BA Cityflyer Recruiting

[dboy]

Well i submitted my application. We will see what will happen. I took the decision for myself, if the money is really that poor, no go for me then and i stay at my current company.

[gilbertmchris]

Thanks for all the honest opinions guys but you're not changing my mind. Actually think it's a bad job for someone made redundant, CF should be selective and pick people who actually want the job and wont moan and leave for mainline at the first opportunity.
Way more important things than money, will be a pay cut for me if I get the job, as for touring and nights away, that's one of the biggest attractions...
Anyone think london city qualified and experienced turbo prop captain would make up for the lack of jet time?
I hope I get to fly with you guys soon, you wont hear me moan, ever, always better than sitting in an office!

[ScamArtist]

Hey guys, just wondering what sort of experience levels they take on?

[Flyer2007]

A Question on the Application.

Hi guys and gals,

I may be having a bit of moment with one of the questions on the application. But "Please list your Performance Examination passes". I am a little confused as to whether they are simply asking for Performance exam passes in terms of Perf A etc, or whether they would like details of all ATPL subjects? If anyone can point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it. Thanks :-)

[RB311]

I think the problem with the view point expressed about why we go into this job in the first place is it leaves you open to exploitation. Sure, to many, flying is a passion, but so is lawyering to others, and you don't see many of them prepared to do it for peanuts.

Extend the argument further and you would expect premier league players to be the worst paid of all....

[Finals19]

I had the same issue. I believe they're referring to the old performance exams before EASA / JAA? Just list your Performance and PoF grades and then below list the rest of them (i.e the other subjects) I also did this in the education section, (where I gave details of my ground school) If they don't need the info they will just disregard it anyway.

[Flyer2007]

Thanks very much!

[MikeAlphaTangoTango]

Two more E190 for S11

BA CityFlyer firms up two Embraer 190 options

[climb1please]

that's very true what you say captain widebody. I couldn't agree with you more.

Unfortunately cityflyer's only attractive bit in all those things you list is that you get staff travel on BA. mind you, it's not as good as what BA pilot's get, but it still gets you places.
Apart from that though, there isn't much else. All these cityflyer employees aren't trying to put people off, they're just honest. Good luck and if you make it through I look forward to hearing you out over a few beers after a year's flying with us.

cheerio

[757_Driver]

I agree with capt widebody. For me lifestyle is by far the most important aspect - not the money. I want to have enjoyable flying and plenty of time with my family. However BA cityflyer doesn't seem to tick many boxes at all!

[justanotherstat]

What do they gain from it that others like FlyBe don't?

The answer to this is fairly simple in that it means they do not have to have multiple bases. Cityflyer is predominately a business airline with London City as it's focus interconnecting other business centres. The reason for the touring is to enable them to operate into LCY first thing and back out last thing which enables their customer base flexibility with meetings etc.

it's clearly not a career airline

Maybe you would like to quantify this statement??? I don't work for the aforementioned, but instead a turboprop operator who pays less. I don't think you can define career airlines by their starting salaries?

It is a business first and foremost, and although the salaries do not reflect market rate, it is important to consider the financial position the country has found itself in, and the fact that many other airlines have fallen by the wayside and will continue to do so. Maybe the rewards will come in time.

Finally, someone compared us to footballers and lawyers, whilst lawyers may love their trade, I'm pretty sure it's bloody hard work most of the time, with moments of joy few and far between. Footballers are playing a game they love - not my idea of work at all. We on the other hand, 5 mins into a flight break thru the cloud, into the blue open sky - that is a moment of joy, and the harder you work, the more often it happens.....

[DutchBird-757]

It is a business first and foremost, and although the salaries do not reflect market rate, it is important to consider the financial position the country has found itself in, and the fact that many other airlines have fallen by the wayside and will continue to do so. Maybe the rewards will come in time.

Finally, someone compared us to footballers and lawyers, whilst lawyers may love their trade, I'm pretty sure it's bloody hard work most of the time, with moments of joy few and far between. Footballers are playing a game they love - not my idea of work at all. We on the other hand, 5 mins into a flight break thru the cloud, into the blue open sky - that is a moment of joy, and the harder you work, the more often it happens.....

I agree. The company itself says that it's not a career airline. Fair enough. At least it's honest. But having worked for two other airlines, one who went bust and another one that's making a loss and cutting services, I can fairly say that having job security and big BA behind you makes me sleep a whole lot better at night. And now add Hamburgh International to the list of 'once upon a time there was...' airlines.

