'A Very British Airline' : BA Documentary, airs BBC2 from Mon 2 June
Jun 11, 2014, 1:02 am
#661
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
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But they didn't say they only hire the top 1% or .1%
If I recall the numbers they said something like they get 10,000 applications a year of which they interviewed a lesser number and of that offered places to something like 100 of which we saw a cohort of ~10 in one training programme.
If I recall the numbers they said something like they get 10,000 applications a year of which they interviewed a lesser number and of that offered places to something like 100 of which we saw a cohort of ~10 in one training programme.
Jun 11, 2014, 1:39 am
#662
Join Date: Aug 2006
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She forgot her stuff in her car.
She didn't appear to abide by their strict grooming standards.
She also didn't appear to take things seriously. (i.e. laughing in mock training scenarios.)
Why should BA give her a chance? Especially when she clearly demonstrated she couldn't handle the simple tasks at hand.
She didn't appear to abide by their strict grooming standards.
She also didn't appear to take things seriously. (i.e. laughing in mock training scenarios.)
Why should BA give her a chance? Especially when she clearly demonstrated she couldn't handle the simple tasks at hand.
I thought it was interesting that the wine appreciation course clearly hadn't been taken by some of their colleagues in the first episode who were discussing pinot grease.
One final point, the long standing JFK manager was going on about how seriously he was taking his job etc, picking up scuff marks and whatnot. I wonder if he's taken a look at the general shoddy appearance of T7 particularly landside? It's really very miserable, it needs a serious update. It looks like it still harbours the tobacco stained walls of yesteryear.
Jun 11, 2014, 1:45 am
#663
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
Programs: Tufty Club (Gold), BAGA Gymnastics level 4, 440yds swimming certificate
Posts: 2,533
One final point, the long standing JFK manager was going on about how seriously he was taking his job etc, picking up scuff marks and whatnot. I wonder if he's taken a look at the general shoddy appearance of T7 particularly landside? It's really very miserable, it needs a serious update. It looks like it still harbours the tobacco stained walls of yesteryear.
Jun 11, 2014, 2:01 am
#664
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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This is a very good point.
I used to be involved in a Championship football club. One of our rules used to be "if you are going to be late (for training/match) then let us know. Do not speed or put your safety or anyone else's safety in danger. Being safe is more important than being late". If there was a problem was a particular player then it got sorted out on the sidelines - as it were. To sack someone for an incident on the motorway where they could have driven at 150mph and made the cut-off is negligent of the employer
I used to be involved in a Championship football club. One of our rules used to be "if you are going to be late (for training/match) then let us know. Do not speed or put your safety or anyone else's safety in danger. Being safe is more important than being late". If there was a problem was a particular player then it got sorted out on the sidelines - as it were. To sack someone for an incident on the motorway where they could have driven at 150mph and made the cut-off is negligent of the employer
This happened to be the fourth and final issue of four. If she had for example had as her fourth "card" failure to put her lippy on when reminded then arguaby we would be saying she was fired for not putting her lippy on and then perhaps we'd be arguing about whether this signifies in a trivial way her inability to respond to instructions which in BAs mind might manifest itself as potentially risky in a safety situation.
She wasn't fired for being late. She was fired for having four warnings.
Jun 11, 2014, 5:16 am
#666
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: in a cabin
Posts: 6,528
Wow, some mean posts in this thread. We're all human after all @:-)
On another note, in episode 1 around the 52 minute mark they feature a gentleman in F on the A380 inaugural to LAX, who they claim fly over 300 days a year. Having had the pleasure of spending a few days with this gentleman during a delivery flight, he does indeed fly such amounts that our own c-w-s looks like a novice
On another note, in episode 1 around the 52 minute mark they feature a gentleman in F on the A380 inaugural to LAX, who they claim fly over 300 days a year. Having had the pleasure of spending a few days with this gentleman during a delivery flight, he does indeed fly such amounts that our own c-w-s looks like a novice
Jun 11, 2014, 5:46 am
#667
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Totally agree. Some of this is not a nice advert for the FT BAEC board. These weren't people self-promoting on 'Big Brother', they were just trying to make a go of their lives and happened to have a TV crew following them. Maybe we need a bit of perspective.
On another note, in episode 1 around the 52 minute mark they feature a gentleman in F on the A380 inaugural to LAX, who they claim fly over 300 days a year. Having had the pleasure of spending a few days with this gentleman during a delivery flight, he does indeed fly such amounts that our own c-w-s looks like a novice
Interesting. I wondered if anyone would mention this chap- I take it the man they referred to was the older of the gentlemen, sitting in the 'buddy' seat?
On another note, in episode 1 around the 52 minute mark they feature a gentleman in F on the A380 inaugural to LAX, who they claim fly over 300 days a year. Having had the pleasure of spending a few days with this gentleman during a delivery flight, he does indeed fly such amounts that our own c-w-s looks like a novice
Last edited by crazy8534; Jun 11, 2014 at 5:54 am
Jun 11, 2014, 5:58 am
#668
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BA
Posts: 1,419
To play devils advocate, she could have checked traffic prior to leaving to get to work. The issue appeared to be a lorry fire on the M25, which any traffic app would tell you. Personally speaking, I give the M25 far longer than is ever necessary, when forced to use it due to it's unreliable nature.
