PanAm747LHR From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 223 posts, RR: 1 Posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 4539 times:
Hi everyone-
Here's a question for all you cabin crew out there. I'm currently applying to be cabin crew (applying to EK, QR, EY, QF and CO) and was wondering how layovers are typically structured. For example, I was talking to an f/a on AC on a YUL-YYZ flight two weeks ago who said she was doing a YYZ-BGI turn later that week. That flight is scheduled at 5h10m one way, and AC's crews do the return as well. Where is the cut off between what is operated as a turn, and when the crews get a layover? Likewise, I was talking to an AF crew from CDG to LAX, and they said they get two days in LAX before returning to CDG or continuing on to PPT. How long must a flight be before the crews are given a two day layover instead of just one? Do these rules vary from airline to airline, or are they somewhat universal?
Thanks for any input!
Jorge1812 From Germany, joined Apr 2004, 3141 posts, RR: 9 Reply 1, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 4498 times:
I don't know exactlx but I think there are general rules for flight lenght and resting times.
Quoting PanAm747LHR (Thread starter): How long must a flight be before the crews are given a two day layover instead of just one?
Maybe it's because the next flight is in two days or the next has too less resting time for the crew so they have to stay for two day. When we flew from PUJ via MBJ to DUS last month with LTU one crew was doing the DUS-PUJ sector another one the PUJ-MBJ sector and a third one the MBJ-DUS sector. And the ones who had the 1:30 hour flight from PUJ to MBJ had a layover of four days at MBJ, I think because of the earliest flight MBJ-Germany in four days. Hope I could help a bit.
Debonair From Germany, joined Jan 2004, 2096 posts, RR: 4 Reply 3, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 4387 times:
Very difficult to answer your question...
It depends on the country of the airline. The rules for overnight stays are regulated in the Civial Aviation law of that country.
Quoting Soups (Reply 2): Just flew Gatwick-varadero-manchester-gatwick. the crew stayed a WHOLE week in varadero
Which airline?? This is perfect, but unfortunately the airlines are cutting this back to a minimum- to save cost. we had also the varadero run and served it only once a week. But after arrival we went straight onto CUBANA to fly to Holguin to have there our minimum stay- and back to germany the next night! The famous glory days are over...
PRAirbus From Puerto Rico, joined Apr 2005, 1012 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 4298 times:
Depends on the airline, the contract between the FA (Cabin Crew Union) also affects layovers. In the USA, the FAA has some "rules" airlines tend to follow. Now that most US Majors are bleeding cash, productivity is the name of the game and crew layovers tend to be shorter to save money in hotels, per diem (expenses for crews), etc. Not all airlines are the same and most differ from each other. In the US, if the crew is Domestic or International that makes a difference too.
LongHauler From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 4275 posts, RR: 36 Reply 6, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 4197 times:
Quoting PanAm747LHR (Thread starter): I was talking to an f/a on AC on a YUL-YYZ flight two weeks ago who said she was doing a YYZ-BGI turn later that week.
That BGI turn you mention, is the longest that we are allowed with a "standard" crew. That is, no crew rest, or augment crew.
Yes it IS a long day. However, doing BGI turns, this month I only work 7 days!
Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down .... Barefoot Blue Jean Night
AirCanada014 From Canada, joined Oct 2005, 1492 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 4076 times:
I remember long time ago it was 1989 when AC introduce Zagreb via ZRH from YYZ and I was on the flight with my sister and my dad who piloted the flight to Zagreb. Both crews (cabin and flight deck) had 3days layover in Zagreb. It was fun being with the crew all the time. My dad and the captain arranged a tour in Zagreb with all the cabin crew on the tour too. It was so awesome we visited some old castles and old mansions. We all had a nice luncheon outside. Then the next night Dad, my sister and I went out for dinner with the Captain and his wife too. I remember pilots usually get the best layovers than the flight attendants. There was one time in early 90s pilots had 4day layover in BGI. I couldn't remember if the F/A had the same layovers too. I should have asked my dad to take me to BGI.
AA B777-200 From Netherlands, joined Mar 2001, 503 posts, RR: 5 Reply 8, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 3946 times:
Yup, depends on the airlines' schedule.
With KLM most flights Nort Atlantic are operated daily and the layovers are just 24 hours.
