BA Miffed Fleet

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  • FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Is anyone else beginning to wonder what is the point of miffed fleet?

    – Quite a lot of those I’ve experienced aren’t very good at their job (seem under trained)
    – Quite a lot of those I’ve experienced don’t seem to care too much about doing a good job
    – 8 strikes over a 6 month period ain’t a great advert for them or the airline

    So what is the point of this lot?


    summerfly
    Participant

    Totally agree with FDOS. I’m always relieved when I get to fly with legacy crews (though low morale is evident with them too). Mixed fleet are mostly very young & inexperienced, and it always seems like they just started flying a few weeks ago, despite them being recruited since 2010. Must be an extremely high turnover. BA mostly likely worked out that it’s cheaper in the short term to pay minimum wage and keep continuously recruiting new crews, instead of focusing on staff development & retention. This was very shortsighted & has inevitably lead to very poor service, regardless of travel class.


    openfly
    Participant

    BA planned an 18 month turnaround when Mixed Fleet was introduced in 2010. It has proved to be so unpopular that the average is now down to 8 months! So, with the cost of training, uniforms and most flights with crew who don’t have any experience, Mixed Fleet is yet another BA mistake. How about outsourcing to the sub-continent?

    Just done a 2 hour flight on a full A321. The economy cabin started at row 7. The Mixed fleet crew stopped the BoB service at row 23 on the descent. The rear 13 rows got nothing! No seat belt check, baggage in the em exit row.
    That’s inexperienced Mixed fleet crew for you.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    My o/h flew to CPT last weekend, business class BA 744, 24 years old (the ‘plane, not my o/h!) and said most of the crew seemed younger than the aircraft. Mixed fleet crew more interested in private chats than customers, service desultory, IFE not working properly and poor selection anyway. Food uninspired. I’m going tomorrow on LH, something to look forward to which I never do when flying BA.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    You mean your o/h is only 21 Capetonian? 😉

    I love Lufthansa on this route and wish they would make it year round to CPT ex FRA in the 747 so enjoy the flight and hopefully the storms will have died down though may the rain continue till the dams are full.

    We had a terrible and worrying experience in Knysna with the fires but that’s another story and thankfully all my family are safe. Google Knysna Fires if anyone interested.


    rferguson
    Participant

    BA do not care. They are cheap in the short term. That’s all they consider.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    PS. How does anyone know the difference between mixed and legacy?


    openfly
    Participant

    @LP….MF are 18 and the females wear hats, plus the 21yo boss introduces themselves on the PA as Customer Service Manager rather than the legacy CSD. After that it’s all downhill! ?


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=812773]PS. How does anyone know the difference between mixed and legacy?

    [/quote]

    When they lay your table with the knife on the left and the fork on the right…


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    [quote quote=812783]
    PS. How does anyone know the difference between mixed and legacy?

    When they lay your table with the knife on the left and the fork on the right…

    [/quote]

    😉


    openfly
    Participant

    My partner thinks that is amazing service, he is left handed!!


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=812810]My partner thinks that is amazing service, he is left handed!!

    [/quote]

    🙂 LOL


    Intheair
    Blocked

    FDOS

    Is anyone else beginning to wonder what is the point of miffed fleet?

    – Quite a lot of those I’ve experienced aren’t very good at their job (seem under trained)
    – Quite a lot of those I’ve experienced don’t seem to care too much about doing a good job
    – 8 strikes over a 6 month period ain’t a great advert for them or the airline

    So what is the point of this lot?

    ……..Mixed fleet crew member talking to another mixed fleet crew member about WT and WTP passengers. “Quite a lot of those I’ve experienced aren’t very good at their job (seem under trained). Quite a lot of those I’ve experienced don’t seem to care too much about doing a good job. Better just look after J and F. What’s the point of that lot in WT and WTP????”

    You would like to be called “that lot” would you?????

    I agree that many of the mixed fleet are not as good at service delivery as legacy staff, but not all, and that is a large brush with which to tar. Many legacy crew are excellent but some are lazy and bone idle. Why blame mixed fleet? – blame BA if you are going to blame anyone, not the staff. AND, if you don’t like the service, fly with another airline.


    Charles-P
    Participant

    @Intheair – Very well said. It’s all too easy to pick on the mixed fleet crew when in reality the airline must bear the majority of the responsibility if training and staff retention practices are not up to standard. That being said I remain a fan of BA and even though my commercial flying is considerably less than when I was employed full time I will still undertake three trips to the US this year and they will be my first choice across the Atlantic with their Business Class product for each of them. In general I find BA crews, friendly, professional and well informed.


    stevescoots
    Participant

    personally, i find that both Mixed and legacy are just as poor at consistency. My flight from LHR to ATL on Sunday was typical example. sure, this was a legacy crew, everything seemed to be a chore to the 2 that were working my side of the cabin, made to feel a nuisance. just after takeoff they made an announcement that everyone needed to fill out the customs form but the crew came through so fast holding a form up I am sure they were trying to outpace Usain Bolt. When I asked for the form next time someone came past I was told that I should have asked for it and she then turned on her heel brought one back and not even a word checked it on the tray table.

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