A question for all you BA guys reading!!!!

I have just been offered a job as Cabin Crew at SH LGW starting in feb. Do you think I need to be worried about the security of my new job?

Have been flying a few years and atlast I am delighted to be joining BA!!

Hope you guys can help?? :eek:

Tilly666

Sorry to disapoint you, but why on earth would you be delighted to work at SH LGW??

Cabin Crew are leaving in droves because its so bad, 34 in December alone. More in January if my last trip serves me right.

Come April your allowences are going to go throught the floor with the reduction of nightstops from 18 to 10. (down to 5 for winter 04)

Bread and butter trips are 6 sectors over 2 days, or day trips with 2 to 4 sectors checking in as early as 5 am with up to 6 trips checking out at 01:20 am with only 8 days of a month.

Whats more you will be treated with utter contempt by your managment akin to being a nine year old at school and complete derision by the schedulers.

The managment are lying throught their teeth in desperation to get people to stay, because they can't recruit people and train them quick enough.

Those that are not leaving are hanging out for a transfer to LHR (which means loss of rank)This looks less and less likely.

The only plus side for the time being as Blackball would agree is that its a small and friendly base. I wish I could have better news.

Go back to BA and tell them its LHR or nothing

SH LGW is not the most attractive at moment (it is a job!)..

The Summer season brings more bad news at LGW - with the loss of BCN & MAD nightstops and a night ATH being added to the schedule, this is in addition to the "bucket & spade" charters operated at the weekends.....

My bet is that with the reduction in nightstops etc etc. That LGW will become low-cost (it needs it, to survive). I also belive BA is quite prepared to take on the unions, with a "put-up or shut-up" approach..

Ah well wrong decision again then! :{

After countless airlines, some failed some well just horrendous etc I thought this was the one?! Wrong again.....

If all these people leaving, no change of a last minute fleet change!! :\

Agree with Da Dogs presentation Tilly666, but remember that this was or is only the latest plan. Plans do change sometimes even for the better.
LGW SH or Shags as we prefer to call ourselves these days is a very friendly base and we do seem to enjoy the work although we DO get dumped upon an awful lot. Mainly it has to be admitted by the "Damp-patch " but also by London North.
Still rumours is rumours and the latest would idicate the return of the Jumbos back to LGW this summer, time will tell though.
So if you have joined us a very warm welcome to you, if you haven't yet made up your mind then I trust these comments from us all are of some assistance.:D

Sorry to hear that you would make a decision about employment based on the responses above only. In any large organisation you will get wildly differing views depending who you talk to. The people who get on this site seem to have negative comments about every airline in the UK. They will complain about their airline while saying that the ones they don't work for or used to work for are fantastic. Talk to more people before you decide.

BA are not going to close down Gatwick. It is adding more scheduled flights this summer - Italy, Budapest, Prague and doing a lot less bucket and spade charters.

As Jaroops states, rightly so, a number of LH routes will return to LGW this summer as to will a number of SH routes start-up with at least 3 new destinations.

Despite some of the weary comments, for the present intake of 500+ CC BA received over 10,000 applications and as you will know from this thread many of those came from far and wide.

The majority all have friends and colleagues within the BA setup and cannot all be blinkered or foolish enough to join a naff outfit. BA will survive thier present problems and come out leaner and fitter. That said you must make your own mind up as to what is best for you, BA rates of pay have diminished and if you hold seniority with a reasonable outfit then the decision is not so easy as correctly stated by many things may well get worse for the forseeable future.

If you can fit in at BA it still offers many options whether as CC or in good time a ground job. What ever best of luck !

Tilly, have sent you a PM
Bunny

Thank you to all you guys who have posted advice and opinions, I really do appreciate it!! ;) As always everyones opinion is different and having worked for both good and bad airlines myself, I know what its like!!

I am gonna take the step and join BA SH LGW. My course is 23 feb. If I don't then I know that I would regret it! It sounds friendly, which makes things a hell of alot easier!!

Thanks again and I look forward to meeting/flying with you all!

My next question (know you won't mind) is what is a typical CC roster like (roughly)?

bunnygirl thanks ever so much for PM, would you mind if I mailed you with a few questions??? :)

Hi Tilly,

Far be it for me to get your hopes up unduly,
but...

until you are actually on your course you could still be on a different fleet or base, my course was in October and two of my colleagues had been told that they were going to SH LHR, they even arranged accomodation for 6 months (contract) at LHR only to discover on the first day of the course that they were going to be LH LGW

There are a lot of courses going through at the moment and things change daily

You may wish to call resources and ask if it would be possible to change dates for a different fleet it's up to you

Remember only 2 years until you can bid to change anyway (!)