MEX and SFO are an exception, having 48hrs layovers due to length of the flight, rest facilities on board (or the lack of it) or the situation en route (MEX being on high altitude, harder to adjust and rest).
But with BKK flights it's a different story. We have 5, 7 and 9 day trips.
5 days : AMS-BKK and then BKK-AMS
7 days : AMS-BKK, inbetween BKK-TPE-BKK and eventually BKK-AMS
9 days : doing BKK-TPE twice with 1 rest day inbetween.
The interesting part is when they (temporarily) change equipment, combination of aircraft or configuration.
Did a 6 day KIX trip last year, awesome!
This winter season, we also had 6 day trips to EWR, 7 day trips to SFO and last summer even 14 day trips to Kuala Lumpur!
Ofcourse, over the years airlines have starting using long haul jets, cutting fuel stops. Years ago a SIN trip would be a 2 week trip and nowadays (for KLM) it's only 5 days back and forth.
EWRSTEW From United States of America, joined Feb 2006, 9 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 3923 times:
Here at CO, a lot depends on marketing for the scheduling of flights and layovers... First off, if you are thinking to apply at CO, consider that you will be on reserve (that is..at the mercy of the company) for several years, unless you speak a second language. New hire Spanish qualified are already off reserve and holding set schedules for example. Same for Hebrew and Chinese.
Second, Flight Attendants are whores for max hours and max days off!! As LongHauler from Canada stated, high hour turns are great if you like to do them (which I don't). We have EWR-LAX-EWR and EWR-SFO-EWR one day trips to give an example. With these flights, you can have 20-22 days off a month. I have been with CO for 20 years, and can not hold these flights, so don't count on it for a while.
On the other hand we have some pretty cool trips that can get you some great layovers. We have/had 24 hours in SXM, and 2 or 3 nights in UIO or GYE. Now that we are in a winter schedule mode it is not uncommon to have 3 nights in MAD or other cities in Europe. Also HKG can have 3 or 4 nights.
Good luck applying to CO! We are hiring A LOT of cabin crew in 2006.
Industrybuff From United Arab Emirates, joined Dec 2003, 346 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 3863 times:
panam747LHR - are you based in UK or AUST with UK or AUST citizenship
If you live in USA with US citizenship only - dont bother to apply for QF - they cant and wont recruit you - they dont have ANY FA Base in USA
LHR Base for UK Residents, BKK base for local thais, AKL base for Kiwis or Aussies with residency - AUST base for AUST residents only
Nzrich From New Zealand, joined Dec 2005, 1487 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 3843 times:
At Air NZ the min break is either double the flight time or 10 hours which ever is the max thats for long haul Short Haul min 10 hrs rest ..Mind you most long haul flights get a min of 20 hrs rest ..
These breaks vary between airlines and with different laws of each country the airline is based in , as well as the contracts negotiated between the company and its employees..
PanAm747LHR From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 223 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 3681 times:
EWRSTEW-
Yes, I do speak another language. I am fluent in Spanish, French and Italian. My German is pretty good, but not quite fluent. So hopefully if I do go with CO I'll get off reserve pretty quickly. CO already called me back for an interview, but said I needed to be able to start training within 30 days, and I don't graduate till May. So I'll wait until April to reapply.
Industrybuff-
I am USA based with a US passport, however I have yet to hit any obstacles with my Qantas application. There was actually a specific part of the application for US passport holders. Also, I can get AUST residency without a problem since I've had it before. (Lived in Perth.)
Thanks for all the input! I'm hoping to hear from some EK crew, as they are my first choice.
Boeingfan From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 385 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (7 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 3538 times:
Turns are cheaper than layovers for the company. FAA/Gov't's have minimum rest requirements, the union negotiates layover time.
Turk223 From Barbados, joined Aug 2003, 369 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (7 years 3 months 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 3349 times:
Just to harken back to my days working with BW at BGI in the 80s-90s...
Our crews used to have what now seem like perfect trips - at least in my opinion. I remember an entire L-1011 crew (cockpit and cabin) would work a quick 45 minute hop on Thursday from POS to BGI and end their trip there - straight to the hotel and a full beach day until check-in on Friday at about 7 PM to work a BGI-ZRH (about 9 hours) flight. Then position on SK or SR to ARN on Sunday and work a ARN-BGI (about 10 hours) trip on Monday and deadhead back to POS base on the same plane from ARN (via TAB).
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