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Any of you guys and gals in B Med able to give me a run down of what its like inside the company?

Whats the pay, allowances and rosters like? Much time off, average time away etc?

Thanks

Very well run airline!

Not all would agree, of course! Especially those that have been in the company some time or have not worked for anyone else to see that this is, on balance, a good airline.

Basic pay is around industry standard, incremental with time served. Lots of duty pay at around £2.50 per hour - When busy, around £500-£600 per month. £250 Captains and £150 F/Os for days off worked. Pension from 7.5% to 15% dependant on rank and time served - paid into your own scheme or the companys money purchase. 5x earnings loss of licence and life insurance (capped at £250,000 - I think). 5 weeks leave per year with bank holidays in lieu. High level cover PPP medical insurance wich includes travel insurance for use at work or on your personal holiday, staff travel etc (spouse included for a small extra fee).
Bond, if not rated, as part of contract (i.e. not a bank loan or secured etc, more by agreement)!£15000 decreasing over 3 years.

Destinations: CIS - Baku, Azerbaijan; Yerevan, Armenia; Tblisi, Georgia; Bishkek, Krgystan. Middle east - Alleppo and Damascus, Syria; Amman, Jordan; Alexandria, Egypt; Beirut, Lebanon. (with more routes planned in the near future - CIS and Central Africa).

Normally 9 days off in a month. It actually varies from 8 if very busy to around 16 if not. Trips are between one night away to six. Normally just one or 2 sectors (1 of 5 hours and one of 1 hour as a max). There are several duty days off down route - great sunbathing in decent hotels and getting paid for it!! There are bid lines in place so one can get long trips or short trips to help control your lifestyle. crewing are generally helpful if you help them! Being honest - you can find yourself away from home quite a lot when busy. But it has, so far for me, balanced out. So one month I am hardly at home the next I am at home a lot. I used to do short haul and got very tired of the intensity of work. This is much easier on balance and I enjoy a better quality of life. We only fly 4-500 hours per year! Generally lunch time reports and landings at LHR. Some night flying and early starts down route though!

Flying very interesting and challenging. decent crew grub (business meals normally). Destinations are interesting!!!! Seems to be a secure job. BA influence very strong leading to good service on board and fairly good handling down route and at LHR. Good training department with BA SOPs and training audited by BA. I have encountered a good 'training' not 'checking' attitude within the company.

Promotion prospects depend upon experience and ability. Seniority list is used. When hours gained and ok on seniority then you will be assesed. If ok then into a pool for a command. Lots of commands in the offing due to new aircraft arriving early next year. Beware though if you have low hours as we only do 4-500 hours per year (sometimes less for F/Os) - so it can take quite some time to gain enough hours (4000) for command.

I think I have been objective and provided you with the information to decide whether or not to apply. It is not for everyone and I do admit to sometimes being tired of time off down route when busy.

Oh, And the staff and crew are a great bunch! We always behave down-route though! Honest!

jeta1.

Many thanks for all that, seems like you enjoy your work there.

Final question: You say commands are on seniority, how long would you expect to spend with the company before you get a look in if you have the hours and reports.

Also you say 9 - 16 days off a month, are they OFF or Stand-bys, CTC etc
A great help, THANK YOU

[This message has been edited by Pete O'Tube (edited 17 June 2001).]

Sounds a fantastic company..

Whats the minimum hour requirements ?
i.e Do you take 250 hour guys...not for me, my brother finishes his licence soon !!

Is Capt.Ian Frost still the FOD ?

gdday a1

wrt your last sentance, that's not what I've heard!

Pete -
I think the hours required for command are 4000 total and they like you to have 1000 hours on the A320. I think the latter is flexible depending on the type of experience you have (1000 hours on, say, 737-300 and 200 on the A320 is not unreasonable).
At the moment, if you have the experience and good training reports/assesment then the seat swap will be almost immediate. That situation is not likely to change for the next year or so due to fleet expansion and plenty of commands.
As far as I am aware there are not too many F/Os with the hours in the company - quite a few with 2000-3000 so watch out in a couple of years.

8 days off a month concrete. 9 days off is the contract. 9th day given as an SDO (Special Day Off) which the company can take off you if needed. It is normally rostered after a long duty just in case things go to pot and you get back a day later! If this is done though they have to give it to you as a concrete day off at another time by agreement of both parties. Other days off in the month tend to be standbys or availables - I have never been called out at the last minute on a standby.

Honiley -
Due to the destinations and the fact that we do not fly so many sectors and hours as short haul it may not be what a low hours pilot is looking for. But I think the management do like a mixture of experience levels so, I guess, it's always worth a CV and a look at.
Ian Frost has been promoted to Chief pilot now. Bob Rowley had to step down on medical grounds.

