[Hermes1964]

Did all my early flying on BCal/BUA – VC10, 1-11s, Dc10, A310 and 747 Combi, but alas never got on the 707s. BCal crews were the best I’ve ever encountered. Somehow no-one else matched their care and warmth. I miss it and still get on planes and wonder why nobody is smiling or saying hello. I’m sure Handbag is keeping the spirit flying! merry Christmas

[TominScotland]

Interesting report of the impending VS strike by Hong Kong based staff on the BT news pages. Virgin are targeting senior (ie. more expensive) staff in their redundancy strategy, presumably leaving service in the hands of junior, less experienced cabin crew. Hardly a measure to give one confidence in the airline,…..

[canucklad]

Agreed Tom,
I’m not sure about HK employment law, nor am I sure about the specifics concerning actual job titles and the specs/description and responsibilities aligned to each role.

However, at first glance it would appear that VS wouldn’t be able to apply this redundancy strategy back here in the UK, due to its seemingly obvious targeting of older employees. .
The lawyers specializing in age discrimination would have a field day!

I’ll add, could this be a Delta proposition ?

[DavidGordon10]

The right personality and a positive attitude are all that matters. Good cabin crew can make a great flight – and poor cabin crew? Well, you will still get to the destination.

Worst in the last couple of years? – long-haul economy on a now-merged USA airline.

Best? – impossible to choose. I have been given great service by cabin crew in both business and economy, and by SAS, Swiss, AF, Korean, Turkish, Egyptair, Aeroflot, BA, TAP, Delta and many others. Thank you all.

[BEYbrit]

It’s all about the love and the passion. For any customer service role.

If you love your job and have passion for service then your customers will love you.

Go the extra mile, surprise the customer. Underpromise and overdeliver. And all the other awful management lingo that applies and works.

On a trip in Business from CDG to LAX a couple of years ago, I was clearly hesitating between the two main dishes – and asked the advice of the steward. He made his recommendation and I followed his advice. In the end he brought me both dishes with a big smile and told me to enjoy it.

A month later and back in Paris, I was in a restaurant in the Marais and discussing the menu with a group of friends.

“Still can’t decide? I doubt they’ll give you two dishes here!” – I looked up and it was the friendly Crew member.

We invited him and his friends to join us and we had a great evening.

Since that day we have kept in touch and I’m always jealous when I’m cold in a Beirut winter and he is at the Rio Hyatt or somesuch.

The industry is full of great people – people who care for their passengers and who love their jobs.

To them all I say thank you for keeping me safe and served in 2015. See you next year!

[EU_Flyer]

“The industry is full of great people – people who care for their passengers and who love their jobs” – BEYBrit

I couldn’t agree more for the most part.

This type of work understandably attracts people from all walks of life (and professonal backgrounds) who are seemingly linked by their common love of travel / people / service.

I know of people from high paying, white collar professional roles who have moved over to flying because they love the job – which allows them to see the world / stay in nice hotels and (in the case of the ME3 and several Asian carriers) live a unique lifestyle (despite the exhausting nature of the job).

[handbag]

I think it is unlikely that you would find such a varied group of people who all do the same job in any other profession. We have Army, police, nurses, office workers, teachers photographers,business owners, models, writers, actors, musicians and lots of more obscure professions. Some still do so part time, whilst flying.

Crew can now be full time, 75%, 50% and 33%. I have recently gone onto a 33% contract, which gives me more time to pursue my business outside BA.

At one stage we had a solicitor who had his own practice, who flew part time. He did the legal work for a couple of properties that I bought. Not sure if he is still around or not. As you can see , people don’t always do for the money. He certainly charged me much more per hour of his legal services, than he earned from flying.

The most unusual aspect of our job is that we rarely know each other. I can still get on a flight and not know a single crew member, although I would generally recognise 1 or 2. It still amazes me after 30 years, that I can fly with someone who has done the same amount of time and never set eyes on them before.

[IanFromHKG]

canucklad, discrimination laws in HK are somewhat rudimentary. There is no legal protection against discrimination on the basis of age (or sexual orientation, or a number of other things). In most areas, employment law here is very employer-friendly. Generally speaking, in the absence of discrimination against one of the protected classes (e.g. disability, sex, race, family status), all that is required is the notice stated in the contract or money in lieu – which is precisely what happened to me in the summer – three months’ cash in lieu of notice, some small payments for accrued holiday etc., although fortunately for me I was also offered an extra payment to (in effect) preclude any possibility of a discrimination claim. It wasn’t a whole lot given my seniority, but a very quick bit of mental maths made it clear it was better for me to accept it than to attempt any claim, because the awards here are minimal anyway. There is no concept here of legal entitlement to a job…

[canucklad]

Hi Ian,
Sorry to hear about your employment travails, although I envisage it’s now all upwards and onwards in HK.
Anyway, from what you say, the VS lassies are well and truly ……..well not going to be Virgin employees much longer. …..Hopefully VS’s loss could be CX’s gain !

And to all CC , and airline employees who read this forum, many thanks and a Merry Christmas !!

[TiredOldHack]

Thanks Handbag. If you ever find yourself attending to a slightly portly grey-bearded gent, just ask if he’s Tired Old Hack.

[handbag]

TiredOldHack – 24/12/2015 09:24 GMT
It might get taken the wrong way if I was to ask a pax if he was “A tired old Hack” 🙂

[TiredOldHack]

Well, I’ll just have to ask every female crew member: “Are you Handbag?”.

Tell you what, though –

BA 432 to AMS on 29 April seat 11A

BA 435 to LHR on 30 April seat 1A

BA 055 to JNB on 30 April seat 51A

BA 056 to LHR on 14 May seat 51B

BA 440 to AMS on 23 May seat 1A

BA 433 to LHR on 17 June seat 1A

BA 516 to MAD on 17 June seat 1A

BA 246 to LHR on 25 June seat 17K

BA 430 to AMS on 26 June seat 1A

On the off-chance you’re rostered onto any of those….

[handbag]

Sorry none of the above. I am Longhaul only on 747 and 777 only. JNB would be the only possibility, but don’t think it is a 747 at the moment. 🙂

[TiredOldHack]

Ah well. From MAD I’m going on to SCL, but that leg’s with Iberia.

[canucklad]

Isn’t the 747, still plying the YVR route handbag ?
Been meaning to head out and see family ….

[Author]

Posts