Good luck and enjoy the course

No Problems at all Tilly, mail away, will do my best to answer any questions...
Bunny

hostie I am really kinda hoping that they change my fleet before the course starts, as I am lead to believe that once you have accepted course, changing it because of fleets is 'frowned upon'. It leaves a really bad feeling and makes you nervous when you hear such tales, but hey I may find it a whole lot different!! :confused:

Dont think theres much hope of them changing fleet anyway, as SH LGW is very short of crew, judging by some conversations!

bunny girl, will email you, thanks:D

No new Longhaul destinations are being added for the Summer season. Apparently, a few more longhaul flights are being planned though to the same old destinations and the Summer shorthaul program has been ramped up with some flights arriving after midnight! So early starts and late finishes I'm afraid. It'll be short turnrounds all the way...you won't know if you coming or going!!:)

Hi Tilly

I've been at SH LGW over 6 years now and absolutely love it still.

The base is small and really friendly and is well known for the best social scene of all the fleets.

Yes it's true that this summer earnings potential will be down due to the loss of 7 nightstops. But we still have 12 destinations and some of the stops can be a decent length.

As has been said there are some other destinations coming to SH LGW soon, these may be there and backs, but at least it's work.

Also the people who are posting here I'm guessing were no at SH LGW 6 years ago when my average take home as a junior was £1000 p.m. .Times were not as good as they have been, and with the intergration of CFE to EOG things got much better and we had brought over a huge amount of nightstops. Even with the loss of some of those in the summer you should reach £1100 - £1200 p.m.

One thing you will find at SH LGW is that people see every other fleet and LHR as the land of milk and honey and the answer to all their problems - it isn't. Crew also they do enjoy blaming the company for every problem that arises, and love making a huge drama out of the smallest things. It's just crew culture and the way it is.

The management is a bit crap admittedly, but just make sure you talk to people who ACTUALLY DO know what they're talking about and you won't go far wrong.

Wherever you end up I'm sure you'll have a good time, and just remember a job at BA is a job at BA. And there are still loads of people who have been trying for years to get in with no luck, so you've done really well and are the envy of a lot of people. Just wish some of my collegues would remember that sometimes, whenever I suggest they go work for EZ they don't seem too keen, so it can't be that bad can it?;)

Good luck!!

W.L.I.T.S

WLITS speaks a lot of common sense it is a pity many other BA areas were not graced with such sound views.

I too am starting on a course for SH LGW 23 Feb. Does anyone else have anything positive to say? having read this post it has absolutly terrified me and am thinking should i be making this move?

The basic pay is much lower than my current airline at BA but I am going for the name and i guess the long term career prospects.....if there are any?

Please please please tell us some nice things and more about typical rosters and pay etc? I am hoping third airline, third time lucky...........

Totally agree with we lie in the shadows....Eurofleet LGW is a great base, its very friendly and anyone who joins will be made to feel very welcome and part of the family VERY quickly.

Good luck trolley Lad...see you down route sometime. Am sure once you are on line, you will realise that you had no need to worry.

I talk utter poo!

Just heard today that training course for Eurofleet LGW, starting 23 feb will actually be held at LGW in the training centre in the hangers with BA maintenence base and not at Cranebank as BA has told me!

So, does anyone know of anywhere to stay for the duration of the course? Private room or B&B? Somewhere fairly near to training centre, within reach of public transport!

Any ideas?

Anyone else on EF LGW course on 23 feb? Send me an email or PM me! :)

Thanx

Hey tilly!

Congrats on getting the job. A friend of mine from my EZY days will be on the same course, he's a good guy.

With regards to places to stay, there are loads of B&B's just down the road in Horley, I am sure that they are on a bus route.

I hope this helps and I will see you in Jubilee House!!!

Off Stand do you know of any websites or telephone numbers for B&B's? Would appreciate it!

I am ex easyjet too, so tell your friend look forward to seeing him there! And yes, see you in Jubilee House!! :O

Thanks :ok:

trolleylad, sent you a PM :)

trolleylad just got your most recent PM and sent you reply. :ok: