skianyn vannin

So can anyone enlighten us about FlyBe terms and conditions compared with our own? I suspect they fall short of ours.

Does anyone really believe this will be a TUPE transfer? Why would FlyBe want to create a second tier of terms and conditions superior to those being "enjoyed" by their own pilots. After all, aren't FlyBe also suffering an exodus of pilots?

Now, I must go and update my CV.

flyingbug

Flybe employees have been told the reason for the purchase is threefold:

1. The addition of BA Connect routes offers and opportunity to deploy newly arriving aircraft on existing mature routes, de-risking the business
2. Additional crew will relieve recruitment pressure
3. Additional route network will allow Flybe to develop into difficult to penetrate markets in Europe, including Paris Frankfurt and Milan. This is being done to protect the company.

The sale of the company will be deferred to allow management to focus on the integration.

From a personal point of view, I am pleased that the company appears to have the opportunity to strengthen its position and I hope that this will protect the jobs and future of all crew involved in Flybe and BA Connect.

FB

skianyn vannin

Hi Flyingbug

you obviously work for FlyBe, so how about giving us some info on terms and conditions? I also understand there is no scheduling agreement in FlyBe, so I can look forward to being dicked around for the rest of my life. Still it must save on printer toner cartridges by issuing blank sheets of paper for rosters!

I'm afraid I can't take a positive view on this sale from my own perspective. As someone who currently enjoys flying a 146, I don't relish the prospect of flying the "fuel efficient and environmentally friendly" Dash 8.

Gaza

Under TUPE flybe have to honour your existing T&Cs. This information will be useful to you.

MaxReheat

Tens of thousands of workers in all industries will tell you that TUPE isn't worth the paper its written on. It can be dodged and got around by the accountants and lawyers to suit the taking-over company. BACon's copper-bottomed T&Cs won't be acceptable to flyBe, IMHO - far too expensive and restricting. Why do you think there has been so much apparent disontent aired by flyBe crews? Nope, looks as if the BA gravy train has hit the buffers for many, alas. Oh, and a Q400 v 146 - no contest - get used to not having to wind up the clockworks every morning.

crewboi83

I dont work for either BAconnect or FlyBE.
I just wanna say good luck to all crew at BACON! It cant be the nicest way to find out, from what i hear you guys were not told about this till u watched BBC this morning.
I hope everything pans out for all the crew, and as much as BA is a compeditor at MAN for my airline its always a shame to see the flag carrier disappear at MAN.
Good luck to you all.

flyingbug

Hi SV,

yes I do, although I'm not management, just a line pilot.
The T&Cs have not been great this summer, to be frank we have had a disrupted summer at times; however the good news is that BALPA big Jim met Jim French on Monday with senior managers and apparently a much more attractive deal is on its way to us - ballot papers and details are being sent to members this week. Don't have the new proposal details yet....................



FB

parkfell

What impact will this have for Inverness crews and ground staff?

AirLCY

INV will become Flybe


Its a good move for BA and also for Flybe, its not so great for the BA Connect staff especially those in the HQ most of whom will lose their jobs!

Call Established

I canīt believe this has all happened and WW had not even thought about the impact on BA staff canteen in T2 at BHX!

cabingal

Do you reckon Bacon cabin crew will be safe? Hope so! Very very underhand how we heard about this through text messages off each other! Very bad!

bmibaby.com

The only issue I see with BA Connect's cabin crews is the strength of your unions. I know a couple of ex-BACON people who are over at baby now, who said that the unions are so tough at BACON that they would never accept cabin tidies between flights, essentially a staple of the no-frills model. I see the jobs being safe, as flybe are still going to need the crews for all of these flights, as well as for their existing expansion programme, but there will have to be a fundemental mentality change for the crews to adopt to no-frills flying.

I see flybe moving their operations at BHX over to T2 in order to utilise the expanded facilities that have been put in there. T2 fits in with flybe's model of the convenient regional airport, whilst T1 can be something of a schlepp being full of shops, something better suited to charter and longhaul passengers. The press release on BA's website indicates that the regional handling division is not included in the purchase, so what will happen to that I wonder? Also whether flybe might consider aligning their frequent flyer programme with Executive Club, a way of maintaining happy BA customers.

BA have really sold BACON at the right time. With expansion programmes from other low-cost airlines in the regions, the Jungle Jets simply couldn't compete. flybe gives BA a 15% stake in a profitable no-frills regional airline and offloading a continually loss making one - businesswise, it makes the most sense.

markespana

Is David Evans still involved with Ba Connect.If so this was all predicted 4 years ago when they pulled out of their commitment to buying 318īs .If that man makes a penny out of any sellout of Ba in the regions he should be and then .If itīs north of the M4 BA are not interested why didīnt they pull out properly years ago itīs like death with 1000 blunt spoons

ETOPS

I'm very sorry, but not suprised, to hear this news. I hope FlyBe can get it's plans on the table as soon as poss to help those whose futures are looking uncertain.
Although now a BA mainline pilot, I was MAN based for 11 years. Firstly on BAC 1-11's and after BAR was created I flew regional 737-200's to the very destinations now to be flown by FlyBe. I left for the "golden runways" because I could see, even in the 1990's that BA's heart wasn't in basing crews and aircraft North of Watford. At the time I predicted that the end game was longhaul premium traffic at LHR and every decision they have taken has confirmed that.

To my colleagues in LGW I say - give yourselves 5 years max.

To my friends in BAcon I sincerely hope this works out for you.........

marlowe

One good thing no more Evans and his cronies!! Well unless you are an RJ100 pilot, seriously though how do you guys feel about still being in an operation that he is presumably going to be apart of ? Think he and his management have proved that they cant manage their way out of a paper bag and even having the lucrative LCY routes doesent mean success if the management dont have a a clue how to run it.

flybmi

Will this have any effect on Loganair?

My best wishes to all the BACON crews, good luck!

marlowe

Loganair and other franchise operators not affected.

GOLF-INDIA BRAVO

Message to you guys who are affected by this
Hope you all have job on Christmas eve andhope all works out next year
I know it`s not nice finding out second hand about a take over as it happened to me when some of my clients rang me ask if what was going to happen
and I had not a clue of what was to happen later in the day

G-I-B

Ronaldsway Radar

Horrible way to find out, though as said, a lot knew it was going to happen one day or another.

Couple of good friends of mine in IOM got into work this morning to find out their being laid off...and I'm sure there were many many more also in that position.

Thanks BA.

Good luck to all the crews and staff having to find new jobs / relocate etc. All the best.

Red Snake

It's a shame to see BA disappear from all but LHR (maybe LGW) after so long. As a BRS based pilot, I fear for the future of the BA BRS people as, judging by the press releases, there's a very noticable lack of commitment to the base & all other FlyBe routes from BRS have been dropped in recent months.

And the first I heard of the sell-out was when one of the passengers told me on my flight this morning. Great!