B.S.E.A

Hello All

As a new Customer Service Manager on the fleet I thought I might share a little more information about the Mixed Fleet ethos and workings with you.

Firstly and most importantly please be reassured that BA is changing. The customer on mixed fleet is at the heart of everything we do.

The CSMs are "BA managers who fly". As a grade 3 manager we sit right alongside other managers in the airline and our career path is expected to take us out of flying eventually into other senior positions. We will have a team of fifteen crew who we recruit, train and manage through their whole time with us. For the first time in BA history all crew will have a personal relationship with the person they report to. They even call me to go sick and fit!

CSMs will operate onboard both long and short haul as the SCCM but also have a couple of ground days a month to appraise their teams and get involved in initiatives and other departments.

The company want us to move out into the business, sharing and gaining knowledge and building relationships so that (for instance) it does not take months of report writing to get things changed onboard for you!

Joining the CSM onboard will be at least one "Future Talent" crewmember. These people are incredibly experienced as crew already and some external candidates starting soon have over twenty years service in the air.

FTCs will work primarily, but not exclusively, in positions of responsibility onboard, running cabins and completing assessments on their peers. They will be trained from the start in SCCM safety procedures and will "work up" under the supervision of a CSM a few times a year. At the end of the FTC programme they may be invited to apply for CSM or continue as FTC for further development.

All crew have a personal development plan with monthly in-depth appraisals and a yearly meeting where progress is discussed and pay rises/bonus may be awarded by their CSM.

Onboard the CSM does not have a fixed working position and as all crew are trained in all cabins there will be a flexible approach to working (expect to see me working across the entire aircraft at some point and not just making token appearances). In the past a crewmember would be assigned a position and stick to it but on Mixed Fleet there will be complete flexibility and movement depending on what's going on. All crew are expected to introduce themselves to, and recognise BAEC members in their sections (it's a key deliverable) as well as the CSM so expect the recognition you deserve!

To sum up, Mixed Fleet crews will be energetic, motivated, properly accountable and managed effectively to make things better for you. There will be nowhere to hide for "weak links". I cant wait to get out there and start making things better for you all. The first routes have been announced to us but for commercial and other reasons I cannot share them but it will be a matter of days before you know I'm sure!

The fleet will grow quickly as we are about to start a period of rapid growth as an airline. More 747s are coming out of the desert over the next few months and our cost base on Mixed Fleet is going to see us start up long-haul routes previously too expensive to run.

Hope to welcome you onboard a Mixed Fleet LHR service soon!

Cheers

FlyerTalker6245

Exciting stuff.

I did read a list of destinations somewhere.

After my last couple of sour-faced crews on flights, I'd love to see improved crew.

B.S.E.A

The "real" list differs from those published.

ff900

I agree, some crew are not worthy of the uniform they wear, can only get better !

FlyerTalker6245

Oh wow! Just a quick question - when will the first Mixed Fleet crew fly? Are we talking a few months or years?

B.S.E.A

We start shorthaul in November. Two longhaul routes join those in December.

As of Monday there will be three CSM courses running (two internal and one external) and cabin crew courses start soon.

Cheers

Swanhunter

It sounds a very positive step. Looking forward to seeing MF in action later this year.

RayG

Great post!^ Can't wait to experience it.

evecolorado

^ ^ Great idea.

Fruitcake

Many thanks for sharing this BSEA. Congratulations on your appointment. :-: Great to see your enthusiasm and commitment to customer service.

This adds to what I think we knew and hoped, that MF was well thought out and carefully planned. Good luck!

B.S.E.A

You are so right. MF has been planned for at least two years and is the future. The investment in course materials, training and processes is quite staggering.

It's a breath of fresh air to us "like-minded" crew and I sincerely hope that once we are up and running the myths will be dispelled and more crew will want to join us.

Thanks for your congrats!

T8191

Thank you very much for that insight. Exciting and challenging times ahead for the CC, but the 'management' aspect is a fascinating and innovative step. "Hands-on Management" is a major step forward, and I commend BA for the initiative ... and wish you well.

I look forward to seeing it happen on LHR-IAD next year.

Fruitcake

You're welcome. ^

oscietra

A really encouraging post - very exciting for us as passengers and I am so pleased you are similarly excited by this opportunity yourself.

Best of luck in your new role, and while it's easy to hark to back to the golden days which never were, I very much hope that Mixed Fleet will make all passengers (throughout the plane) feel that little bit "special" flying BA, and begin taking one of BA's USPs - its great people - up to a level which can compete with the other European airlines on Service (Swiss) and start to nibble at the heals of acknowledged leaders such as Singapore.

I have an urge to re-post this youtube clip, and particularly the signing off comments. It should be shown to everyone training for Mixed Fleet as a reminder of the pride everyone who works for BA should feel every day they go into the "office":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro3QVMCG-aY

B.S.E.A

Thanks for that. I watch that vid and the "face" ad when i feel low. Perks me right up!