For f/o's it's currently mostly 3 day tours. But cpt's regularly 5 to 6 days away. Having only a dozen destinations limits the variety a bit. They are always the same trips but mixed in a different order. But with the CPH, ARN and the upcoming new destinations, it makes it all a bit more interesting. Mind you, those MAD/CPH en future ARN trips are really nice though. At least they are not minimum rest jobs and you actually have an afternoon+evening/morning off to explore the city.

If you want to have time off at home (minimal touring and weekends off) and make a really descent wage, this is not the place to be. And next years programm is gonna be even more busy.

As others stated before. You'll fly with really nice folk (c/c & f/d), into an interesting airport on a daily basis and on a great jet. We're expending and have job security and good schedueling agreement. Plus some nice perks on the side. (staff travel)

On the other hand. The money is crap, crew food goes downhill, no vouchers anymore in hotels like we used to have and lot's of time away from home, now including weekends.

Take your pick and see what fits you. I would however recommend this airline, but it all comes down to what's important to yourself. These are just facts.

[Atreyu]

"I've applied cos I have no choice in the current climate but being married with 2 kids and living in London, I need to earn a pre tax salary of £37,000 to break even and that doesn't include holidays. Passion has it's limits, it's clearly not a career airline"

Good luck with £26,000 for year one...

"Actually think it's a bad job for someone made redundant, CF should be selective and pick people who actually want the job and wont moan and leave for mainline at the first opportunity."

Two things wrong with that statement, not many people are really going to WANT to work at BACF, and even if they do, they won't after a year.

Secondly, working for this 'wholly owned subsidiary', there is virtually no chance of getting into mainline direct from CF and why would they? Pay for a CF pilots rating on an Airbus, only to recruit someone to fly the EMB at LCY? Recruitment of one CF pilot will invariably lead to recruiting two pilots, one to mainline, one to CF, hardly cost effective?

Like Mr.DB757 says, it's not all bad and always very subjective. My two cents? If you're in a stable flying job, wait it out until the bigger better airlines recruit, if your needing a job, get your app in.

Ta

Atreyu

[DutchBird-757]

Like Mr.DB757 says, it's not all bad and its always very subjective. My two cents? If you're in a stable flying job, wait it out until the bigger better airlines recruit, if your needing a job, get your app in.

That's the bottom line of this thread.

P.s. Atreyu, shouldn't you be working for a change?

[Atreyu]

I've convinced the company I am to be left as a man of leisure

Atreyu

p.s I wish, just a few days off which are together, thanks to our kindly crew planner

[gilbertmchris]

Well hopefully those choosing CF for the wrong reasons will get sifted out at interview, I know a few people who really do want the job (myself included)

I think you guys forget there are lots of people working for much less money on far worse conditions and CF would be a great move. Personally I would choose CF command over mainline FO if both came up at the same time. (I am in a stable fun job that I love at the moment)
guess it's all about what people want from work.

For those that are at CF for longer;
How does your training work? Are there many line trainers?
Does CF use it's own TRI/TREs?

Also for anyone on the Emb, does CF have the HUD or the autoland enabled/approved? The plane looks amazing!

Cheers

[Jamin20]

I know it is a difficult question to answer because of expansion etc, but what is the length of time expected for command? Is it strictly seniority based because surely like most other airlines there are plenty of 3 stripers with 2500hrs+ waiting for their chance.

Jamin

[towser]

Jamin20; There is no average time to command it very much depends on demand and other things (people leaving, expansion, etc). We have very few 3 strippers hanging around ( 1 or 2) and even less with 2500hrs because they virtually all started out a few years ago with just 200hrs!

Gilbertmchris; We have a full compliment of trainers both line and TRE/TRI. We don't have the HUD but do do CatIIIA autoland.

[BA777]

So when the F/O goes onto the Y2 scale...

It's listed as £34,986 on PPJN, so +2% = £35685

Therefore that would only be taxed at the HMRC basic rate of 20% + NI? So quite a good Y2, and then hit by the larger rate in Y4 when it goes to the 40%?

Also, could you please show how you get to the £400 extra from flight/duty pay? So an example of how you get to that 400 would be fantastic please

Thanks

[gilbertmchris]

Thanks Towser,
Sounding even more interesting...