

Philip

I don't think for a moment they BA would offer LHR WW to us external on a permanent basis, if anything theye might offer us a temp contract (though very unlikely).
Rearding the cost of recruiting more efficiently etc., what logically could seem to be a "waste" might not be it at all when it comes to accounts.
Even the decision of not recruiting befere the end of financial year it may make a lot of sense when balancing a profit and loss accounts....
I already got used to the idea that for BA we are just numbers, actually we might one day just become numbers, however still thinki it's well worthy if we talk LHR.

In other words there are so many issues which could influence a decision other than the real need for staff.

It would be a real help if some of you who work at LHR coud share some information on what's going on ....THANK YOU!!!

good summary of the situation :ugh:

Hi... i'm a selector at BA.
Unfortunately BA is a business... and yes at time we do over recruit, thats just the way the business is! there is really nothing wrong with the selection process... its all due to operational requirments and now we need heads in LGW! I do understand your frustration regard the holding pool, but look at it from a business point of view and BA's point of view!

I'm sure if you have been recruited first time round and would have to go thru a second in interview you shouldn't have any problems getting it second time round!

I have heard that there are people employed at LHR as BA ground staff who were successful in getting cabin crew and offered courses for LHR Eurofleet this summer only to be told by their bosses they couldn't leave the terminals until the end of the summer as it would create staff shortages there.

Now they are stuck in the hold pools with everyone else!!

It is very frustrating but remember there is an LHR course going on right now and I read on here a few months back saying, BA will never recruit again for LHR, well they did. I'm going to wait, if the worst comes to the worst, then we all go to LGW but I bet we won't have to.

Hello Flyerlad,

Thanks for your blunt and direct response, it would have been most appreciated if that was made clear at the interview stage. Instead i got a lovely member of cabin crew and a slide show telling me how wonderful and rosy everything is, she also mentioned that if succesful we would most probably start in September. Such a shame that she was not aware of the BA business plan. Then again perhaps she is now flying out of Gatwick!

:rolleyes:

Clippypc. I would take everything you read on here that is negative with a pinch of salt. Alot of scaremongering here. I bet no one really knows anything for certain, but I bet if BA didn't need us at LHR at some point in the future we would have been offered LGW and told to take because that is it.

Hi Flyerland

thaks for your response.
Just quoting you on:

"I'm sure if you have been recruited first time round and would have to go thru a second in interview you shouldn't have any problems getting it second time round!"

By the sound of it seems that the possibility of never be offered a course for EF is actually a reality. Is this what you are trying to say?

Though I agree with skywatch77:
"I bet no one really knows anything for certain,"

It would be really helpful if BA recruitment would let us know sooner rather than later, particularly for those people who would not accept LGW as an alternative, so that they could move on.
After all, though I understand BA is a business and makes its decision accordingly, I still think that if EF courses will never be offered I would expect BA would take the time to let us know......

Gosh you guys are sweatting...

I work in Eurofleet at LHR. I was offered transfers to LHR Worldwide twice in the last 3 years. A secondment to the old LGW WW at first, with the option to transfer back to LHR WW, then the formal transfer to LHR WW about a year ago. People move, promotions happen.

The problem in BA is manpower. These guys can't ever get it right. I was offered to apply for unpaid leave about a month ago. I had the option to ask between 3 and 12 months, starting from October. I applied for 3 as I have a mortgage. Now, 2 people work job-share in that office where the decision is being made: one says I have been unsuccessful and those who applied for the full year got it by seniority, whilst the other person said nobody got unpaid leave yet and no decision has been made. The other joke happened last year when LGW WW crew were to be transfered to LHR. Junior EF LHR crew were told there would be no chance to transfer to longhaul at least for a couple of years... well well... two months later they were ringing people at home on their days off to offer them an immediate course. Finally, when short of crew, they 'manipulate' training courses as they are pleased. You join to be told you'll be working for Eurofleet, you train on the 320 and the next day someone comes into the classroom to tell you they are short on the 777 and there you go!