Don't let me paint too rosy a picture. It is still an airline doing business! My feeling is simply that, overall, we get a better life here and package than most of the smaller independants and have a fairly interesting operation. And come on the rest of you BMed crew, let's hear some of your - constructive - gripes or likes so these people can get a rounded view. This sort of stuff is what PPRuNe should be about!

Sick -
Oh no! Have our CRM refreshers in the Baku Jacuzzi become famous within the industry?????

[This message has been edited by jeta1 (edited 18 June 2001).]

What is the allowable standby distance for BMED LHR based crews. A couple of hours drive or less?
Thanks.
CRX.

I can't recall what the contract says but the comapany seems to have a fairly relaxed attitude to standbys. Due to the nature of our work we are rarely called out at the last minute. You are normally informed a few days in advance that you will be working on a standby.
a lot of BMed crews (both flight deck and cabin) live some distance away (Bristol, west country - even some in spain and Holland. The company does not seem to get too troubled by this.

Hi JetA1 ,
How many hours do you fly monthly during summer and during winter, average?
The crew who live in Spain, for instance,how do they commute,what kind of staff travel arrangement do you have? How many days would you be in UK during winter in such scenario?
Do you have consecutive days off?
What is "take home " pay monthly?
How many aicraft do you have ?

Thanks for your time and patience to answer all these questions. It seems a nice company to fly for.
Cheers

Well it would be nice if other BMed crew could also reply so as to give a rounded view for those thinking of applying. But I shall continue to help with my perspectives.

All dutys are nightstops! Report times at LHR between 1200 and 1500 with a couple of evening reports.
The shortest duty is 24 hours away from home base. This is one sector to either Beirut or Alexandria, minimum rest in the hotel then one sector home arriving back at LHR lunchtime.
The next length duty is 2 nights. Normally a lunchtime report at LHR getting to destination in the evening, next day by the pool then up early to arrive back at LHR for lunchtime. Either just one long sector or one long and one short (each way). These duties tend to be to Amman.
Then we have 3 nighters. Normally to Baku. This one can mess the old body clock up a bit as you tend to Depart LHR at either lunchtime or the evening, then after one long sector you get about 18 hours off then go off to either Tehran or Bishkek through the next night, then about 24 hours off then up early and back to LHR for lunchtime.
4 Nighters to Damascus and Yerevan. 2 sectors down and 2 back with 3 days off at destination.
5 nighter in Damascus - You tend to operate 2 sectors down - one long to Aleppo then one short to Damascus - then you get 4 whole days off (paid of course!) by the pool in Damascus.
It does so often feel like we do one sector then get off and have a beer and a day or two by the pool.
Hotels are good. The nice thing about where we go is the hotels are either flea pits, that the company wouldn't dare put us, or 5 star big chains (Hyatt, Sheraton etc).

So longer slips in Baku, Yerevan and Damascus. Medium slips in Amman. Short slips in Beirut and Alexandria.

All slip destinations are uniquely interesting with quite interesting sub-cultures. Some of these places have to be seen to be believed. The Middle East is particularly interesting and IT IS SAFE! Beirut, for example, is actually the cleanest and safest of all our destinations!

Look Down -
Hours remain fairly constant as we are a scheduled operator. They tend to vary according to amounts of training going on and crew numbers etc. Captains tend to work harder at around 500 hours per year some F/Os did a mere 250 last year!

The crew that live long distances tend to request long trips and tend to come to work 3 times a month. If you request short trips you will generally do 1-3 nighters and come to work 5-6 times per month.
Full BA concessions are available to us from 6 months service with some free tickets given at various intervals.

Days off normally given after each duty normally 2 or 3 consecutively. I believe there is a way of asking for days off down route so one can be rostered to take blocks of consecutive days off at home - but I don't do that.
There are quite a few options open to help one control lifestyle.

I am not sure what the F/Os bring home but I believe it is close to £3000 per month (when busy). Captains will bring home between £3300 for a quiet month and £4000+ when busy. Lots of duty pay here.

We have 4 A320s at present with 2 A321s to be delivered early next year. And, you probably guessed it from our destination list, they work pretty hard!

There is a certificate on our CEOs wall from Airbus awarding us the accolade of being the airline that operates the longest average sector length of an A320 (we use it like a long haul airliner!). We do this by having many fewer seats than any other A320. We have the BA Club World service with the cradle seats and world traveller (basically high yield and lots of legroom). So lots of spare weight to fill up with fuel. My longest sector is 6.20 from Baku. It does get tight sometimes but the use of en-route alternates is extremely rare. Our operation is fairly unique in this regard.

[This message has been edited by jeta1 (edited 20 June 2001).]

Just to add my tuppence worth as poor old jeta1 must have worn his fingers to the bone with all that(accurate)info.
I joined BMed just over a year ago and received first rate training right the way through from classroom to final line check and have since enjoyed the flights into VERY different places and the socialising downroute immensely!
I wish the F/O's DID take home 3000 p.m.!

