First Choice Basing
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First Choice & Thomson Basing
Hello all,
Just wondering what the current basing situation was at First Choice. As a TOM 757/767 FO, I'm wondering how the merger is going to affect basing. Would anyone be able to shed some light on which bases are over-crewed/under-crewed, and if there are many people waiting for base-moves, etc etc. Particularly interested in the 757/767 fleet details and the current LGW situation.
Thanks in advance,
Shortcut
Just wondering what the current basing situation was at First Choice. As a TOM 757/767 FO, I'm wondering how the merger is going to affect basing. Would anyone be able to shed some light on which bases are over-crewed/under-crewed, and if there are many people waiting for base-moves, etc etc. Particularly interested in the 757/767 fleet details and the current LGW situation.
Thanks in advance,
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Last edited by shortcut_approved; 27th Jun 2007 at 12:34.
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to try and answer your questions'
regarding the merger we are as much in the dark as you guys regarding base fleet changes etc,our bid list for base/fleet changesfor next year has just closed but with the merger who knows if it will mean anything at all,there was alot of people putting in for speculative bids for base changes to TOM existing bases,fleets(737),as far as under/over crewing at bases i cant help you with that but i do know everyone seems to be at full stretch at the moment,maybe someone from LGW will reply with info to your last question.
i know this is a bit vague but we genuinely dont know what will happen in the future
bf
to try and answer your questions'
regarding the merger we are as much in the dark as you guys regarding base fleet changes etc,our bid list for base/fleet changesfor next year has just closed but with the merger who knows if it will mean anything at all,there was alot of people putting in for speculative bids for base changes to TOM existing bases,fleets(737),as far as under/over crewing at bases i cant help you with that but i do know everyone seems to be at full stretch at the moment,maybe someone from LGW will reply with info to your last question.
i know this is a bit vague but we genuinely dont know what will happen in the future
bf
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Well, just to share some of my knowledge/heard rumours from our side:
LGW (our biggest base) is overcrewed on both the 757/767 and the 737 fleets. There are no vacancies anticipated there for the Summer 2008 bid, and a waiting list of people who want to move there.
STN is due to be closing and the company is trying to get people out voluntarily this year, with them allowing LTN to fill-up.
BRS looks to have had a reprieve for now.
MAN is another of our big-bases, lots of new joiners are still be putting in there.
NCL and GLA are both short I think, particularly Captains.
If anyone else has any TOM information, feel free to fill in the gaps.
I believe the more we know about our two situations, the better it'll be. Knowledge is power...power to the people! LOL.
LGW (our biggest base) is overcrewed on both the 757/767 and the 737 fleets. There are no vacancies anticipated there for the Summer 2008 bid, and a waiting list of people who want to move there.
STN is due to be closing and the company is trying to get people out voluntarily this year, with them allowing LTN to fill-up.
BRS looks to have had a reprieve for now.
MAN is another of our big-bases, lots of new joiners are still be putting in there.
NCL and GLA are both short I think, particularly Captains.
If anyone else has any TOM information, feel free to fill in the gaps.
I believe the more we know about our two situations, the better it'll be. Knowledge is power...power to the people! LOL.
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As bmiminiflyer says FCA have recently up dated their bid list. Below is a very approx overview. Apart from tentative bids to join the 787 fleet the overal picture is of most people in the bases they want on the type they want - I count about 10% looking for base changes with quite a few junior FOs looking for LGW.
Summer 07 is supposedly 'fully manned' at all bases but there has been a shortage of FOs for the 767 (not enough trained to meet the fleet expansion) & also the conversion of BRS from Airbus to Boeing took longer than planned.
CWL & LTN close as bases on 31 Oct, with EXT opening as a full time base on 1 Nov.
Main bases at LGW & MAN are fully crewed with 757/767 & Airbus (for how long who knows?). I can't see TUIFly operating 5 types from these bases with the 787 & TFly 737s!
Get back to your TFly forum shortcut & see if we can get a new joint forum opend soonest so we can all discuss things.
Skid
Summer 07 is supposedly 'fully manned' at all bases but there has been a shortage of FOs for the 767 (not enough trained to meet the fleet expansion) & also the conversion of BRS from Airbus to Boeing took longer than planned.
CWL & LTN close as bases on 31 Oct, with EXT opening as a full time base on 1 Nov.
Main bases at LGW & MAN are fully crewed with 757/767 & Airbus (for how long who knows?). I can't see TUIFly operating 5 types from these bases with the 787 & TFly 737s!
Get back to your TFly forum shortcut & see if we can get a new joint forum opend soonest so we can all discuss things.
Skid
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skidMx
If most of your people are in base and on type, what is the feeling about changing either or both to get a command? I'm interested as my Thomsonfly command prospects now depend on your lot's intentions! (no sour grapes, just acceptance of reality).
If most of your people are in base and on type, what is the feeling about changing either or both to get a command? I'm interested as my Thomsonfly command prospects now depend on your lot's intentions! (no sour grapes, just acceptance of reality).
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it would actually be great for us all to have the opportunity of doing a bit of swapping bases/types so we all have better career prospects. I personally have never done longhaul, and whilst a move to LGW or MAN would be a bit much family wise, a move to LUT would be manageable. I have discounted the chance of getting on the 787, but maybe a 737/767 or 757/767 rating out of LUT would be possible?
Giving people what they want makes for a happier and more productive airline. The new managment will hopefully listen to this. I have always hated the us and them culture so when TUI PLC starts in September I wont be one of them promoting that philosophy.
Giving people what they want makes for a happier and more productive airline. The new managment will hopefully listen to this. I have always hated the us and them culture so when TUI PLC starts in September I wont be one of them promoting that philosophy.
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Can any of our new colleagues at Thomson tell me what the crewing / airframe situation is at DSA. How many ? Work patterns ? Popular base or not ? Am currently Airbus RHS with FCA.
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Short reply -as I'm operating out of base at LTN for 3 days!
Many commands in FCA over last few years have had to be accepted out of base with movement back to original base when chance permits. That's a quick broadbrush of things. I think general concensus would be you have to take a command wherever offered & then weed your way back to where you really want to be.
We have been told it will take 50 pilots to man the first 2 787 airframes when they enter service in spring '09. What combined fleet size will be who knows?
Airbus leases run to 2010/11 I think -what do you get rid of 1st these or old 737s?
Skid
Many commands in FCA over last few years have had to be accepted out of base with movement back to original base when chance permits. That's a quick broadbrush of things. I think general concensus would be you have to take a command wherever offered & then weed your way back to where you really want to be.
We have been told it will take 50 pilots to man the first 2 787 airframes when they enter service in spring '09. What combined fleet size will be who knows?
Airbus leases run to 2010/11 I think -what do you get rid of 1st these or old 737s?
Skid
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SkidMX, the end of lease for the Airbuses sounds far away. Rumor in Tfly was that the "end" was around 2008/09. I would bet a lot of money that the Airbuses will go sooner or later. There are more than 35 737s in order by the TUI group. At least 25 of those are going to the UK. The first three are here already.
Westie, there is no 737/767 combination planned in LTN. In any case, it sounds like LTN will be overfilled with the STN Tfly pilots. Having said that, the airframes are increasing by one for S08, but still I doubt there will be any room for people to move there.
Westie, there is no 737/767 combination planned in LTN. In any case, it sounds like LTN will be overfilled with the STN Tfly pilots. Having said that, the airframes are increasing by one for S08, but still I doubt there will be any room for people to move there.