I could go on and on and on.... don't get me wrong, BA is still a very decent employer compared to the junk out there, yet they are, as a recruiter mentioned earlier, a BUSINESS... and we are numbers...

Alas personal situations are NOT considered. THey will give you what they've got when they've got it. Suits you? Ok you're in. Doesn't? Ok then. Bye or wait.

I read your posts and I see myself years back. Unfortunately, without wanting to discourage anybody, the reality is a bit harsher than one thinks. Yes we have lovely uniforms and we go places, but that's about it. We spend a lot of time apologising for the crap service we are left to give, after all the cost cutting that has taken place. We see our profits going to top management and our employees bonus scheme based on punctuality, which is impossible to achieve. The sense of pride is gone down the drain. I wish you guys could read our company forum and our Union magazine. MOrale is low and Willie Walsh ain't the answer I'm afraid. This job is NOT what it used to be anymore. Pay and conditions are becoming worse by the day. People who joined before 1997 are paid twice as much as those who joined after and this is 'acceptable'. New policies like EG300 have created resentment as we are managed by people who do not fly other than as passengers on staff/duty travel and assume that your sickness levels should be the same as someone working in an office. This is outrageous.

I could go on an on but I can see already what the next post is gona be like: 'If you're not happy, just leave...' Aaaaahhhh....

So... my 2 cents now... If you've got a decent job or a decent income, or you have to make a decision about studying further, please please please don't hold your breath waiting for your fantastic career as cabin crew. The problem is not how to get in, but how to get out and move on! :sad:

And finally, if despite all this you are still considering joining, then may I suggest you opt for EF LHR. I have NEVER come across anybody who said they are glad they went to LGW! (Sorry guys in LGW)
Our colleagues in LGW have nicknamed Heathrow the 'golden runway', based on the fact that LHR crew allowances are MUCH MUCH higher than LGW. Yes it may take you 2 years to transfer to longhaul, but the difference in money is likely to be 40%.

Floaty thank you for you honest answer, and taking the time to give us your view form the inside.
I understand 100% your point, many of us wait to join BA with great expectations later to find out that it may not be so rosey afterall, and that things change over time often not for the best.
I agree that BA LHR is still most probably the best employer at the moment in this industry, and this is why you are still there spite being a bit disilluded.
It 's great that people like yourself could from time to time, respond to our many questions on this forum.:)

Hello Floaty,

Thanks for your response, as kikko stated, a realistic and genuine answer is much appreciated.

Sadly from the BA crew that i know your opinions seem to be expressed by many.

I still travel on staff tickets, hence i get the opportunity to fly more than most, and i must say that 95% of the time the crew do a very good job considering all that's going on at BA, often it is the passengers who suffer and the front line staff who have to make the difference. :D

Waiting..
 

I flew with BA on Tuesday from GVA to LHR and I talked to 2 crew members. They told me that they have been short of staff and they think the LHR should be running again some time soon. When? its anybody's guess! :oh:

Don't forget they may not be taking into account the training courses going on at the mo. Either way we shall see, as stated earlier if we all end up on the same course i'll bring the champagne :)

Also waiting......
 

Floaty many thanks for your frank answer.
Personally I think that if there weren't going to be LHR EF courses in the future, all of us in the hold pool would have been offered LGW as an alternative before BA started recruiting externally, which has'nt been the case. So I think that there is still some hope for us. :hmm:
Hanging by a thread..... hopefull CC
DAWN :)

No alternative..
 

Lets not talk about any alternative..he he..:)
We applied for LHR SH and thats what we will expect to go to. So far we have not been told anything else. So we just have to wait.

Strange, do you mean you have not been offered LGW?? they offered it to me twice.

LGW offer
 

Yes I was offered LGW only once but declined it. What I meant was lets hope we don't get offered LGW again.

LGW offer
 

No I wasn't offered LGW and I know others that are in the hold-pool that weren't either. Even if I was offered LGW I would not accept it because I will be commuting and it's not convenient from that airport. :}
Eternally LHR EF hopeful CC.
DAWN :)

LGW
 

Got intvw for LGW next week - with the routes that are going up t'road (IAH/DFW) is that not going to leave LGW over crewed?