Well there you go!

You just try to give a helping hand to someone trying to get useful information and then you get some idiot, who thinks he knows me, trying to twist and contort and ruin it for everyone.

I am sure you must be very bored sitting in front of your computer. To think it is fun to try and stab someone in the back with scant regard to what damage such behaviour can do is very childish.

I think the company I work for is a good one, on balance, and am merely trying to help people considering joining. I don't think that is a motive that people need to be afraid of!

I also thought that my colleagues were a good bunch. I think I am guilty of naivety in that regard.

You have revealed a lot about yourself in your post, and there is a strong rumour in BMed about your identity - I think it is you, workforce, who needs to beware.

Workforce
Jet A1s comments are articulate and based upon fact. He even has the humility to ask for other Bmed crews to comment as he obviously realises his views may not be everybodys.
I for one applaud his efforts to help provide information to those seeking information on Bmed.

It is also very underhand to try to damage someones career and reputation by throwing mud around.
You say you work on the ground at BMed. I suggest that before you make such sweeping judgements of someones qualifications you spend thousands of pounds and several years getting professional flying licences, passing exams and check rides and working hard to gain the necessary hours. Only then may you be in any position to judge somebodys suitablility as operating crew.
If you feel so low about BMed and your colleagues then get out and leave those who are happy alone.

Now in an attempt to return this thread to it's original topic:
I agree with Jet A1 on most points. the only thing I would add is that you can find that you do spend quite a lot of time down-route. I have spent 15 nights in a hotel in one month before now.
I find I bring home around £2500-£2700 per month as a third year F/O.
Having only four aircraft can be a problem when one breaks. It means that crews have to make sacrifices and get messed around. But it doesn't happen too often.

Now, now boys, if we are going to aire our dirty laundry, the least we can do is have the dignity to keep it in our own private forum!

Just to add my thoughts to those considering joining Bmed - most of what has been said is valid - however go in with your eyes open. You will be away alot - 15 nights a month is not unusual and it can be more. The destinations whlist interesting are limited and although there are more to come they can get a little tiresome after a while. The roster pattern can be tiring particularly if you end up with a back to back trip with night shuttles and several time zone changes. Beware of the 'we don't do any night flying' that seems a comman saying in the interview. We do have night flights and although they tend to be one sector it is the following slip pattern that is shattering.

Having said all that, Bmed have the best crews in the industry and the flights and social life downroute is fun. The airline does suffer from bouts of low moral and quite often crews feel undervalued by the management. Bmed is not unique in this but as we are a small company it can affect peoples attitudes overall.

From my point of view Bmed provides some very interesting flying and can offer rapid promotion if your face fits and you have the hours - for info JetA1 is not quite correct in this area - if you are joining as an FO then requirements for consideration for command are 3500 hrs total including 1000 jet and 500 on the 320. Minimun hrs for joining are 1000 total. It is unlikely you will do more than 500 hrs a year - 400 is a realistic figure so if you are low houred it will be a while for command. All these hours are at the discretion of the DFO but the only exceptions have been for people joining from the RAF where then on type time has been reduced.

Bmed does offer some good perks - health care and loss of licence are superb. We are entitled to BA staff travel but have to make arrangement through our own staff travel department which isn't always available and tickets and information can be hard to get hold of. Salaries are about average - the pension is money purchase and it will take several years as a captain to get the maximum contribution from the company.

All in all I view Bmed as a stepping stone to somewhere else. The experience is good but I can't see myself working the roster pattern we have and the destinations we go to for the next 30 years.

Thanks for all your inputs. Please could you give me the name of your Flight Operations Manager?

Could you also give me an idea of a typical FO's month's roster?

How many days on 'average' do you spend away?

Jet A1,
Thanks a lot for all these information.Very helpful.Just one more question,how many days those guys can spend in a month in Spain or elsewere during high or low month? Is it really possible to fly from Heathrow and live on the sunny south?
You duty pay covers meal overseas or it is different arrangement for meals?

I appreciate your good will to shed some light on the company.Also I can tell that your side of story is balanced and sincere,same as TakeTheCup`s side.Don`t be bother with venom of Workforce.
By the way what is your problem,Workforce?

Safe Flying
Cheers

So as this does not degenerate - if any of you require further factual information on BMed then please feel free to email me and I will be happy to provide what I can to help.

[email protected]

I would just like to thank jeta1 and the others from BMed for their time in replying to this message.

For he likes of 'WORKFORCE'. There are prats like you in every company who just want to slag others or the company off. I understand that we are all allowed to our opinion but if you have nothing to say I, for one, would prefer if you save your phone bill and keep quiet.

Thank again for the valued reports.

Jeta1

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