The real life situation is being late at an outstation, potentially resulting in a delay to a flight which would have significant implications to passengers and the airline.
I wouldn't say BA condones speeding, I'm more inclined to say that BA doesn't (cannot) tolerate lateness. Half of the impact here is the girl losing her place on the course, half of the impact is the the other trainees see first hand what a hardline BA take on time keeping and will ensure themselves not to be late in the future.
The bottomline here is that BA publish their list of no-nos to their recruits, and are clear they they will be sticking to it no matter what. I wouldn't be surprised if receiving a speeding ticket getting to work also carries a 'snapshot'.
Jun 11, 2014, 6:55 am
#669
Join Date: Jul 2011
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This is poppycock. From the numbers given in the program it doesn't sound very selective at all. Everybody loves to tout how they're super selective and only hire the top 1% or top 0.1% or whatever.
What they're not understanding is this, what do the other 99% go on to do? They take more interviews. The 1% they take stop interviewing but the other 99% keep interviewing and interviewing with more and more employers. In other words the people showing up at your door are far from an unbiased sample.
It doesn't take a large group of people going around being rejected everywhere to make everyone appear super selective. So you can be hiring only the top 1% of the applicants you see but that could translate into accepting anyone in the top 60% of potential employees or worse.
Joel explained it better than I did long ago: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2005/01/27.html
What they're not understanding is this, what do the other 99% go on to do? They take more interviews. The 1% they take stop interviewing but the other 99% keep interviewing and interviewing with more and more employers. In other words the people showing up at your door are far from an unbiased sample.
It doesn't take a large group of people going around being rejected everywhere to make everyone appear super selective. So you can be hiring only the top 1% of the applicants you see but that could translate into accepting anyone in the top 60% of potential employees or worse.
Joel explained it better than I did long ago: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2005/01/27.html
Thousands annually don't even get an interview and out of those that do get interviewed only about 10%-20% are successful during the selection process, it varies from day to day as obviously candidates vary from day to day.
Because the educational and experience requirements requested are in the lower regions, we receive an incredible number of applications initially and they come in from all over the world due the the magic of the Internet these are screened and then those successful at that stage are interviewed.
The interview is an all day interview and it looks at someone's attitude towards customer service, requiring real examples, how they work in a team and some actual role play etc. etc.
You can believe me or not, others can also make that judgement.
Jun 11, 2014, 7:25 am
#670
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Equally, it is important to set clear and non-judgemental parameters for the instructors so that they are never subsequently accused of being either inconsistent or showing favouritism. That was clearly (to me at least) the reasons why instructors were told to see issues as binary and why recruits were allowed 4 potential breaches and not one. Some are luckier than others in that they are stopped for 4 serious breaches others less lucky with what seems like 4 trivial breaches. The issue is 4 breaches and that instructors have no latitude. Everyone knows the rules at the outset.
I think BA have it right, and so far from the two programmes so far I see no evidence that their decisions have meant generally losing people they really shouldn't have lost.
Jun 11, 2014, 7:31 am
#671
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Did anybody else react on the lamb racks served on BA001 (or was it 003?)? Since when did they start plating the food individually? Never seen food served on BA look that good, as most of the times the meals they heat up end up looking like a dog's dinner.
Jun 11, 2014, 7:40 am
#673
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: East Anglia, England
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,056
H
Jun 11, 2014, 9:25 am
#674
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dundee
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2 things from programme 2.
Already on 3 snapshots, and forgets uniform, then has ignored instructions 3 times. Jodie was odds on to go.
Thought the comment about if it was clear was telling
More importantly, the graduate who can't pronounce "Th"?
The word is "through", not "frew", sir.
Already on 3 snapshots, and forgets uniform, then has ignored instructions 3 times. Jodie was odds on to go.
Thought the comment about if it was clear was telling
More importantly, the graduate who can't pronounce "Th"?
The word is "through", not "frew", sir.
Jun 11, 2014, 9:40 am
#675
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Brighton and Hove, UK
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I think Jodi would have made great crew, but I guess that's pretty fruitless to discuss. I'm sure the decision was not taken lightly, particularly considering the training course happened under the watchful eyes of a TV crew who would probably have jumped at the chance to document an unfair dismissal. That whole "lipstick" thing is not the whole story.
Still, I'm very disappointed at the underlying sentiment of "she's not middle-class WASP enough" that comes through in so many postings on here.
On a brighter note, nice to see some BA staff I've actually run into before. And for some reason I'm now craving duck tongue...
Still, I'm very disappointed at the underlying sentiment of "she's not middle-class WASP enough" that comes through in so many postings on here.
On a brighter note, nice to see some BA staff I've actually run into before. And for some reason I'm now craving duck tongue...