Obviuously I hope not but just wondered what the rationale was behind recruiting for a base that will need less staff?

TVM

LGW
 

Good point there but they were already very short of staff recently. Don't think it will be overcrewed. Instead they might even still be a bit short!

plus what you seem to forget is that BA has officially said that they are looking to replace the IAH and DFW with shorthaul routes which will be coming from LHR EF therefore explains the lack of need for LHR EF crew and unpaid leave! and its not just rumours its official comments from really senior managers on intrernal post and forums.

vicious circle
 

With those 2 new routes, they will need more WW staff and with people transferring from SH to WW, SH will be also be short too. Its just a vicious circle in the end. Whichever way you look at it, BA always needs new staff as things change so quickly. There is a good reason why the job offer is valid for a year.

When was the last time BA recruited straight into LHR WW on permanent contract?

About 9 years ago. Any recruitment will be to EFLHR only or LGW. No more direct entry into WWLHR (unless it's temp), unions won't have it (neither will the crew).
More crew are needed at LGW to acccount for natural wasteage that has occured and impending transfer of maincrew to EFLHR in November.
When the routes go to LHR in March LGW will indeed be overcrewed in all grades.
My guess is either a raft or part-time offers, tranfers to WW and EFLHR , even unpaid leave.
That's just my guess of course.
Will be interesting times. If I had to put money on it, I'd bet on more transfers, probably to EFLHR.
By this time the new transfer agreement within the NSP will be agreed between LGW and LHR.

Nine years ago, thank you.

What about LGW WW and recruitment there straight into? Were they transferred to LHR WW or first to EF?

Sorry to disagree but only very few LHR EF slots may be used to cover those american slots ex LGW. I understand that BA kept some slots ex BMed following its sale to BMI. I don't believe EF LHR recruitment to be directly linked to the IAH and DFW changes, yet I must admit I don't have all the facts.

Regarding the need for more WW crew in LHR, about 30-40 LGW crew are being transfered to LHR WW to balance manpower. The rest may be covered by PSR working down and some LHR EF transfers. BA have also replaced few crew ex LHR with extra International Cabin Crew on Indian routes, freeing more LHR WW main crew.

LondonPhilou, you say it right: things change very quickly and those who did not get 'the call' yet will probabily find out very soon anyway.

For those who can't wait, Qantas Cabin Crew London Ltd (not the real Qantas but close enough) are recruiting all the time. They have a very decent product, nice bunch, fab 74's, although money is not quite comparable to BA (but always worth the experience). Promotions are faster too, especially if you are already experienced crew, since they are based on merit rather than seniority. They would be my next choice if BA or NetJet were to show me the boot. I guess it's a matter of not letting your eggs rot in the same basket... Check the next best (or less worse)!

Ciao.

Floaty:

TOTALLY incorrect about 30/40 LGW crew transferring to WW LHR. they are going to E U R O F L E E T LHR in november.

we've more than enough slots to play around with and re-jigg at LHR to accommodate these IAH and DFW routes that come up in the spring - by getting rid of a couple of shorthaul routes and sending them down to LGW. which is exactly what is happening.

also, BA didn't just "... keep some slots..." (weren't 'ours' to keep, btw) - they BROUGHT 55-odd slots from BMI after they took over BMed. they will come into effect in 2009, with the delivery of the first of the new growth and replacement longhaul aircraft.

I bet none of those posts above are correct. Want BA news? then check their website or phone recruitment. I take everything I read on here with a pinch of salt. I used to use this website for reliable information but hardly anything i've read is accurate.:ugh:

Rumour Network
 

PPruNe - Professional Pilots Rumour Network. Says it all, really! ;-)

Hi AMS-LHR
 

Thanks for your update. Glad to see that u are doing well in the course.
Just one thing though, now that u are there, is there any swimming involved?

Thanks. Keep us posted.

DAWN :)

Well done AMS, sounds like you are getting on just fine. Can't wait to start my training. I check my phone every hour or two!!

Good luck with the rest of the course.