And dont forget to pack your own towel when you go to Freetown!My friend just did a trip there,said it was the worst hotel she had stayed in,ever,think she was exaggerating though!

:ok: Hey!! Yea i will bear that in mind!! I gotta be honest....i like my own towel anyway!! HEHE! J X

Any word on the future of BMED yet, ie routes, changes etc??

To Mr My Travel and anybody else considering joining B Med,
Politics aside and the uncertainty over the last few months i can honestly say that over the last 4 years i have had an amazing time.If you search deepdown and ask yourself why you want to fly most crew would say i want to travel and see exciting places in the world.Well B Med has it all.
-You can go trekking in the Himalayas in the summer and go skiing in the winter,as well as visit traditional Yurts with nomads near Bishkek.
-In Tbilisi you can go white water rafting and that night go to the Opera for 3 quid.
-In Jordan visit the dead sea,or the aincient cities of Petra and Jerash,some of the wonders of the world!!
-Damascus,the oldest city in the world with amazing souks.
-take a river boat trip up the Nile in Khartoum
-Night life in Beirut is as good as anywhere.
-Go horseriding in Addis Ababa,or visit one of the many Orphanages to realise just how lucky we all are!!
-New route to Sierra leone,havent been there yet but mossies aside im sure it will be fine.
Tehran,not a favourite with the ladies,but we have membership with the British Embassy and i have to a few private parties!
-We also go to Baku,a real favourite.
-So longish flights,yes,tiring,yes sometimes,but you will get this with any airline.Pay is pretty good and if you are prepared to spend a little money down route you can have a great time with nice people,
-I have worked for many companies and warts and all i think B Med is as good as it gets.:D :D
P.S. I an not a PM!!!:=

KS, if not PM then are you the new communicaton champion?
Perhaps one of the new (some more so than others) Line Trainers (JH, LP, JW, RW)?:oh:

Sorry wannabeingingaoal,just a humble crewmember,and having read through my post must check my spelling!!
Anyway does not really matter who i am for i stand by everything i said in my last post.Bmed ia a very interesting place to work and it's what you make it.:8

KS

I just wondered if you had taken the position of "Communicaton Champion" that Rosa had advertised. The role, I believe, was to help improve crew morale, pass on facts, not gossip, etc. I agree wholeheartedly with your descriptions of OUR destinations. After all, it's not where you go, it's who you go with!

They may well do but put your post in the Pilots Terms and Endearment forum!! :)

Has "the big announcement" previously mentioned been made? If so, what was it?

The announcement is an obvious one!

It is of course going to be an apology!

I mean all the managers are useless, and the airline will fold.... so a BIG apology from all at BMED, but don't let the door hit you on the way out!
:eek: :{

P.S I pray that doesn't happen, But it's not looking good! Hey to all at BMED!!

To J
 

Dear J, not wishing to put a dampner on your enthausiam, but a bit of advise. Items to pack when going to freetown:

Rodent traps for the snakes/spiders/creepies
Mossy spray
Fly swat not a bad idea as can be used to finish off the creepies
Flame thrower incase none of the above work!
Pillow
Sheets
Banket
Water
Food that requires no refridgeration as there is no fridge in the room and NO ROOM SERVICE
Alcohol ... lots of it - you'll need it to get you through the night
Happy pills
Books - preferably happy thought books. Nothing depressing.
Padding to create your own padded cell effect as you'll need this by day 5
Day/night flares as there is no telephone in the room but don't worry, the staff will come along and bang on the door with a big stick to wake you up!
Very casual clothing - the bar isn't exactly upmarket if you dare to venture there. Might as well as you can't really go out due to dangerous
Don't rely on even CNN or BBC World news unless you speak the local language because there is only one crap local station (that usually doens't work).

One a positive side, the crew are lovely at BMED. I'm not there anymore. Joined 9/11 and survived the cullings (incidentally, all those not kept on were bought back and all of them came back except for one). BMED only did what every other airline did to survive so don't be put off by that situation discussed on pervious threads. It's a funny airline. Don't plan on staying there too long term and the destinations will do your head in. Have fun and move on. Freetown no joke, but others not as bad. Good luck

:ugh:

have just been invited to an assessment day at BMED. quite excited about it, as i applied this time last year but couldn't attend the interview. then i re-sent them my updated CV as they told me to do, and was offered an interview in October that i again could not attend due to work. now i can go to this one, and just wondered if anyone had any advice...?

i have heard they ask you about One World?? I have tried to do some researchon this before but not gotten very far...does anyone have any info on it? or point me in the right direction?

