Latest news on IFBT's

[fozzyo]

Oh dear, the press now starting to get word of it - hardly what you would call positive PR. Still nothing compared to the T5 fiasco BA face.

I'm still bemused why such a high profile company, that takes every opportunity to gain positive publicity should put itself in this position when it has access to the best Corporate,HR and Media advice available.

Originally posted by Jacki
I'm still bemused why such a high profile company, that takes every opportunity to gain positive publicity should put itself in this position when it has access to the best Corporate,HR and Media advice available.

I think Jacki this situation was as follows:

1. IBFT's realised they were being 'grounded' for urgent meeting early next week.
2. They noticed they were not being rostered onto any flights post the meeting.
3. A post was made on cc.com saying something maybe up
4. Crew have put two and two together along with Galley FM to come to this conclusion.

One would imagine the media have got hold of the story through internet forums and then rung VS for comment.

Not defending VS in anyway but it would have been pretty hard for them to go about making an announcement to all 250 odd IBFT's in any other way, the management have clearly taken the view that the announcement, whatever it maybe is best to be done face to face to all IBFT's at once. Granted leaving IBFT's the weekend to ponder is not great. After all can you imagine how some would have felt if they had told IBFT's when they were back in the UK in drips and drabs. Or worse announced it to the press and sent a letter out to IBFT's informing them of the service cut.

Thanks Willd, I can see that it was never going to be easy. I still feel VS should have predicted this scenario and made contingency plans.

Originally posted by hackneyguy
In addition she had to staff 'Door 8' for take off and landing so she was pretty busy throught the flight.

HG

There is no such thing as door 8 [:?]

Think he meant had to take over the cm8 position of manning allocated door!

I didnt know we got free membership! I am paying for this! lol

[Darren Wheeler]

All sales final, no refunds no exchanges.... [;)][:D]

I never use the IFBT but I think it certainly cheapens the product by removing the service and is purely penny-pinching. I hope that for those affected the meeting is nothing of the sort. I can't see it having a great impact on sales as I doubt that many people fly VS purely for the IFBT. The problem comes when it is part of a process of cost-cutting which, arguably, has already begun.

[Scrooge]

Hang on a second, by removing the IFBT VS are cheapening the product...how long have you been flying UC ? (and I dont mean that in a rude way btw) the UC product is a shadow of it's former self and now if not for the suite it would be killed going head to head with BA's NNNCW.

Sad but I am afraid true IMHO

Well as bitter as i may be at the prospect of losing my job, lol i do have to say i trust the peeps at Virgin in the respect that they know what they are doing...IF we do get cut they will replace with something which they feel would be more beneficial to you also, whatever that may be i'm sure they have a plan to keep you all happy and hopefully happier!x

[Scrooge]

Sure [:?]

Anyways..let's get back to the topic in hand as this could to easily turn into a VS UC bashing thread....again....

Well if they do axe the IFBT I hope they do offer everyone a job as regular cabin crew.

BTW...Mrs Scrooge's reaction on being informed that the IFBT may be gone 'f**king a**holes' she likes the IFBT incase you couldn't tell.

the-iftb...not part of the WDMM brigade I would guess[:)]

I really hope that all are offered alternative roles on the a/c.

Maybe IFBT will only be offered on selected flights and there will only be some form of retrenchment???[?] (sorry if someone has already suggested this)

Excuse my ignorance but what is WDMM brigade?

I didn't initially click on this thread because I thought it was about crew chewing gum in UC, and not being an UC flier was rather uninterested. Seeing the popularity, however, caused me to investigate and now I understand what all the hubbub is about. If true, and I put emphasis on that, it would definitely cause a decrease in Virgin's uniqueness. Many people may think it's just for show, but think of all the things other airlines have that aren't exactly necessary. If I flew UC I'd probably really appreciate a nice massage. It seems odd to me that they would bring everyone in to essentially tell of them that they're sacked. Even if they are offered other jobs as CC or in the Clubhouse it still seem strange to me. I guess we'll all see on Tuesday, however. Also, I think there's less of a chance of the bar being removed.

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by the-ifbt
Excuse my ignorance but what is WDMM brigade?

During the recent pay dispute, a faction of VS staffers rented the domain name http://www.wedeservemoremoney.com. (WDMM) and used the site to promote their claims.

I believe it was intended as a site for staff, but as is normal in this internet age, it was visited by a lot of non staff people.

