Ask the staffer
Jun 10, 2019, 3:44 pm
#151
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 143
I’ve been watching some vlogs that cabin crew make. They mostly concern US-based cabin crew.
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible?
What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible?
What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
Jun 10, 2019, 5:01 pm
#152
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 129
I’ve been watching some vlogs that cabin crew make. They mostly concern US-based cabin crew.
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible?
What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible?
What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
Mixed fleet however are much stricter. Its very rare for them to separate unless they have a long wait between flights at Heathrow. Usually they stay together all the way from Security to the gate and even after flights they stay together all the way until exiting arrivals where they can go their separate ways.
Crew usually board at -45 for SH or -60 to -50 for LH.
At outstations crew normally all stay together as its not our hub airport and every airport has different procedures. Once crew arrive at an outstation from the hotel coming back to LHR then timings are a bit more tight its usually arrive at the airport and straight to the aircraft.
I’ve seen some of the US flight attendants vlogs too and dont know how they find the time to do them.
Jun 10, 2019, 5:30 pm
#153
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
I’ve been watching some vlogs that cabin crew make. They mostly concern US-based cabin crew.
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible? What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible? What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
Don't they just bring their own McDonalds?
Jun 10, 2019, 11:56 pm
#155
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 489
Everyone should be treated the same, we are all trained to the same standards but let’s just say some care more than offers.
Never sit in your seat and feel unhappy, if you are not being treated as you expect then ask to speak to one of the senior crew onboard so that we can manage the situation.
Jun 11, 2019, 2:21 am
#156
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,060
The squeaky wheel gets the grease; if you are happy to sit in your seat silently fuming, rather than say something and change the situation, then you will just there and fume. I know it's very British but WE cannot change things for the better unless you tell us there is something wrong, be it a failing in a service standard or in service delivery. Ask, do it politely and without anger, the thing irritating you may just be an innocent oversight and simply and easily corrected. We are all human and sometimes make errors, usually we are happy to learn and to be reminded.
Jun 11, 2019, 2:29 am
#157
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 928
I was reading on twitter that the BOAC liveried 747 would be flying with the Red Arrows at an airshow.
How do the pilots fly these is it done on autopilot or is it hand flown. Is it also the case that as the 747 is the central aircraft that the Red Arrows will match the speed and direction of the 747.
How do the pilots fly these is it done on autopilot or is it hand flown. Is it also the case that as the 747 is the central aircraft that the Red Arrows will match the speed and direction of the 747.
Jun 11, 2019, 3:23 am
#158
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,060
The Reds will formate on the Jumbo, they have the skills,the practice and the aircraft with the agility to do it. The jumbo will probably be hand flown or use very basic autopilot inputs. The Jumbo must not do any unannounced or unpredictable manoeuvres so turn entry needs to be smooth and gentle not sudden or initiated without due warning. This is most easily achieved by hand flying. There may well be a member of the Reds on the Jumbo flight deck to co-ordinate and " lead" the formation, I'm not certain of that though. There will be meetings and liaison between the pilots flying the Jumbo and the Reds, and the BA pilots are likely to be ex military themselves so not unfamiliar with the procedures and skills required
Jun 11, 2019, 4:10 am
#159
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 19
The Reds will formate on the Jumbo, they have the skills,the practice and the aircraft with the agility to do it. The jumbo will probably be hand flown or use very basic autopilot inputs. The Jumbo must not do any unannounced or unpredictable manoeuvres so turn entry needs to be smooth and gentle not sudden or initiated without due warning. This is most easily achieved by hand flying. There may well be a member of the Reds on the Jumbo flight deck to co-ordinate and " lead" the formation, I'm not certain of that though. There will be meetings and liaison between the pilots flying the Jumbo and the Reds, and the BA pilots are likely to be ex military themselves so not unfamiliar with the procedures and skills required
Jun 11, 2019, 4:13 am
#160
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 19
I’ve been watching some vlogs that cabin crew make. They mostly concern US-based cabin crew.
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible?
What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
On query I had relating to BA is the procedure for crew boarding their plane.
At LHR, you often see the crew going to their plane together presumably from the staff area. What happens at outstations? How early can the crew board? Are there rules etc? Can crew board separately and does someone check their ID? Is the senior crew member responsible?
What about when crew want to do duty free shopping etc?
There is sometimes time for duty free on a turn-around at places like Gibraltar.
Jun 11, 2019, 4:20 am
#161
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club Blue
Posts: 963
Worldwide and Euro Fleet are all very independent. Mostly they all do their separate thing after their briefing and meet at the gate or onboard the aircraft. They do often go shopping or go the get food etc.
Mixed fleet however are much stricter. Its very rare for them to separate unless they have a long wait between flights at Heathrow. Usually they stay together all the way from Security to the gate and even after flights they stay together all the way until exiting arrivals where they can go their separate ways.
Crew usually board at -45 for SH or -60 to -50 for LH.
At outstations crew normally all stay together as its not our hub airport and every airport has different procedures. Once crew arrive at an outstation from the hotel coming back to LHR then timings are a bit more tight its usually arrive at the airport and straight to the aircraft.
I’ve seen some of the US flight attendants vlogs too and dont know how they find the time to do them.
At a lot of European airports crew are driven directly from staff search to the aircraft, bypassing the terminal. At other airports the crew will generally stick together, even at the ones where transport time from the hotel is generous and allows time to pop into duty free or to grab a coffee.
Arriving back at base, LCY arrivals is so small that there’s really no opportunity to split up unless one of the crew is transferring to another duty (in which case they remain airside) or need to visit the toilet. Most turnarounds are done on the same aircraft so the crew will remain on board but where there’s an aircraft change the crew will generally set up camp at an empty gate and people will go off on their own if they need anything whilst someone watches the bags.
Jun 11, 2019, 7:02 am
#162
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,060
I wouldn't be dogmatic about this but having done some of this sort of stuff in the past, admittedly 20 odd years ago, I very much doubt the full use of automation especially with the other aircraft in close formation. I cannot remember if the Jumbo has CWS in roll or not but that was the preferred method used, with Alt Hold as the pitch mode. This effectively prevented unexpected or unannounced turns with sharp turn commencement, a 9 ship around a big aircraft needs time and slow starts for any manoeuvre attempted, not least for the safety of the big aircraft, whose occupants do not have the Martin Baker let down system if it all goes wrong. Hand flying also mitigates against some of these things
Jun 11, 2019, 2:19 pm
#163
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 19
I wouldn't be dogmatic about this but having done some of this sort of stuff in the past, admittedly 20 odd years ago, I very much doubt the full use of automation especially with the other aircraft in close formation. I cannot remember if the Jumbo has CWS in roll or not but that was the preferred method used, with Alt Hold as the pitch mode. This effectively prevented unexpected or unannounced turns with sharp turn commencement, a 9 ship around a big aircraft needs time and slow starts for any manoeuvre attempted, not least for the safety of the big aircraft, whose occupants do not have the Martin Baker let down system if it all goes wrong. Hand flying also mitigates against some of these things
Jun 11, 2019, 2:34 pm
#164
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Regarded as total and utter snob amongst the BAEC community.
Posts: 971
Not really. Flight and cabin crew 'bid' for the trips they want. As you can imagine, weekends off are very popular and the system is seniority based, so you won't have the best chance as a new entrant. Likewise, you can't do short-haul only, at the very least you'd need to do enough long haul trips to keep your certification current on that aircraft type.
Jun 11, 2019, 3:56 pm
#165
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 19