Also, on the BMED website there is nothing about the basic rate salary for junior cabin crew? i would really appreciate it if anyone could shed some light!!

thanks very much in advance!!

I have a great bit of advice... Don't go!

Assessment BMED
 

Hello

Well, first of all, dont pay attention to the last post. You know how some people are like. The company is a great company to work for and people are very friendly.

As for the one world questionin this will only happen in the 2 to 1 interview in the afternoon. Just know who are the alliance members and how bmed benefitiates from BA and viceversa. I would also advise you to know the routes and the countries we fly to. A last important piece of information useful to know is about BA and its executive clubs, fidelity program and different cabins (world europe, club world, world traveller, eurotraveller...etc)

As for the salary, a normal month without leave you normally take between 1400-1700 net pay.This is the average.

When is your assessment date?

Wish you all the best and i may see you on board!

DMED

Vodkaholic

Dmed has given you some good advice.....just advise you to check out the BMED website and to check out the BA website too.

You'll find all you need on Onew World Alliance on the BA site and obnov. you'll find out about BMED and it's route network on their site. I wish you the best of luck......I have fond memories of my time at BMED and wish you the best of luck.

Tips for your assessment day...try to be yourself and relax, enjoy it!!

thanks guys! i'll have another look at the BA and BMED sites, to see if I can find out some more info. i'm really excited about it, despite all the things I have heard on here. I don't really listen to those kind of opinions. Although some of the routes do worry me a bit, but I also know that the company wouldn't send their crew anywhere they weren't safe.

Another quick question...what are the majority of passengers like? I assume it's not families off on holiday he he!! Is it mainly British business people? Or are there many foreigners too??

Thanks!

hello
 

hello

hey vodkaholic

dont worry about the destinations. all of them are great and you must see the positive side :-) All of them are safe and nice if you know how to make the most of them.

As for the pax, they are a bit of everything. there are many locals but there are also many canadians and americans who come from overseas and connect with our flights.

On what date is your assessment?

Good luck!

Thanks DMED you are right!! I've just never flown longhaul before, and I worry a lot he he!
They give you a choice for the assessment days. First and second weekends in Feb. Think I'll go to one of the first.
Do you earn much commission with BMED? or is your salary mostly made up of flight pay??
x

BMED
 

Hello vodkhalic

the salary comes mainly from basic pay and flight pay, not much from the duty free comission though. You may be earning around 1500 depending on your trips lenght and leave

Which day on february are you having the assesment on? If i am around i may pop in to wish you good luck :-)

DMED

good luck
 

Hi vodkaholic

Good luck for feb i've just started with bmed and i love it!!! just be your self and enjoy the day. Hopfully will might see you on board
good luck again!!!!:)

thanks web!

DMED i havent decided yet which day i'm going on because it depends on my work schedule, which i'll get tomorrow.

thanks for your advice everyone! feel a lot more positive about it now!!

Anyone going to the assessment day on the 3rd Feb?

With BMED maybe getting bought will they still remain a franchise for ba ?

Bmed is not gonna be bought so far... and yes. It is gonna kept being a BA´s franchise partner

Dmed

Having trawled through all the postings on this thread, there seems to be a lot of discontent about BMed.

I, however, have nothing but praise for the airline and the way it is run...........well done BMed!

do you currently work for them Mick?

Anyone heard any rumblings about new destinations?

Regards

Mike

is the car park at hetherington house free to use for the assessment day??

Car Park is free so I have been told by mate who works there.

When is your assessment day vodka?

Yes there is,

Surprised taht this has not yet been posted, but BMED's deal has fallen through with the Mitaki family......here is the report over the situation.......Apologies if I may ahve contravened any rukes of the site by posting this report. It is not intentional, but I think it is important news for BMED crews......


Cash crisis for BA partner
Steve Hawkes

A British Airways franchise partner is in £30 million rescue talks in a further blow to the beleaguered airline.

*
BMED - formerly British Mediterranean Airways - has written to shareholders warning them that unless it secures more cash it may not be able to pay off its debts.

A proposed deal with Lebanon's Mikati family has fallen through and BMED management is now in negotiations with another airline, thought to be bmi.

Jonathan Grisdale, BMED commercial director, told The Times: "We are trying to get a deal resolved as quickly as possible, hopefully within the next few weeks."