There were a few acrimonious exchanges on this, and other, websites. Strong views were expressed about the possibility of a strike.

The strike didn't happen, but the memories are still there.

Nick

Thanks for the explanation..No i am not part of that brigade, or have ever been.
I am actually fairly new crew, so new that i started flying when the strike/pay deal was being discussed, as such i stayed away from all topics both onboard and via internet disussion sites!

[preiffer]

Can I just put a contentious one out there? [:#]

Before UCs, when J2000 existed...


IF I remember rightly, there were 44/48 seats? Now, a BIG issue of the IFBT thing at present is the fact that only 10-15 passengers can now be seen per flight, is that right?

So HOW COME, from memory, when I used to fly J2000, I'd not really SEEN a 'priority card'? It may have been simply perception, but I got the impression that everyone that wanted a treatment got one?



Maybe 'health and safety' of late sealed the (doomed) fate of the In-Flight-Beauty-Therapist???



After all, if a 'service' that pleased 1/3 of passengers managed to disappoint 2/3 of passengers at a time, *perhaps* it was doing more damage than good? [:?]

I see Sir Alex Ferguson chewing on telly every weekend. It's fine when he does it. Everyone else who chews in public must die. In pain.

GJ

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by preiffer

Maybe 'health and safety' of late sealed the (doomed) fate of the In-Flight-Beauty-Therapist???

Very good point Paul. If VS hype the IFBT as a reason for flying VS, then fail to deliver - the net result is PR snafu.

Maybe the meeting on Tuesday is to confirm that two IFBT's will be used on some flights to stop this happening? [}:)]

Nick

IFBT has always been available on only some of the flights - those from LHR.
It would be nice to think that would be extended but being realistic that could only occur with a full refit of aircraft.
What is of concern is that the 'UC review' does not include other UC staff.

There is a tendency in management to leak bad news to 'soften' the blow when it is actually announced.
This must have been a long time in preparation - CC.com suggests rumours and Gold cardholders being consulted in January.....has this been in the works since the strike issues?

A ray of hope - VS are in negotiation with Boeing on the loan of B777s and supposedly are still recruiting...

Originally posted by mdvipond
They've had IFBTs for 18 years?? [:?]

Since May 1990 according to this

Originally posted by the-ifbt
Think he meant had to take over the cm8 position of manning allocated door!

Indeed - thanks the-ifbt.

I for one will be very sad if this rumour turns out to have any truth. I love the inflight hand treatments and chatting with the IFBT; as a frequent solo traveller it is the highlight of my flight with VS. Not sure if we have met but you sound like the type of IFBT that makes the VS UCS product so excellent.

All the very best,

HG [:X]

It will be a real shame if this is true. Plus it is reducing the difference offered by competitors. Sure you have a fantastic CH (at LHR) but once on board you will be left with your seat and the bar.

With so many other airlines now offering flat beds in business then it could end up being a plain playing field on whoever offers the more comforable bed. BA doesn't have a bar but it now has the kitchen and some of the mid-east airlines are offering lounge/bar areas. I think it will be a big move backwards if it is correct.

If it does then I hope they are offered to be kept on as CC especially as they're still advertising for crew in the papers yesterday.

Thankyou HG, many solo travellers tell me that also, always nice to have a chat and a laugh with somebody when your travelling alone!

I'm pretty sure we would all be offerd crew positions, it would make no sense of just to get rid of us when we are already fully trained as crew! All they would need to do is put us in red! However the difficulty will come when deciding what rank to put people in, obviously us IFBT's have been trained to a senior crew standard for one but also are used to the senior wage. That being said, they could not make us all senior crew right away...i think this is the biggest fear amongst us all now.

Health and safety is a very good point, i'm sure most of you are aware of the legal dispute that happened a few years between Virgin and an IFBT! I am too new to say for sure, however i do think it was probably around that time that changes were made, we have no upper limit on treatments we can do but we do have a minimum rate...that being said sometimes it is impossible to meet targets due to turbulence, crew down or other factors.

To give you an idea of how many treated per flight it depends if the flight is classes as a day/night flight and long/short. The minimum is 10 on a short night, 12 on a short day. 15on a long night, 16 on a long day. So as you can see unless people have recieved treatments in the clubhouse or on their outbound sector some people are leaving having not recieved a treatment at all!