BMIbaby at EMA
 

Hi guys

I wonder if someone can help me out, i am thinking of going for BMIbaby to be based at EMA, can someone or preferably someone who works there give us an idea to a lot of questions i have.... :O :O :O :O

Firstly what is the interview like, is it like other airlines building a bridge out of paper , maths and english test etc....

Then what does a typical roster look like, many trips , SBY's etc...

Also what kind of pay is it ?

Any help would be much appreciated indeed, have a good day guys.

Mike. :)

Mike,

i'm currently cabin crew for baby at EMA, in answer to you questions:

Interviews are very similar to other airlines, the current format is as follows:

firstly you hear a couple of talks, one about the company and another showing you a typical day in the life of a baby c/c
then you do a quick ice breaker exercise
then follows the building a bridge out of paper and paperclips exercise
after that you have a discussion exercise followed by some role plays
then finally you do a quick maths test (currency exchange e.t.c) and thats it for the morning
no other tests are done.

then if successful from the morning you get a 2 to 1 interview.


rosters can and do vary; currently fairly quiet cos its winter but summer starts soon so will be busier.

typical day is 4 sectors. can be a GLA/AGP or AMS/PRG or other similar earlies starting at 6am ish and finishing around 4-5 ish
currently on lates its AMS/GLA starting at 3ish finishing about 10-11ish.
also BFS, earlier GLA and EDI are all 2 sectors so you start about 3ish and finish about 8-9ish.

but i guess in summer it'll probably change to all 4 sector lates.

all crew at EMA that have been there more than 6months are on a 6 days on 3 days off roster, usually 3 earlies and 3 lates.

no trips at all but the occassional night stop when need at other bases, CWL,MAN, MME

standbys seem to be random, think the most i've ever had is 3/4 in your 6 days on (but that was when we lost the aircraft for winter cos it went to bhx startup, and we were well over crewed), at the mo its usually 1/2 in 6 days on.

during the summer it can be really hard work especially if you end up working every one of your 6 days. but its all worthwhile i feel and the crew at EMA are a great bunch to work with.

hope thats alright for you if you need to know any more LMK, either here or PM me.

regards

Flyer

p.s. PM me for info about the wages e.t.c i dont want to go into detail here

me's thinks that baby will soon be swallowed up by EZY in the not to distant future. Have a look at the evidence - same uniforms (mix and match) just a different colour, 6 on 3 off roster pattern, identical interview content, ( which has been stated in a previous post!) watch this space...........................................

Thanks flyer

How very helpful you are.

Well lets hope it does not go orange there, now that would be a shame.
I use to work for EZY for 2 years, but left last year to go back to my old proffession, but i have to be honest i miss the flying a lot.

Well take care all of you

mike

I transferred in 2002 from bmi regional to bmibaby, so my recruitment situation was very different to what you will have to go through to join baby. I've been told though that bmibaby's recruitment days are much more informal than those at bmi, but still maintain the same high standards of professionalism that you would expect from the parent company, which I think is evident in all aspects of bmibaby - professional but informal.

bmibaby hasn't been recruiting for EMA I believe since late 2004 as the majority of 2005's recruitment was for BHX & MAN, therefore there should be a nice mixture of fresh faces & experienced old owls as it were! A typical week involves working six days, usually three early starts followed by three late starts, and then you get three days off. As of the summer I think all shifts are 4-sector days, but I think the only non-four sector day will be Faro (about 3 hours there, 45 minute turn, 3 hours back) but this is only done once weekly, this summer it will be flown on a Sunday morning.

The airline used to be notorious for having crews layover in other bases, never in European cities as proper trips, particularly when baby began opening lots of new bases (CWL, MAN, MME) but thankfully this is now much more of a rare occurence.

EMA is a lovely base on many levels. We're self-handled, so we get along very well & know our ground crews (ramp is done by Menzies), it's small enough that most people know each other but of a reasonable enough size to keep things varied. As an airport, it's a lovely place to work, I think it has a lot of character, unlike some of the faceless airports we fly to like MAN & BHX which seem so sterile.

bmibaby.com-incorrect on the FAO.On my latest roster I have EDI FAO,I think its 5 mins short of max fdp.

Oh joy ... :ouch:!

I really don't know why we bother with Faro, when you consider that easyJet operate the route on a daily basis from EMA rather than our measly weekly service (down from 4x weekly when we first launched it.) I heard it was because of the cost of flying into Faro we can't afford to do it daily, so why not just give it up? I'm sure there's another route like NCE or LYS that would be far better suited for a couple of flights a week!

Hi


You guys have been so helpful, thankyou so much, well i will try my best at the assesment day and have all my fingers crossed.

My opinion seems to think EMA is a nice base to work at, i know most of the airport workers as i use to work there before.

So have a great day all of you, and once again thankyou very much.