If a rival airline comes up with the money and takes a controlling interest, BA would lose a valuable revenue stream just as it pushes through a programme to boost profits by reducing costs.

BMED has flown under the BA flag since 1997 and runs services to 16 destinations including Ethiopia, Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Uzbekistan.

In 2004-05, BMED paid BA £14 million in franchise fees and charges for other services and engineering. BA made double that from passengers booking connecting flights on its own services.

BMED reported profits of £5.1 million in the year to March 2005 but is expected to lose £21 million in the current financial year after been hit hard by record fuel prices and last year's conflict in Beirut between Hezbollah militia and Israel.

Despite its relationship with BA, Mr Grisdale said that the airline was unlikely to step in itself to save BMED. "BA is our franchise partner. They are quite happy to leave it at that," he said.

Bmi refused to comment on "rumour and speculation".

sad news
 

Hi all,

It's a shame that BMED is in such a position. However, the airline can't compete with the "local" airlines. ie, BA to GYD 27/1 return 10/02 £636 (inctaxes) AZAL only £330 (from LHR too).

The BMED model needs to be changed, my suggestions are :
Get rid of the CC Managers, Director if Inflight services, Catering department, quality managers, ground services managers.
I know seems a bit harsh but....
So many managers for such a small airline!
They need
1 customer services manager - for aircraft & ground
2 a proper contracts/franchise manager (looks after BA/suppliers/hotels)
3 catering - pass everything on to GG or Alpha! (quality can be done by pursers by reports passed onto contracts manager)
4 Full-time quality manager that looks after everything!

Anyway, I hope everything will work out.
I'll be in my bunker, waiting for the flak.
Orvil:E

You'll get no flak from me orvil...you are speaking from your heart and offering relevant suggestions.

I hope that BMED can continue, they are a good airline and many people depend upon them, both as customers and as staff.

The prospect of being in talks with BMI is an interesting one and the future will obviously reveal all, but that would definitely spell the end of the arrangements with BA. Interesting to see what would happen staff wise for BMED, one would presume discussions would initially centre on investing in the Airline as a whole.


Will just have to keep our ears to the ground and keep watching this page.

All this uncertainty is very worrying. Just when i'm settled and think that we are gonna be fine, this latest revelation comes out. I hope BMED can survive all these ups and downs, hopefully we will get some form of official word concerning the pull out of the investors, and the plans for the future. bmi have been exploring the likes of Ekaterinburg and Novosibirsk of late, so maybe a tie up with them would'nt be too bad. They can certainly offer a good range of connections through Heathrow with the STAR alliance, and it would mean a move out of the dreadful T4.

Regards

Mike

Haha.....
You won't move out of T4 for very long!! As soon as BA moves into T5, Star alliance is going to move into T4!
This is to enable Heathrow East to be built...in other words the new T2.

Hubbly,
Well if the tie-up with BMI goes ahead there'll be no point of any "management" :}
The "workers" will be ok, if you don't mind a bit of short and long haul.
From Personel experience, they're good laugh to work for and they have incremental pay for CC ! So yep, a definate bonus for the CC and probably tuff-luck for the office people.
Oh well... nice to the shoe on the other foot!!:D

That wasn't my point. I was highlighting the fact that we would no longer be handled by BA ground services. T4 is neither here nor there, maybe I should have made that clearer.
I thought SKYTEAM were going to T4, and STAR to the new T2?
Regards
Mike

Sorry to see the current woes.

BMed's biggest problem is that the aircraft it flies is completely unsuited for its route network.

The limited range of the Airbuses compared to a route network of Khartoum, Addis, Almaty etc means that they end up doing so many double-drop sectors which are really expensive, particularly when landing/handling fees are very high at airports like Ekaterinburg through which these flights stage.

If someone had taken the decision several years ago to equip with 757s (whilst they still could) instead of A320/321s, I suspect BMed would be a very different airline today. It could go direct to every point and have a more competitive product; cut costs; get all of the bags on board (e.g. Tehran-Heathrow with an A321 and six tonnes of bags still in Tehran) and probably tackle some routes which presently would be unviable.

BMed made good money when times were good; but the current issues indicate that the business model isn't robust enough to stand up to a set of circumstances which, by anyone's definition, could be described as unfortunate and bloody unlucky.

Fleet swap between the BA 757s and BMed A320/321s anyone?

bmi haven't got anough money to lease a new A330 let alone bail out BMED.( thats if BA would allow it)