Michael ;)

recruiting at the moment for EMA but not many places so get in quick if your interested. We could all complain but the leadership of cabin crew dept is very dynamic and upbeat - go for it - see you on line?

I'd say that the company too, is far nicer to work for since we introduced the new uniforms at the beginning of last year. Whilst a minor thing, the uniform was a constant griping point both for the crew themselves (difficulty to wash, embarassment that it wasn't informal rather street-bum-like etc.), but also for pax who saw it as a huge tone down in professionality from the old British Midland tied hair & hats! I think the new uniform is a nice mixture of casual, professional but also cute with tiny emblazoned across the back.

Indeed, I'm unaware how many positions are actually available. I know The Hall are anxious to layoff as few people as possible, and that they've offered some admin jobs from up there to CSA & cabincrew positions actually at EMA, how many people talk it in lieu of their redundancy packet I'm not sure. Either way, if cabin crew or CSA positions open up this summer at EMA they will be going like hot cakes.

Also bear in mind Mike if you're just trying to get back into flying, that bmi mainline are hiring for Airbus cabincrew for their charter base at EMA.

Some of the HQ based staff too like this uniform its a pity it isn't available to us all.

with respect I think you may be thinking of offers of employment for the 'charters' based between BHX and EMA not heard of any bmb crew applying becasue our jobs can't be guaranteed at the end of the season - but yeh great opportinity to be on the airbus again! wot about the overseas base planned!?!?!?!

Hi

Well BMIbaby rang me today, i have been selected for an interview / Assesment for Cabin Crew at EMA. I have to go on the 11 th April, is anyone else going ?

I do hope i get it, it seems a really nice base to be at, and once again guy's thanks for all your help..


Mike x

Good Luck !
 

Hey Mike 16 - good to see you got your sensible head back on and are looking to join the fray again. Good Luck for your interview !

Mike, congratulations on getting over the first hurdle, and for rejoining the aviation community. I wish you a lot of luck at your interview, and fingers crossed that it's successful.

bmi will be basing an A321 weeklong, and a weekend based A320 between BHX/EMA this summer for charter flights operated on behalf of Excel Airways & Kosmar Holidays. I believe that the newbies have been offered six month contracts beginning May 1st, but am willing to be corrected.

As mentioned, any jobs that open this season at baby based at EMA will be really fought for. I'm aware a number of people at Doninngton have been offered airport placements, however this I've been told would mean losing their redundancy pay, and also there is of course a change between office work & airport work, not least the hours. Nevertheless, keep eyes peeled for cabin-crew & CSA postings on the bmibaby website.

Actually bmi charter will be basing an A320 weeklong, An A320 Friday - Sunday at NEMA and an additional A320 at BHX Friday to Sunday both weekend aircraft are for Kosmar.
All 3 aircraft will be crewed by dual based EMA/BHX crew made up of approx 60% experienced bmi crew who have choosen to rebase and 40% newly recruited crew (many of whom are experienced charter crews or have previously flown for bmi).
In addition the Erj145 will also operate charter flights each weekend.
bmi charter will also be basing an A321 weeklong in BFS peak season and operate charter flights from LHR/GLA/EDI/MAN/NCL each weekend.
;)

Hi Richertscale

Long time , no speak, how are ya ?
Well yes i would like to come back flying, can i stress out though guys, i am applying for BMIbaby here not the summer BMI / kosmar contract.

Like i say, i think the people seem really nice and have been very helpful to me in to answer loads of questions i had.

Well what you upto richterscale, remember coffee ??? Lol

Take care Guys

Michael

Mike
good luck with the interview I am sure you will enjoy the day - usual stuff - I believe one of my coleagues has given you some info via personal email sty cool and you should be ok! - and look forward to seeing you on line. You have chosen well the bmi charters are for the summer only - quite a few night flights etc and disuption between BHX / EMA with no guarantees at the end -- at least the baby contract is perm. See ya soon!

Hi

Thanks for all your help guys, how nice you all are, you are so sweet all of you, well fingers crossed and see you all on line soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

Thanks DRJ for clearing that up, I wasn't fully aware of what was happening with the charter programme up at EMA this summer, but it will be nice to see some of the mainline machines floating around again. I was under the impression it was a mix of A320/A321, but the A320 will no doubt be well suited to some of the markets that Kosmar are sending them to, I believe mostly to Greece, Turkey & Spain (including the Canaries). Charter contracts are indeed seasonal, and I'm well aware that these positions have been advertised online for a few months, but didn't know that there were people transferring up to EMA from other bases for the contract. The ERJ-145, which is crewed by bmi regional, will not be doing any BRU flights on Saturdays, but is instead flying to three destinations, of which I believe LJU & OLB are two of them.

baby appear to be doing well with a steady fleet of five aircraft to be based from this summer at EMA. It is a huge shame we have lost NCE (amongst others which have been gone now for over a year) but it remains an exciting & interesting place to work which I'm sure you'll enjoy.